hypersongs

How Will the Wolf Survive?

Their major-label debut, a Billboard 47 and a Rolling Stone 1980s favorite.
Los Lobos, 1984

The songs were written at the home of Perez's brother-in-law, in his words coffee achievers all afternoon; Alex Acuña plays percussion and Burnett acoustic guitar and organ. Wikipedia says the title came from a National Geographic article, which Perez cited and which sources word as "Where Can the Wolf Survive" or "How Can the Wolf Survive?", and Perez said, what is this beast, this animal that the record companies can't figure out? Best Classic Bands says four Los Angeles studios were used; none is named in sources we could verify. "A Matter of Time" follows a Mexican migrant crossing the border.

It reached 47 on the Billboard 200 in March 1985, 13 in New Zealand and 77 in the UK. Spin gave 9 of 10, the Village Voice an A, and Christgau wrote that the debut LP makes it sound as if they invented the style. Rolling Stone placed it 30th in its 1989 albums of the 1980s and on its 500 Greatest Albums, at 461 in 2003 and 431 in 2020.

Track listing

  1. Don't Worry Baby2:43
  2. A Matter of Time3:55
  3. Corrido #12:42
  4. Our Last Night3:08
  5. The Breakdown4:12
  6. I Got Loaded3:20
  7. Serenata Norteña2:53
  8. Evangeline2:43
  9. I Got to Let You Know2:35
  10. Lil' King of Everything1:19
  11. Will the Wolf Survive?3:41

More from Los Lobos

... And A Time To Dance (1983), By The Light Of The Moon (1987), The Night Of The Living Wolves (1987), La Pistola Y El Corazón (1988), All Night Long (1989), The Neighborhood (1990), Kiko (1992), Colossal Head (1996), This Time (1999), Good Morning Aztlán (2002), The Ride (2004), Acoustic En Vivo (2005), The Town And The City (2006), Los Lobos Goes Disney (2009), Tin Can Trust (2010), Disconnected In New York City (2013), Gates Of Gold (2015), Llegó Navidad (2019), Native Sons (2021)

Sources

  1. How Will the Wolf Survive?, Wikipedia
  2. Los Lobos, How Will the Wolf Survive?, Best Classic Bands (2025-03-03)