Howlin’ Wolf “Killing Floor” Songfacts and Lyrics

The song was first released as a single in March 1965 (catalog number Chess 1923), though it was recorded at Chess Records in August of the previous year.

Hubert Sumlin and Buddy Guy played on the guitars, with Lafayette Leake on piano and Sam Lay on drums.

The “Killing Floor” was a reference to the slaughterhouses of Chicago’s stockyards, but is really a metaphor for a woman doing you wrong.

Jimi Hendrix covered Killing Floor, and the song was the foundation of Led Zeppelin’s “the Lemon Song” off of Zeppelin II. But Zeppelin didn’t give Wolf the appropriate credit, and Wolf’s publisher Arc Music had to sue the band, and since then Howlin’ Wolf’s name now appears in the songwriting credits (as his real name, Chester Burnett).

The song was officially inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame as a “Classic of Blues Recording”. In 1970, Wolf re-recorded the song during the famous London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions, featuring a “supergroup” backing band that included Eric Clapton, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts.

The song words:

I should’ve quit you, a long time ago
I should’ve quit you, Babe, long time ago
I should’ve quit you, and went on to Mexico
If I had followed, my first mind
If I had followed, my first mind
I’d have been gone, since my second time
Ah

I should’ve went on, when my friend come from Mexico at me
I should’ve went on, when my friend come from Mexico at me
But no I was foolin’ with ya, Baby, I let ya put me on the killin’ floor
Lord knows, I should of been gone
Lord knows, I should of been gone
And I wouldn’t have been here
down on the killin’ floor
Yeah

Howlin’ Wolf playing Killin’ Floor live in 1970