Hound Dog

Song Meaning of Hound Dog by Elvis Presley, and what it is about

The song Hound Dog was written by a duo of musicians that greatly influenced the musical scene in America – Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber. The song was originally recorded by a rhythm and blues singer, Big Mama Thornton. Big Mama’s version of the song was much slower and more characteristic of blues music. But when Elvis Presley covered the song, it was much faster and more upbeat. This change in pace and the addition of a few lines changed the overall tone and message of the song.

It was the latter version that made the song famous. While it is not clear exactly how much money the songwriters of Hound Dog received from Elvis’s success, it is safe to say that they were happy with the outcome. It is also safe to say that the version of the song sung by Elvis was an improvement upon the original lyrical content and made it a more successful hit.

The songwriters of the song were able to incorporate the meaning of hound dog into the lyrics of the song to create an upbeat rock and roll tune. The narrator of the song refers to a certain individual as a hound dog because of their good-for-nothing nature. The tale of a woman throwing a gigolo out of her house and her life". The song was written for a woman to sing in which she berates "her selfish, exploitative man", and in it she "expresses a woman's rejection of a man – the metaphorical dog in the title"

Hound Dog lyrics by Elvis Presley

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

When they said you was high-classed

Well, that was just a lie

When they said you was high-classed

Well, that was just a lie

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

When they said you was high-classed

Well, that was just a lie

When 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

When they said you was high-classed

Well, that was just a lie

You 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