Songs About Wolves

Wolves are a constant source of mystery to humans, so it’s no surprise they feature a lot in songs. Probably because they’re wild, and sometimes a little scary. Quite whether it’s him that’s been dumped or him that’s done the dumping, I have no clue. See what you think. I particularly like the line “your eyes are all Sinatra blue.” As the song is about the end of a relationship (the narrator’s been dumped), The Wolf is the other guy, “he wanders ever closer every night, and how he waits begging for blood.”

This song from North Carolina duo Mandolin Orange is a superb song for our times. I agree with this interpretation of the song. The woman in the song is the statue of liberty who “stands, so tall and mighty, her gaze facing the east,” but we turn away the poor and huddled masses.
To this day, I can’t hear this song without thinking of the final credits (where the song is played) at the end of the movie. Watching that film as a kid was quite an ordeal!From what, it’s not entirely clear and is totally up for interpretation. Some think it’s depression, being trapped by another person, mental illness, the list goes on. But one thing for is sure. Everyone loves its gorgeous vibe.

Here’s a song that’s generally believed to be about the genocide of the Native Americans (in the 19th century). The brother is the Wolf, the sister is the Moon.
There’s no mention of the wolf in the song, but I think it earns the right to get included as it’s featured in the ’80s horror flick An American Werewolf in London.

Wolf Moon is a highlight of Young’s last few years. He plays it here with Willie Nelson’s sons, Lukas and Micah (collectively known as ‘Promise Of The Real.’)
The little-known Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy is one of the best songwriters and singers of our time. But, unfortunately, it’s just hardly anyone knows about him. Well, if you’re reading this, that’s one less.

Here, “Wolf Moon” is the natural world, which Young depicts as being in trouble (“Less fish swimmin’ in your oceans / old ice floating in your seas”). “Still, you hold against the constant plundering,” the lone wolf Young concludes.The Black Keys are one of the best alt-rock bands of recent times. This wolf song is about being so bowled over with a girl it makes you want to howl (“Baby I’m howlin’ for you.”) It starts with the narrator at age 17. He finds his “pack” and ‘runs’ with them on the hunt but loses “the taste for judging right from wrong.” His flesh has turned to fur (he’d turned ‘wild.’) In the final verse, he admits, “I still dream of running careless through the snow” but realizes how much he’s learned. “So if you’re gonna’ get made, don’t be afraid of what you’ve learned.”In the song lyrics, it’s not apparent what or who the wolf is. It’s likely not one thing, but a general weariness with the world, such as bankers (“investments and dealers”) and rich kids (“boys in first class don’t know we’re born”).

Compared to many of Mumford & Sons’ other tracks, “The Wolf” has a rougher sound, to match the dark and mysterious lyrics. It combines elements of folk-rock with garage rock and received critical acclaim from several music publications including Rolling Stone.
Metallica’s self-titled fifth studio album was released in August of 1991 and features many great songs. One of the tracks that, in my opinion, doesn’t get the recognition it deserves is “Of Wolf and Man”.“Hungry Like the Wolf” was released as part of Duran Duran’s hugely successful 1982 album, Rio, which spawned hits such as the title track and “Save a Prayer”.

This is one of my personal favorite songs about wolves, and it features a simplistic, pulsating piano line with wolf-like sounds entering periodically, plus lyrics that explore the topic of what it would be like to be raised by a pack of wolves.
The use of guitar harmonies and syncopated drum beats characterizes this song, and it was often played as the opener of the band’s set around the time that they released the album it featured on.One particular animal that has featured in a large number of songs is the wolf. Wolves create a sense of mystery for many people and often conjure images of howling at the full moon.

American vocalist Selena Gomez recorded the track “Wolves” in 2017 in collaboration with EDM music producer, Marshamello. This song was written by Gomez and a songwriting team and was released on Interscope.The song begins with an eerie guitar that is made to sound like an organ and is accompanied by singer Thom Yorke’s lazy, rhythmic vocals. It’s one of the most innovative songs featuring wolves in the lyrics.

