Best Fifteen Wolf Songs Not About Werewolves In London
In Spite of the Immense Popularity of "Signs" This Quintet Was Not Just A One Hit Wonder
Neither Steppenwolf Nor Wolf Mother Has A Song On This List
Now is the month of the year when those full moon fearing creatures of the wild are described as stalking a great European metropolis, thanks to the biggest hit ever recorded by Warren Zevon.
His "Werewolves of London", the first single from the Excitable Boy record, has become a radio staple during Halloween. It ranks second in airplay only to the classic "Monster Mash", barely ahead of the instrumental 'Frankenstein" by the Edgar Winter Group.
While Zevon's ode to the urban lupine is an enjoyable listen, there are numerous other wolf songs that also deserve some recognition. Here are fifteen other titles using some form of wolf, including several about those who are also part human.
1. Night of the Wolf by Uriah Heep
It had been over a decade since the Heep had scored the hits "Easy Livin'" and "Sweet Lorraine", so few of the founding members were around when this song from Equator came out in 1985.
2. Hungry Like the Wolf by Duran Duran
Aided by a fantastic video in constant rotation on early MTV, this New Wave hit was the first of a dozen the repetitious band would create.
3. Lone Wolf by Eels
Shootenanny is the album spawning this tribute to those who are anti-social, a common theme in the works of Mark Oliver Everett.
4. Werewolf by the Five Man Electrical Band
Pa discovers that his son is the title creature, so he melts down a bell into a silver bullet to put the young man out of his misery.
5. Clap for the Wolfman by the Guess Who
The famous DJ can be heard at various points in this hit from the Seventies, the decade when the howler was at his prime.
6. You Cried Wolf by Todd Rundgren
Runt puts a rocking spin on the old fable, making it a good partner for the many other delights from the Hermit Of Mink Hollow record.
7. Sheep in Wolf's Clothing by Mac Demarco
On an album called This Old Dog, it seems appropriate to include a song mentioning a cousin of the canine.
8. Wolf by Joe Walsh
This classic comes from The Smoker You Drink The Player You Get, the same record that contains the smash hit "Rocky Mountain Way."
9. Wolf At the Door by Radiohead
Hail to the Thief is the cleverly titled record featuring this tune, just one of many timeless tracks from Thom York's alternative rock band.
10. Peter and the Wolf by Weird Al Yankovic
Since Seymour the Wolf is nabbed by dental floss, one must assume that the moral of this title track is somehow related to oral hygiene.
11. Wolf Pack by the Vaccines
The indie rock outfit provides this tune as one of the answers to the question posed by the album, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines.
12. Wolf Bite by Owl City
Fans of physical formats found Wolf Bite quite a pain in 2014, since its EP was available only through You Tube.
13. Wolves by Phosphorescent
Matthew Houck, the sole force behind Phosphorescent, placed this tune in his third album Pride.
14. Dire Wolf by the Grateful Dead
Jerry Gracia quickly put to music Robert Hunter's lyrics, resulting in the song being included in Workingman's Dead.
15. Wolf Like Me by TV On the Radio
This simile served as the first single from Return To Cookie, the indie rock band's third album.
