Theodore Roosevelt “Hound Dog” Taylor (April 12, 1915 - December 17, 1975) … Read Full Bio ↴Theodore Roosevelt “Hound Dog” Taylor (April 12, 1915 - December 17, 1975) was an American blues guitarist and singer. Taylor was best known for his raw vocal style and searing slide guitar, using a cheap Teisco guitar to great advantage.
Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, Mississippi-native Taylor took up the guitar when he was 20 years old. He made a few appearances on Sonny Boy Williamson's fabled KFFA King Biscuit Time radio broadcasts out of Helena, AR, before coming to Chicago in 1942. It was another 15 years before Taylor made blues his full-time vocation, though. Taylor was a favorite on the South and West sides during the late 50s and early 60s. It's generally accepted that Freddie King copped a good portion of his classic "Hide Away" from an instrumental he heard Taylor cranking out on the bandstand.
Taylor's relentlessly raucous band, the HouseRockers, consisted of only two men, though their combined racket sounded like quite a few more. Second guitarist Brewer Phillips, who often supplied buzzing pseudo-bass lines on his guitar, had developed such an empathy with Taylor that their guitars intertwined with ESP-like force, while drummer Ted Harvey kept everything moving along at a brisk pace.
Hound Dog Taylor began playing guitar when he was 20 and became a full-time musician around 1957. He wasn’t well known outside of the Chicago area until his debut album, Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers, with Alligator Records in 1971. The LP contained the typically rowdy Give Me Back My Wig while Taylor's first Alligator encore in 1973, Natural Boogie, boasted the hypnotic Sadie and a stomping Roll Your Moneymaker.
His fourth Alligator album, Beware of the Dog, was recorded live in 1974 but only released after his death. Hound Dog Taylor died of cancer in 1975 and was buried in the Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1984.
Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, Mississippi-native Taylor took up the guitar when he was 20 years old. He made a few appearances on Sonny Boy Williamson's fabled KFFA King Biscuit Time radio broadcasts out of Helena, AR, before coming to Chicago in 1942. It was another 15 years before Taylor made blues his full-time vocation, though. Taylor was a favorite on the South and West sides during the late 50s and early 60s. It's generally accepted that Freddie King copped a good portion of his classic "Hide Away" from an instrumental he heard Taylor cranking out on the bandstand.
Taylor's relentlessly raucous band, the HouseRockers, consisted of only two men, though their combined racket sounded like quite a few more. Second guitarist Brewer Phillips, who often supplied buzzing pseudo-bass lines on his guitar, had developed such an empathy with Taylor that their guitars intertwined with ESP-like force, while drummer Ted Harvey kept everything moving along at a brisk pace.
Hound Dog Taylor began playing guitar when he was 20 and became a full-time musician around 1957. He wasn’t well known outside of the Chicago area until his debut album, Hound Dog Taylor and the HouseRockers, with Alligator Records in 1971. The LP contained the typically rowdy Give Me Back My Wig while Taylor's first Alligator encore in 1973, Natural Boogie, boasted the hypnotic Sadie and a stomping Roll Your Moneymaker.
His fourth Alligator album, Beware of the Dog, was recorded live in 1974 but only released after his death. Hound Dog Taylor died of cancer in 1975 and was buried in the Restvale Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1984.
Hound Dog Talks
Hound Dog Taylor & the House Rockers Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Hound Dog Taylor & the House Rockers:
Ain't Got Nobody (Hound Dog Taylor) Well I ain't got nobody Im sitting here …
Buster's Boogie Buster Boogie…
It Hurts Me Too You said you was hurtin' Said you almost lost your mind Well…
Roll Your Moneymaker Roll your moneymaker, honey you really can shake her Shake y…
She's Gone Well, I know you don't love me Hey, I know the…
Sitting at Home Alone Lord, ain't it lonesome, well, when you're sitting at home…
Sitting Here Alone Lord, ain't it lonesome, well, when you're sitting at home…
Sitting Home Alone Lord, ain't it lonesome, well, when you're sitting at home…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Hound Dog Taylor:
Ain't Got Nobody (Hound Dog Taylor) Well I ain't got nobody Im sitting he…
Buster's Boogie Buster Boogie…
Crossroads (Robert Johnson) I was standing at the crossroad My head…
Dust My Broom (Elmore James) I'm gettin' up early mornin' I believe I'…
Freddie's Blues (Hound Dog Taylor) You know sometime boy Your just sitti…
Give Me Back My Wig (Hound Dog Taylor) Give me back my wig Honey now let you…
Gonna Send You Back to Georgia (Hound Dog Taylor) Yeah I'm gonna send you back to Georgi…
Held My Baby Last Night (Elmore James) I held my baby last night, until everything …
I Just Cant Make It (Hound Dog Taylor) Well I just can't make it Well I just…
it You said you was hurtin' Said you almost lost your mind Well…
It's Alright (Hound Dog Taylor) Yes I love ya, I love ya Woman I'm…
Kansas City (Leiber & Stoller) Going to Kansas City, Kansas City here…
Let's Get Funky (Hound Dog Taylor) Say what - I hear ya Yeah, I hear…
My Baby's Coming Home (Taylor & Eatmon) Yes I ain't worried 'bout my baby She'…
Rock Me (Traditional) Rock me baby Rock me all night long Yeah …
Roll Your Moneymaker Roll your moneymaker, honey you really can shake her Shake …
Sadie (Hound Dog Taylor) Sadie, will you come back home tonight…
She's Gone Well, I know you don't love me Hey, I know the…
Sitting At Home Alone Lord, ain't it lonesome, well, when you're sitting at home…
Take Five (Hound Dog Taylor) Chicago, Chicago babe, Chicago Chicag…
The Sun Is Shining (Elmore James) The sun is shining Oh it's always raining…
What'd I Say (Ray Charles) See the gal with the red dress on? She can…
Wild About You Baby (Elmore James) Yes I'm wild about you woman But you don'…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@morrieD
Thanks GeraldoNX4 for a wonderful post!
00:00 Take Five
02:45 Hawaiian Boogie
05:27 See Me In The Evening
10:33 You Can't Sit Down
13:54 Sitting At Home Alone
18:14 One More Time
20:40 Roll Your Moneymaker
24:42 Buster's Boogie
28:02 Sadie
34:15 Talk To My Baby
37:31 Goodnight Boogie
@jjohn341
Can’t believe I have reached 65 years old without hearing of Hound Dog Taylor ,
I’m Totally Blown Away
@ponnywarcat3478
Many incredible guitarists around, but there aren't many guitar players who can play like this guy. They just don't make them like that anymore. Different time, different Era, a whole other ball game
@henryfrost8542
Brilliant album. He sure is one of the greats. Brilliant band. The real deal... 😎
@jackredelfs
I always loved Hound Dog's over-the-top energy. He's almost punk at times.
@durwinpocha
never get tired of listening to the Hound, since I was 15 and I'm 49
@sluggyduggy
Love you, I heard The Dog when is was 13, played him to so called Blues Lovers, I loved him then, do now, some of them went onto great music, careers here inj New Zealand, but mainly R&B? I played them The Hound years later, they said" this is awesome, never heard this before!, hey hey hey?
@durwinpocha
yeah, Taylor played with a free style only "incredibly well" the three of them were fabulous together Ted Harvey and Brewer Phillip too.
@CaptainRoryDorkhole
We all agree this is the best album ever right ?
@chrispile3878
Bought this LP back in 75..... Still sounds great!
@peternicholson233
Then you never played it enough! Oh, you mean the music. Sorry. just kidding. Better now.