Seven decades ago, music history was rewritten in a matter of minutes.
When a 21-year-old Elvis Presley stepped up to the microphone in 1956 to record his version of the gritty blues track "Hound Dog," nobody could have predicted that the song would spend a record-breaking 11 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts and forever change the landscape of popular music.
The track solidified his superstar status. However, its DNA belongs entirely to a pioneering R&B artist named Big Mama Thornton, who recorded the original masterpiece three years earlier.
In 1952, a pair of young, soon-to-be legendary songwriters named Jerry Leiber and Mike Stollerwrote the track specifically for Thornton's powerful, commanding voice.
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View this post on InstagramThornton's original version of "Hound Dog" topped the R&B charts for seven weeks and established her as a force to be reckoned with in the music world. Her track was raw, soulful, and packed an emotional punch that laid the groundwork for Presley's iconic version several years later.
Leiber shared with American Songwriter how Presley discovered the song and why his version didn't sound like Thornton's original. "He got the song from Freddie Bell & the Bellboys. He did not learn the song from Mama’s record," the songwriter explained.
He continued, "He knew her record, but it was a woman’s song and he never sang it until he heard Freddie Bell & The Bellboys in Vegas, who had distorted the song so that they could sing it."
Presley's version was recorded on July 2, 1956, and released on July 13, making the song 70 years old. Ironically, "Hound Dog" was the B-side of the single "Don't Be Cruel."
The single became one of the most successful two-sided hits in chart history. "Don't Be Cruel" reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts, while "Hound Dog" simultaneously reached No. 2, according to the Elvis History Blog. While other rock giants, including The Beatles, would later release iconic double-sided singles, none shook the world quite like this historic two-sided juggernaut.
The song was included in a comprehensive list compiled by Far Out Magazine of the 660 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. Also included on the list is Thornton's version.
Although Elvis Presley’s iconic 1956 cover was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the original Thornton recording is the one immortalized in the National Recording Registry for its cultural impact.
If you've seen the 2022 Elvis movie, you probably remember the scene where Big Mama Thornton (Shonka Dukureh) belts out the original song in a packed, smoky club. Director Baz Luhrmann used that moment to give the singer her due and reveal the R&B roots that built rock and roll.
Elvis Presley gave the track its rebellious rock-and-roll edge, but Big Mama Thornton gave "Hound Dog" its heart and soul. Seven decades later, the song secured both artists their rightful place among music legends.
Related: In 1970, Elvis Presley Walked Onstage in a Bold New Look—56 Years Later, It Still Defines His Legacy
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