The song’s simplistic music video provides the lyrics, which describe various aspects of wolves and other animals. It combines elements of folk, with electronic music and pop.
The Black Keys recorded their hit 2011 album, Brothers at the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama. The song, “Howlin’ for You” was one of the standout tracks from the album.Released as the title track of Shakira’s 2009 album, “She Wolf” performed impressively on global music charts. It reached the top 10 in many European countries including Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK, and also in the USA and Canada, making it one of the best-selling werewolf songs ever.

The song “Howl” was released as the fourth track on the band’s debut album, Lungs. Lead singer Florence Welsh describes the song as being about “Gothic horror, werewolves and wedding dresses…”
Radiohead’s sixth studio album, Hail to the Thief received widespread praise for its inventive musicianship and production. One of the highlights of the album was the closing track, entitled “A Wolf At The Door”. Florence + the Machine rose to stardom in their native UK towards the end of the 2000s, and have continued to enjoy popularity since then, headlining the Glastonbury festival in 2015. The song “Dancing with a Wolf” was included on All Time Low’s 2015 album, Future Hearts. The track features confrontational lyrics, a saturated synth-like guitar line, and a catchy hook sung by lead vocalist Alex Gaskarth.

British singer-songwriter Ben Howard is, in my opinion, a highly underrated musician. He’s an exceptional guitar player with a unique feel and expressive style of playing, and his vocal and songwriting skills are also impeccable.This song was recorded at the London EMI headquarters and was essentially finished in one day. It features a combination of the Roland TR-808 drum machine, which was very popular at the time, and the Jupiter-8 keyboard.Featured on The Prodigy’s 2009 album Invaders Must Die, “Run with the Wolves” features an aggressive vocal take by lead singer and songwriter, the late Keith Flint.

Motorhead’s longevity is all the more impressive when you consider the amount of touring the band did throughout their careers. In 2004, the iconic metal guitar band released the album Inferno, which featured the catchy tune, “In the Year of the Wolf”.
Another interesting fact about this song is that it features Dave Grohl of Foo Fighter, and formerly Nirvana, on the drums. Grohl also helped The Prodigy to pen the song, after forming a relationship with the band when gigging together over the years.“The Wolf” was released as the second single from British alternative rock group Mumford & Sons’ third studio album, Wilder Mind. The song was released in June 2015 on Island Records.

The song features Lemmy’s classic snarling vocals, with highly overdriven guitars playing chord patterns, a rumbling bass tone, and a cymbal-heavy drum track. Lyrically, the song describes running with wolves in a pack.
Irish stadium rockers U2 released “Raised by Wolves” as part of their 2013 album, Songs of Innocence. The song was produced by Danger Mouse and Declan Gaffney, with lyrics coming from Bono and The Edge. Gideon Waxman is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from England. His solo project Guiding Force blends fantasy-infused soundtracks with powerful riffs and soaring atmospheres. The guitars in this song are crunchy and distorted, and Ulrich’s crashing drums complement the powerful vocals brilliantly. If you like references to wolves in music, you’ll love this track.Howard’s debut studio album, Every Kingdom, was released in the summer of 2011, and the second single was a popular folk-rock track entitled “The Wolves”. This song was later certified silver in the UK, and the single featured an acoustic version that was two minutes longer than the original track.

Released in 1976, “Run With The Wolf” was the second track from British-American rock band, Rainbow’s second album, Rising. The track wasn’t released as a single but became a popular live track for the band.

There’s no denying the artistry of Kanye West, and his 2016 album, The Life of Pablo is an example of his fearless creativity. The track “Wolves”, is a dark, melodic hip hop track that also features Caroline Shaw, Sia, and Frank Ocean.
Bon Iver is now a household name, but back in 2007 lead singer and songwriter, Justin Vernon was on the verge of giving up music. He traveled to his feather’s hunting cabin in Wisconsin with a basic recording setup and created the album, For Emma, Forever Ago.Featured in the soundtrack of the movie “Fifty Shades Freed”, The Spencer Lee Band’s pop hit, “The Wolf” features a funky bassline with compressed drums and Jimiraqui-style vocals.

