The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions
The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 1971[1] | |||
Recorded | May 2–7, 1970 | |||
Studio | Olympic, London, England | |||
Genre | Chicago blues | |||
Length | 39:43 | |||
Label | Chess/Rolling Stones | |||
Producer | Norman Dayron[1] | |||
Howlin' Wolf chronology | ||||
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London Sessions chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | [2] |
Christgau's Record Guide | A−[3] |
Select | [4] |
The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions is an album by blues musician Howlin' Wolf released in 1971 on Chess Records, and on Rolling Stones Records in Britain.[5] It was one of the first super session blues albums, setting a blues master among famous musicians from the second generation of rock and roll, in this case Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman. It peaked at #79 on the Billboard 200.
History
Backstage at the
Clapton secured the participation of the
On the first day, May 2, Watts and Wyman were unavailable, and a call went out for immediate replacements. Many showed up, but only recordings featuring Klaus Voormann and Ringo Starr were released from that day.[9] In the initial album credits, Starr is listed as "Richie,"[10] as Dayron was under the impression that, being a Beatle, his name could not be used directly.[11]
Further overdubbing took place at the Chess studios in Chicago with Chess regulars Lafayette Leake on piano and Phil Upchurch on bass, and horn players Jordan Sandke, Dennis Lansing, and Joe Miller of the 43rd Street Snipers, Carp's band.[12] Ex-Blind Faith keyboardist Steve Winwood, on tour in the United States, contributed to the overdubbing sessions as well. Although he actually plays on only five tracks for the original album, his name is featured on the cover below the Wolf's, along with Clapton, Wyman, and Watts.
On March 4, 2003, the current owner of the Chess catalogue
Track and personnel listing
All songs written by Howlin' Wolf (listed under his real name of Chester Burnett), except as indicated.
Side one
- "Rockin' Daddy" – 3:43 (recorded May 4, 1970)
- "I Ain't Superstitious" (Willie Dixon) – 3:34 (recorded May 2, 1970)
- 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.[13]
- "Sittin' On Top Of The World" – 3:51[14] (recorded May 6, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Jeffrey Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Lafayette Leake – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "Worried About My Baby" – 2:55 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal, harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Leake – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "What A Woman!" (James Oden) – 3:02 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Winwood – organ; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "Poor Boy" – 3:04 (recorded May 4, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Winwood – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
Side two
- "Built For Comfort" (Dixon) – 2:08 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- 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 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal, harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; percussion.
- Wolf – vocal, harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar;
- "The Red Rooster (Rehearsal)" – 1:58 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; guitar; other personnel as below
- "The Red Rooster" (Willie Dixon) – 3:47 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Leake – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "Do The Do" (Willie Dixon) – 2:18 (recorded May 6, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Wyman – bass, cowbell; Watts – drums.
- "Highway 49" (Joe Lee Williams) – 2:45 (recorded May 6, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Winwood – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "Wang-Dang-Doodle" (Willie Dixon) – 3:27 (recorded May 4, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
2003 Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
- "Goin' Down Slow" (James Oden) – 5:52 (recorded May 2, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Clapton – lead guitar; Voormann – bass; Starr – drums.[15]
- "Killing Floor" – 5:18 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal, electric guitar; Clapton – electric guitar; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "I Want To Have A Word With You" - 4:07 (recorded May 2, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Voormann – bass; Starr – drums.
2003 Deluxe Edition disc two
- "Worried About My Baby" (rehearsal take) – 4:31 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal, harmonica; Clapton – lead guitar; Wyman – bass.
- "The Red Rooster" (alternate mix) – 4:02 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Leake – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "What A Woman" (alternate take) – 5:10 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "Who's Been Talking" (alternate take with false start and dialogue) – 5:51 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal, harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "Worried About My Baby" (alternate take) – 3:43 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal, harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "I Ain't Superstitious" (alternate take) – 4:10 (recorded May 2, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Voormann – bass; Starr – drums.
- "Highway 49" (alternate take) – 3:39 (recorded May 6, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "Do The Do" (extended alternate take) – 5:44 (recorded May 6, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Wyman – bass, cowbell; Watts – drums.
- "Poor Boy" (alternate lyrics mix) – 4:27 (recorded May 4, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Winwood – piano; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.
- "I Ain't Superstitious" (alternate mix) – 3:53 (recorded May 2, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Winwood – piano; Voormann – bass; Starr – drums; Sandke – trumpet; Lansing, Miller – saxophones; Wyman – cowbell.
- "What A Woman" (alternate mix with organ overdub) – 3:10 (recorded May 7, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Carp – harmonica; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Winwood – organ; Wyman – bass; Watts – drums.[16]
- "Rockin' Daddy" (alternate mix) – 3:58 (recorded May 4, 1970)
- Wolf – vocal; Sumlin – rhythm guitar; Clapton – lead guitar; Stewart – piano; Upchurch – bass; Watts – drums.
Charts
Chart (1971) | Peak position |
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US Billboard 200[17] | 79 |
US Billboard R&B Albums[17] | 28 |
Chart (2003) | Peak position |
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US Billboard Blues Albums[18] | 6 |
References
- ^ ISBN 0-7868-6074-X.
- ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.
- ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 22, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ Sexton, Paul (October 1990). "Howlin' Wolf: The Real Folk Blues/The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions". Select. No. 4. p. 130.
- ^ Howlin' Wolf Sessionography accessed September 19, 2019
- Oaklandin August 1969, or even in Chicago the previous month, but in 1969 or 1970 he could not have seen either Cream or Electric Flag as neither group existed at that time.
- ^ Deluxe Ed., liners, pp. 5–6.
- ^ Deluxe Ed., liners, pp. 22–24.
- ^ Deluxe Ed., liners, pp. 8–9.
- ISBN 0-345-25680-8.
- ^ Deluxe Ed., liners, p. 9.
- ^ Deluxe Ed., liners, p. 18.
- ^ Wyman and Watts are the only personnel listed with credits for additional percussion, although given their lack of presence for the May 2 sessions and assuming Wyman was not overdubbed later, the cowbell could have been played by one of the many other musicians at the sessions, possibly Carp.
- Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1930. Gray, Michael, The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia. London, Continuum Publishing, pp. 460–462.
- ^ If Sumlin indeed plays on this track, he is mixed so low as to be inaudible.
- ^ This assumes a Winwood overdub on a take with Stewart on piano, Stewart subsequently mixed out of the released version.
- ^ Rovi Corporation. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
- ^ "The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions (Deluxe Edition)". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2010.