Sawyer Brown is a country music band formed in 1981 at a Pizza Hut restaura… Read Full Bio ↴Sawyer Brown is a country music band formed in 1981 at a Pizza Hut restaurant in Apopka, Florida. Lead singer Mark Miller asked keyboardist Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard to play piano for a couple of songs he had written. The two left for Nashville, Tennessee, where they met up with Florida drummer Joe Smyth, Michigan bass player Jim Scholten and original lead guitarist Bobby Randall. They first called the band "Savanah", but renamed themselves "Sawyer Brown" after Sawyer Brown Road, the street where they rehearsed. Miller likes to say "We thought it would be easier to get work if people thought we were one person." The band played up to five sets a night, six days a week, until they auditioned for the TV show Star Search in 1983. They auditioned just to get the videotape to promote the band, yet ended up winning the $100,000 grand prize and record contract.

The band signed with Capitol Records and scored a Top 20 hit with their first single, "Leona," in 1984. That success was quickly followed by their first #1 hit, "Step That Step". The band had their ups and downs on the charts throughout the 1980s. But radio success was not really Sawyer Brown's strong suit. It never was. Rather, they have been successful due to their live performances. Fans flock to the band's concerts year after year, whether the band performs in a stadium, state fair, or casino. The live shows, more than anything, sustained the band until 1989's remake of the George Jones hit "The Race Is On" put them back near the top of the charts.

In 1991, after the release of their album Buick, guitarist Bobby Randall left the group to remain close to his family and host a short-lived TV talent show, You Can Be A Star. Duncan Cameron, formerly of The Amazing Rhythm Aces, was chosen as his replacement just as Sawyer Brown was about to become country music's "it" band. The band then switched labels, moving to Curb Records and releasing the albums The Dirt Road, Cafe On The Corner, and Outskirts Of Town, which saw hit after hit for the band in the early to mid-'90s.

Sawyer Brown was all over country music radio and television for much of the decade. After 1999's Top 10 hit "Drive Me Wild," however, the country music industry seemed to forget about Sawyer Brown in favor of newer acts like Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, and Keith Urban.

The band was having ups and downs in the charts again – mostly downs. In 2003, they parted with Curb, their record label of eleven years, and signed with Lyric Street Records. They released one single, "I'll Be Around", and then left Lyric Street as well. In 2004, they re-signed with Curb, but Duncan Cameron decided to leave the group to pursue a life-long dream of flying for Southwest Airlines.

Guitarist Shayne Hill was added to the lineup as they prepared for the release of their 20th album, Mission Temple Fireworks Stand. While Sawyer Brown is still looking to reclaim the top of the charts, their live shows continue to keep the band going strong.

Billy Does Your Bulldog Bite
Sawyer Brown Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, there's a girl in the neighborhood
I'd get close to her if I could
I think she likes me but I don't know for sure
I walk by and she's wavin' from the door

Her kid brother's got a dog that's mean
Meanest dog that I've ever seen
Can't even set a foot in her yard

Hey, little Billy, why're ya laughin' so hard?

Billy, does your bulldog bite?
I gotta see your sister tonight
I wanna kiss and hold her tight
So quit foolin' around
And tell me, Billy, does your bulldog bite?

Well, so I went down to the pound
And I got me a female hound
One that, that old bulldog would like
And I turned her loose on him tonight

So, Billy, where's your bulldog Spike?
I haven't seen him around here all night
I bet that now he feels alright
I don't miss him a bit
So tell me, Billy, where's your bulldog Spike?

I used to have to say, Billy, does your bulldog bite?
I gotta see your sister tonight
I wanna kiss and hold her tight
So quit foolin' around
And tell me, Billy, does your bulldog
Billy, does your bulldog, Billy, does your bulldog bite?

I used to have to say, Billy, does your bulldog bite?
I gotta see your sister tonight
I wanna kiss and hold her tight
So quit foolin' around

And tell me Billy, does your bulldog
Billy does your bulldog, Billy, does your bulldog bite?

