Rolling Stone's Top 20

“Hound Dog”- #19

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Released- 1956

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This song is a cover of the original version by Big Mama Thornton, R&B musician who intended the blues song to be about a woman throwing out a gigolo out of her house. In Elvis’s version, a man is disappointed with his lover; this can be seen in the lyrics, "Well, they said you was high-classed, but that was just a lie". Major emphasis on this lyric because Elvis repeats it six times during the song.  During Elvis' shows he would perform this song with a Bassett Hound by his side in order to dull the sexual innuendo.

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Themes: Sex, Relationships