When you talk about the 20 best songs of Honeymoon Suite, you’re diving into the catalog of one of Canada’s most underrated rock exports. This Toronto-based band carved out their territory in the mid-’80s arena rock landscape with soaring vocals, infectious hooks, and guitar-driven anthems that still hold up decades later. Honeymoon Suite delivered the kind of stadium-ready rock that made you want to crank the volume, whether you were cruising down the highway or blasting tracks through quality headphones to catch every layered guitar detail.
Their sound blended melodic rock sensibilities with harder edge moments, creating a discography that rewarded both casual listeners and dedicated fans. From their self-titled debut in 1984 through multiple albums including “The Big Prize” and “Racing After Midnight,” they maintained a consistency that many of their contemporaries couldn’t match. Let’s explore the essential tracks that define their legacy.
Feel It Again
“Feel It Again” stands as Honeymoon Suite’s commercial zenith, a perfectly crafted power ballad from their 1986 album “The Big Prize.” The song’s gradual build from tender verses to explosive chorus demonstrates masterful arrangement, with Johnnie Dee’s vocals riding the dynamic shifts effortlessly. Producer Tom Treumuth captured lightning in a bottle here, balancing radio-friendly polish with genuine emotional weight. The track cracked the Top 40 in both Canada and the United States, proving that Honeymoon Suite could compete on the international stage while maintaining their distinctive sound.
New Girl Now
This breakthrough single from their debut album established Honeymoon Suite as serious players in the rock scene. The guitar interplay between Ray Coburn and Derry Grehan creates a textural richness that elevates the song beyond typical mid-’80s fare, with chunky rhythm work supporting melodic lead lines. Lyrically, it captures that moment of moving forward after heartbreak with an optimism that feels earned rather than forced. The production showcases the band’s ability to sound massive without losing clarity—each instrument occupies its own space in the mix, making it a reference track for anyone comparing quality audio equipment.
Burning in Love
Raw energy defines “Burning in Love,” an uptempo rocker that showcases the band’s harder-edged capabilities. The rhythm section of Gary Lalonde (bass) and Dave Betts (drums) drives relentlessly here, providing the foundation for aggressive guitar work that never loses its melodic sensibility. This track represented their self-titled debut’s mission statement—Canadian rock with international ambition. The song’s bridge features a particularly tasty guitar solo that demonstrates technical prowess without showboating, a balance that characterized their best work throughout their career.
Stay in the Light
“Stay in the Light” exemplifies Honeymoon Suite’s knack for creating atmospheric rock that rewards attentive listening. The verses employ restraint, allowing Johnnie Dee’s voice to convey vulnerability before the chorus explodes with conviction and gang vocals that invite audience participation. From the debut album, this track showed early signs of the band’s willingness to experiment with dynamics rather than maintaining constant intensity. The production features subtle keyboard textures that add depth without overwhelming the guitar-driven core sound.
Wave Babies
Perhaps the most musically adventurous track from their debut, “Wave Babies” incorporates new wave influences without abandoning their rock foundation. The song’s rhythmic complexity and angular guitar riffs show a band refusing to color entirely within expected lines, taking risks that paid off creatively even if this wasn’t the most commercial offering. The lyrical imagery evokes coastal scenes and emotional turbulence in ways that feel genuinely poetic rather than clichéd. This track gained cult favorite status among deeper fans who appreciated the band’s artistic ambitions.
What Does It Take
From “The Big Prize,” this track delivers pure melodic rock perfection with a chorus designed for arena sing-alongs. The production here is immaculate, with layers of guitars creating a wall of sound that never becomes muddy—a testament to careful mixing and arrangement. What elevates this beyond standard power rock is the genuine yearning in the vocal delivery and the way the instrumental breaks provide breathing room within the song’s structure. It’s the kind of track that makes you understand why discovering great songs becomes a lifelong passion for music enthusiasts.
