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 The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell Butcher Knife Totin' Annie, tell Fast Talking Fanny
A we gonna pitch a ball, a 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
Tell Fats and Washboard Sam, that everybody gonna to 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
All night long
The lyrics of Howlin' Wolf's song "Wang Dang Doodle" from The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions paint the picture of a wild party, a raucous gathering of people ready to let loose with music and dance until the sun comes up. The song begins with a call to Slim, Jim, Annie, and Fanny, inviting them to join in the festivities at the union hall. The partygoers are urged to let loose and make some noise, with promises of a night full of romping and fighting until the break of day. The lyrics go on to name more guests, including Kudu-Crawlin' Red, Abyssinian Ned, and Pistol Pete, with everyone invited to come and jam.
The lyrics use colorful language to create a vivid picture of the party atmosphere, with descriptions of breaking windows and kicking down doors, a sawdust-covered floor, and the smell of fish and snuff juice in the air. The refrain, "We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long," serves as a unifying call to action, summoning everyone to join in the revelry and keep the music going until the early hours of the morning.
Overall, the lyrics of "Wang Dang Doodle" capture the energy and excitement of a night out with friends, with an emphasis on letting loose and having a good time without worrying about consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell Automatic Slim , tell Razor Totin' Jim
Inform Automatic Slim and Razor Totin' Jim
Tell Butcher Knife Totin' Annie, tell Fast Talking Fanny
Notify Butcher Knife Totin' Annie and Fast Talking Fanny
A we gonna pitch a ball, a down to that union hall
We will be throwing a party at the union hall
We gonna romp and tromp till midnight
We will dance and stomp until midnight
We gonna fuss and fight till daylight
We will argue and fight until sunrise
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
We will party all night long
Tell Kudu-Crawlin' Red, tell Abyssinian Ned
Inform Kudu-Crawlin' Red and Abyssinian Ned
Tell ol' Pistol Pete, everybody gonna meet
Notify Pistol Pete that everyone will gather
Tonight we need no rest, we really gonna throw a mess
Tonight we will not rest, we will party hard
We gonna to break out all of the windows, we gonna kick down all the doors
We will break all the windows and doors
Tell Fats and Washboard Sam, that everybody gonna to jam
Notify Fats and Washboard Sam that everyone will be jamming
Tell Shaky and Boxcar Joe, we got sawdust on the floor
Inform Shaky and Boxcar Joe that there is sawdust on the floor
Tell Peg and Caroline Dye, we gonna have a time.
Notify Peg and Caroline Dye that we will have a great time
When the fish scent fill the air, there'll be snuff juice everywhere
When the fish scent fills the air, there will be snuff juice everywhere
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long
We will party all night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
All night long
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WILLIE DIXON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ariel Calabria
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 longTell 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 longTell 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
Münd Production
D & G harp
Tell automatic Slim, tell razor totin' Jim
Tell butcher knife totin' Annie, tell fast talking Fanny
We gonna pitch a ball, a 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 Albert Senior Ned
Tell ol' pistol Pete, tell everybody he 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
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 heck of 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
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle, all night long
learn bass line
Ariel Calabria
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 longTell 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 longTell 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
Paul Savage
You Know It, Brother!!
Münd Production
D & G harp
Tell automatic Slim, tell razor totin' Jim
Tell butcher knife totin' Annie, tell fast talking Fanny
We gonna pitch a ball, a 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 Albert Senior Ned
Tell ol' pistol Pete, tell everybody he 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
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 heck of 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
We gonna pitch a wang dang doodle, all night long
learn bass line
Münd Production
Thank you for publishing the lyrics; but careful they are often inaccurate...
Patrick Cunningham
I love the obvious respect all these great stars have for Howlin' Wolf. They all seem eager to learn from the master. And the music is incredible!
Cassia e reinaldo
umas das vozes mais poderosas do mississippi ,, muito bacana essa versão em londres !!
William Kirkland
This is some GREAT STUFF. (WANG DANG DOODLE )
meri meri
Sus canciones me devuelven la paz a mi vida ❤
Rebecca Pierce Adams
A Legend !!
They just dont make music like this anymore. .
badiraha
Makes my heart sing!