I. Native American chants and instruments, ambient textures and hip-hop rhythms. It is an intensely spiritual and evocative record, finding a common ground between the past and present and demonstrating that Jim Wilson -- the man behind Little Wolf -- is a composer with a distinctly modern and compelling vision.
II. Little Howlin' Wolf (Chicago Blues Musician)
Birthdate July 26, 1930
Birthplace Florence, MS
Curent Residence, Memphis, TN
Jessie Sanders (Little Howlin Wolf) was born and raised in Florence, MS, along Highway 49. He lived in Chicago most of his life, during which time he spent many hours in blues clubs and on the road with the late great Howlin' Wolf. Jessie first took to the stage with Howlin' Wolf in 1950. Wolf took Jessie under his wing and it wasn't uncommon for him to be heard referring to Jessie as his "son". Out of respect and admiration for his long time friend and mentor Jessie began performing as "Lil Howlin Wolf".
He began performing at age 17 as Jessie Sanders and it wasn't too long after that he formed a group called The Five Rising Stars. They performed at local churches on Sundays. When most of the members went into the army the group disbanded. After about four or five years he began singing the blues. In 1945 he headed for Chicago. He went to work for the City of Chicago Police Department and worked for them for 47 years. He performed on weekends with Blues greats such as Howlin Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Hound Dog Taylor, Albert King, Magic Sam, Freddie King, and Little Junior Parker. They did shows at Silvio's Lounge on Chicago's west side. During a visit home in 1947 while at WDIA in Memphis he met BB King and Bobby Blue Bland while they were there doing a radio spot. A decade later he would share the bill with not only BB King and Bobby Blue Bland but also the likes of Little Milton, Chuck Berry, Bobby Taylor, and Jimmy Reed. He's also shared the stage with (sat in with) legendary greats, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Millie Jackson.
Little Wolf's career has taken him across the U.S. and overseas (trips to Germany and France). Little Wolf performed for two of our country's presidents (Carter and Reagan) as well as for Vice President Mondale. After performing for President Reagan in 1985 he recorded "White House Blues"in Washington DC.
While attending Wolf's funeral Jessie met Diane (niece of Howlin Wolf). They were married a short while later. Diane not only supports her husband in his musical pursuits but also in honoring her late uncle by using his name.
Sometime before Little Howlin Wolf retired in 1992 he purchased two Greyhound buses. He ran a bus service for touring groups and musicians until 1996 when he sold one of his buses to his good friend Bobby Rush who keeps it hot on the Blues Highway.
Since his retirement and move to Memphis, TN, Little Howlin' Wolf has made several appearances at festivals such as the "Memphis In May Music Festival". He also does shows in Tunica, MS both solo and appearing as a featured guest of blues recording artist Mark Sallings and The Famous Unknowns. Little Howlin' Wolf is known for his kindness and willingness to help benefit others less fortunate by donating his performance skills by Howlin' the blues and he continues to do so today.
His show is hot, sharp and nothing less than a top of the line production in which he always features the best musicians. Performances always includes a variety of instruments.. from horns to harmonicas.
Moonlight
Little Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feel it's dark embrace
Your all alone except a million stars in space
As you walk lost and astray
The man in the moon stares with a ghastly grin
With cold eyes that cannot see
Is it the echo of your footsteps that you hear
Shadows at night
Dance the walls when your out of sight
Creep up from behind
When you walk in the moonlight
I'm the one in from behind
I'm your shadow in the night
I am the dark side of you
Where you are I am too
Wherever you go I follow you
When you walk in the pale moonlight
The Little Wolf Band's "Moonlight" is a hauntingly beautiful song about wandering through the darkness, feeling lost and alone. The lyrics describe the night falling, and the feeling that comes with it. The singer is walking alone, surrounded only by the stars, with no idea where they are headed. The man in the moon is looking down on him with a sense of detachment, watching as the singer wanders aimlessly. The darkness of the night is all-encompassing, and it is unclear whether the sounds he hears are just his own footsteps, or if there is someone - or something - else present in the shadows.
The chorus speaks to the sense of creepiness and unease that comes with the darkness, particularly when wandering alone. "Shadows at night dance the walls when you're out of sight, creep up from behind when you walk in the moonlight." There is a sense that, even when there is no one else around, the darkness has a life, a presence, of its own. And then the song takes a particularly spooky turn: "I'm the one in from behind, I'm your shadow in the night, I am the dark side of you." Suddenly, the singer is no longer just wandering through the dark; he is being actively followed, stalked, by some sort of malevolent force.
There is a sense of inevitability to the song, particularly towards the end: "Wherever you go I follow you, when you walk in the pale moonlight." The darkness will always be there, and it will always be following him. Ultimately, the song is a meditation on the sense of isolation that comes with traversing the world alone, particularly at night. The darkness can be beautiful, even mesmerizing, but it can also be dangerous and disorienting.
Line by Line Meaning
Enter the night as the day fades away
As the day comes to an end, embrace the darkness of the night.
Feel it's dark embrace
Experience the comfort of the dark surroundings.
Your all alone except a million stars in space
Despite being alone, find solace in the vastness of the universe.
As you walk lost and astray
Wander aimlessly, unsure of where to go.
The man in the moon stares with a ghastly grin
The face of the moon appears haunting, with an eerie expression.
With cold eyes that cannot see
The moon's eyes are lifeless and unseeing.
Is it the echo of your footsteps that you hear
Question whether the sound of footsteps is a figment of your imagination.
Or is it someone there?
Wonder if there is another presence in the darkness.
Shadows at night
In the darkness, shadows become prominent.
Dance the walls when your out of sight
Shadows move in unpredictable ways when you're not looking.
Creep up from behind
Shadows sneak up on you from behind.
When you walk in the moonlight
When you venture outside in the light of the moon.
I'm the one in from behind
The shadow is a representation of the darker aspects of your own self.
I'm your shadow in the night
Through the darkness, the darker aspects of yourself follow.
I am the dark side of you
The shadow represents the less desirable traits of your personality.
Where you are I am too
The shadow is always present, even when unnoticed.
Wherever you go I follow you
The shadow is forever attached to you, as part of yourself.
When you walk in the pale moonlight
As you venture out in the dimly lit landscape provided by the moon.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: William James Wilson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind