The Long, Crazy, Never-Ending Story of 'Hound Dog'

in 2004, Rolling rock released his list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. Drawn from a massive vote involving artists, industry figures and critics, the list has been a source of discussion, inspiration and controversy for two decades. It's one of the most popular, influential—and controversial—features the magazine has ever done.

So we set out to make it even bigger, better and fresher. In 2021, we completely overhauled our 500 song list, with a whole new batch of voters from across the musical map. Our new podcast, Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs, takes a closer look at the entries from our list. Produced in partnership with iHeart, Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs finds hosts and Rolling rock collaborators Rob Sheffield and Brittany Spanos discuss a new song each week, delving into its history and impact with the help of a special guest — including a fellow RS colleagues, producers and the artists themselves. It's our celebration of the best songs we've ever made — and a breakdown of what makes them so great.

This week, Brittany and Rob examine one of the biggest, craziest stories in pop music: the never-ending “Hound Dog” saga. Big Mama Thornton had a huge hit in 1952 with this R&B belter, the first hit from the legendary writing team of Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller. Her classic original hit is #318 on the list. But “Hound Dog” became a cultural phenomenon, inspiring countless covers, song answers, remakes and sequels, in blues, pop and country. The song took on a life of its own.

Elvis Presley did another classic version of “Hound Dog” in 1956. But he wasn't covering Big Mama Thornton's song. These were two different tunes with the same title – the only thing they had in common was the first line, “You're nothing but a hound.” The lyrics, the chords, the rhythm, the structure are completely different. This is because Elvis was covering the Vegas lounge act, Freddy Bell and the Bellboys. They wrote their own 'Hound Dog', which Elvis heard when they opened for him on the Strip.

The most famous hook — “You've never caught a rabbit and you're not my friend” — doesn't even appear in any pre-Bell version. Lieber and Stoller never wrote that line—and they hated it. Lyricist Lieber spent the rest of his life complaining about new words, especially “that rabbit business.” Presley's version added new twists like the huge drumroll on the chorus, part of the song's legacy ever since.

In our episode, Brittany and Rob break down the secret history of “Hound Dog”: Big Mama Thornton, Elvis, the entire ongoing Extended “Hound Dog” Universe. Our brilliant Rolling Stone colleague Angie Martoccio joins us to look at the song and its complex cultural life. We celebrate the greatness of Willie Mae 'Big Mama' Thornton and the incredible strength of her 'Hound Dog'. It was her only hit, but we're debating why it's not even her best song.

However, there is no other story in music history quite like “Hound Dog,” a song that keeps changing over the years, more than 70 years after it first became a hit. We look at how 'Hound Dog' continues to inspire sequels, from Jimi Hendrix to Doja Cat. Once released, it kept getting rewritten, in ways that Lieber and Stoller couldn't control. Rufus Thomas called his version “Bear Cat.”]Roy Brown called his “Mr. Hound Dog's In Town.” He inspired the jazzmen. Inspire jazzmen. The Geto Boys turned it into classic gangsta “You are nothing” (sampling the Elvis version). “Hound Dog” is a story that people keep telling and rewriting forever, with no end in sight.

In the latest edition of the Rolling Stone 500 Songs list, with so many recent songs thrown into the mix, all of the great pioneers of '50s rock & roll unfortunately took a hit. Legends such as Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and Sam Cooke all had classic songs dropped from the chart, as did Fifties styles such as doo-wop, rockabilly and the blues. But Big Mama Thornton made the list because “Hound Dog” continues to resonate. Watch the episode above, at iHeartor wherever you get your podcasts and look for new episodes every Wednesday.