What is a honky tonk?

Question

I'm at work and my coworker is listening to country music. It seems a few songs refer to "honky tonk". WTF is HT??? Thanks

Answer 1

honky tonk is a bar and honky tonk badonkadonk is a girls butt!!!

Answer 2

I think that most people are correct in identifing a Honky-Tonk as a bar. The thing that I believe the phrase is meant to inflict is the utter countryness of the establishment. This is a no frills, swinging door, saw-dust on the floor, everyone in cowboy hats, drinking lone star or pearl in a can type place.

There are no fancy decorations (maybe old farm equipment or license plates) and is most likely in someones barn or the like. The bay doors open in the summer and close in the winter and it is usually open later than the law dictates.

No matter the location there is always a juke box and a dance floor. That is what a honky tonk is.

Answer 3

If you've seen the Blues Brothers movie scene where they B.S. their way into playing at a country bar were they play behind chicken wire, you have an idea of what a honky tonk is. The original meaning was not merely any bar that plays country music, but rather, was limited to establishments of a certain reputation. The term arose as country songs began to explore more frank, adult, themes in the 30s and 40s. Many musicians at the time also referred to them as "blood buckets" due to frequent violence, hence the chicken wire.
You ought to investigate Honky Tonk -one of my favorite genres of country music. Try Hank Williams, Ray Price, Lefty Frizzell, Webb Pierce, Carl Smith.

Answer 4

I'm not putting the whole Wikipedia entry in here. Good reading though, even for the old school fans. I encourage all who read this to click on the Wikipedia entry below.

Here's the opening paragraph:

"A honky tonk is a type of bar with musical entertainment common in the Southwestern and Southern United States, also called honkatonks, honkey-tonks, tonks or tunks. The term has also been attached to various styles of 20th-century American music. As of 2007, honky tonk seems to be the most recognized and mainstream subgenre of country music."

Answer 5

A honky tonk is any bar where country music is played.

The better honky tonks have live music and serve food. The low class honky tonks just serve beer, music is played from a CD, and the men gamble on pool.

Answer 6

A small bar, usually country, is called a honky tonk. It sounded more appropriate to say we are going to a honky tonk than to say we are going to a bar.

Answer 7

It is a place where you can go and let your spirit run free and listen to some good old hard driving country music. Yes, you can get plastered too if you would like. Sometimes the smaller tonks are where the best fun is had by all. It doesn't have to be Gilley's or Billy Bob's to let er rip.

Answer 8

A honky tonk is any bar where country music is played.

Answer 9

a honky tonk is a country bar that ppl go to

Answer 10

a "honky tonk" (n) is a bar where they play country music. "Honky tonk" (adj) is also another phrase to describe the kind of music that is commonly called "country".

Answer 11

Country bar