By the time Chess issued its fourth Howlin’ Wolf album, More Real Folk Blues, the bulk of the most familiar and influential songs from his 45s and 78s had been used on his other LPs. But Wolf’s Chess output was so potent, regardless of ‘hit’ status, that the music on More Real Folk Blues — mostly B sides and previously unissued tracks — was just as compelling as on his previous compilations, or even more so to aficionados who favored the raw ferocity of the Memphis and early Chicago sessions represented here. Wolf is a formidable force, backed impressively by Willie Johnson, Lee Cooper or Jody Williams on lead guitar (joined by a young Hubert Sumlin on some cuts, before he had crafted his own signature style). A spontaneous feeling pervades many of these 1953-1956 sides, recorded before Willie Dixon began to play a more important role as songwriter and A&R man for Wolf’s sessions. The set includes only two tracks issued as the A sides of singles–‘Who Will Be Next,’ a minor Billboard chart hit in 1955, and ‘You Gonna Wreck My Life,’ also released under the title ‘No Place to Go,’ a new variant of ‘How Many Years’ that seems to be the version that has survived in the repertoires of many blues singers who have paid tribute to Wolf. Chess released four LPs under theMore Real Folk Blues banner: Wolf, Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and Memphis Slim.
Tracks: Just My Kind/I’ve Got A Woman/Work For Your Money/I’ll Be Around/You Can’t Be Beat/You Gonna Wreck My Life//I Love My Baby/Neighbors/I’m the Wolf/Rocking Daddy/Who Will Be Next?/I Have A Little Girl
Released on LP as Chess LP 1512 in 1967. Released on CD by MCA as Chess 9279 in 1990.