Howlin’ Wolf – Boy, You Got The Blues There!

by cjvinyl · January 2, 2025

Well, here’s a little oddity – a 10″ 45 Long Player. I’m not quite sure how they do it, and I’m not quite sure why they do it, but Bear Family Records produces an entire series of 10″ full albums – with fantastic sound quality, lovely packaging, and bonus background booklet. A real quality product.

Howlin' Wolf "Boy You Got The Blues There!" front cover – the cover is mostly color blocks and graphics, with a small photograph of Howlin' Wolf, a black man with short cropped hair in a suit playing an acoustic f-hole guitar. His name, "'Howlin' Wolf' Chester Burnett," is the largest element, in an inkburst. The words "Featuring Willie Johnson Guitar" are in a hand-drawn cloud motif. Below that is the phrase "His Earliest Sessions" followed by several track listings, with small stars and musical symbols arrayed about the type. At the bottom is the actual title of the album, "Boy, You Got The Blues There! – The Wolf's West Memphis Blues, Originally unreleased tracks volume 1." — *Howlin’ Wolf “Boy You Got The Blues There!” front cover*

I picked this up early in 2023 at Forever Changes, and I admit I was a bit skeptical of five songs to a side on a small 45 RPM record – but whatever recording and pressing magic needs to be worked to turn that into a great sound record has been worked here.

And of course, it’s Howlin’ Wolf. His earliest sessions, but they are anything but rough and raw. He was, after all, probably already 40 years old when these were recorded, and a well-established musician. And the recordist was Sam Phillips, so no surprise there either. These are some fantastic jump blues! And, of course, Wolf’s booming voice. I play this any time we’re looking for a bop.