Will the Wolf Survive (song)

"Will the Wolf Survive?"
Single by Los Lobos
from the album How Will the Wolf Survive?
B-side	"The Breakdown"
Released	1984
Genre	Chicano rock
Length	3:41
Label	Slash/Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez
Producer(s)	T-Bone Burnett
Los Lobos singles chronology
"Don't Worry Baby" (1984) "Will the Wolf Survive?" (1984) "Shakin' Shakin' Shakes" (1987)

"Will the Wolf Survive?" is a single by American Chicano rock band Los Lobos. It was released in 1984 as the second single from their album How Will the Wolf Survive? The track was recorded with a drum machine.^[1]

Reception

The song reached number 26 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart and number 78 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[2]

Cash Box said that the song is "features beautiful high harmonies on the chorus from John Hiatt as well as a melodically rich guitar lead from Cesar Rosas."^[3] Spin wrote, "It's a song Los Lobos have been writing in their heads for 12 years. Los Lobos have endured and the hard-won lessons of more than a decade of playing are now being transferred, practically without effort, into their vibrant music."^[4]

Chart performance for "Will the Wolf Survive"

Chart (1984)	Peak
U.S. Billboard Top Rock Tracks	26
US Billboard Hot 100[5]	78

Waylon Jennings version

"Will the Wolf Survive?"
Single by Waylon Jennings
from the album Will the Wolf Survive?
B-side	"I've Got Me a Woman"
Released	May 17, 1986
Genre	Country
Length	3:25
Label	MCA
Songwriter(s)	David Hidalgo, Louie Pérez
Producer(s)	Jimmy Bowen, Waylon Jennings
Waylon Jennings singles chronology
"Working Without a Net" (1986) "Will the Wolf Survive?" (1986) "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" (1986)

"Will the Wolf Survive?" was also recorded by American country music artist Waylon Jennings. It was released in May 1986 as the second single and title track from the album Will the Wolf Survive?. The song reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.^[6]

Chart performance

Chart (1986)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[7]	5
Canadian RPM Country Tracks	5

References

1. "Los Lobos Welcome The Holiday Season With New Album 'Llegó Navidad'". WBUR. 2019-12-19. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
2. Los Lobos Billboard Singles
3. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. February 16, 1985. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
4. Chris Morris (June 1985). "Hungry Like the Wolves". Spin. No. 2. p. 47.
5. "Los Lobos Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
6. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944–2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 176.
7. "Waylon Jennings Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.