Oh-oh, smokestack lightning
Shinin', just like gold
Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo

Whoa, oh, tell me, baby
What's the matter with you?
Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo

Whoa-oh, tell me, baby
Where did ya stay last night?
Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo

Whoa, oh, stop your train
Let her, go for a ride
Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo

Whoa, oh, fare ya well
Never see, ah, you no more
Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo

Whoa, oh, who been here baby, since
Ah, I been gone?
Little bitty boy?
Girl, be on
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo-hoo, oh
Ah-hoo

Overall Meaning

The song Smokestack Lightning by Howlin' Wolf is a classic example of blues music known for its repetitive guitar riff and Wolf's distinctive voice. The song is about a man who is crying out to his lover, who has left him, hoping she will come back. In the opening lines, Wolf compares the smoke and fumes that come out of the smokestack with the shining of gold, which is a metaphor for the fumes of desire that the man feels for his lover. He then asks his lover why she doesn't hear him crying and hollering for her. The repetition of the word "ah-hoo-hoo" in the chorus signifies his longing and sadness over his lost love.

The second verse of the song continues the theme of the man's longing for his lover, with Wolf asking his lover what's the matter with her, and why she can't hear him crying. In the third verse, he asks her where she stayed last night, again hoping to hear some indication that she will return to him. The fourth verse uses the metaphor of a train to express the man's desire to be with his lover again. He asks the train to stop and let his lover go for a ride with him, but he receives no response. The fifth and final verse is an acceptance that his lover is gone for good, and he will never see her again. He questions who has been with her in his absence, but ultimately accepts that she's moved on.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh-oh, smokestack lightning
The train is moving like lightning, emitting smoke from the stack, which is a symbol of energy and power.

Shinin', just like gold
The train's lights are bright and shining like gold, indicating its importance and grandeur.

Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
The singer is asking why the listener is not paying attention to his or her cries, indicating a feeling of neglect.

Ah-hoo-hoo, oh Ah-hoo-hoo, oh Ah-hoo
These sounds are used to convey the raw emotion of the singer's cry.

Whoa, oh, tell me, baby What's the matter with you?
The singer is concerned and asks what is wrong with the listener, indicating a desire to connect emotionally.

Whoa-oh, tell me, baby Where did ya stay last night?
The singer is questioning the listener's whereabouts, indicating a sense of suspicion or jealousy.

Whoa, oh, stop your train Let her, go for a ride
The singer wants to stop the train and let it be free, indicating a desire for liberation and freedom.

Whoa, oh, fare ya well Never see, ah, you no more
The singer is saying goodbye and accepting that they will never see the listener again, indicating a sense of finality and closure.

Whoa, oh, who been here baby, since Ah, I been gone?
The singer is asking about what has happened in the listener's life while they were apart, indicating a sense of curiosity and longing.

Little bitty boy? Girl, be on Ah-hoo-hoo, oh Ah-hoo-hoo, oh Ah-hoo
These sounds are used to convey the raw emotion of the singer's cry.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chester Burnett

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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