Howlin' Wolf - 1952-53 Chess Discography Reimagined

Howlin' Wolf's first album was released by Chess Records in 1959. But by that time, he had recorded enough songs for several albums, not counting tracks that were released by RPM Records.

With this blog entry, I put together three Howlin' Wolf albums that could have existed during his first couple of years of recording, including all the songs he recorded at Memphis Recording Service (later to be known as Sun Studio).

 

THE HOWLIN’ WOLF

SIDE A

1. The Wolf is at Your Door (Howlin’ for My Baby)

2. Look-a-Here Baby

3. California Boogie

4. My Troubles and Me

5. Worried All the Time

6. Chocolate Drop

7. Getting Old and Grey

SIDE B

1. Moanin’ at Midnight

2. Smile at Me

3. Mr. Highway Man (Cadillac Daddy)

4. California Blues #1

5. My Baby Walked Off

6. Howlin’ Wolf Boogie

7. How Many More Years

Two of the tracks, "Moanin' at Midnight" and "How Many More Years" were recorded in July 1951 and issued as a single. The remaining tracks were recorded at two sessions in December 1951 and January 1952. So, I can see this album being released in the spring of 1952.

One track I didn't include was "Baby Ride with Me (Ridin' in the Moonlight)," which was recorded in May 1951 at Memphis Recording Service. This is because he recorded it again in September 1951, and this second version was issued on RPM Records (which issued three of his singles and later a compilation album).

Some of his early releases were credited to The Howlin' Wolf, so that's what I titled what would have been his debut album.

 

COME BACK HOME (April 1952-October 1952)

SIDE A

1. Saddle My Pony

2. (Well) That’s All Right

3. Color and Kind

4. Sweet Woman (I’ve Got a Woman)

5. Decoration Day

6. My Last Affair

SIDE B

1. Oh Red

2. Everybody's in the Mood (All in the Mood)

3. Bluebird

4. Dorothy Mae

5. Come Back Home

6. Drinkin' C.V. Wine Blues

All of these tracks were recorded during two sessions, one in April 1952 and another in October 1952. So I can imagine this album being released at the end of the year for the holiday market, or held till early 1953. Both "Saddle My Pony" and "Oh Red" were released as A-sides of singles so I used them to lead off each side of the album. And I used the song "Come Back Home" as the album's title track.

 

ALL NIGHT BOOGIE (Sep 1953 – Oct 1953)

SIDE A

1. I Love My Baby

2. I’ve Got a Woman

3. Just My Kind

4. I’m Not Joking

5. Highway My Friend

6. Work for Your Money

7. Hold Your Woman

SIDE B

1. All Night Boogie

2. Crazy About My Baby

3. My Mama Died and Left Me

4. California Blues #2

5. Streamline Woman

6. Stay Here Till My Baby Comes Back

Howlin' Wolf's final recording sessions at Memphis Recording Service were held in 1953. I'm not sure exactly when during that year, but records show they were mastered in the fall, so this album would likely be released in late 1953. "All Night Boogie" was the only track here released as an A-side of a single, so I used it to lead off the second side and as the title track as well. 

I'm not sure what Wolf's obsession with California was -- he recorded "California Blues #1," "California Blues #2" and "California Boogie." I couldn't find any other song he recorded with a different state named.

The 1953 sessions were kind of the end of an era for Howlin' Wolf. In March 1954, he recorded his first studio session at Chess Studios in Chicago and every subsequent session there (except for one session in London in 1970).

All of these tracks are available on Smokestack Lightning: The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960.

NOTE: I don't make any claims about the album cover artwork. I just took existing artwork and altered them a bit.