Moanin in the Moonlight is a compilation album and the first album by Chicago blues artist Howlin Wolf, released by Chess Records in 1959. It contains songs previously issued as singles, including one of his best-known,Smokestack Lightning.

The two earliest songs on Moanin in the Moonlight were Moanin at Midnight and How Many More Years. These two songs and All Night Boogie, were recorded in Memphis, the first two at Sam Phillips Memphis Recording Service in Memphis, Tennessee in July 1951, and, All Night Boogie, in Memphis in 1953. These songs were sold to the Chess brothers, Leonard and Phil, who released them on two singles (Chess 1479 and Chess 1557), the first two titles being released on August 15, 1951. The rest of the songs on the album were recorded in Chicago, Illinois and were produced by either the Chess brothers and/or Willie Dixon.

Rolling Stonemagazine rankedMoanin in the MoonlightNo. 477 on its 2020 list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Track Listing

Side One

1. Moanin at Moonlight
2. How Many Years
3. Smokestack Lightnin
4. Baby, How Long
5. No Place to Go (You Gonna Break My Life)
6. All Night Boogie
7. The Red Rooster (a.k.a. Little Red Rooster) (Bonus Track)
8. Spoonful (Bonus Track)

Side Two

1. Evil (Is Goin On)
2. Im Leavin You
3. Moan for My Baby
4. I Asked for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline)
5. Forty-Four
6. Somebody in My Home
7. So Glad (Bonus Track)
8. Back Door Man (Bonus Track)

Format: Vinyl / 12 Album (Coloured Vinyl)

Label: 20th Century Masterworks

Catalogue No: 350254

Barcode: 8436563184468

Release Date: 19 May 2023