Honky Cat

{{Use British English|date=June 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Honky Cat

| image = Honky cat elton john US single variant A.png

| alt = side-A label

| caption = One of side-A labels of the US single

| type = single

| artist = Elton John

| album = Honky Château

| B-side = Slave

| released = 31 July 1972

| recorded = 17 January 1972

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = {{hlist|Pop{{cite book|last=Woodstra|first=Chris|year=2008|title=All Music Guide Required Listening: Classic Rock|publisher=Backbeat|page=105|isbn=978-0879309176}}|rock{{cite book|last=Pollock|first=Bruce|year=2005|title=Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era|edition=2nd|publisher=Routledge|page=148|isbn=978-0415970730}}|{{nowrap|boogie-woogie}}}}

| length = 5:12

| label = Uni (USA), DJM (UK)

| writer =

• Elton John
• Bernie Taupin

| producer =Gus Dudgeon

| prev_title = Rocket Man

| prev_year = 1972

| title =

| next_title = Crocodile Rock

| next_year = 1972

| misc = {{External music video|header=Audio|{{YouTube|iPicSRPwogI|"Honky Cat"}}}}

}}

"Honky Cat" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was used as the opening track for John's fifth studio album, Honky Château, released in 1972.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/honky-cat-mt0036872951|title=Honky Cat – Elton John|last=Mason|first=Stewart|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=7 October 2016}}

"Honky Cat" was also released as the A-side of John's thirteenth single. The single reached {{thinspace|No.| 31}} in the United Kingdom, and fared better in the United States, peaking at {{thinspace|No.| 8}} on the Billboard Hot 100 just as John launched an American tour in September 1972.{{cite book|last1=Rees|first1=Dafydd|last2=Crampton|first2=Luke|year=1991|title=Rock Movers and Shakers: An A-Z of People Who Made Rock Happen|publisher=Billboard Books|isbn=978-0874366617}}

John has performed this song numerous times in the 50+ years since its release.{{Cite web |title=Honky Cat by Elton John Song Statistics {{!}} setlist.fm |url=https://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/elton-john-63d6be6f.html?songid=43d63b5f |access-date=2022-03-07 |website=www.setlist.fm}} A live version of the song was released on the Here side of the Here and There live set in 1976 (and its expanded CD version in 1995), and a solo piano version appeared on the EltonJohn.com Live in Madison Square Garden Vol. 1 limited edition CD, recorded in October 1999 during his 1999 solo tour.{{Cite web|title=Elton John – Live At Madison Square Garden (Volume 1)|publisher=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2581213-Elton-John-Live-At-Madison-Square-Garden |language=en |access-date=9 April 2022}}