1953
HOUND DOG * WILLIE MAE 'BIG MAMA' THORNTON * PEACOCK 1612 * USA
One of the key recordings of 20th century Popular music, the original version of Hound Dog by Willie Mae 'Big Mama' Thornton . Willie Mae Thornton was born in Montgomery, Alabama,1926, she died in1984. In 1951 Don Robey signed her to his Peacock Records label in 1952 and her first record for the label was Everytime I Think Of You. Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller wrote Hound Dog, and Willie Mae flew from Houston in 1953 back to New York for Peacock-Duke records to the Hound Dog sessions on August 13, 1952 in Los Angeles. It was issued with two different B sides Night Mare (a nice Blues) and Rock-A-By Baby the record has sold almost two million copies, though she received only one check for $500 in payment in her life; yet the filthy fat rich pigs still complain that it is the consumers that are cheating the recording artists out of money.
The song Hound Dog has been covered by many recording artists (estimated to be some 250 times) Little Esther Phillips was the first but most notable is the version by Elvis Presley recorded in 1956, the song was still going strong in 1971 when Ruby Andrews recorded a version (see below). There were also instrumental versions, the first being Hound Dog Special by The Cozy Cole All Stars in 1954; and of course many answer songs and parodies, The first, and most well known was by Rufus Thomas, just two weeks after Willie Mae Thorton's release, was Bear Cat (The Answer To Hound Dog).
HOUND DOG * RUBY ANDREWS * ZODIAC 1022 * USA
See also Yes I Cried