Smokestack Lightnin
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics


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Ah oh, smokestack lightnin'
Shinin', just like gold
Why don't ya hear me cryin'?

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

Whoo hoo
Whoo hoo
Whoo

Whoa oh, tell me, baby
Where did ya, stay last night?
A-why don't ya hear me cryin'?

Whoo hoo
Whoo hoo
Whoo

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

Whoo hoo
Whoo hoo
Whoo

Whoa-oh, fare ya well
Never see, a you no more
A-why don't ya hear me cryin'?

Whoo hoo
Whoo hoo
Whoo

Whoa-oh, who been here baby since,
I-I been gone, a little, bitty boy
Girl, be on

Whoo hoo




Whoo hoo
Whoo

Overall Meaning

The song "Smokestack Lightnin'" by Howlin' Wolf is a blues song that has been interpreted in many different ways by music critics and fans alike. The lyrics of the song are relatively simple, but they pack a lot of emotion and meaning into their brevity. The song begins with the lines "Ah oh, smokestack lightnin' / Shinin', just like gold / Why don't ya hear me cryin'?" These lines evoke a powerful image of a smokestack, which is frequently associated with the Industrial Revolution and the rise of modern industry. The smokestack is a symbol of both progress and pollution, and it seems to shine like gold in the darkness of the city. But despite its magnificence, the singer can't help but feel like no one is listening to his cries of pain and desperation.


As the song progresses, the singer continues to ask his lover what is wrong with her and why she doesn't hear his cries. He also asks her where she stayed last night, implying that she may have been unfaithful. Toward the end of the song, the singer seems resigned to the fact that his lover is gone forever: "Fare ya well / Never see, a you no more / A-why don't ya hear me cryin'?" Throughout the song, we get the sense that the singer has been left behind by the very progress that the smokestack represents. He is a man struggling to make sense of a changing world and a relationship that has fallen apart.


Overall, "Smokestack Lightnin'" is a powerful example of the blues genre. It captures the sadness, confusion, and longing that many people feel when they are left behind or left behind by someone they love. At the same time, it acknowledges the beauty and power of modern industry, even as it critiques its effects on individual lives.


Line by Line Meaning

Ah oh, smokestack lightnin'
The smokestack is emitting smoke, which looks like lightning, visually striking and impressive.


Shinin', just like gold
The smokestack is shining beautifully, just like gold, highlighting its beauty and grandeur.


Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
The singer is heartbroken and crying out for help and attention, wondering why no one seems to notice.


Whoa oh, tell me, baby What's the, matter with you?
The singer is asking their lover what's wrong, wondering why they aren't responding or acknowledging their feelings.


Where did ya, stay last night? A-why don't ya hear me cryin'?
The singer is suspicious and upset about their lover's whereabouts, wondering why they aren't paying attention to their cries of distress.


Whoa-oh, stop your train Let her, go for a ride Why don't ya hear me cryin'?
The singer is pleading with their lover to stop and listen to them, to take the time to understand their feelings and give them the chance to express themselves.


Whoa-oh, fare ya well Never see, a you no more A-why don't ya hear me cryin'?
The singer is saying goodbye, knowing that they won't see their lover again, wondering why they never paid attention to their cries of despair.


Whoa-oh, who been here baby since, I-I been gone, a little, bitty boy Girl, be on
The singer is suspicious that their lover has been seeing someone else while they were away, urging them to move on if that's the case.




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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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@giusepperesponte8077

I love the blues, it’s my favorite genre, since I was 17 I’ve been completely immersed in all facets of it. This was one of the first blues songs I heard and it’s still my favorite, this is the type of blues I really like, if I could listen to only three blues musicians for the rest of my life they would definitely be:

1. Howlin Wolf
2. Albert King
3. Stevie Ray Vaughan

There a lot of other but if I had to pick three it would be them.

The reason I love those three the most is because their blues has a mean flavor to it, just purely sad blues isn’t as enjoyable to me. If you read this far, leave me a reply telling me your favorite blues musicians.



All comments from YouTube:

@MelancoliaI

My dad loved this kind of music. I was indifferent to it until life knocked me around a bit. Now I love it.

@j.vinton4039

Usually how it happens bro. My old man is a Texas blues man. Couldn’t stand it as a kid, now in my 30’s the shit sounds like butter and gold.

@dantesderivatives

I'll admit I actually liked music like this growing up.....but WAY more after the great humbling of my 20's...Music with pain always sounds better

@cliffmorrison3568

It's been said many times, you don't understand the blues until you experience some blues.

@jukejoint523jordan6

I got into blues on a road tríp from Florida to South Carolina with my Uncle and his friend, the whole 7 hr trip was full of Blues tracks, that was back in 1994, Unc passed thst ssme year and we burried him on my 17th Birthday. Before he died he gave me his Fender Stratocaster Guitar and I've been playing it ever since. R.i.P Unc

@andyknowles772

​@@dantesderivatives
"The flowers of hell"

5 More Replies...

@avisoncino8665

The Small Faces, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones,and literally any blues-based Rockn'Roll band from the 60's and 70's wouldn't exist without this amazing recording...

@fragle3676

Seriously it’s nice to come back to the good shit

@Real_SkyRipper

lol naive, they would have existed anyway, just like Beethoven would have existed even if Mozart didn't.

@TKD1485

@@Real_SkyRipper would a tree form without roots ?

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