With a booming voice and looming physical presence, Burnett is commonly ranked among the leading performers in electric blues; musician and critic Cub Koda declared, "no one could match Howlin' Wolf for the singular ability to rock the house down to the foundation while simultaneously scaring its patrons out of its wits." A number of songs written or popularized by Burnett—such as "Smokestack Lightnin'", "Back Door Man", "Killing Floor" and "Spoonful"—have become blues and blues rock standards.
At 6 feet, 6 inches (198 cm) and close to 300 pounds (136 kg), he was an imposing presence with one of the loudest and most memorable voices of all the "classic" 1950s Chicago blues singers. This rough-edged, slightly fearsome musical style is often contrasted with the less crude but still powerful presentation of his contemporary and professional rival, Muddy Waters. Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), Little Walter Jacobs, and Muddy Waters are usually regarded in retrospect as the greatest blues artists who recorded for Chess in Chicago. Sam Phillips once remarked, "When I heard Howlin' Wolf, I said, 'This is for me. This is where the soul of man never dies.'" In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him #51 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".
Burnett died at Hines VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois on January 10, 1976 and was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Hillside, Cook County, Illinois in a plot in Section 18, on the east side of the road. His large gravestone, allegedly purchased by Eric Clapton, has an image of a guitar and harmonica etched into it.
The Howlin' Wolf Memorial Blues Festival is held each year in West Point, Mississippi. Wolf's Juke Joint Jam is another annual Howlin' Wolf tribute festival held in West Point. Some of the artists who have played 'Wolf Jam' include Wolf's lead guitarist Hubert Sumlin, Muddy Waters' back band of Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Calvin "Fuzz" Jones and "Steady Rollin" Bob Margolin, Willie King, Blind Mississippi Morris, Kenny Brown, Burnside Exploration, etc. The festival is held at the 500-acre (2.0 km2) festival grounds known as Waverly Waters Resort.
A popular music venue in New Orleans, Louisiana was named The Howlin' Wolf when it opened in 1988.
Burnett was portrayed by Eamonn Walker in the 2008 motion picture Cadillac Records.
300 Pounds of Joy
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You don't have to worry, you can have your fun
Take me, baby, for your little boy
You get three hundred pounds of heavenly joy
This is it
This is it
Look what you get
And you got you a man that you don't like
Throw that cat, baby, outta your mind
Follow me, baby, have a real good time
This is it
This is it
Look what you get
Hoy, hoy, I'm the boy
I got three hundred pounds of heavenly joy
I'm so glad that you understand
I'm three hundred pounds of muscle and man
This is it
This is it
Look what you get
In "Three Hundred Pounds of Joy," Howlin' Wolf boasts about his large size, proclaiming that he possesses "three hundred pounds of heavenly joy." He tells women that they don't have to worry anymore; instead, they can have fun with him as their "little boy." He encourages women to leave the man they don't like and follow him for a good time, emphasizing his size and strength by stating he is "three hundred pounds of muscle and man." Throughout the song, the Wolf reminds women that he is offering them something new, an exciting experience that is different from what they've had before.
These lyrics are typical of the blues genre, which often features boastful expressions of strength and virility. The song can also be interpreted as a reflection of the social and economic changes of the time, where African Americans started moving to the cities and taking on factory jobs, leading to larger body sizes due to less physical activity than farm work.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, all you girls think the days are gone
You ladies may have thought those days were over
You don't have to worry, you can have your fun
But don't you worry, there's still fun to be had
Take me, baby, for your little boy
If you choose me, I'll be your sweet little boy
You get three hundred pounds of heavenly joy
And with me comes a joy that weighs 300 pounds
This is it
This is the real deal
This is it
It's the truth, I swear
Look what you get
See what you'll receive!
You been pinnin' and hidin' behind his back
You've been holding back and hiding things from your man
And you got you a man that you don't like
You've ended up with someone you don't really fancy
Throw that cat, baby, outta your mind
Forget that man, sugar
Follow me, baby, have a real good time
Come after me and we'll have some fun
This is it
This is the best option
This is it
It's the only choice that makes sense!
Look what you get
You won't believe what's coming your way!
