Hurley's debut album, First Songs, was recorded for Folkways Records in 1965 on the same reel-to-reel machine that taped Leadbelly's Last Sessions. He was "discovered" by blues and jazz historian Frederick Ramsey III, and subsequently championed by boyhood friend Jesse Colin Young, who released his 2nd & 3rd albums on The Youngbloods' Warner Bros. imprint, Raccoon. In the late 70's, Hurley made three albums for Rounder, all of which have since been reissued on CD. His 1976 LP Have Moicy, a collaboration with the Unholy Modal Rounders and Jeffrey Frederick & The Clamtones, was named "the greatest folk album of the rock era" by the Village Voice's Robert Christgau.
In 1996, Koch Records released Wolfways with Hurley backed by Mickey Bones - Drums, Gus Ziesing - percussion, Jill Gross - Harmony Vocals, Jim Harvey - Trombone, Dan Archer and Bob Jordan - Guitars and Mike Boise - Bass. Tours with Son Volt and high praise from younger performers like Lucinda Williams, Vic Chesnutt, Calexico, Cat Power and Robin Holcomb followed.
Greg Weeks of Espers noted in an eBay auction in July 2006 that the band has begun work on a collaborative album with Hurley.
Gnomonsong released the Michael Hurley album titled "Ancestral Swamp" on September 18, 2007. Backing was provided by longtime Hurley associate David Reisch of the Holy Modal Rounders and new friends Tara Jane O'Neil and Lewi Longmire.
In 2021 Hurley released "The Time of the Foxgloves".
Werewolf
Michael Hurley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Comes a-stepping along
He don't even break the branches
Where he's been gone
You can hear his long holler from away across the moor
That's the holler of a werewolf when he's feeling poor
The bats are on the wing
And he's killed some young maiden before the birds sing
For the werewolf, for the werewolf
Have sympathy
Because the werewolf he is someone
Just like you and me
Once I saw him in the moonlight
When the bats were a-flying
All alone I saw the werewolf and
The werewolf was crying
Crying, "Nobody, nobody, nobody knows
How much I love the maiden as I tear off her clothes"
Crying, "Nobody, nobody knows of my pain
When I see it has risen that full moon again"
When I see that moon moving
Through the clouds in the sky
I get a crazy feeling and I wonder why
Oh the werewolf, oh the werewolf
Comes traveling along
He don't even break the branches
Where he's been gone
For the werewolf have pity, not fear, and not hate
Because the werewolf might be someone
That you've known of late
Oh the werewolf, oh the werewolf
Comes traveling along
He don't even crush the leaves
Where he's been gone
The song “Werewolf” by Michael Hurley is a slow and melancholic ballad that tells the story of a werewolf that wanders through the moors at night. The song describes the werewolf as a lonely and misunderstood creature, who is just like any other human being. The werewolf is portrayed as being gentle and harmless, as he does not even break the branches or leaves on his path. However, the werewolf cries out in pain, as he is tormented by his condition, which prevents him from being able to live a normal life.
The song’s chorus “For the werewolf have sympathy, because the werewolf he is someone just like you and me”, emphasizes the song’s overarching theme. The werewolf symbolizes the human condition of feeling trapped and isolated from society, and how people often feel misunderstood and ostracized by others. The werewolf’s cry for “nobody knows of my pain” highlights the importance of empathy and understanding towards others.
In summary, “Werewolf” is a haunting and beautiful song that reminds us of the need for empathy and compassion towards others, especially those who may be misunderstood or marginalized.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the werewolf, oh the werewolf
The song starts with the introduction of werewolf in a terrified tone.
Comes a-stepping along
Werewolf moves quietly to avoid drawing attention towards himself.
He don't even break the branches
Where he's been gone
Werewolf is so light that he doesn't break even the branches that come in his path.
You can hear his long holler from away across the moor
That's the holler of a werewolf when he's feeling poor
Werewolf makes a sad holler that could be heard from far away when he is feeling low.
He goes out in the evening when
The bats are on the wing
And he's killed some young maiden before the birds sing
Werewolf is active in the evening when bats are around, and he tends to kill young women during that time.
For the werewolf, for the werewolf
Have sympathy
Because the werewolf he is someone
Just like you and me
Despite being a beast, werewolf is still a living being that deserves sympathy and not hatred.
