Robert Plants and The Honeydrippers – Sea of Love

In 1984, Robert Plant stepped away from the hard rock legacy of Led Zeppelin and into an unexpected new project: The Honeydrippers. Formed at the urging of Atlantic Records’ legendary president Ahmet Ertegun, the group was a star-studded collective designed to revive the sound and spirit of 1950s rhythm and blues. Among the musicians lending their talents were Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Nile Rodgers, and Paul Shaffer, making the project a true all-star affair.

Their only release, the EP The Honeydrippers: Volume One, appeared in late 1984 and quickly became a surprise hit. Central to its success was a tender reinterpretation of “Sea of Love,” a 1959 classic originally recorded by Phil Phillips and George Khoury. Plant’s version swapped Zeppelin’s thunder for a velvety vocal delivery, wrapped in lush instrumentation that paid homage to the golden era of rock ’n’ roll.

The single soared up the charts, reaching No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and topping Canada’s singles charts. It also broke into the Top 10 in Australia and landed within the Top 40 in several European countries. By the end of 1985, “Sea of Love” was ranked as the 34th biggest single of the year in the United States, marking it as Plant’s most commercially successful single outside of Led Zeppelin.

The EP itself featured five tracks, including “I Get a Thrill,” “I Got a Woman,” “Young Boy Blues,” and the rollicking “Rockin’ at Midnight,” but it was “Sea of Love” that captured audiences worldwide. Critics praised the performance for its warmth and romantic sincerity, with Plant delivering a vocal unlike anything heard during his Zeppelin years.

Musically, the recording brought together an extraordinary lineup: Page’s guitar work on “Sea of Love” added subtle depth, while Jeff Beck’s fiery leads powered other tracks. Nile Rodgers contributed rhythm guitar and production expertise, and Paul Shaffer’s keyboards anchored the arrangements. Behind the scenes, the project was guided by Ertegun himself, credited as producer under his pseudonym Nugetre, alongside Plant and Phil Carson, billed as “The Fabulous Brill Brothers.”

Although The Honeydrippers never followed up with a Volume Two—plans ended with Ertegun’s passing in 2006—the short-lived project left behind one of the most memorable reinterpretations of a classic love song.

Robert Plant was actually quite horrified with this song’s success for The Honeydrippers. The A-side was “Rockin’ At Midnight,” a cover of Elvis’ “Good Rockin’ Tonight,” with “Sea of Love” as the B-side. But the single got flipped. Plant feared that this would destroy his reputation and he would be typecast as a crooner, so he deliberately cut off the career of the Honeydrippers.

Today, “Sea of Love” stands not only as a chart-topping hit of the 1980s but also as a reminder of Plant’s remarkable versatility and his reverence for the roots of rock ’n’ roll.

Sea of Love – single by Robert Plant & The Honeydrippers from the EP The Honeydrippers: Volume One.
Released September 24/November 12 1984
Songwriters: Phil Phillips, George Khoury
Charted No.3 in US, No.56 UK, No.1 Canada, No.5 Australia