The Fantastic 50s: "Elvis' Hound Dog"

Some interesting facts that not everybody knows about the song "Hound Dog" is that Elvis made his band record the song 31 times. Elvis then chose version 28 because he thought "this is the one." "Hound Dog" was originally sung by Big Mama Thornton in 1953. Big Mama Thornton was a blues singer in the 1950s. Elvis' version was co-written by Jerry Leiber. In the 1994 movie Forrest Gump, Forrest remembers a time when Elvis stopped by his house, brought his guitar, and played "Hound Dog",(Chilton, 2011). Elvis played the song twice on national TV before recording the song. The song was eventually inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1988. When "Hound Dog" was rereleased in England in 1978 it ended up going to #24 on the billboards,(Songfacts, 2021).

The song includes instruments such as drums, electric guitar, and an acoustic guitar. Even though the song is upbeat, the lyrics talk about another person who let them down and disappointed them. Some parts of the song that make it exciting are the unique drum beats and the tone of the electric guitar. Additionally, the lyrics called the disliked person a "hound dog". This meaning comparing a girl to a weepy dog. This was a popular song to dance to in the 1950's, but please share your favorite dance song from the decade or favorite dancing memory from the 1950's.

Chilton, Martin. “Hound Dog: 10 Facts about Elvis Presley's Hit Song.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 23 Aug. 2011, www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8718491/Hound-Dog-10-facts-about-Elvis-Presleys-hit-song.html#:~:text=1%3A%20Hound%20Dog%20was%20a,Big%20Mama%20Thornton%20in%201953.

“Hound Dog by Elvis Presley - Songfacts.” Song Meanings at Songfacts, 2021, www.songfacts.com/facts/elvis-presley/hound-dog.

“Big Mama Thornton.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2021, www.britannica.com/biography/Big-Mama-Thornton.