Hoy, hoy, I'm the boy
Hey, hey, I'm your man
I got three hundred pounds of heavenly joy
And I bring 300 pounds of ecstasy to the party
I'm so glad that you understand
It makes me happy that you see my value
I'm three hundred pounds of muscle and man
I'm a 300-pound hunk of manliness
This is it
This is what you've been looking for
This is it
It's what you've been waiting for all along
Look what you get
Take a peek at what I have to offer!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: WILLIE DIXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dadzbluz
300 POUNDS OF JOY
Well all you girls think the days are done
You don't have to worry you can have your fun
Take me baby for your little boy
You get three hundred pounds of heavenly joy
This is it, this is it, look what you get
You've been bending and hiding right behind his back
And you got your man that you don't like
Throw that cat, baby outta your mind
Follow me baby have a real good time
This is it, this is it, look what you get
(Hubert Sumlin)
Hoy, hoy I'm the boy
I got three hundred pounds of heavenly joy
I'm so glad that you understand
I'm three hundred pounds of muscle and man
Uh this is it, this is it
Look what you get
@TheRealForrestGeorge
All you girls think the days are gone
You don't have to worry, you can have your fun
Take me, baby, for your little boy
Three hundred pounds of heavenly joy
This is it
This is it
Look what you get
You been creeping and hiding behind his back
'Cause you got you a man that you don't like
Throw that Jack, baby, outta your mind
Follow me, baby, have a real good time
This is it
This is it
Look what you get
Hoy! Hoy! I'm the boy
Three hundred pounds of heavenly joy
I'm so glad that you understand
Three hundred pounds of muscle and man
This is it
This is it
Look what you get
If the men's all mad then the women's glad
If the little kids' happy then the old folk's mad
I'm so glad that you understand
Three hundred pounds of muscle and man
This is it
This is it
Look what you get
@joblo9773
Actually, they did.
Or RATHER, Jimmy's inspired early session work (with Them for instance) occasionally leans very heavily on Sumlin's sublime solo here.
Everybody ever amounted to anything anywhere robbed cheated and stole something from somebody.
ONLY fuggin' difference is: to what EXTENT they actually got caught.
Pagey was a gifted live player through '69-71 and most incredibly talented studio musician/arranger/producer for at least as long.
Sumlin was an early electric genius, but Page's talents totally eclipsed almost everybody - except maybe a small handful of virtuosos on occasion including Hubert.
Page drew HEAVILY on virtually every great electric blues guitarist before him; most of the best to come along subsequently - if not all - have done exactly that.
NOTHING exceptional about Page in that respect, other than he did so slightly more frequently -
and MORE OFTEN than not IMPROVISED & SUBLIMATED & IMPROVED UPON his predecessors - as all greats are obviously prone to do.
This number is one of Wolf's crowning achievements, and there ARE a few Zeppelin numbers that compare very favorably -
the 'ole "stole some notes and lyric here & there" MUSIC POLICE
waaaaaay to late to the scene of the "crime" - (about 3 or 4 decades AFTER THE FACT ANYHOW)
ought bugger the fuck off.
ANYBODY really need the reason WHY?
OK, why? - ever fuggin teeny-bopper comin round with his facebook fanboy, amateur-hour music detective shitlist can meditate upon:
Zeppelin was successfully sued by every artist (or their "estates") for each & every last dime they had coming - dead or alive.
The very fact that Led popularized the (dead or half-dead) old blues buzzards simply guaranteed the surviving families saw 100X's the income they'd have otherwise accrued - beings after 1950's around a couple hundred black folks (IF that MANY??) bothered to even listen let alone buy a blues record - that's true to this day.
ULTIMATELY, WHITE BOYS ~GENERATED~ MORE BLUES RECORDS SALES
than any bluesman ever even hoped for - even in his wildest DREAMS - Gold Records in very few instances at best.
After the British invasion, without whitey buying up blues like they were goin' out of style, Robert Johnson's estate - and/or whomever else "creatively involved" - would still be DEAD BROKE.
So if ya don't mind my sayin': pull yer ever lovin' head out 'o yer ass.
Or go listen to the Stones' take on "Love In Vain" from Let It Bleed album or at Leeds '71 --- 'cause it so far outshines the 1920's Robert Johnson "copyright" - that either his original pales by comparison, or Taylor's bottleneck is far more brilliant - and/or both - since Taylor stole NOTHING from the 20's apart from the fact he played blues.
Sue me him and everbody else on Utube - if ya REALLY think ya know any better Lol!
@panadanian73
My only complaint is that I can't like this more than once :-) One of my absolute favorite blues performers and a force of nature.
@O___00
Daniel LaCroix I gotcha buddy 👍
@ninefingerbandit9402
Muddy, Johnny Lee hooker, howling wolf, B.B King.
@jamesosborne1286
Sometimes there just aren't enough likes.
-Forest Gump(inspired)
@kinkajou777
It’s easy to love Howlin Wolf’s music! I became a Howlin Wolf fan when I was a Freshman in college.
@johnevans8553
Absolutely love the Wolf, this is without a doubt my favorite song by him, what a groove. Too bad 90% of people have never heard him, he is a national treasure!!!
@savedaz
Shame on you thumbs down people, that guitar work is amazing!
@nurmweb
The great song worthy of representing the 20th century, with unique rhythm, a full tone range covered plus a distinctive vocal so amazing that any reproduction would fall short, except by Chester himself.
@tonyfreeman1339
The best thing you'll hear all day. I guarantee.
@luisguedes7590
The voice that seems to come out of the darkness to howl the blues.