Once I saw him in the moonlight
When the bats were a-flying
All alone I saw the werewolf and
The werewolf was crying
The singer saw werewolf in the moonlight, and he seemed to be crying alone.
Crying, "Nobody, nobody, nobody knows
How much I love the maiden as I tear off her clothes"
Crying, "Nobody, nobody knows of my pain
When I see it has risen that full moon again"
Werewolf expresses his pain and sorrow of being a beast and how he can't control himself when the full moon rises.
When I see that moon moving
Through the clouds in the sky
I get a crazy feeling and I wonder why
Even the artist gets a strange feeling when he sees the moon moving through the clouds.
For the werewolf have pity, not fear, and not hate
Because the werewolf might be someone
That you've known of late
Werewolf is someone that people should have pity on, rather than fearing or hating him because you never know who he might be.
Oh the werewolf, oh the werewolf
Comes traveling along
He don't even crush the leaves
Where he's been gone
Werewolf is so light on his feet that he doesn't even crush the leaves where he's been walking.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: OLE EVENRUDE, TROND HOLTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ChuckDeFuque
Oh the werewolf, oh the werewolf
Comes a-stepping along
He don't even break the branches
Where he's been gone
You can hear his long holler from away across the moor
That's the holler of a werewolf when he's feeling poor
He goes out in the evening when
The bats are on the wing
And he's killed some young maiden before the birds sing
For the werewolf, for the werewolf
Have sympathy
Because the werewolf he is someone
Just like you and me
Once I saw him in the moonlight
When the bats were a-flying
All alone I saw the werewolf and
The werewolf was crying
Crying, "Nobody, nobody, nobody knows
How much I love the maiden as I tear off her clothes"
Crying, "Nobody, nobody knows of my pain
When I see it has risen that full moon again"
When I see that moon moving
Through the clouds in the sky
I get a crazy feeling and I wonder why
Oh the werewolf, oh the werewolf
Comes traveling along
He don't even break the branches
Where he's been gone
For the werewolf have pity, not fear, and not hate
Because the werewolf might be someone
That you've known of late
Oh the werewolf, oh the werewolf
Comes traveling along
He don't even crush the leaves
Where he's been gone
@pestleman1951
Lyrics by Michael Hurley
Oh the Werewolf, Oh the werewolf
Comes a-stepping along
He don't even break the branches
Where he's been gone
You can hear his long holler
From way across the moor
That's the holler of a werewolf
When he's feeling poor
He goes out in the evening when
The bats are on the wing
And he's killed some young maiden before the birds sing
For the werewolf, For the werewolf
Have sympathy cause the werewolf
He's somebody like you or me
Once I saw him in the moonlight
When the bats were flying
All alone I saw the werewolf
And the werewolf was crying
Crying "Nobody, nobody
Nobody knows
How much I love the maiden as I tear off her clothes
Crying nobody, nobody
Knows my pain
When I see that it's risen, that full moon again"
When I see that moon moving
Through the clouds in the sky
I get a crazy feeling and I wonder why
Oh the werewolf, oh the werewolf
Comes traveling along
He don't even break the branches
Where he's been gone
For the werewolf have pity, not fear, and not hate
Because the werewolf might be someone
That you've known of late
Oh the werewolf, oh the werewolf
Comes traveling along
He don't even crush the leaves
Where he's been gone
@Dr._Jiggle
I have no idea why this version of the song was removed from spotify, but they should put it back up aswell as the rest of armchair boogie.
@ulfhansson4016
Word
@slushangel2920
preach it, brother
@ameliethefroglover5257
I am beyond distraught that armchair boogie was taken off Spotify, it was by far my favourite album 🥲
@ulfhansson4016
Biggest loss i spotify history.
Neil who?
@adrianevans1510
Michael Hurley is criminally underecognised.
@fractuss
Right up there with John Prine in my opinion.
@Three-crows
We recognize him and that’s cool 😎
@MrSixinfrog
This song has come to mind occasionally for the 40 plus years. I didn't remember the singer or title, only "last night I saw the werewolf, and the werewolf was crying. 43 yrs later, I found it on youtube, amazing!
@jeanninebrewer
That really is a touching line.