The Honeycombs - Have I The Right (1964)

The Honeycombs were an English beat/pop group, founded in 1963 in North London. The group had one chart-topping hit, the million selling "Have I the Right?", in 1964. After that song the interest in the group ebbed away, and they split up in late 1966. The group's most distinguishing mark was their female drummer, Honey Lantree.

The original group members were:

Denis D'Ell (born Denis James Dalziel, 14 October 1943, Whitechapel, East London; died of cancer 6 July 2005- Lead singer and harmonica player
Martin Murray (born 7 October 1939, The City of London) - Rhythm guitar. He was replaced by Peter Pye (born 12 July 1946, Walthamstow, London) in November 1964
Alan Ward (born 12 December 1945, Nottingham - Lead guitar
John Lantree (born John David Lantree, 20 August 1940, Newbury, Berkshire - Bass guitar
Honey Lantree (born Ann Margot Lantree, 28 August 1943, Hayes, Middlesex - Drums and singer

The group started in November 1963 as an amateur band by Martin Murray. Its members were the hairdresser Murray, his salon assistant Honey Lantree, her brother John and two friends. It is unclear whether originally they called themselves The Sherabons or The Sheratons.

Conspicuous in "Have I the Right?" is the prominent part of the drums that carry the song. Their effect was enhanced by making the members of the group stamp their feet on the wooden stairs to the studio. Meek recorded the sound with five microphones he had fixed to the banisters with bicycle clips. For the finishing touch someone beat a tambourine directly onto a microphone. The recording was also somewhat speeded up.

"Have I the Right?" was released in June 1964 on the Pye record label. The sales started slowly, but by the end of July the record started to climb in the UK Singles Chart. At the end of August the record reached #1. Outside the UK "Have I the Right?" was a big success too. The song became #1 in Australia and Canada.[10] In the US the record reached #5 and in the Netherlands #2.The million sale came from the combined UK (over 250,000), US and other countries totals. The Honeycombs also recorded a German version of the song: "Hab ich das Recht?". Both the English and the German version reached #21 in the German charts: the English one in October, the German one in November 1964.


Soon after their first record had become a hit, The Honeycombs went on tour to the Far East and Australia, and they were not able to promote their new records at home. The tour gained them a long-lasting popularity in Japan, however. Especially for the Japanese market the group produced a live album and a single, "Love in Tokyo". The group also made a lasting impression in Sweden, where they scored two #1s.

In August 1965 the group released, "That's the Way", where Honey Lantree made her appearance as singer next to D'Ell (when on tour, Viv Prince of The Pretty Things took over the drumming). This record became their fourth British hit and reached #12. Its successor, "This Year Next Year", again with Honey Lantree as singer next to D'Ell, did not reach the UK chart.

D'Ell sang alone again on the last three singles the group recorded. "Who Is Sylvia?" was an adaptation of Franz Schuberts song An Sylvia. At the end of 1966 the group split.

The Honeycombs made many appearances on music television shows such as Top of the Pops, Ready Steady Go! (UK), Shindig! (US), and Beat-Club (Germany). The group also appeared in the 1965 film Pop Gear, miming "Have I the Right?" and "Eyes".

The New Honeycombs and afterwards
A part of the group went on, calling themselves The New Honeycombs, with the following line-up

Colin Boyd (born Colin Nicholas Nicol, 4 June 1946, Combe, outside Bath, Somerset) - Guitar and vocals. Later he formed Honeybus and changed his name to Colin Hare
Rod Butler (born Rodney Butler, 27 May 1944, Mill Hill, London) - Lead guitar and vocals. Later he played with The Lemmings and subsequently The College Boys, formed by ex-Honeycomb Martin Murray. Butler later joined forces with D'Ell and formed Zarabanda and later still played in Violinski, with Mik Kaminski of the ELO
Eddie Spence - Keyboards and vocals
John Lantree - Bass guitar
Honey Lantree - Drums and vocals
The group lasted one year, from 1966 to 1967.

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[PlantagenetKW]

Very cute video. Nice job. Funny though, Howard and Blaikley admitted that when they first wrote the song, the lyrics would have made an army sergeant blush! Not sure how those sweet kids would have reacted to "Have I the right to **** you?" :o)

There is loads of info on this song at thehoneycombs. info/haveitheright. php

[jammmon]

the 60s rule

[cynthia6637]

LOVE_LOVE this video!!!

[flvnow]

@hrpman the dance was the Stomp

[jimmatera]

this song reminds me of -some one on a pogo stick-jumping frogs and stuff.

[hrpman]

@briarhillgirl You're welcome, my dear. We old codgers are a mine of useless information!

[briarhillgirl]

@hrTHANKS FOR INFO...THESE WERE GREAT TUNES!YOU CAN'T HELP BUT KEEP THE BEAT.pman

[DDbRowN67]

Thanks so much for the great memories! :)

[1ytlady]

Good oldie.... thumbs up here...

[vespa202]

Fantastic tune :))