Nobody did the blues quite like Howlin’ Wolf. He was an incredible electric Chicago blues artist, with a powerful voice, excellent harmonica skills, and legendary prowess with the electric guitar. He moved swiftly through blues and rock and psychedelia with ease, and he inspired countless rock stars who followed in his footsteps. Let’s take a look at just a few of Howlin’ Wolf’s most influential songs!
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1. “Moanin’ At Midnight”
This 1951 hit was the song that introduced Howlin’ Wolf to a broader audience. With Ike Turner on the keys, Willie Steele banging on the drums, and Willie Johnson playing guitar, the quality of this blues song is the sum of its parts. But it would be nothing without Howlin’ Wolf at the center of it all.
When famed record producer Sam Phillips first heard “Moanin’ At Midnight”, he said that it was the “most different” song he had ever heard at that point.
2. “Killing Floor”
“Killing Floor” is one of the best Howlin’ Wolf songs to come out of the early 1960s. And according to many a fan and blues aficionado alike, this song marked a clear pivot for electric blues.
Jimi Hendrix was one of many rock stars to cover the song, as did Led Zeppelin. “Killing Floor” is definitely a classic Chicago electric blues song, but there’s an element there that feels almost like rock. At the very least, it definitely inspired rock stars.
3. “The Red Rooster”
This standout track from The Howlin’ Wolf Album is on the lighter side of blues, but the core elements of the blues are still very much there. Huber Sumlin’s guitar work (with the wah-wah) is top-tier on “The Red Rooster”.
4. “Smokestack Lightnin’”
One of Howlin’ Wolf’s earlier songs from the mid-1950s, “Smokestack Lightnin’” is a memorable hit from the blues icon for a reason. It’s such an intricate part of Howlin’ Wolf’s legacy, complete with that legendary howl.
His unique way of singing is at the front and center of this song. We’d be bold enough to say that out of every Howlin’ Wolf song out there, “Smokestack Lightnin’” is the most essential. Like “Killing Floor”, this song sounds like rock and roll being haunted by the blues, in a way that only Howlin’ Wolf could produce.
Photo by Sandy Guy Schoenfeld/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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