Bad Attitude
“Bad Attitude” brings swagger and edge, with a driving riff that announces itself from the opening seconds. The song’s attitude matches its title, delivering rebellious energy without tipping into parody or excess. The rhythm section locks into a groove that’s simultaneously tight and loose enough to breathe, while the guitars provide both rhythmic punch and melodic hooks. This became a concert favorite, translating particularly well to live performance where the band could extend the instrumental sections and feed off crowd energy.
Lookin’ Out for Number One
From the “Racing After Midnight” album, this track shows the band’s evolution toward a slightly more polished, late-’80s production aesthetic. The song addresses self-preservation and personal priorities with lyrics that avoid preachiness while making their point clearly. Musically, it features some of the band’s most intricate guitar work, with interweaving parts that create harmonic richness. The chorus hook burrows into your brain and stays there—the hallmark of truly effective songwriting.
Still Lovin’ You
This power ballad demonstrates Honeymoon Suite’s ability to deliver genuine emotion without descending into schmaltz. The song builds beautifully from intimate verses to a soaring chorus that showcases Johnnie Dee’s vocal range and control. The production strikes an ideal balance between orchestration and rock instrumentation, with strings adding dimension without overwhelming the band’s core sound. Originally from “The Singles” compilation, it captured the band during a creatively fertile period where they seemed incapable of writing a weak melody.
All Along You Knew
Another gem from “The Big Prize,” this track features particularly strong lyrical storytelling about relationship deception and realization. The musical arrangement supports the narrative arc, with tension building through the verses before releasing in the emotionally charged chorus. The guitar solo section provides a moment of pure instrumental expression that feels integrated into the song’s emotional journey rather than tacked on as expected solo space. This track rewards repeated listening, revealing new details in the arrangement with each play.
Find What You’re Looking For
Fast-forwarding to their 2024 “ALIVE” album, “Find What You’re Looking For” proves Honeymoon Suite’s creative vitality decades into their career. The production here is contemporary without abandoning their classic sound, striking a balance that longtime fans appreciate while potentially attracting new listeners. The song’s message about persistence and self-discovery resonates across generations, delivered with the vocal power and melodic sensibility that’s always defined their best work. It’s genuinely exciting to hear a legacy band delivering fresh material that doesn’t feel like a nostalgia cash-grab.
Say You Don’t Know Me
From “Monsters Under the Bed,” this track showcased the band navigating the early ’90s rock landscape while maintaining their identity. The production reflects its era with certain sonic choices, yet the core songwriting remains unmistakably Honeymoon Suite. The chorus features one of their most immediately memorable hooks, the kind that has you singing along by the second listen. The guitar tones here are particularly noteworthy, with a clarity and presence that sounds fantastic through quality earbuds during focused listening sessions.
Tell Me What You Want
Another strong offering from the recent “ALIVE” album, this track demonstrates that Honeymoon Suite’s knack for crafting rock anthems hasn’t diminished with time. The song addresses communication and relationship dynamics with lyrical directness that never becomes simplistic. Musically, it features the dual guitar approach that’s always been central to their sound, with rhythm and lead parts working together to create fullness and movement. The rhythm section drives with authority, providing the foundation that allows the melodic elements to soar.
Cold Look
“Racing After Midnight” yielded this mid-tempo rocker that showcases restraint and mood over pure energy. The verses create an atmospheric tension that the chorus releases without completely dissolving the song’s overall vibe of uncertainty and emotional distance. The production choices emphasize space and dynamics rather than constant density, showing maturity in arrangement philosophy. This track particularly demonstrates how Honeymoon Suite could create variety within their catalog while remaining recognizable.
Funny Business
Back to the debut album, “Funny Business” delivers straightforward rock with a playful edge that the title suggests. The guitar riffs here are wonderfully sticky, with a simplicity that proves memorability doesn’t require complexity. The song’s energy level remains consistently high, making it an ideal album energizer that prevents listener fatigue during full-album listening sessions. It’s the kind of track that probably killed in bars and clubs during their early days, with an accessibility that didn’t require you to be a musician to appreciate.
