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Elvis Presley And Big Mama Thornton's Hound Dog

444 Words2 Pages

Elvis Presley was known for his covers of black artists, drawing the argument that he did not have any direct precedents, of which I disagree with. Presley and Big Mama Thornton both recorded versions of the song "Hound Dog," but their interpretations highlight key differences between rhythm & blues and early rock & roll.

Big Mama Thornton's 1953 original version of "Hound Dog" features a slow, bluesy tempo and emphasizes Thornton's powerful vocals. The instrumentation is minimal, with a simple guitar riff and a steady drumbeat, allowing Thornton's voice to take center stage. The lyrics are full of double entendres and metaphorical language, referencing a man who is a "hound dog" who has been cheating and lying to her. Thornton's version of the song is characteristic of the rhythm & blues genre, which emerged in the 1940s and 1950s and featured soulful vocals, a focus on the blues, and a strong rhythm section. …show more content…

Presley's version features a driving backbeat and a prominent electric guitar, with a more lighthearted vocal delivery that emphasizes the song's playful lyrics. While Presley's version still maintains some of the bluesy elements of the original, such as the repeated use of the phrase "you ain't nothin' but a hound dog" and chord progression, it also includes a catchy melody and a more danceable rhythm, which is one of the reasons why it was able to reach a wider and white audiences. Presley's version of the song represents the emergence of early rock & roll in the mid-1950s, which fused elements of rhythm & blues with country and other popular styles of

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