Howlin Wolf Smokestack Lightning The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960 (4CD Box Set)
Label: Hip O Select
Released: November 2011
Format: [email protected]
Perhaps the most unique and powerful performer in the history of the blues, Chester Arthur Burnett, a/k/a Howlin' Wolf, created a remarkable catalog of music for Chess Records beginning 60 years ago, in 1951, right into the 1970s. The Mississippi native first brought his ferocious, attacking style to Sam Phillips's Memphis studio, and the legendary founder of Sun Records would then send the recordings to Chess in Chicago. Less than three years later, Wolf migrated to the Windy City and thereafter recorded directly for Leonard and Phil Chess. Within another year, Willie Dixon was brought in as studio bassist and contributing songwriter. The result of these musical interactions was Wolf creating a litany of masterworks throughout his first decade of recording, a stellar songbook that ranged from his great first Chess single, "Moanin' At Midnight" b/w "How Many More Years," through the last session presented on this box set featuring three classic Willie Dixon tunes: "Wang Dang Doodle," "Back Door Man" and "Spoonful." There's also "Evil," "Smokestack Lightnin'," "I Asked For Water," "Sittin' On Top Of The World" and so on. The 97 tracks here on these 4 CDs (including many rarities) are simply the recordings that established a legend --the crux of the reason The Wolf is celebrated by music fans of all stripes.
Disc 1
01. Moanin' At Midnight (2:55)
02. How Many More Years (Alternate) (2:48 )
03. How Many More Years (2:42)
04. The Wolf Is At Your Door (2:58 )
05. California Boogie (2:59)
06. Smile At Me (2:06)
07. Howlin' Wolf Boogie (2:39)
08. California Blues #1 (2:57)
09. Look-A-Here Baby (2:10)
10. Worried All The Time (3:08 )
11. Gettin' Old And Grey (2:38 )
12. Mr Highway Man (2:48 )
13. Everybody's In The Mood (2:59)
14. Color And Kind (3:11)
15. Bluebird (2:50)
16. Saddle My Pony (2:34)
17. Dorothy Mae (Alternate Take) (2:45)
18. Dorothy Mae (2:37)
19. Sweet Woman (3:25)
20. (Well) That's All Right (3:02)
21. Decoration Day (3:16)
22. Oh! Red (2:36)
23. My Last Affair (2:59)
24. I've Got A Woman (2:54)
25. Just My Kind (2:59)
26. Work For Your Money (2:16)
Disc 2
01. I'm Not Joking (2:57)
02. Mama Died And Left Me (3:13)
03. All Night Boogie (All Night Long) (2:13)
04. I Love My Baby (2:57)
05. Highway My Friend (2:17)
06. Hold Your Money (2:21)
07. Streamline Woman (2:45)
08. California Blues #2 (2:22)
09. Stay Here Til My Baby Comes Back (2:39)
10. Crazy About You Baby (2:21)
11. No Place To Go (You Gonna Wreck My Life) (2:55)
12. You Gonna Wreck My Life (2:36)
13. Neighbors (2:45)
14. I'm The Wolf (2:52)
15. Rockin' Daddy (3:03)
16. Baby How Long (2:56)
17. Evil (Is Going On) (2:55)
18. I'll Be Around (3:13)
19. Forty Four (2:50)
20. Who Will Be Next (2:34)
21. I Have A Little Girl (2:35)
22. Come To Me Baby (2:27)
23. Don't Mess With My Baby (2:39)
24. Smokestack Lightnin' (3:08 )
25. You Can't Be Beat (3:11)
26. I Asked For Water (She Gave Me Gasoline) (2:51)
27. So Glad (2:07)
Disc 3
01. Break Of Day (2:46)
02. The Natchez Burning (2:11)
03. Going Back Home (2:41)
04. Bluebird (3:33)
05. My Life (3:03)
06. You Ought To Know (3:22)
07. Who's Been Talking (2:23)
08. Tell Me (2:58 )
09. Somebody In My Home (Alternate Take) (2:37)
10. Somebody In My Home (2:27)
11. Nature (Takes 1 - 4 - 6) (6:37)
12. Nature (Alternate Take) (2:56)
13. Nature (2:47)
14. Walk To Camp Hall (2:51)
15. Poor Boy (Alternate Take) (2:28 )
16. Poor Boy (2:35)
17. My Baby Told Me (2:48 )
18. Sitting On Top Of The World (2:34)
19. I Didn't Know (2:28 )
20. I Better Go Now (Howlin' Blues) (Alternate) (3:13)
21. Howlin' Blues (I'm Going Away) (2:46)
22. I Better Go Now (Multiple Takes) (4:25)
23. I Didn't Know (2:36)
24. Moaning For My Baby (Midnight Blues) (2:47)
25. Moaning For My Baby (Midnight Blues) (Takes 3 & 4) (4:49)
Disc 4
01. I'm Leaving You (Alternate Take) (2:45)
02. I'm Leaving You (Takes 7-10) (7:41)
03. I'm Leaving You (2:58 )
04. Can't Put Me Out (Alternate 1) (2:01)
05. Can't Put Me Out (Alternate 2) (3:00)
06. (You) Can't Put Me Out (3:11)
07. Change My Way (3:33)
08. Getting Late (3:06)
09. I've Been Abused (Takes 4-12) (5:03)
10. I've Been Abused (2:17)
11. Howlin' For My Baby (5:41)
12. Howlin' For My Darling (Or Baby) (2:33)
13. Wolf In The Mood (5:50)
14. My People's Gone (2:24)
15. Mr Airplane Man (Takes 1 & 2) (6:08 )
16. Mr Airplane Man (2:44)
17. Wang Dang Doodle (2:24)
18. Back Door Man (2:50)
19. Spoonful (2:42)