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.

You Can't Be Beat
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics

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Now go to sleep, go to sleep
Go to sleep little darlin', go to sleep little darlin'
Go to sleep little darlin', you know you can't be beat
I'm in love with you, I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you, I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you baby, you know you look so fine
I know, I know
I know, yes I know

I know little girl, you the prettiest little girl in town
Don't you worry, don't you worry
Don't you worry little darlin', don't you worry little darlin'
Don't you worry little darlin', everything is all right
Don't worry me, don't worry me

Don't worry me, don't worry me
Don't worry me boy I'm, talkin' to my baby now

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "You Can't Be Beat" by Howlin' Wolf are a classic blues love song. At first, it seems like a lullaby, with the refrain "go to sleep little darlin', go to sleep little darlin', go to sleep little darlin', you know you can't be beat." But the song is actually a declaration of the singer's love for his sweetheart, and an assertion of her beauty and perfection. The repetition of "I'm in love with you" and "you look so fine" emphasize his infatuation with her. The lines "I know little girl, you the prettiest little girl in town" and "Don't worry me boy I'm, talkin' to my baby now" establish a possessive tone, implying that the singer sees himself as his love's protector.

The repetition of the phrase "don't worry" can be interpreted as the singer reassuring his beloved that everything will be okay as long as they are together. But given the context of the time period and genre, it could also be interpreted as addressing the cultural anxieties and struggles of the African American community. The Civil Rights Movement was beginning to take hold in the 1950s, and many black Americans were fighting for equality and justice. The phrase "everything is all right" could be seen as a hopeful message of perseverance and survival in the face of racial oppression.

Overall, the lyrics of "You Can't Be Beat" can be seen as a combination of a love song and a call to arms, with a strong message of protection and support for the singer's beloved and his community at large.

You Can't Be BeatHowlin' Wolf Lyrics

You Can't Be Beat
Howlin' Wolf Lyrics