Hound Dog
Elvis Presley and the Jordanaires Lyrics
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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
Yeah, they said you was high-classed
Well, that was just a lie
Yeah, 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
You ain't nothin' but a hound dog
The lyrics to Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" tell the story of a man breaking up with his lover. He addresses her as a "hound dog," accusing her of crying and whining all the time because she is unable to catch a rabbit, a metaphor for a man who would commit to her in a relationship. He declares that she is not a friend of his because she is not capable of being faithful or chasing after her dreams. He also mentions that she was lying about being "high-class" and that he knows the truth about her.
The lyrics demonstrate Elvis's signature blend of rockabilly and rhythm and blues. The repetitive, catchy chorus emphasizes the dismissive attitude of the singer towards his ex-lover. The song was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and was originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1952. Presley's rendition is arguably the most popular, having sold millions of copies worldwide. It was also featured in his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, which solidified his status as a rising star in the music industry.
Line by Line Meaning
You ain't nothin' but a hound dog
You are of no value or worth, only a dog seeking attention
Cryin' all the time
You are constantly seeking pity and showing weakness
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
You are unsuccessful and cannot achieve your goals
And you ain't no friend of mine
I want nothing to do with you and do not consider you a friend
Well, they said you was high-classed
People may have thought highly of you or saw you as superior
Well, that was just a lie
Those beliefs were false and deceptive
You ain't nothin' but a hound dog
Again, you have no value or worth
Cryin' all the time
Still showing weakness and seeking attention
Well, they said you was high-classed
Reemphasizing the false beliefs about the subject
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
Highlighting their lack of success and inability to attain goals
And you ain't no friend of mine
Reiterating the lack of desire to associate or consider them a friend
You ain't nothin' but a hound dog
Still emphasizing that they have no value or worth
Cryin' all the time
Continuing to highlight their weakness and seeking attention
Well, they said you was high-classed
Once again referring to the false beliefs about them
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
Stressing their inability to achieve success
And you ain't no friend of mine
Still showing a lack of desire to associate or consider them a friend
Well, they said you was high-classed
Reemphasizing the false beliefs about them
Well, that was just a lie
Making it clear that these beliefs were untrue
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
Again highlighting their lack of success
And you ain't no friend of mine
Repeating that there is no desire to associate or consider them a friend
You ain't nothin' but a hound dog
One last time making it clear that they have no value or worth
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind