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.
Worried About You
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics
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Bluebird bluebird, I want you to take a message down south for me
I want you to find Miss Liza Belle and tell her
I'm just as blue as a man can be
Bluebird, if she's not at home
You needn't worry yourself by knockin' on the door
Bluebird, if she's not at home
She may be right across the street
Seein' the next door neighbor, you know
Bluebird, when you come back to Chicago
I want you to fly 'tween the sun and cloud
When you come back to Chicago
I want you to fly 'tween the sun and the cloud
If you get a message from Liza Belle, don't let it hit the ground
Howlin' Wolf's "Bluebird" is a classic blues song that tells the tale of a man who is lovesick and desperately missing his woman, Miss Liza Belle, who has gone down south. The song imagines an elusive bluebird carrying a message from the singer to Liza Belle, pleading with the bird to find her and tell her how deeply and insurmountable his sadness is in her absence. The singer instructs the bird to not worry if Liza Belle is not home, as she may be just next door, but to find her nonetheless. The singer asks the bluebird to fly between the sun and cloud when heading back to Chicago after delivering the message, presumably to avoid bad luck or interference of any kind. The final request from the singer to the bluebird is to not let Liza Belle's message hit the ground, indicating the importance of the return message that the bluebird might carry from her.
The song seems to reflect not only the longing and heartache that often accompany a long-distance romance, but also the powerlessness of the singer in his relationship with Liza Belle. The bluebird, which functions as the messenger in the song, becomes a symbol of hope, a reminder that even when things seem hopeless, there is always a chance that someone might hear our cries for help and bring us some kind of relief. The song's bluesy melody and the Howlin' Wolf's distinctive, gravelly vocals add to the sense of melancholy and longing that the lyrics evoke.
Line by Line Meaning
Bluebird bluebird, I want you to take a message down south for me
I'm so down and lonely that I'm reaching out to a bluebird to deliver a message for me
I want you to find Miss Liza Belle and tell her, I'm just as blue as a man can be
Please let Miss Liza Belle know that I'm incredibly sad and blue
Bluebird, if she's not at home, you needn't worry yourself by knockin' on the door
If Miss Liza Belle is not home, please don't bother trying to find her - it's not worth the effort
She may be right across the street, seein' the next door neighbor, you know
Liza Belle might be close by, just visiting a neighbor nearby
Bluebird, when you come back to Chicago, I want you to fly 'tween the sun and cloud
When you return to Chicago, please fly high in the sky for me, near the sun and cloud
If you get a message from Liza Belle, don't let it hit the ground
If Miss Liza Belle sends a message back with you, please don't let it fall and get lost
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JULES ALEXANDER/JEFF COMANOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind