The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions
Do you remember what it was like when you walked into a record store feeling like the whole world of music was at your fingertips? And you looked through all those beautiful album covers that contained so much information? And once you got that album home you would stare at the cover and listen to music for hours on end? And a bonus would be cartoon-like images of artists like this album.
Others I recall were Garcia’s “Old & In The Way” and Savoy Brown’s “Street Corner Talking.” So much information to find and all the time in the world to find it.
This album cover says it all, and how could you not purchase this with Clapton, Winwood, Wyman, and Watts mentioned? I had never heard of Howlin’ Wolf but I was certainly glad to give it a try with some of my rock favorites onboard. And I’m happy I did because this is another one I’ve had in my collection forever.
It’s a fantastic recording defining blues-rock. Give it a listen. You won’t regret or forget it.
Album information
Released: August 1971
Recorded: May 2–7, 1970 Olympic Sound Studios, London, England
Length: 39:43
Label: Chess/Rolling Stones
Producer: Norman Dayron
You can hear the whole album here. Enjoy.
Tracks / credits
All songs were written by Howlin’ Wolf (listed under his real name of Chester Burnett), except as indicated.
| Track title | Length | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| “Rockin’ Daddy” | 3:43 | Howlin’ Wolf – vocal; Hubert Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Eric Clapton – lead guitar; Ian Stewart – piano; Phil Upchurch – bass; Charlie Watts – drums |
| “I Ain’t Superstitious” (Willie Dixon) | 3:34 | Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Steve Winwood – piano; Klaus Voormann – bass; Ringo Starr – drums; Jordan Sandke – trumpet; Dennis Lansing – tenor saxophone; Joe Miller – baritone saxophone; Bill Wyman – cowbell |
| “Sittin’ On Top Of The World” | 3:51 | Wolf – vocal; Jeffrey Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Lafayette Leake – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums |
| “Worried About My Baby” | 2:55 | Wolf – vocal, harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Leake – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums |
| “What A Woman!”(James Oden) | 3:02 | Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Winwood – organ; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums |
| “Poor Boy” | 3:04 | Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Winwood – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums |
| “Built For Comfort” (Dixon) | 2:08 | Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums; Sandke – trumpet; Lansing, Miller – saxophones |
| “Who’s Been Talking?” | 3:02 | Wolf – vocal, harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; John Simon – piano; Winwood – organ; Wyman – bass, shaker; Watts – drums, conga, percussion |
| “The Red Rooster (Rehearsal)” | 1:58 | Wolf – vocal; guitar; other personnel as below |
| “The Red Rooster” (Willie Dixon) | 3:47 | Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Leake – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums |
| “Do The Do” (Willie Dixon) | 2:18 | Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Wyman – bass, cowbell; Watts – drums |
| “Highway 49” (Joe Lee Williams) | 2:45 | Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Winwood – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums |
| “Wang-Dang-Doodle” (Willie Dixon) | 3:27 | Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums. drums; Sandke – trumpet; Lansing, Miller – saxophones; Wyman – cowbell |