New Girl Now
This opening track from their self-titled debut made an immediate statement about who Honeymoon Suite was and what they offered. The production quality exceeded many indie releases of the era, with clarity and punch that suggested major label ambitions. The song’s structure follows classic rock formulas while maintaining enough personality to avoid sounding generic or derivative. Lyrically, it captures the excitement and nervousness of new romantic possibilities with authenticity that connects across demographic lines.
Heart on Fire
“Heart on Fire” burns with intensity that the title promises, delivering high-energy rock that never sacrifices melody for aggression. The vocal delivery here is particularly passionate, with Johnnie Dee selling every line with conviction. The instrumental arrangement features tight interplay between all band members, creating a cohesive sound where individual contributions enhance rather than compete with each other. This track exemplifies why Honeymoon Suite built such a loyal fanbase—consistent quality and genuine passion shine through every note.
It’s Your Heart
Another strong cut from their debut, “It’s Your Heart” takes a slightly more introspective approach while maintaining rock credibility. The song’s message about emotional responsibility and relationship choices comes across without heavy-handedness, supported by music that balances reflection with momentum. The guitar work here features some particularly tasty licks that showcase technical ability without showboating, always serving the song rather than the ego. It’s a deeper cut that reveals the album’s overall strength beyond the obvious singles.
Wounded
From “The Big Prize,” this power ballad showcases vulnerability and emotional honesty that contrasts nicely with the album’s more aggressive moments. The production here is lush without being overproduced, with each layer serving the song’s emotional core. The vocal performance captures genuine pain and longing, making the listener feel the weight behind the lyrics. The bridge section provides a moment of musical and emotional release that demonstrates sophisticated songwriting structure.
Take My Hand
This track from “The Big Prize” delivers an invitation both literal and metaphorical, with music that’s simultaneously anthemic and intimate. The chorus hook is absolutely massive, designed for lighter-waving arena moments and radio singalongs alike. The guitar tones throughout are warm and inviting, matching the song’s lyrical message perfectly. This represents Honeymoon Suite at their most accessible without compromising their rock credibility—a difficult balance that many bands attempt but few achieve as successfully.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Honeymoon Suite’s biggest hit song?
“Feel It Again” stands as Honeymoon Suite’s most commercially successful single, reaching the Top 40 in both Canada and the United States. Released from their 1986 album “The Big Prize,” this power ballad received extensive radio play and MTV rotation, introducing the band to their widest audience. While “New Girl Now” also achieved significant success particularly in Canada, “Feel It Again” remains their signature song that casual listeners most likely recognize.
What genre is Honeymoon Suite?
Honeymoon Suite primarily performs melodic rock and AOR (Album-Oriented Rock), with influences from arena rock, power pop, and hard rock. Their sound emerged from the mid-1980s Canadian rock scene, characterized by strong vocal melodies, dual guitar harmonies, and production values that emphasized radio-friendly hooks without sacrificing rock credibility. They occupy similar sonic territory to bands like Loverboy, Triumph, and international acts like Survivor and Journey.
Is Honeymoon Suite still making music?
Yes, Honeymoon Suite remains active and released their “ALIVE” album in 2024, featuring new tracks like “Find What You’re Looking For” and “Tell Me What You Want.” The band continues performing live and creating new material, demonstrating that their creative energy hasn’t diminished decades after their commercial peak. Their longevity and continued output prove their dedication to their craft and loyal fanbase.
When was Honeymoon Suite formed?
Honeymoon Suite formed in 1981 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, originally under the name “Look” before changing to Honeymoon Suite in 1983. They released their self-titled debut album in 1984, which established them as major players in the Canadian rock scene before achieving international recognition with their follow-up album “The Big Prize” in 1986.
What album is Feel It Again from?
“Feel It Again” appears on Honeymoon Suite’s second studio album “The Big Prize,” released in 1986. This album represented their commercial breakthrough, featuring production by Tom Treumuth and spawning multiple successful singles. “The Big Prize” showcased the band’s evolution toward more polished, radio-friendly production while maintaining the rock edge that defined their debut.