Killing Floor (song)

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"Killing Floor"

Song by Howlin' Wolf
from the album The Real Folk Blues
Released	1966
Genre	Blues
Length	~2:53
Label	Chess Records
Composer(s)	Chester Arthur Burnett
The Real Folk Blues track listing
	"Killing Floor" (1)	Louise (2)

Killing Floor is a song written and recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1964. It was released on the album, The Real Folk Blues in 1966. This song has been covered or performed live by many blues and rock guitar artists, including Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Byther Smith and Albert King.

Led Zeppelin "covered" this song on their second album. Bootleg copies of live concerts from the band's early years include rough versions of the song credited as "Killing Floor." Their version, which also included lyrics from Robert Johnson's "Traveling Riverside Blues," credited neither blues artist. Possibily to avoid a conflict over plagiarism, the song was retitled "The Lemon Song." Sometime after Howlin' Wolf's death, Chess Records sued Led Zeppelin and Howlin' Wolf's name was credited on the song. Robert Johnson, however, is not.

Hendrix recorded a spirited uptempo version of the song live in BBC studio. This can be heard on his BBC Sessions album.

The Wolf's long time guitarist, Hubert Sumlin still performs this song. He played it with Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan and Robert Cray at The Crossroads Guitar Festival.