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.
Riding in the Moonlight
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics
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I wore my .44 so long, I done made my shoulder sore
Well, I'm wondrin everybody, where'd my baby go?
Well, I'm so mad this mornin, I don't know where in the world to go
Well, I'm so mad this mornin, I don't know where in the world to go
Well, I'm lookin for me some money, pawned gun to have some gold
In "Riding in the Moonlight," Howlin' Wolf tells a story of a man who is lost without his lover. He sings about carrying a .44 pistol for so long that it has made his shoulder sore. The gun symbolizes the weight of the pain he carries in his heart due to his lost love. The man is asking everyone where his baby has gone, indicating that he is desperate to find her. He is so mad in the morning, and he doesn't know where to go or what to do with himself. The feeling of being lost and alone is overwhelming, as if the man's world has come to a standstill. He is seeking money and has even pawned his gun to get some gold.
The lyrics of this song speak to the universal human emotion of heartbreak that anyone can experience. The pain and desperation of the man are palpable, and the way the singer performs the song adds to the emotional impact of the lyrics. The .44 pistol is a symbol of the weight of his pain and blindness, and his need for money to keep afloat symbolizes the desperation that he feels.
Line by Line Meaning
I wore my .44 so long, I've made my shoulder sore
I have carried my gun for such a prolonged period that my shoulder is now in agony
I wore my .44 so long, I done made my shoulder sore
Due to the fact that I carried my gun for an extended period, my shoulder became sore and painful
Well, I'm wondrin everybody, where'd my baby go?
I am constantly having this thought in my mind and it's causing me to wonder and question everyone around me on the whereabouts of my lover
Well, I'm so mad this mornin, I don't know where in the world to go
My anger has caused me to be lost and indecisive about my next move
Well, I'm so mad this mornin, I don't know where in the world to go
Due to my current state of rage, I am unsure of what direction to take next
Well, I'm lookin for me some money, pawned gun to have some gold
I am in search of a means to acquire money and in doing so, I have pawned my gun in hopes of obtaining some gold
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHESTER BURNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind