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.
Who's Been Talkin'
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My baby caught the train, left me all alone
She knows I love her, she doin' me wrong
My baby bought the ticket, long as her right arm
My baby bought the ticket, long as my right arm
She says she's gonna ride, long as I been from home
Well, who been talking, everything that I do?
Well, you is my baby, I hate to lose
Well, goodbye baby, hate to see you go
Well, goodbye baby, hate to see you go
You know I love you, I'm the causin' of it all
I'm the causin' of it all
I'm the causin' of it all
I'm the causin' of it all
I'm the causin' of it all
I'm the causin' of it all
In Howlin' Wolf's song "Who's Been Talking," the artist is expressing his heartbreak over being left alone by his lover, who has caught a train and left him. He emphasizes the extent of his love for her, even though it seems as though she knows this and is still treating him unfairly. The repetition of "My baby caught the train, left me all alone" and "My baby bought the ticket, long as her right arm" emphasizes the weight of her departure and the pain it causes him. He even questions who has been spreading rumors or talking about him, seemingly bewildered by the situation.
However, the final verses take a surprising turn as he acknowledges that he, himself, is the cause of their downfall. He admits, "You know I love you, I'm the causin' of it all," repeating the line multiple times. This introspection, combined with the earlier lines about others talking about him or his actions, suggests that he is aware of his own faults and is reflecting on what led to his lover leaving him.
Overall, "Who's Been Talking" is a poignant lament about a man who is grappling with the aftermath of a failed relationship, questioning others' motives and eventually realizing his own responsibility in the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
My baby caught the train, left me all alone
My lover left me and went away on a train, leaving me feeling lonely and abandoned
She knows I love her, she doin' me wrong
My lover is aware of my affection for her, but she's treating me unfairly
My baby bought the ticket, long as her right arm
My lover purchased a train ticket that was as long as her arm, implying a great distance between us
She says she's gonna ride, long as I been from home
My lover intends to ride the train for a long time, possibly as long as I've been away from home
Well, who been talking, everything that I do?
I'm wondering who's been spreading rumors and gossip about me and my actions
Well, you is my baby, I hate to lose
Despite everything, I still feel love for my lover and don't want to lose her
Well, goodbye baby, hate to see you go
I'm sad to say goodbye to my lover as she leaves on the train
You know I love you, I'm the causin' of it all
I acknowledge that my own actions and behavior have contributed to the current situation and my lover's departure
I'm the causin' of it all
I am responsible for the problems in our relationship
I'm the causin' of it all
My actions have caused the issues in my relationship
I'm the causin' of it all
The challenges in our relationship are a result of my own behavior
I'm the causin' of it all
I am the root cause of the problems in my relationship
I'm the causin' of it all
My failures have caused the separation between my lover and I
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Chester Burnett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@societydwellingifd766
My baby caught the train. Left me all alone.
My baby caught the train. Left me all alone.
She know I love her. She done me wrong.
My baby bought the ticket long as her right arm.
My baby bought the ticket long as my right arm.
She say she gonna ride long as I been from home.
Who's been talking everything that I do?
Who's been talking everything that I do?
Well you my baby I hate to lose.
Goodbye baby, hate to see you go.
Goodbye baby, hate to see you go.
You know I love you. I'm the causing of it all.
I'm the causing of it all.
@mikidomeny1677
the problem with the Wolfs music, or blues as whole is that afterwards everything else feels like childrens music
@SankofaRed
WOW!
I never heard anyone say it like that before. But damn isn't that the truth.
@marcusclements3370
It is. In 1977 I was sixteen and ‘supposed’ to be into the music of my age group. The problem was that it was entirely fatuous. That’s not to say that weren’t some great things, there were. But by and large, blues and R&B spoke to me in a way punk did not. Blues is far heavier. The mood and sound of the records has far more depth and is incredibly dynamic. I have a son. By all accounts, the same dynamic is taking place.
@cliffordletsche1707
Yup, that's it. I had the misfortune of getting a copy of this record when I was 13. All the classic rock/metal my friends were listening to sounded like derivative bs. I got over it (kind of), but yeah... this is the real thing.
@Wizardstix23
Well said 👍🏻
@ach2lieber
Try Bach. Music for grownups.
@mauroybarra55
ive been listening to the wolf for 40 years, i believe, in my opinion he is the greatest blues man ever and my biggest blues influence.
@ailurophile17
The Wolf is the greatest blues artist EVER! He's been answering my telephone for me for the last quarter century, "Somebody calling, calling me on my telephone..."
@roberttuss5349
I bought this album when I was in High School. 1969. It was with me for years. Wish I still had it.
@societydwellingifd766
My baby caught the train. Left me all alone.
My baby caught the train. Left me all alone.
She know I love her. She done me wrong.
My baby bought the ticket long as her right arm.
My baby bought the ticket long as my right arm.
She say she gonna ride long as I been from home.
Who's been talking everything that I do?
Who's been talking everything that I do?
Well you my baby I hate to lose.
Goodbye baby, hate to see you go.
Goodbye baby, hate to see you go.
You know I love you. I'm the causing of it all.
I'm the causing of it all.