Buttkickin' Halloween Songs: "I'm The Wolf Man" - Round Robin (1965)

In the middle of the night when the full moon rise
I got a funny kind of feelin’ comin’ in my eyes
Well, my hair gets long and my eyes turn blue
I got long hair growin’ on my fingers too

I’m the wolfman, I’m the wolfman baby
And if you see me on the prowl
Watch it when hear me growl!

It’s kind of a pattern here at Hokeyblog, when we do our Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs. We start off with a barnstormer rocker of sorts, and then maybe do another spooky number before settling in with a novelty song form decades past.

I hate repeating myself, but then why mess with success? I mean if you’re measuring success by how much traction a near-dead blog gets in 2020, we’re coming up aces!

But never mind all that, let’s move right into today’s Lascivious Lycanthropic Lullaby, Round Robin’s 1965 novelty single I’m The Wolf Man. Robin was actually singer, songwriter and musician Baker Knight, who wrote the magnificent “Lonesome Town” for Ricky Nelson (also covered to great results by Paul McCartney). Horror novelty singles had been a staple of the music scene for many years by ’65, and his fit right in with the entire genre: spooky, silly, and of course rockin’ (mid 60s style).

The song is no big mystery: Round Robin basically details his transformation into the eponymous character when the full moon makes an appearance: the sudden hair growth, the howling, the mad beast on the prowl. And of course it’s all just one big allegory for getting all worked up and horny when the gal of his affection captures his eye.

I mean, who hasn’t howled like a mad wolf when they see the right person at the right time? Chuck Avery had it right.

We’ve all been there…

Anyway, I’m The Wolf Man is a simple but fun Halloween staple for our playlist. It’s got the bluesy early Stones/Kinks feel, with some distorted guitar licks, honkytonk piano, and a tight rhythm section propelling the beat along. It’s silly, it’s spooky, it’s perfect for Halloween. Robin’s got the perfect vocal delivery for the song, even with the over-the-top growls and hysterics. Then again, who hasn’t gotten that melodramatic when it came to that one person, am I right?

Once that full moon rises, we turn into something else completely. Better get some ice…

Well, I climb tall buildings, I blow down trees
I chase little bears and I sting the bees
Well, baby don’t you scream when I hold you tight
I’m gonna win your love tonight

Wolfman, I’m the wolfman baby
If you see me on the prowl
Watch it when hear me growl!