The rap vocals on this track are draped in reverb and autotune. West repeats the same phrases for the most part before the featured artists make cameo appearances. A music video was released for the song, directed by Steven Klein.
The concept behind this song is exploring the behavior of wolves in the wild, with lead singer Simon Neil stating that he was inspired by watching a BBC documentary about the creatures.Scottish rock band Biffy Clyro released “Wolves of Winter” in March 2016. The track, which is from the band’s seventh album, Ellipsis, was chosen as Zane Lowe’s “World Record” on Beats Radio.

Released in the spring of 1982 by British synth-pop band, Duran Duran, “Hungry Like the Wolf” would go on to be certified gold after reaching no. 5 on the UK Singles Chart, making it one of the best-known wolf songs.
The music video which accompanied this song also won critical acclaim, and the song was a staple in the Colombian singer’s set for her 2010 world tour. Musically, the track is classified as synth-pop blended with funk and dance music.The song was hugely successful in Australia, Europe, and the USA. It blends the genres of trap with EDM music, and the music video was premiered on November 17th of 2017, garnering hundreds of millions of views.

Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora released the track “Running with the Wolves” as the second single from her debut studio album, All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend”.
Written as a collaboration between lead singer and guitarists James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist Kirk Hammet, “Of Wolf and Man” features descriptive lyrics about wolves. “Someone’s in the Wolf” is the ninth song on desert rock band Queens of the Stone Age’s fifth studio album, entitled Lullabies to Paralyze. This song’s music video also includes a lot of wolf references. This song features a fingerpicked acoustic guitar that accompanies soulful, heartfelt vocals, with the singer seemingly using wolves as metaphors for his feelings and state of mind.The fourth track on that acoustic folk album was entitled “The Wolves (Act I and II)”. This song features a sparse acoustic guitar, with rung-out chords, and dreamy vocals which are pitch-corrected using Autotune.

American singer-songwriter Phosphorescent has released a total of seven studio albums, with his 2007 offering, Pride, amongst his best work. On that album, the third track was titled ”Wolves”.
Ever since songs have been created, animals have been used as the subject matter for lyrics. This trend continues today, with animals being written about in songs both literally and metaphorically.Having previously toured in bands and studied music at university, Gideon has extensive knowledge of drums, music production, recording equipment, and the business side of the music industry too.

And we still didn’t forget about this song; simple yet mesmerizing harmonies and the singer’s voice reminiscent of wolf howls in some moments create a beautiful, memorable atmosphere of the song.
Wolves can represent strength, loneliness, lust, and wilderness. So the fact that musicians have always been inspired by these iconic animals comes as no surprise.If you’re searching for a wolf-themed song with a rather different atmosphere, you should check out “The Wolf” by the American group The Spencer Lee Band.

Although it’s essentially a song about losing faith in love, the song has a hopeful twist, and it certainly evokes the feeling of being connected to nature.AURORA reportedly wrote the song during the blood moon and explained in one of the interviews: “I just imagined the moon turning all the people around the world into wild animals, running away from all the rules, all the materialism and technology.”

In “Wolves Without Teeth”, the narrator is running from wolves, which adds a different meaning to it. Wolves can represent fear or any kind of obstacle that can, as the lyrics suggest, be defeated with the power of love.
There are several theories about the meaning behind the song. It could be a song about Selena’s struggle with lupus or simply about dark times everyone goes through once in a while.

Although the music video suggests that “She Wolf” might be a song about a girl breaking free from her partner, Shakira claimed it’s about women who feel empowered and free to express themselves.
The most obvious meaning of “Wolf at the Door” would probably be the expectation of a treat of some kind. But if you’re a Radiohead fan, you’ll know that their music often doesn’t entail obvious messages.

