Howlin' Wolf/Moanin' in the Moonlight

Howlin' Wolf

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1986
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chess
• ASIN: B000002O3I
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,366 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  #10 in	Music > Blues > Chicago Blues
  #13 in	Music > Blues > Traditional Blues
  #18 in	Music > Blues > Regional Blues

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This package combines blues giant Howlin' Wolf's first two albums, themselves compilations of his singles released between 1951 and 1962. Apart from two tracks cut in Memphis with Ike Turner, these Chess Studios recordings are landmarks in the development of electric Chicago blues. The Mississippi Delta native's gruff persona towers over "Smokestack Lightnin'," "Red Rooster," "Spoonful," "Evil," "Wang Dang Doodle," "Back Door Man," and others that have become standards since being "discovered" by the Rolling Stones, Clapton, The Doors, et al. Almost as influential as Wolf's bottomless growl are the guitar playing of Hubert Sumlin and the writing and direction of Willie Dixon. An exceptional twofer value for such a weighty slice of American musical history. --Ben Edmonds

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Wolf, November 25, 2004

By	Laurence Upton (Wilts, UK) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is the most essential single Howlin' Wolf CD there could possibly be and would make an excellent first purchase for a Howlin' Wolf novice. It comprises The Wolf's first two long-player releases, both what we would now regard as compilations, and was put out by Chess/MCA in 1986.
Moanin' In The Moonlight came out in America in 1959 and was made up of 12 selected A-sides and B-sides from the many 78's he released between 1951 and 1958, all monaural, including such classics as Smokestack Lightnin' and I Asked For Water (She Gave Me Gasoline). The LP kicks off with Moanin' At Midnight and How Many More Years, comprising both sides of his first Chess single, recorded in Memphis by Sam Phillips at what would become the Sun studios, long before Howlin' Wolf moved to Chicago. The songs on this LP are among the most elemental, eerie and powerful pieces of music ever committed to tape.
Equally compelling is the second collection, usually known as the Rocking Chair album, released in the US in January 1962, when the genre was presented as the root of "Music Americana". It contained 3 previously unreleased songs recorded between May and December 1961, and 9 that were on 45's released in 1960 and 1961 (though two were recorded in 1957), but all in stereo.
Famous songs include The Red Rooster, Wang Dang Doodle, Back Door Man and the Wolf's famous variation of Spoonful (he would have learned the original, fairly dissimilar Spoonful Blues from Charlie Patton) - though all staple fare for a million blues and rock bands ever since, none could match the intensity and darkness of these originals (although the Rolling Stones' Little Red Rooster came close). Most were written by Willie Dixon, who plays bass throughout, though there are a couple credited to Howlin' Wolf and a cover of St Louis Jimmy Oden's Goin' Down Slow, on which, unusually, the recitation is spoken by Willie Dixon.
The division of stereo and mono recordings is not declared anywhere on the CD and seems somewhat arbitrary, especially since Who's Been Talkin' (stereo), Tell Me (stereo) and Somebody In My Home (mono) were all recorded on 24 June 1957.
A note in the sleeve reads, "In our effort to bring you the originals for the cost of a single CD, we have omitted one selection due to the length of the combined original albums." Given the playing time of 66 minutes this is a very irritating message, but in my quest to discover the identity of the missing selection, after consulting several online discographies as far as I can tell it seems that all tracks are present and correct

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maybe the best buy you'll ever do, August 18, 2000

By	Jostein Berntsen "jostber" (Porsgrunn, Norway) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Here are two classic Howlin' Wolf original albums collected on one CD, and it is some of the best blues music ever recorded. The Rocking Chair album must certainly have been one of Stevie Ray Vaughan's favourite album, because he recorded several songs from this one. I beleive this must be the best chicago blues album of all time. Moanin the Blues is just as great with songs as 'Evil', 'All night boogie' and 'Smokestack Lightning'. I have been a fan of Howlin' Wolf since I started listening to the blues in my teens, and his music continues to thrill and amaze me. I think you get your money's worth and more so if you get this one.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two Great Albums for the Price of One! The Wolf!!!!!!!!, October 21, 2000

By	Ryan Costantino (Nowhere, Special) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It's impossible to play favorites with any song performed by Howlin' Wolf and this two for one compilation is no exception. The Wolf's skill on the guitar and his slightly scratchy voice make each song an individual masterpiece. Containing his first two albums, "Howlin' Wolf" and "Moanin' In the Moonlight" this is one Blues album not to be missed.

Required listening for any fan of the Blues from one of its most influential and endearing artists.