You know the sound. It’s that gutteral, gravel-dragging-over-silk vocal that hits right before the drums kick the door down. We’re talking about the ZZ Top how how how song—better known to the world as "La Grange."
It’s not just a noise. It’s a mood. Honestly, if Texas had a national anthem that didn't involve standing at attention, this would be it. But there’s a lot more to that "how how how" than just Billy Gibbons making weird sounds into a microphone in 1973.
The Secret Sauce of the "How How How"
People call it the "how how how" song because those three syllables are burned into the collective brain of anyone who has ever stepped foot in a dive bar.
Technically, it’s a rhythmic grunt. A boogie-woogie punctuation mark. Billy Gibbons, the man with the beard and the "Pearly Gates" Les Paul, didn't just pull that out of thin air. He was channeling his inner John Lee Hooker.
Where did it come from?
The "how how how" (or "a-haw, haw, haw" if you’re being picky about the spelling) is a direct nod to the 1961 classic "Boom Boom" by John Lee Hooker.
Gibbons has never been shy about his influences. He’s basically a walking encyclopedia of the blues. He took that Delta growl, dipped it in Texas hot sauce, and turned it into something that sounds like a vintage V8 engine turning over on a cold morning.
It’s simple. It’s raw. It’s perfect.
What "La Grange" is Actually About
If you grew up outside of the Lone Star State, you might’ve thought La Grange was just a cool-sounding name. Maybe a person? A car?
Nope.
The ZZ Top how how how song is a tribute to a real-life house of ill repute. Specifically, the Chicken Ranch in Fayette County, just outside the town of La Grange.
- The History: The Chicken Ranch was a Texas institution. It operated from 1905 all the way until 1973—the same year the song came out.
- The Vibe: As the lyrics say, "I hear it's fine, if you got the time, and the ten to get yourself in." Ten dollars. That was the price of admission back in the day.
- The Scandal: The song actually helped blow the lid off the place. Local newsman Marvin Zindler (a legend in his own right) went on a crusade to shut it down shortly after the song started climbing the charts.
It’s kind of ironic. The song celebrated the "shack outside La Grange," and then the world noticed it a little too much. The brothel was eventually the inspiration for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, but ZZ Top gave it the grit that Dolly Parton’s movie version lacked.
Why the Guitar Riff is a Legal Nightmare (Almost)
The riff in the ZZ Top how how how song is one of the most recognizable in rock history. It’s a shuffle. A boogie. A "chilled" out groove that makes you want to drive 90 mph.
But it sounds a lot like John Lee Hooker’s "Boogie Chillen."
So much so, that there was a massive lawsuit back in the early 90s. The publisher for Hooker’s music sued the band, claiming they swiped the rhythm.
The court eventually ruled in favor of ZZ Top. Why? Because that specific boogie rhythm was considered "public domain" by the time ZZ Top used it. Basically, it’s the DNA of the blues. You can’t own a heartbeat, and you can’t own a basic blues shuffle.
Gibbons’ genius wasn't in inventing the wheel; it was in putting chrome rims on it and making it move faster than anyone else.
The Gear Behind the Growl
If you’re a gear nerd, you know the sound of Tres Hombres (the album featuring the song) is the holy grail of tone.
Gibbons used his legendary 1959 Gibson Les Paul, "Pearly Gates." He paired it with a Marshall Lead 100 amp. But here’s the kicker: they didn't just plug in and play. They spent hours tweaking the microphone placement at Ardent Studios in Memphis to get that "brown sound."
It’s thick. It’s fuzzy around the edges. It’s got that "how how how" energy in every single note.
Common Misconceptions About the Song
- It’s not called "The How How How Song." We’ve established it’s "La Grange," but Google doesn't care. Thousands of people search for the grunts every month.
- Frank Beard is the only one without a beard. This is the classic ZZ Top trivia. The drummer, Frank Beard, is usually clean-shaven (or just has a mustache), while Gibbons and Dusty Hill grew the iconic chest-length fuzz.
- The lyrics aren't "A-ha-ha." It’s a deep, chesty "Haw." If you’re singing it at karaoke and you go too high-pitched, you’ve failed the Texas vibe check.
How to Get That ZZ Top Sound Today
You don't need a $500,000 vintage Les Paul to capture the spirit of the ZZ Top how how how song.
Start with a humbucker-equipped guitar. Crank the mids on your amp. Use a "perky" pick—Gibbons famously used a peso coin for a while to get a scratchy attack on the strings.
But mostly, it’s about the attitude. You have to play slightly "behind the beat." Don't rush it. A boogie only works if it feels like it might fall apart at any second, but never does.
Practical Next Steps for Fans
If you’ve got "La Grange" stuck in your head now (and let’s be real, you do), go back and listen to the original 1973 vinyl mix if you can find it. The 1980s digital remixes added a ton of reverb that kind of kills the "dusty shack" vibe of the original recording.
Look for the Tres Hombres 2006 remastered version—it restores the original dry, punchy drum sound that Frank Beard laid down before the synthesizers of the Eliminator era took over.
