Uncle Tupelo was an alternative country music group from Belleville, Illino… Read Full Bio ↴Uncle Tupelo was an alternative country music group from Belleville, Illinois, active between 1987 and 1994. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn formed the band after the lead singer of their previous band, The Primitives, left to attend college. The trio recorded three albums for Rockville Records, before signing with Sire Records and expanding to a five-piece. Shortly after the release of the band's major label debut album Anodyne, Farrar announced his decision to leave the band due to a soured relationship with his co-songwriter Tweedy. Uncle Tupelo split on May 1, 1994, after completing a farewell tour. Following the breakup, Farrar formed Son Volt with Heidorn, while the remaining members continued as Wilco.

Although Uncle Tupelo broke up before it achieved commercial success, the band is renowned for its impact on the alternative country music scene. The group's first album, No Depression, became a byword for the genre and was widely influential. Uncle Tupelo's sound was unlike popular country music of the time, drawing inspiration from styles as diverse as the hardcore punk of The Minutemen and the country instrumentation and harmony of the Carter Family and Hank Williams. Farrar and Tweedy lyrics frequently referenced Middle America and the working class of Belleville.

I wanna be your dog
Uncle Tupelo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So messed up, I want you here
In my room, I want you here
Now we're gonna be face-to-face
And I'll lay right down in my favorite place

And now I want to be your dog
Now I want to be your dog
Now I want to be your dog

Well, come on

Now I'm ready to close my eyes
And now I'm ready to close my mind
And now I'm ready to feel your hand
And lose my heart on the burning sands

And now I want to be your dog
And now I wanna be your dog

Now I want to be your dog
Well, come on

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "I Wanna Be Your Dog" by Uncle Tupelo express a deep desire for submission and devotion towards a significant other. The singer is seeking intimacy and physical closeness with their partner, wanting to be in the same room, face-to-face, and ultimately wanting to lay down in their favorite place with them. The lyrics suggest a willingness to surrender oneself entirely to the other person, as echoes in the repetition of the phrase "Now I want to be your dog."

The metaphor of a "dog" is significant here, as it signifies obedience and loyalty, as dogs are known for their unwavering loyalty and unconditional love towards their owners. The singer is willing to be submissive to the point of wanting to be controlled and owned by their partner. Lines like "Now I'm ready to close my mind" and "lose my heart on the burning sands" suggest that the singer is willing to let go of their inhibitions and give themselves over entirely.

Overall, the song portrays a sense of longing for intimacy and surrender, as well as a desire to be completely consumed by love and passion.

Line by Line Meaning

So messed up, I want you here
I am feeling very troubled and confused without you, and I need you to come be with me.

In my room, I want you here
I want you to be with me in my personal space, where we can be alone together.

Now we're gonna be face-to-face
We will finally be able to see and interact with each other directly, without any barriers or distractions.

And I'll lay right down in my favorite place
I will make myself comfortable in the spot where I enjoy spending time the most, hopefully with you close by.

And now I want to be your dog
I want to be completely devoted to you, like a loyal pet or companion who will do anything for their owner.

Well, come on
I am urging you to join me in this state of closeness and vulnerability, to share in my feelings and experiences.

Now I'm ready to close my eyes
I am willing to trust you to the point where I can close my eyes and let down my guard, knowing that you will not harm or betray me.

And now I'm ready to close my mind
I am willing to let go of my thoughts and worries, and allow myself to be fully present and attentive to you.

And now I'm ready to feel your hand
I am eager to sense your touch and feel your affection, both physical and emotional.

And lose my heart on the burning sands
I am willing to expose my deepest emotions and desires to you, even if it means being vulnerable and risking pain or rejection.

And now I wanna be your dog
I am repeating my desire to serve and obey you, to the point where I am like a loyal and submissive animal who is completely devoted to its master.

Well, come on
I am still urging you to join me in this state of mutual trust, intimacy and attachment.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dave Alexander, Iggy Pop, Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS

Genre not found

Artist not found

Album not found

Search results not found

Song not found

Comments from YouTube:

treatmentbound

9y↑9

Great cover! Nice job, Jeff.

Chris Payne

And other guys too!

touchandgod

13y

Second favorite cover of this song behind Emily Simone. Fucking amazing.

Andres Ramirez Cartagena

This is fucking amazing!!!

kristin angelique

13y↑3

yay! i LOVE this - thankxs!

Scott Ross

Effing brilliant. Still.

Mark M

4y↑1

Top notch!

David

8y↑1

I've always found this one to be rather amusing more so than anything. Not a cover you'd expect to find if you're just listening to UT's albums for the first time anyhow.