Howlin´ Wolf

MINI-LP PAPERSLEEVE NEW GATEFOLD REPLICAS WITH OBI

INCLUDES 10 BONUS TRACKS

This collector’s edition contains Howlin’ Wolf ’s eponymous second album for Chess Records, Howlin’ Wolf (released in January 1962). The long play, which has come to be known as“The Rockin’ Chair Album”, was originally released as a collection of singles (totaling nine tracks) taped and released individually between 1960 and 1961 (with the exception of the songs “Who’s Been Talkin’” and “Tell Me”, cut in 1957). The album also contained three previously unreleased songs, recorded between May and December 1961.

The music presented here is a testament to Wolf ’s unearthly, mighty force. One of his best loved LPs, Howlin’ Wolf is widely recognized as one of the all-time cornerstones of Chicago Blues (it was also named the third greatest guitar album of all time by Mojo magazine in 2004). The first side features iconic singles like “The Red Rooster”, and “Wang-Dang- Doodle”. However it’s on the second side that Wolf really steps into the light and delivers his dynamic and unique voice like never before.

As was common practice in the early Sixties, the music contained on this album was not originally taped with the intention of presenting it on the longplay format. Instead, it featured a selection of hit singles and B-sides cut at different sessions that took place over several years.(Wolf ’s evolution as a musician is particularly evident when listening to the two opening tunes, “Shake for Me” and “The Red Rooster”.) Based on the fact that this is more of a “best of” type album, one might ask why it is considered to be one of Howlin Wolf ’s finest if it was just a collection of singles? The answer to this is in the quality of the B-sides, which are every bit as good as the better-known A-sides. From the signature “Spoonful” down to the closer “Tell Me,” Howlin’ Wolf is at his absolute best.

PERSONNEL:

HOWLIN’ WOLF (vocals and harmonica)

Willie Johnson, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rogers (guitar), Willie Dixon (bass),
Otis Spann, Henry Gray (piano), Earl Phillips, Sammy Lay (drums),
Abe Locke (tenor saxophone), among others.

Recorded in Chicago, Illinois, between 1952 and 1961.

TRACKS:

01 SHAKE FOR ME
02 THE RED ROOSTER
03 YOU’LL BE MINE
04 WHO’S BEEN TALKIN’
05 WANG-DANG-DOODLE
06 LITTLE BABY
07 SPOONFUL
08 GOING DOWN SLOW
09 DOWN IN THE BOTTOM
10 BACK DOOR MAN
11 HOWLIN’ FOR MY BABY
12 TELL ME
13 I DIDN’T KNOW (*)
14 POOR BOY (*)
15 ROCKIN’ DADDY (*)
16 MY LIFE (*)
17 DON’T MESS WITH MY BABY (*)
18 MR. HIGHWAY MAN (*)
19 I’VE BEEN ABUSED (*)
20 CHANGE MY WAY (*)
21 SO GLAD (*)
22 YOU CAN’T BE BEAT (*)

TOTAL TIME: 59:46 Min.
(*) Bonus tracks