Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910 in White Station, Mississippi, Unite… Read Full Bio ↴Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910 in White Station, Mississippi, United States – January 10, 1976 in Hines, Illinois, United States), known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player.

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.

What a Woman!
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm gonna leave you woman
Before I commit a crime
I'm gonna leave you woman
Before I commit a crime
You tried so hard to kill me
Woman it just was not my time

You put poison in my coffee

Instead of milk or cream
You put poison in my coffee
Instead of milk or cream
You're the meanest woman
That I ever seen

You mixed my drinks
With a can of red devil lye
You mixed my drinks
With a can of red devil lye

Then you sit back and watch me
Hopin that I would die

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Howlin' Wolf's song What a Woman! depict a man's frustration and anger towards his lover. The man declares his intention to leave the woman before he commits a crime. The woman has attempted to kill the man by poisoning his coffee with poison instead of milk or cream. She has also mixed his drinks with a deadly substance, red devil lye, and watched him suffer in agony, hoping for his death. The man declares that she is the meanest woman he has ever seen.

The lyrics suggest that the man has been pushed to the edge by his lover's actions, and he can no longer tolerate her behavior. Despite his love for her, his life is now in danger, and he must walk away from their relationship. The song portrays the consequences of a toxic relationship, where one partner is abusive towards the other.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm gonna leave you woman
I will separate from you, dear lady

Before I commit a crime
Prior to engaging in any wrongdoing

You tried so hard to kill me
You made an intense effort to eliminate me

Woman it just was not my time
It was not my destined fate to die at your hands, woman

You put poison in my coffee
You added toxic substances to my coffee

Instead of milk or cream
Instead of a dairy product used for coffee

You're the meanest woman
You are an atrociously cruel lady

That I ever seen
Of all the ones I've encountered

You mixed my drinks
You blended my beverages

With a can of red devil lye
With a container of dangerously caustic substance named red devil lye

Then you sit back and watch me
Afterwards, you recline and watch me inaction