Little Red Rooster
Encyclopedia
"Little Red Rooster" is a song that is a classic of the blues. Howlin' Wolf
recorded "The Red Rooster" in 1961, a song credited to blues arranger and songwriter Willie Dixon
, although earlier songs have been cited as inspiration. A variety of performers have interpreted it, including Sam Cooke
and The Rolling Stones
, who had important record chart successes with the song.
's "Banty Rooster Blues" (1929 Paramount 12792) being identified as "obviously inspiring" "Little Red Rooster". Although musically the songs are different, there are some similarities in the lyrics. Patton's song includes "What you want with a rooster, he won't crow 'fore day" and "I know my dog anywhere I hear him bark", analogous to Dixon's "I have a little red rooster, too lazy to crow 'fore day" and "Oh the dogs begin to bark..." Memphis Minnie
's "If You See My Rooster (Please Run Him Home)" (1936 Vocalion 03285) contain the lyrics "If you see my rooster, please run 'im on back home", similar to Dixon's "If you see my little red rooster, please drive 'im home".
In 1950, Margie Day
with the Griffin Brothers recorded an uptempo jump blues titled "Little Red Rooster" (Dot 1019). The song was described as "pack[ing] a load of oomph into this tangy up blues, with okay combo boogie in back".
The song was a hit, reaching number five in the Billboard R&B chart in 1951. Day's lyrics include "Got a little red rooster, and man how he can crow...He's a boss of the barnyard, any ol' place he goes". The song is credited to Edward and James Griffin and, although it is titled "Little Red Rooster", it is not the same musically or lyrically as the Dixon song.
accompaniment and Wolf's "master singer's attention to phrasing and note choice, milking out maximum emotion and nuance from the melody". Backing Wolf (vocals
, guitar
) were Hubert Sumlin
(guitar), Johnny Jones
(piano
), Willie Dixon
(bass
), and Sam Lay (drum
s).
"The Red Rooster" was one in a string of Willie Dixon-penned songs that Howlin' Wolf recorded in the early 1960s that were later popularized by rock artists ("Back Door Man
" - The Doors
, "Spoonful
" - Cream
, "Little Red Rooster" - The Rolling Stones, and "I Ain't Superstitious
" - The Jeff Beck Group
). Wolf later recorded "The Red Rooster" with several rock figures (Eric Clapton
, Steve Winwood
, Bill Wyman
, and Charlie Watts
) for his 1971 album The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions
. At the beginning of the song, Howlin' Wolf can be heard attempting to explain the timing of the song's changes. Clapton (joined in by the others) encourages Wolf to play it on guitar so "I can follow you if I can see what you're doing."
pop chart. "Little Red Rooster" used Dixon's lyrics, but the backing arrangement was changed in keeping with Cooke's "soul music
" approach.
, Little Walter
, et al. recorded their blues classics (the Rolling Stones instrumental "2120 South Michigan Avenue
" was named after the studio's address). The song reached number one in the UK Singles Chart
on December 5, 1964 where it stayed for one week. It remains to this day the only time a blues song has ever topped the British pop charts. The song generally follows the original with Brian Jones
contributing the distinctive slide guitar
part and an effective harmonica
part on the outro (although Mick Jagger
would mime to the latter instrument on television appearances). It was the band's last cover song to be released as a single during the 1960s; subsequent singles would be self-penned efforts.
"Little Red Rooster" was not released as a single in the US, but was included on the 1965 album The Rolling Stones, Now!
. The Rolling Stones performed the song on several American television shows in 1965, including The Ed Sullivan Show
, Shindig!
, and Shivaree
(at their insistence, Howlin' Wolf also performed on Shindig!, where he was introduced by Brian Jones). "Little Red Rooster" also appeared on their 1989 compilation, Singles Collection: The London Years
. Flashpoint
, a live album recorded during the Rolling Stones' 1989–1990 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour
, contains a live version of "Little Red Rooster" with Eric Clapton on slide guitar. It was taken from a 1989 show at Shea Stadium in New York.
, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
, Luther Allison
, Cuby and the Blizzards, James Blood Ulmer, The Persuasions
, The Grateful Dead, The Doors
, The Roosters
, Otis Rush
, The Jesus And Mary Chain
, Los Piojos
, Cherry Vanilla
, and Arno Hintjens
. The song's author Willie Dixon recorded it on his 1970 album I Am The Blues
.
's list of the "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
recorded "The Red Rooster" in 1961, a song credited to blues arranger and songwriter Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon
William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
, although earlier songs have been cited as inspiration. A variety of performers have interpreted it, including Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
and The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, who had important record chart successes with the song.
Earlier songs
The rooster is a theme in several blues songs from the 1920s and 1930s, with Charlie PattonCharlie Patton
Charlie Patton , better known as Charley Patton, was an American Delta blues musician. He is considered by many to be the "Father of the Delta Blues", and is credited with creating an enduring body of American music and personally inspiring just about every Delta blues man...
's "Banty Rooster Blues" (1929 Paramount 12792) being identified as "obviously inspiring" "Little Red Rooster". Although musically the songs are different, there are some similarities in the lyrics. Patton's song includes "What you want with a rooster, he won't crow 'fore day" and "I know my dog anywhere I hear him bark", analogous to Dixon's "I have a little red rooster, too lazy to crow 'fore day" and "Oh the dogs begin to bark..." Memphis Minnie
Memphis Minnie
Memphis Minnie was an American blues guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. She was the only female blues artist considered a match to male contemporaries as both a singer and an instrumentalist.-Career:...
's "If You See My Rooster (Please Run Him Home)" (1936 Vocalion 03285) contain the lyrics "If you see my rooster, please run 'im on back home", similar to Dixon's "If you see my little red rooster, please drive 'im home".
In 1950, Margie Day
Margie Day
Margie Day , now Margie Day Walker, is an American former R&B singer who had success in the 1950s and 1960s.- Life and career :Margaret Hoffler was born and brought up in Norfolk, Virginia, one of four children...
with the Griffin Brothers recorded an uptempo jump blues titled "Little Red Rooster" (Dot 1019). The song was described as "pack[ing] a load of oomph into this tangy up blues, with okay combo boogie in back".
The song was a hit, reaching number five in the Billboard R&B chart in 1951. Day's lyrics include "Got a little red rooster, and man how he can crow...He's a boss of the barnyard, any ol' place he goes". The song is credited to Edward and James Griffin and, although it is titled "Little Red Rooster", it is not the same musically or lyrically as the Dixon song.
Howlin' Wolf song
In 1961, Howlin' Wolf recorded "The Red Rooster". The song is a slow blues that features distinctive slide guitarSlide guitar
Slide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
accompaniment and Wolf's "master singer's attention to phrasing and note choice, milking out maximum emotion and nuance from the melody". Backing Wolf (vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) were Hubert Sumlin
Hubert Sumlin
Hubert Sumlin is an American Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist and singer, best known for his celebrated work, from 1955, as guitarist in Howlin' Wolf's band. His singular playing is characterized by "wrenched, shattering bursts of notes, sudden cliff-hanger silences and daring rhythmic...
(guitar), Johnny Jones
Little Johnny Jones (pianist)
Little Johnny Jones was an American Chicago blues pianist and singer, best known for his work with Tampa Red, Muddy Waters and Elmore James.-Life and career:Jones was born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1924...
(piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
), Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon
William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
(bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
), and Sam Lay (drum
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
s).
"The Red Rooster" was one in a string of Willie Dixon-penned songs that Howlin' Wolf recorded in the early 1960s that were later popularized by rock artists ("Back Door Man
Back Door Man
"Back Door Man" is a blues song written by Willie Dixon and recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1961. It was released by Chess Records as the B-side to Wolf's "Wang Dang Doodle"...
