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.
Wang Dang Doodle
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell Butcher Knife-Totin' Annie, tell Fast-Talking Fanny
We gonna pitch a ball, down to that union hall
We gonna romp and tromp till midnight
We gonna fuss and fight till daylight
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
Tell Kudu-Crawlin' Red, tell Abyssinian Ned
Tell ol' Pistol Pete, everybody gonna meet
Tonight we need no rest, we really gonna throw a mess
We gonna to break out all of the windows
We gonna kick down all the doors
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long, all night long
All night long
Tell Fats and Washboard Sam that everybody gonna jam
Tell Shaky and Boxcar Joe, we got sawdust on the floor
Tell Peg and Caroline Dye, we gonna have a time
When the fish scent fill the air
There'll be snuff juice everywhere
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
The lyrics to Howlin' Wolf's song "Wang Dang Doodle" are about a wild party that is going to take place at the union hall. The singer implores different characters, such as Automatic Slim, Razor-Totin' Jim, Butcher Knife-Totin' Annie, and Fast-Talking Fanny to attend. The lyrics indicate that there will be a lot of drinking and partying, as the party will last all night long. The singer says that there will be no rest and everybody is going to throw a mess. The lyrics present the party as an intense and raucous affair, where the windows will be broken and the doors kicked down.
The song presents a world that is far removed from the daily grind of work and responsibility. The party is a release from the cares of the world, where people can let loose and have a good time. The party is also presented as a communal event, where various characters from the neighborhood are invited to attend. Everybody is going to meet at the union hall, and there will be a sense of camaraderie and togetherness as they party together. Overall, the song portrays the party as a moment of escape and celebration, where people can forget their worries and enjoy themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell Automatic Slim , tell Razor-Totin' Jim
Spread the word to everyone in the community, including those known for their violent tendencies
Tell Butcher Knife-Totin' Annie, tell Fast-Talking Fanny
Include everyone, even those with sharp tongues and sharp objects
We gonna pitch a ball, down to that union hall
We're going to party hard at the local gathering place
We gonna romp and tromp till midnight
We're going to dance energetically until the early hours of the morning
We gonna fuss and fight till daylight
We're going to argue and brawl until the sun comes up
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
We're going to have a wild and crazy party all night long
Tell Kudu-Crawlin' Red, tell Abyssinian Ned
Let everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, know about the party
Tell ol' Pistol Pete, everybody gonna meet
Make sure everyone, including the tough guys, knows about the gathering
Tonight we need no rest, we really gonna throw a mess
We're not going to sleep, we're going to make a lot of noise and chaos
We gonna to break out all of the windows
We'll even destroy property to have a good time
We gonna kick down all the doors
We're not going to let anything, including locked doors, get in the way of our party
When the fish scent fill the air
When the smell of fish (a popular food at the time) is in the air
There'll be snuff juice everywhere
People will be using chewing tobacco and spitting it out
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
We're going to keep the party going no matter what
Tell Fats and Washboard Sam that everybody gonna jam
Make sure everyone, even the musicians, know about the party
Tell Shaky and Boxcar Joe, we got sawdust on the floor
Even the floor is ready for a wild party
Tell Peg and Caroline Dye, we gonna have a time
Even the fortune tellers are invited to join the party
All night long
The party is going to last all night long
All night long
The party is going to last all night long
All night long
The party is going to last all night long
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: WILLIE DIXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lozalolliepop7
Tell automatic slim
Tell razor totin' jim
Tell butcher knife totin' annie
Tell fast talkin' fanny
Tonite we're gonna pitch a ball
Down to that union hall
Gonna romp and tromp 'till midnite
We're gonna fuss and fight 'till daylight
We're gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
Tell poodle I'll tell him here
Tell albert I'll see him near
Tell old pistol pete
Everybody gonna meet
Tonite we need no rest
We're really gonna throw a mess
We're gonna break out all the windows
Gonna kick down all the doors
We're gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
Tell fats and washboard sam
That everybody's gonna jam
Just shake it boxcar joe
We got sawdust on the floor
Tell chicken head till I die
We're gonna have a time
When the fish head fills the air
Be snuff juice everywhere
We're gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
@quintenvlecken4531
Tell Automatic Slim , tell Razor-Totin' Jim
Tell Butcher Knife-Totin' Annie, tell Fast-Talking Fanny
We gonna pitch a ball, down to that union hall
We gonna romp and tromp till midnight
We gonna fuss and fight till daylight
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
Tell Kudu-Crawlin' Red, tell Abyssinian Ned
Tell ol' Pistol Pete, everybody gonna meet
Tonight we need no rest, we really gonna throw a mess
We gonna to break out all of the windows
We gonna kick down all the doors
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long, all night long
All night long
Tell Fats and Washboard Sam that everybody gonna jam
Tell Shaky and Boxcar Joe, we got sawdust on the floor
Tell Peg and Caroline Dye, we gonna have a time
When the fish scent fill the air
There'll be snuff juice everywhere
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
@darioschaeffer5513
130k people still know who Howlin' Wolf is. That's awesome
@BostonHollyAndSnoop
We listened to all the real Bluesmen throughout the many years we spent partying, instead of studying, @ B.U. 1972++.
@blujazz10000
Makes the hair stand up on my neck! Electrifying.
Blues goosebumps.
@claywright1100
Hubert Sumlin breaking out windows with that stinging/ringing guitar.
@johnjeffire
This is the Wolf's best take on this classic.
@cedricrust9953
You can really hear where Captain Beefheart got his vocal inspirations from in this one
@BostonHollyAndSnoop
My immediate thought, as well !!
@ophergoodwin9236
Willie Dixon wrote some genius songs for Howlin' Wolf and he did them all justice!
@prltqdf9
ingenious songs
@berachtdorian6191
And yet Wolf insisted that it was his own songs that he sang best...