There are many blues musicians that have gave Rock and Roll a reason to exist. Of course, chief among them is Robert Johnson, whose legendary mythical visit to the crossroads gave him his magnetic ability to create enduing music. Unfortunate for us and definitely to Robert Johnson, his life was short. Still, the music he left behind was a catalyst to many careers, if not to the essence of Rock and Roll itself. But Robert Johnson wasn’t the only one among us. There was also Chester Burnett. But you know him better as Howlin’ Wolf.
Howlin’ Wolf, like so many of his peers back in the day, was prolific. As a result, there are so many compilations that collect his brilliant music. Some are better than others. Still, this man and his music contributed to so much that even The Rolling Stones took him to heart. Howlin’ Wolf found his career in the blues city of Chicago, where he reigned for quite some time. He first signed with the legendary Chess Records, with a brief dalliance with RPM Records. His first album, Moanin’ In the Moonlight, was released in 1959.
Acrobat Records will deliver a complete collection of the RPM and Chess Records singles, both A and B sides, released by Howlin’ Wolf. The set, The Complete RPM & Chess Singles As & Bs 1951-1962, assembled over three CDs, will bring together 80 tracks altogether.
The Complete RPM & Chess Singles As & Bs 1951-1962, being released on June 3, will add in 16 bonus tracks that represent music created during sessions that spawned some of the classics but never released as singles by either record label during Howlin’ Wolf’s tenure with them. You’ll find a complete track-list of the set below:
Track-Listings
Disc 1:
1. Riding In The Moonlight
2. Morning At Midnight
3. Passing By Blues
4. Crying At Daybreak
5. Moanin’ At Midnight
6. How Many More Years
7. My Baby Stole Off
8. I Want Your Picture
9. Wolf Is At Your Door
10. Howlin’ Wolf Boogie
11. Getting Old And Grey
12. Mister Highway Man
13. Saddle My Pony
14. Worried All The Time
15. Oh, Red!
16. My Last Affair
17. All Night Boogie
18. I Love My Baby
19. No Place To Go
20. Rockin’ Daddy
21. Baby How Long
22. Evil Is Going On
23. I’Ll Be Around
24. Forty-Four
25. Who Will Be Next
26. I Have A Little Girl
Disc 2:
1. Come To Me Baby
2. Don’T Mess With My Baby
3. Smokestack Lightning
4. You Can’T Be Beat
5. I Asked For Water
6. So Glad
7. Goin’ Back Home
8. My Life
9. Somebody In My Home
10. Nature
11. Poor Boy
12. Sittin’ On Top Of The World
13. I Didn’T Know
14. Moaning For My Baby
15. I’M Leaving You
16. Change My Way
17. Howlin’ Blues
18. I Better Go Now
19. I’Ve Been Abused
20. Mister Airplane Man
21. You Gonna Wreck My Life
22. The Natchez Burning
23. Who’S Been Talking
24. Tell Me
25. Spoonful
26. Howlin’ For My Baby
27. Wang Dang Doodle
Disc 3:
1. Back Door Man
2. Little Baby
3. Down In The Bottom
4. Shake For Me
5. The Red Rooster
6. You’Ll Be Mine
7. Goin’ Down Slow
8. Just Like I Treat You
9. I Ain’T Superstious
10. Mama’S Baby
11. Do The Do
12. Keep What You Got
13. California Blues
14. California Boogie
15. My Troubles And Me
16. Worried About My Baby
17. Brown Skin Woman
18. House Rockin’ Boogie
19. Driving This Highway
20. The Sun Is Rising
21. Stealing My Clothes
22. I’M The Wolf
23. Highway My Friend
24. Hold Your Money
25. Stay Here Till My Baby Comes Back
26. Crazy About You Baby
27. Streamline Woman