In tribute to my wonderful old dog who will be turning 14 in October, here are five of my favorite dog songs.
- Tom T. Hall, “Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine”
- Pirates of the Mississippi, “feed Jake”
- Hank Williams, “Move It on Over”
- Blake Shelton, “Ol’ Red”
- The Be Good Tanyas, “Dog Song, aka., Sleep Dog Lullaby”
“Feed Jake” is one of my favorite country songs of the ’90s. That song reminds me a lot of what Kacey Musgraves is trying to do these days. But “Feed Jake” is still better than anything she has recorded.
The song would be deemed far to risky for radio play in 2015 so I can’t imagine some of the reaction it got in 1991. But that still didn’t keep it from reaching #15.
Does anybody know of news stories of resistance to that song when it came out? I was too young to be paying attention to country music at that time.
Richie,
I remember that even though I was raised in a socially conservative family, I was struck by that song even in 1994. I think the fact that my uncle was gay gave it meaning to me, even as a kid. I don’t know what the talk was around it, since I heard it for the first time after it’s chart run.
Also, the photo with this post is of my dog, Amigo, from 2010, taken by my husband.:)
The Tom T. Hall song is my favorite on your list. The first dog song i remember hearing as a kid was Patti Page’s “How Much is That Doggie in the Window”.
Old Shep – Red Foley
Whatcha Gonna Do With A Dog Like That – Susan Raye
Old Rattler – Grandpa Jones
George and The North Woods – Dave Dudley
I’ll Take The Dog – Jean Shepard & Ray Pillow
Tennessee Hound Dog – The Osborne Brothers
Old Shep is a killer!
1. Billy Currington – Like My Dog
2. Gail Davies – You’re a Hard Dog (To Keep Under the Porch)
3. Moe Bandy – Charlie
4. C.W. McCall – Old Home Fill-er Up and Keep On Truckin Cafe
(ran out of time)
Great photo of your dog, Leeann! Such a handsome puppy!
Thank you so much, Michael!
I suppose I ought to get in on the canine action too:
1. HOUND DOG–Elvis Presley
2. YOU’RE A HARD DOG (TO KEEP UNDER THE PORCH)–Gail Davies
3. YOUR BULLDOG DRINKS CHAMPAGNE–Jim Stafford
4. OLD KING–Neil Young
5. DIRTY OLD EGG-SUCKIN’ DOG–Johnny Cash
I’ve tried to post this 5 times. Hopefully it will take it this time:
Me And Little Andy – Dolly Parton
Old Salty Dog Blues- Flatt & Scruggs
My Dog and Me- John Hiatt
Heavenly Day- Patty Griffin (the only love song she’s ever written!)
Memoirs of an Owned Dog- Kenneth Pattengale & Joey Ryan (Milk Carton Kids)
Man of the Hour- Norah Jones
I prefer the George Jones version of Ol’ Red.
Add John Conlee – Doghouse
And although there isn’t a recorded version yet, newcomer Mo Pitney has a rather sweet one – there are several live versions on youtube:
‘Just A Dog, Right’:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCEqtAbrWiA&w=560&h=315%5D
Also, I forgot ‘Man’s Best Friend’ by the songwriter Monty Holmes:
1. Feed Jake–Pirates of the Mississippi
2. ol Blue–Grandpa Jones
3. old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine–Tom T Hall
4. Old Shep
5. Like my Dog–Billy Currington