It contains songs recorded between 1951 and 1959 previously issued as singles, including one of his best-known, "Smokestack Lightning".

Rolling Stone ranked it number 477 on its 2020 list of "the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time".

The rest of the songs on the album were recorded in Chicago, Illinois and were produced by the Chess brothers and/or Willie Dixon.

[1][2] The original version of Moanin' in the Moonlight featured cover artwork by Don S. Bronstein and sleeve notes by Billboard editor Paul Ackerman.

(Although the original 1959 LP, and the UK Chess 1965 issue credited all compositions to 'C.