Jingwen Yang
Dr. Mark Berry
Due Day: June 24th
Compare Big Mama Thornton or Little Richard’s Recording of "Hound Dog" with that of Elvis Presley
The song “Hound Dog” is a blue song when it was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, even though they were rock music composer. But, when I listened to the recording which one performed by Elvis Presley, I felt that this song more like a rock music. Actually, “Hound Dog” was written for a blue song singer, Big Mama Thornton in 1952. Four years late, Elvis Presley performed his own version of this song and established his position extra. Because of Elvis Presley is a man and Big Mama Thornton
is a woman, the lyrics have already changed. Such as “You may wag your tail” which is sexual reference, Elvis Presley replaced it as “You aint never caught a rabbit.”
In fact, when Elvis Presley performed “Hound Dog” in the TV show in NBC in 1956, the Programme Groups got lots of protest calls and letter because the audience thought that shake his bum ceaselessly give a strong sexually suggestive to them.
In my opinion, Big Mama Thornton more force on the lyrics which is more like a blue song and closed to the original intention from the composer. In addition, they composers, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, both of them are composing for black. The performance by Big Mama Thornton sang her and other black people’s experiences and mood. But Elvis Presley is an entertainer, his performance can be more contagious.
The version of this song by Little Richard was a little funny. Honestly, he sang well and it is a good version that my favorite one. Little Richard’s performance make feel that “Hound Dod” is more like a dance song that rock music and blue music. The expression of some part in this song, I can feel the performer’s humor. That’s interesting. Although most people think that Elvis Presley is the king of rock music, but, for this song, “Hound Dog”, I like the version by Little Richard.