Rainbow was the brainchild of former Deep Purple guitarist Richie Blackmore. They were a strange band in many ways. They tried to pass themselves off as almost heavy metal. And yet, their real success came with songs like “Since You’ve Been Gone,” which is a ‘pop-rock’ song.
Basic, rather empty-sounding music, with respect, they weren’t the best musicians you would find. But, they certainly knew how to make great pop records. And this was one.She sees people throwing off those shackles and being like the wolf, free to roam. The people all become like the animals, leaving all the rules behind them and forming their own existence. Wolves are intelligent animals that have their own social structure, and they form close friendships with others in the pack. They are loyal and can demonstrate love and affection. And they are very protective of their family. They sound nicer than some humans I have met. The wolf is often used to describe the wilder aspects of behavior. And those descriptions are also given to people who are slightly dangerous and foreboding. But are these analogies unfair to what is, after all, a magnificent animal?As with most Radiohead songs, there are plenty of speculations about what it is all about. Fans of the band will know that the obvious meaning is rarely what it is really all about. That is one interpretation of this song, with the Wolf being the personification of the ruthless capitalist banging on your door wanting more. The poor Wolf is getting a bad deal again. From “After The Goldrush” and “Mother Earth,” where he pursued environmental themes. To songs like “Ohio,” where he highlighted hypocrisy, state-sponsored homicide, and injustice. If there has been a cause, then Neil is at the front somewhere with his cutting lyrics.

Despite this, they are associated with things that make us uneasy. You might see them portrayed in pictures that have a bad, foreboding moon, as I remarked earlier. Maybe it is there we should start our look at songs about wolves.
But, with some, it is easy to see. This is a song that likens the feral side of humans to a wolf. Some might say that was a bit unfair. But, I think they mean in the wilder aspect rather than a destructive one.The album draws influences from a range of musical styles from around the world, including, of course, South America. It uses plenty of synthesizers and electronics, so if you are into that, you are going to like it.The best way of describing her is as a cross between Kate Bush and Bjork. She is, in the same breath, compelling and eccentric but also soft and seemingly fragile.

Radiohead is an English rock band formed in 1985 in Oxfordshire. They have experienced massive success and, in some people’s eyes, are the most successful ‘art-pop’ band ever. This is a track from their successful album Hail To the Thief, which was released in 2003.The lyrics, too, were of the same idea and not a million miles away from Tony Joe White and his swamp rock. A bit strange considering they came from California, but, nevertheless.Shakira wrote this song to and about those women who find the strength to express themselves. Female empowerment is important to many female singers, and this track is another in that style.Taken from Rhymin’ Simon’s 2016 album Stranger to Stranger, he continues to push the boundaries of his music into unknown territory. This is a song that includes a wolf howling, some interesting handclaps, and some very interesting words.

This is a track from the album Lungs, released in 2009. It is a bit of a gothic love story with a fair bit of horror thrown in. Everybody has a feral part of their personality, with most of it hidden deep under the surface.
I have included it because it was one of the pieces of music used for effect in the 1980s film “An American Werewolf in London.” In the film, he is waiting for the full moon, fearful he might change into a werewolf.Patrick Watson might be an unknown name to some. This Canadian singer-songwriter toured as a solo artist for some years before forming his own band under his own name. This is a neat little rocky folk song about a wolf where the wolf represents a person trying to find their way in the world. From their 2012 album, Babel, it has become a firm favorite with fans of the band and features in their live shows. We can help with that. Take a look at our detailed articles on the Best Songs about Fighting, the Best Songs About Change, the Best Songs about Friday, the Best Songs About Friendship, the Best Songs About Walking, and the Best Songs About Dreams for more great musical selections. Back to the 1980s, and a time in British music when it was still trying to find a new identity. Punk rock was a reaction to the peace, love, and light of the hippies. This was a reverse reaction to the punks. In Native American folklore and tradition, there is a practice they call ‘Shapeshifting.’ This is a process where the Medicine Man might change the shape of one animal into another. This song is the story written by someone performing this as he changes from man into a wolf at the full moon.This track is from the Colombian singer-songwriter’s album of the same name released in 2009. It has quite a ‘pop’ style to it, which is probably one of the reasons it was so successful.

