Louise
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics


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Louise, sweetest girl I know
Louise, sure the sweetest girl I know
Come all the way from St. Louis, way down to the gulf of Mexico
Louise, baby you better hurry home
Louise, you better hurry home
Somebody fishin' in your pond, Louise since you been gone
Louise, Louise come on home
Louise, Louise come on home
They catchin' your precious, and then grindin' up the bone





Overall Meaning

In Howlin' Wolf's song "Louise," the singer is calling out to the eponymous woman, whom he describes as the sweetest girl he knows. He tells her to hurry home because someone has been fishing in her pond since she's been away. The line "they catchin' your precious, and then grindin' up the bone" suggests that someone has been taking advantage of Louise's absence, perhaps by stealing or using her property for their own benefit.


However, there may be a deeper meaning to the song. Some have interpreted the fish in the pond as a metaphor for Louise's suitors, and the grinding of the bone as a metaphor for their sexual desires. Thus, the song may be a warning to Louise to be careful of those who would take advantage of her, particularly sexually.


Line by Line Meaning

Louise, sweetest girl I know
Addressing his lover, Howlin' Wolf tells her that she is the sweetest girl that he knows.


Louise, sure the sweetest girl I know
Reiterating the point made in the previous line, Howlin' Wolf reaffirms that his lover, Louise, is undoubtedly the sweetest girl he knows.


Come all the way from St. Louis, way down to the gulf of Mexico
Acknowledging the distance that Louise has traveled to be with him, Howlin' Wolf describes how she has journeyed from St. Louis down to the gulf of Mexico.


Louise, baby you better hurry home
Expressing concern for his lover's safety, Howlin' Wolf urges Louise to return to him quickly.


Louise, you better hurry home
Repeating himself for emphasis, Howlin' Wolf once again implores Louise to return home quickly.


Somebody fishin' in your pond, Louise since you been gone
Informing Louise of what's been happening while she's been away, Howlin' Wolf tells her that someone has been fishing in her pond.


Louise, Louise come on home
Using repetition, Howlin' Wolf once again beseeches Louise to come back home.


They catchin' your precious, and then grindin' up the bone
Conveying the severity of the situation, Howlin' Wolf warns Louise that someone is not only fishing in her pond but also catching and grinding up her precious belongings.




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHESTER BURNETT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@MarcCardwell

GE Smith sent me here.

@4runner39

Same here haa ! Marc Maron lol

@joshualeduc7834

same here!

@erikdobratz4933

Marc Cardwell me too!

@Ccheek

Me too

@MarcCardwell

it's a great song, I'm not a musicologist, so i'm not seeing the depth that GE does.

10 More Replies...

@AnthonyMonaghan

That guitar really ties this song together. Hubert Sumlin was a true master. I could listen to these two men until the end of times.

@arthuredelson4528

wolf mentored him musically as well

@Wiencourager

When Hubert Sumlin died, mick jagger called the funeral parlor and paid the bill. A lot of rock and roll guitar comes from Huberts style.

@aviadeshel5305

the guitarist in this song and session is actually buddy guy. hubert is amazing but the style is completly diffrent

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