" - The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, "Spoonful
Spoonful
"Spoonful" is a blues standard written by Willie Dixon and first recorded in 1960 by Howlin' Wolf. It is loosely based on "A Spoonful Blues", a song recorded in 1929 by Charley Patton , itself related to "All I Want Is A Spoonful" by Papa Charlie Jackson and "Cocaine Blues" by Luke Jordan...
" - Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, "Little Red Rooster" - The Rolling Stones, and "I Ain't Superstitious
I Ain't Superstitious
"I Ain't Superstitious" is a song written by bluesman Willie Dixon and first recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1961. It recounts various superstitions, including that of a black cat crossing the pathway...
" - The Jeff Beck Group
The Jeff Beck Group
The Jeff Beck Group were an English rock band formed in London in January 1967 by former Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck. Their innovative approach to heavy sounding blues and R&B was a major influence on popular music.- The first Jeff Beck Group :...
). Wolf later recorded "The Red Rooster" with several rock figures (Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
, Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
, Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
, and Charlie Watts
Charlie Watts
Charles Robert "Charlie" Watts is an English drummer, best known as a member of The Rolling Stones. He is also the leader of a jazz band, a record producer, commercial artist, and horse breeder.-Early life:...
) for his 1971 album The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions
The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions
The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions is an album by blues musician Howlin' Wolf, released in the summer of 1971 on Chess Records, catalogue CH 60008...
. At the beginning of the song, Howlin' Wolf can be heard attempting to explain the timing of the song's changes. Clapton (joined in by the others) encourages Wolf to play it on guitar so "I can follow you if I can see what you're doing."
Sam Cooke version
In 1963, Sam Cooke released his version of Willie Dixon's song, calling it "Little Red Rooster." The song was a hit, reaching number seven on the Billboard R&B chart. It was also a cross-over hit, reaching number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
pop chart. "Little Red Rooster" used Dixon's lyrics, but the backing arrangement was changed in keeping with Cooke's "soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
" approach.
Rolling Stones version
Following Sam Cooke's success, the Rolling Stones recorded their version of "Little Red Rooster" in 1964. The recording session took place at the Chess Studios in Chicago, the same studios where Howlin' Wolf, Muddy WatersMuddy Waters
McKinley Morganfield , known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician, generally considered the "father of modern Chicago blues"...
, Little Walter
Little Walter
Little Walter, born Marion Walter Jacobs , was an American blues harmonica player, whose revolutionary approach to his instrument has earned him comparisons to Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix, for innovation and impact on succeeding generations...
, et al. recorded their blues classics (the Rolling Stones instrumental "2120 South Michigan Avenue
2120 South Michigan Avenue
"2120 South Michigan Avenue" is an original instrumental by the Rolling Stones recorded for their second EP Five by Five. It was also released on their second US album 12 X 5 in 1964. Composer credit goes to Nanker Phelge, a title giving credit equally to all members of the band...
" was named after the studio's address). The song reached number one in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
on December 5, 1964 where it stayed for one week. It remains to this day the only time a blues song has ever topped the British pop charts. The song generally follows the original with Brian Jones
Brian Jones
Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones , known as Brian Jones, was an English musician and a founding member of the Rolling Stones....
contributing the distinctive slide guitar
Slide guitar
Slide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
part and an effective harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
part on the outro (although Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
would mime to the latter instrument on television appearances). It was the band's last cover song to be released as a single during the 1960s; subsequent singles would be self-penned efforts.
"Little Red Rooster" was not released as a single in the US, but was included on the 1965 album The Rolling Stones, Now!
The Rolling Stones, Now!
-Personnel:The Rolling Stones*Mick Jagger – lead vocals, harmonica, tambourine, and percussion*Keith Richards – guitar and backing vocals*Brian Jones – guitar and slide guitar, harmonica and backing vocals...
. The Rolling Stones performed the song on several American television shows in 1965, including The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, Shindig!
Shindig!
Shindig! was an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles at the time who also created the show along with his wife Sharon Sheeley and production executive Art Stolnitz....