From that environment, one of the bands to emerge was Duran Duran. Not everybody’s favorite at the time or since. But they did know how to make decent ‘pop’ records, and this was one.They can be quite scary, of course, especially when they are in their pack. In that situation, the danger is very real. They have inspired films and mythical characters like the werewolf, and they feature powerfully in many cultures.

The lyrics are full of foreboding, and I particularly enjoyed the narration by Thom Yorke. It adds a certain impact to an already disturbing message. When he wrote it, he must have been in one of his angry moments.
This song came from their 1982 album Rio and was used to swamp various overseas markets to try and gain some attention for them. Simon Le Bon claims this is song written about the Big Bad Wolf in “Little Red Riding Hood.”Of the inevitable future economic collapse and, to a certain exert, our own mortality. In that way, he replaces the image of the grim reaper with that of the werewolf.

The imagery of a lonely wolf trying to find his pack is cleverly put together. It is a situation that a lot of people can relate to as they search for where they fit into the world. The wolf asserts that he will never give up until he’s found them.

She grew up in a forest near Stavanger in Norway, which has left a marked impression on her and especially on her songwriting. Norway might be most famous for Polar Bears and Reindeer, but it also has a large Wolf population.

This is a song about running free like a wolf in the wilderness. In the song, she imagines people discarding materialism and all this unnecessary technology. And, of course, all the “friends” it gives us but actually doesn’t.He might have aged a bit since those days, but he can still produce songs like “Wolf Moon.” This ranks alongside the other greats as one of his notable environmental songs. On this track, he works with Lukas and Micah Nelson, Willie Nelson’s sons.What is it about the wolf that conjures up images of darkness and danger? They are often portrayed at night howling silhouetted against a full moon. There are a surprising amount of songs about wolves.And they also had to contend with Whitesnake, who were very similar in style. Nevertheless, some nice drums and bass patterns with some tight Blackmore licks over the top of them. You’ll need to hear those tunes. So, check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, the Best Headphones for Music, the Best Headphones Under $200, the Best Sound Quality Earbuds, and the Best Bass Earbuds you can buy in 2023. This was a song released in 2015, and if you have never heard Patrick Watson before, this is a good place to start. It is an outstanding piece of work with a great melody coupled with some very honestly written song lyrics related to a wolf.He sees himself as the last lone wolf bitterly complaining about what we are doing to his world. And then wonders why we are doing nothing to stop it. Typical Neil Young genius from his more recent past.Aurora Aksnes, to give her her full name, is a Norwegian singer, songwriter, and dancer. The first time you see her live performance, it may come as a bit of a surprise.However, using wolves in song lyrics allows the music to explore darker themes as well. The metaphorical idea of wolves isn’t going anywhere. So, in ten years, this could be a whole new list of howling good songs. Neil Young has never been one to shy away from dishing out some criticism if he has felt it was required. Neither has he held back on criticizing those who consider themselves “untouchable.” He clearly showed they aren’t. It is interesting that while not being a natural ‘album closer,’ that is where the band placed it. Thus giving it a rather thoughtful and tragic finish.It is very much a ‘dance and party’ song which was a deliberate decision by her for the album. The idea was that she felt people ought to have more fun.

