Killing Floor

Howlin' Wolf was an intimidating presence in the studio, demanding absolute precision from his band. In August 1964, guitarist Hubert Sumlin delivered a masterpiece: an intensely driving, angular, lightning-fast guitar riff that anchored "Killing Floor." Wolf belted out a grim tale of being metaphorically slaughtered by a ruthless woman, matching the frantic energy of Sumlin's fretwork. The track became a foundational text for British blues-rockers. Just five years later, Led Zeppelin aggressively lifted Sumlin's riff and Wolf's lyrics to build "The Lemon Song."