Overall Meaning

The song "Billy Does Your Bulldog Bite" by Sawyer Brown tells the story of a young guy who is interested in a girl from his neighborhood. He believes that the girl likes him but is unsure. Every time he walks by her house, she waves at him from the door. However, there is a hurdle in their potential relationship - the girl's younger brother has a mean bulldog that prevents anyone from entering their yard. The singer addresses the brother, Billy, and inquires if his bulldog bites, jokingly suggesting that he wants to spend time with the girl.

Determined to overcome this obstacle, the singer devises a plan. He goes to the pound to get a female dog that the bulldog would fancy, and sets her loose on him. The song then takes a humorous turn as the singer teases Billy about the absence of his bulldog, Spike, implying that his plan worked. He no longer needs to ask if the bulldog bites because now he can freely visit the girl without fear of being attacked. The song ends with a playful repetition of the chorus, reflecting the light-heartedness of the story.

Overall, "Billy Does Your Bulldog Bite" is a fun and lighthearted song that showcases the singer's determination to win over the girl he likes, even if it means outsmarting a bulldog. It captures the innocence and humor of young love and highlights the lengths one might go to overcome obstacles in pursuit of a relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, there's a girl in the neighborhood
In my local area, there is a girl who catches my attention

I'd get close to her if I could
If possible, I would like to establish a closer connection with her

I think she likes me but I don't know for sure
I have a belief that she may have feelings for me, yet I lack certainty

I walk by and she's wavin' from the door
Whenever I pass by, she greets me by waving from her doorway

Her kid brother's got a dog that's mean
The brother of the girl owns an aggressive and ill-tempered dog

Meanest dog that I've ever seen
Without a doubt, it is the most vicious dog I have ever encountered

Can't even set a foot in her yard
I am unable to step into her property due to the dog's ferocity

Hey, little Billy, why're ya laughin' so hard?
Young Billy, why are you laughing with such intensity?

Billy, does your bulldog bite?
Billy, I am curious, does your bulldog have a tendency to bite?

I gotta see your sister tonight
It is of utmost importance that I have the opportunity to spend time with your sister this evening

I wanna kiss and hold her tight
My desire is to engage in a romantic embrace and express my affection towards her

So quit foolin' around
Please cease your playful behavior and provide me with an honest answer

And tell me, Billy, does your bulldog bite?
Kindly inform me, Billy, whether your bulldog has a tendency to bite or not

Well, so I went down to the pound
Therefore, I decided to visit the animal shelter

And I got me a female hound
During my visit, I acquired a female dog from the shelter

One that, that old bulldog would like
I deliberately chose a dog that the previous bulldog would find appealing

And I turned her loose on him tonight
Subsequently, I released her to confront the bulldog earlier this evening

So, Billy, where's your bulldog Spike?
Now, Billy, I am curious about the whereabouts of your bulldog named Spike

I haven't seen him around here all night
Throughout the entire night, I have not observed him in this vicinity

I bet that now he feels alright
I am willing to wager that at present, he is experiencing a pleasant state

I don't miss him a bit
I do not have any longing or nostalgia for his presence whatsoever

So tell me, Billy, where's your bulldog Spike?
Therefore, Billy, kindly inform me of the current location of your bulldog, Spike

I used to have to say, Billy, does your bulldog bite?
In the past, I was compelled to ask, Billy, whether your bulldog had a propensity to bite or not

I gotta see your sister tonight
It is imperative that I have the opportunity to spend time with your sister this evening

I wanna kiss and hold her tight
My aspiration is to engage in an affectionate kiss and embrace with her

So quit foolin' around
Please cease engaging in playful behavior and provide me with a straightforward response

And tell me, Billy, does your bulldog
And kindly inform me, Billy, whether or not your bulldog

Billy, does your bulldog
Billy, does your bulldog

Billy, does your bulldog bite?
Billy, does your bulldog possess the inclination to bite?

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BOBBY NEAL, RONNY SCAIFE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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