Maybe some might think a rather strange way to start this look at songs about wolves. This isn’t about wolves; in fact, the word wolf is never even mentioned.This is taken from their 1976 album Rising; this was an album where producer Martin Birch seemed to be trying to recreate ‘Purple 2’. That was never going to happen. Not the best of efforts from Blackmore and Co as they fought past battles. Some interesting material that approaches the subject from a variety of angles. But still, there seems to be a theme. The Wolf is viewed as a bringer of bad luck and a sign of danger. I don’t suppose it will ever shake that off. What’s a good wolf song without a bit of howling included in it? Paul Simon used wolf howls and some slick clapping in his track The Werewolf to denote the ominous future collapse of society as we know it. Really, the song can be about plenty of things, from economic crisis to your own mortality, with the werewolf being the probable thing outside waiting to bite us all.Dancing With A Wolf is everything great about modern All Time Low. From the angsty lyrics to the catchy hooks and synths, it’s what fans have come to expect from the band. It’s also got plenty of wolf imagery, which makes it a fun ride, especially picturing a person trying to dance with an actual wolf.Brother Wolf; Sister Moon has all sorts of Native American vibes to it. Meant as a spiritual and profound song, it’s generally accepted that the track is about the genocide of native people in the 19th century.

Real wolves can cover hundreds of miles in a few days, running around their home territories all day and night. So, it’s no wonder that a lot of songs about wolves involve running with them. Wolves Without Teeth by Of Monsters And Men is another one of those, except instead of running alongside a wolf pack, the narrator is running away from one. In this track, the wolves represent your fears and obstacles, but they can be defeated with love.
Wolves might have wound up being the dogs we know today, or early ancestors of them did, but we think of wolves as wild and untamed. It’s part of people’s love for them, they’re a wild and free thing. TV On The Radio captured that side of wolves well with Wolf Like Me, a song from 2006 that would go on to become one of the band’s biggest hits.Fresh Blood is a bit of a cheat when it comes to listing songs about wolves. While blood tends to be tied to wolves in a lot of media, this track doesn’t mention wolves at all. But, the album it comes from has a title that translates to Wolf Man, so that’s gotta count for something. The whole album is done from the perspective of a werewolf, including this number about the desire for blood. So, close enough.

Everything Shakira puts out is a hit—or it seems that way. She’s got tons of ridiculously catchy tracks, with She Wolf being one of the best-known songs to ever be written about wolves. Well, sort of. It compares empowered and ferocious women to wolves, telling the story of a woman who has broken free from a smothering partner.Humans and wolves have a special relationship. Early ancestors of wolves were the animals that humans tamed and became friends with, giving us the dog breeds we know today. More than that, they are emblematic of the wild and free nature of humans, so we place those traits we wish for ourselves onto them. Simply put, they make great metaphors, which makes them easy pickings for music artists.

Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran isn’t the biggest hit on the list, but it’s definitely one of the few almost everyone has heard. It might be the most famous song about wolves that actually talks about the creatures. It’s one of those tracks without super deep meaning, with being ‘hungry like the wolf’ simply talking about having a craving or desire for something.
That’s the side of us described in Howl by Florence + The Machine, taking inspiration from classic ghost and werewolf stories to talk about the primal and vicious side that most people keep locked away.Shakira isn’t the only artist on this list to put out a song about she-wolves. David Guetta teamed up with Sia to put out their own pop hit titled She Wolf (Falling To Pieces). This one uses wolves to illustrate positive traits, from strength to love and the feeling that comes from being in touch with your wild side and using those powerful emotions for your benefit.

U2 has a lot of political songs, that’s no secret, and a lot of their tracks were inspired by the events around them. Raised By Wolves is mostly discussing the barbaric actions of people in Ireland during several different conflicts. Typically, asking someone if they were raised by wolves would be something like them having terrible manners. This song takes that up a notch—or three.
David Attenborough is one of the biggest names in nature productions, so it’s no surprise his work would inspire artists. Biffy Clyro loved his work so much that he wound up writing Wolves Of Winter. It’s all about the fearless attitude wolves appear to have, a rocker that will have you ready to take on the world and instill confidence in your soul.