BLUES N'AT

This week the famous Westminster Dog Show was held in New York City. As Mrs. Black-N-Gold and the Big Bossman watched the parade of pooches across the screen, Mrs. Black-N-Gold starting thinking about the classic song "Hound Dog". Yes, some fella named Elvis Presley took it and ran with it. Elvis' version was the most famous, topping the pop charts for 11 weeks in 1956. At one point, the song was simultaneously listed on the pop, country and R&B charts. Elvis' recording was also listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Well, apologies to Rolling Stone and the King, it was Big Mama Thornton that did it first and Big Mama Thornton that did it best. Big Mama was looking for a hit for Peacock Records back in 1952 when legendary songwriters Leiber & Stoller (Stand By Me, Kansas City, Jailhouse Rock) wrote this for her. It became the first song that Leiber & Stoller also produced as well as Big Mama's biggest hit. This version topped the R&B charts for 7 weeks. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame also named it one of "500 Songs that Shaped Rock & Roll" and it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in February of 2013. It also spurred numerous cover versions as well as "answer" songs. Big Mama lets it be known from the first notes that she belts out that she isn't going to let any man dog her. She drives that point home with the classic finishing line "And bow-wow to you". If you haven't heard the Big Mama version, it's the dog pound for you. Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4tILEQ5dDM. Until next time boys and girls, keep it bluesy!