, and Shivaree
Shivaree (TV series)
Shivaree was a Los Angeles-based music variety show that ran in syndication from 1965 to 1966. It was hosted by Gene Weed. In its brief run, the show featured numerous well-known acts, including the Rolling Stones, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, the Byrds, the Bobby Fuller Four, the...
(at their insistence, Howlin' Wolf also performed on Shindig!, where he was introduced by Brian Jones). "Little Red Rooster" also appeared on their 1989 compilation, Singles Collection: The London Years
Singles Collection: The London Years
Singles Collection: The London Years is a compilation album of Rolling Stones music released by former manager Allen Klein's ABKCO Records after the band's departure from Decca and Klein....
. Flashpoint
Flashpoint (album)
Flashpoint is a live album by British rock band The Rolling Stones. It was released in 1991, having been recorded throughout 1989 and 1990 on the mammoth Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour...
, a live album recorded during the Rolling Stones' 1989–1990 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour
Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour
The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels Tour was a concert tour which was launched in North America in August 1989 to promote the band's album Steel Wheels; it continued to Japan in February 1990, with ten shows at the Tokyo Dome. The European leg of the tour, which featured a different stage and logo,...
, contains a live version of "Little Red Rooster" with Eric Clapton on slide guitar. It was taken from a 1989 show at Shea Stadium in New York.
Other versions
"Little Red Rooster" has also been covered by many other artists including Big Mama ThorntonBig Mama Thornton
Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton was an American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter. She was the first to record the hit song "Hound Dog" in 1952. The song was #1 on the Billboard R&B charts for seven weeks in 1953. The B-side was "They Call Me Big Mama," and the single sold almost two million...
, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
, Luther Allison
Luther Allison
Luther Allison was an American blues guitarist. He was born in Widener, Arkansas and moved with his family, at age twelve, to Chicago in 1951. He taught himself guitar and began listening to blues extensively. Three years later he began hanging outside blues nightclubs with the hopes of being...
, Cuby and the Blizzards, James Blood Ulmer, The Persuasions
The Persuasions
The Persuasions are an a cappella group that began singing together in Brooklyn, New York in the mid 1960s. They have performed interpretations of both secular and non-secular music, and have covered a wide range of musical genres....
, The Grateful Dead, The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, The Roosters
The Roosters
The Roosters were a Japanese rock band that mixed punk, blues-rock, ska and straightforward rock and roll.-History:They formed in 1979 in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka. Although there were four different lineups throughout the life of the band—all centered around guitarist Hiroyuki Hanada--Shinya Ohe...
, Otis Rush
Otis Rush
Otis Rush is a blues musician, singer and guitarist. His distinctive guitar style features a slow burning sound and long bent notes...
, The Jesus And Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
, Los Piojos
Los Piojos
Los Piojos were a rock band from Argentina, highly popular, and one of the seminal bands of the 1990s Argentine suburban rock movement.As with most suburban rock bands, their formative sound owes a significant amount to the style of the Rolling Stones...
, Cherry Vanilla
Cherry Vanilla
Cherry Vanilla is an American singer-songwriter, publicist, and actress. After working as an actress in Andy Warhol's Pork, she worked as a publicist for David Bowie, before finding fame as a rock singer. She subsequently became a publicist for Vangelis.-Career:Kathleen Dorritie was born in...
, and Arno Hintjens
Arno Hintjens
Arno Hintjens , usually referred to as Arno, is a Belgian artist born in Ostend. He was the frontman of the group TC Matic. After the band split in 1986 he went solo....
. The song's author Willie Dixon recorded it on his 1970 album I Am The Blues
I am the blues
I Am The Blues is a Chicago blues album released in 1970 by the well-known bluesman Willie Dixon. It is also the title of Dixon's autobiography, edited by Don Snowden....
.
Accolades
Howlin' Wolf's original "The Red Rooster" is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of FameRock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
's list of the "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".