"Honey" was released as a single in the U.S. in 1968 and spent five weeks at No. 1 the "Billboard" Hot 100 Singles Chart (the 200th song to reach No. 1 on that chart), from April 7 to May 11, and three weeks atop "Billboard" Hot Country Singles chart. It was preceded on the "Billboard" Hot 100 by "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding and was followed by Archie Bell & the Drells' "Tighten Up". It was Goldsboro's only No. 1 hit on the Pop Singles and Country Singles charts and it was his first song to top the Adult Contemporary chart. "Billboard" ranked the record as the No. 3 song for 1968.