Week Eleven: Elvis Presley - "Hound Dog" - Elvis Presley: History Disc One

Now, I will tell you about the song that began my love affair with Elvis.  When I was a little girl, I was very much a tomboy, and whatever my older brother did, I was bound and determined to do just a little bit better.  Since my grandparents lived near a lake, we grew up gardening, fishing, boating, bar-b-qing, and doing loads of outdoor activities.

Although my intentions were always good as a child, no matter what I did, I was always a klutz, and I was forever hurting myself - rusty nails in the foot from walking near the toolshed without shoes, scraped knees and elbows from falling off the three-wheeler, singed hair and scalp from firecracker accidents, and so on and so forth.

I always wanted to be tough, but with each accident came tons of tears.  My grandmother did not do so well with tears, and although she would try to be as tender and loving as possible, she could only tolerate so much.

One day after one of my accidents that inevitably left me squalling, she began singing "Hound Dog" to me.  I couldn't even focus on my pain any longer because the lyrics were so darn funny to me.  I couldn't figure out why she was talking about catching rabbits and not being her friend, but I could not get enough.  I kept making her sing it over and over, until I finally caught on to the lyrics and sang along too.  So, yes, "Hound Dog" was my introduction to Elvis Presley, and it was true love ever since.

I will leave you with one final photo of my grandmother.  This was taken in 1958, when she was 25-years-old and a full-blown Elvis fan.  Isn't she the cutest little Rockabilly girl?

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog
Cryin' all the time
You ain't nothin' but a hound dog

Cryin' all the time
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine

Well they said you was high-classed
Well, that was just a lie
Yeah they said you was high-classed
Well, that was just a lie
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog
Cryin' all the time

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog
Cryin' all the time
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine


Well they said you was high-classed
Well, that was just a lie
Yeah they said you was high-classed
Well, that was just a lie
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine

Well they said you was high-classed
Well, that was just a lie
Ya know they said you was high-classed
Well, that was just a lie
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog
Cryin' all the time
You ain't nothin' but a hound dog
Cryin' all the time
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
You ain't no friend of mine