Vocalist/guitarist David Hidalgo and drummer Louie Pérez met at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, and bonded over their mutual affinity for obscure musical acts such as Fairport Convention, Randy Newman and Ry Cooder. Pérez recalls, "We’re looking at each other, 'You like this stuff? I thought I was the only weird one.' So I went over to his house one day for about a year, which we spent listening to records, playing guitars, and starting to write songs." The two borrowed reel-to-reel recorders from a friend and created multi-track recordings of music spanning from parody songs to free-form jazz. They later enlisted fellow students Cesar Rosas and Conrad Lozano to complete the group's line-up in 1973.
Formed in the late 1970's, band members Dave Hidalgo, Cesar Rojas, Steve Berlin, Louie Pérez and Conrad Lozano became the bellwether for Mexican-American music in the U.S. when they recorded the music for "La Bamba" in 1987, which added popular acclaim to the critical praise they had received for their 1984 album "How Will the Wolf Survive?".
They have since become one of the mainstays of the Latin music scene as well as rock music in general, staying together through over 20 albums, and for almost three decades, through changing music climate and personal tragedies, they've continued cranking out albums and touring to dedicated fans.
Will the Wolf Survive?
Los Lobos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Running across a frozen lake
Hunters hard on his trail
All odds are against him
With a family to provide for
But one thing he must keep alive
Will the wolf survive?
Climbs a strong and aging face
Wants to make some honest pay
Losing to the rainstorm
He's got two strong legs to guide him
Two strong arms keep him alive
Will the wolf survive?
Standing in the pouring rain
All alone in a world that's changed
Running scared now forced to hide
In a land where he once stood with pride
But he'll find his way by the morning light
Sounds across the nation
Coming from your hearts and minds
Battered drums and old guitars
Singing songs of passion
It's the truth that they all look for
Something they must keep alive
Will the wolf survive?
Will the wolf survive?
The lyrics to Los Lobos's song "Will the Wolf Survive?" paint a poignant picture of two different characters fighting for their survival against all odds. The first stanza describes a wolf trying to survive the harsh winter and fend off hunters who are chasing him down. The wolf has a family to provide for and the odds seem against him. The refrain, "Will the wolf survive?" poses a question that is both metaphorical and literal. Will the wolf be able to survive the winter and escape the hunters? But also, will the wolf as a species be able to survive against the odds of human intervention and habitat destruction?
The second part of the song focuses on a human character, who is also fighting for his survival. He is described as an aging man, who is trying to make an honest living but is losing to the rainstorm. He too is faced with unfavorable odds against him but he possesses two strong legs to guide him and two strong arms to keep him alive. He is determined to keep going and persevere through life's hardships. The two characters, the wolf and the man, are juxtaposed with each other, but they share the same struggle for survival. The song ends by highlighting the truth that people search for which is something they must keep alive, whether it is their passion, their morals, or their values. The message of the song is that despite the odds against us, we must find a way to survive and keep what is important to us alive.
Line by Line Meaning
Through the chill of winter
In difficult times
Running across a frozen lake
Struggling to survive against all odds
Hunters hard on his trail
Pursued and threatened by danger
All odds are against him
Facing overwhelming challenges
With a family to provide for
Necessity to care and support loved ones
But one thing he must keep alive
A crucial responsibility
Will the wolf survive?
Will he persevere and succeed?
Drifting by the roadside
Wandering and uncertain
Climbs a strong and aging face
Overcoming age and physical challenges
Wants to make some honest pay
Striving for integrity and hard work
Losing to the rainstorm
Fighting against unfavorable circumstances
He's got two strong legs to guide him
Having a reliable source of support
Two strong arms keep him alive
Persisting through difficulties
Standing in the pouring rain
Feeling alone and exposed
All alone in a world that's changed
Feeling disconnected from society
Running scared now forced to hide
Feeling threatened and vulnerable
In a land where he once stood with pride
Feeling nostalgic for a time that is gone
But he'll find his way by the morning light
Hopeful and determined towards the future
Sounds across the nation
Messages that resound within us all
Coming from your hearts and minds
Created with passion and meaning
Battered drums and old guitars
Instruments of history and perseverance
Singing songs of passion
Expressing emotions and beliefs
It's the truth that they all look for
Searching for authenticity and honesty
Something they must keep alive
A vital aspect of their identity
Will the wolf survive?
Will we endure and flourish?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID HIDALGO, LOUIS FRAUSTO PEREZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steve Cabral
Written by Los Lobos members Louie Perez and David Hidalgo, and produced by T Bone Burnett, Perez had this to say....
“The song really was inspired by the cover of a National Geographic magazine. There was a picture of a wolf, and the title of the piece was, ‘How Can the Wolf Survive?’. When we started throwing the idea for the song around, David Hidalgo was walking around the room with an acoustic guitar, singing melodies or whatever, and he came up with sort of a skeletal version of the lyrics, a chorus I believe, and started a verse, and I ran the rest of the way with it.”
“If you look at the last verse of the song, it’s definitely about this movement that was happening around the U.S. then, being called ‘punk rock’ or the ‘new music’ movement or whatever. It was about a camaraderie that was going on among bands, like when a communal truck would get somebody to a gig and load out and take another band somewhere else. It was a community of young people who were no longer gonna follow the track that had been laid out by the record companies.”
The final verse:
"Sounds across the nation
Coming from your hearts and minds
Battered drums and old guitars
Singing songs of passion
It’s the truth that they all look for
Something they must keep alive
Will the wolf survive?"
“The other verses, and the overall thing, is about trying to sustain something that we all believed in and that we see slipping away. We Mexican-Americans saw the importance of preserving our culture, and of passing along the traditions of our fathers. So it’s all of that wrapped up into one song. But it’s about America … I always thought of myself as an American kid. I grew up on Carl Reiner sitcoms. It all becomes kind of intuitive. Stuff bubbles to the top when the time calls for it. All of it is instilled into that one song.”
In 1986 Waylon Jennings cut the song as the title track of one of his albums. “It was great!” Perez said of Jennings’ take on the tune. “Tony Joe White introduced him to the song, took the record over to him one day, and Waylon recorded his own version.”
gibsondrummer
I played with los lobos back in the 80's , my band opened shows for them , at the time they were total rock stars around here and we were in awe of them( Boston Ma) they were all amazing musicians and very nice guys , they had this roadie named Mouse , he was a really really cool dude he made sure we had a good time and took the time to help us and our crew out
He passed away a while back
Heres to mouse ! A little man with the heart of a wolf !!
MegaClover100
gibsondrummer What was the name of your band?
White Tigress
02.09.2017: The Wolf is teaching the Tigress. When I was young, I worked in a dry cleaning plant for a man named Joe Rodriguez. The lessons I learned from him all those years ago have saved my life these past ten years: You keep yourself well groomed. You keep your surroundings clean and orderly. You keep your bills paid. You move with economy, and be quiet when possible. You spare your energy for the work, and then you work and work and work and work. We're going to survive, and we're going to find joy in it. Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez
Albert Martin
Just fantastic. Criminally underrated band.
shaney
Saw them like 4 times. Some of the very best concerts I've ever seen.
soxfan801
Agreed!
Ian Anderson
"Criminally underrated" the most overused comment on YT.
soxfan801
David Hildago has a tremendous voice.
Ray Giles
Not many songs give me chills, they do it with two of 'em...this one and "One Time One Night"...freakin' awesome.
blueak
Man this song takes me back. If you haven't had the opportunity to yet, please make sure that you attend a Los Lobos concert. They are so wonderful.