Dogs (The Who song)
Encyclopedia
"Dogs" is a U.K single released by The Who
in June 1968. It reached number 25 on the UK singles chart
. The B-side of the U.K. single was "Call Me Lightning." Both songs were originally released mixed in mono only, as they were not originally intended for album release.
The lyrics of Dogs were inspired by Townshend's friend Chris Morphet who had a fascination for Greyhound racing
. Morphet contributes harmonica and backing vocals. It was recorded at London's Advision Studios
in early 1968. Townshend booked this studio as it was the first in the U.K. to install professional reel-to-reel eight-track
equipment. Previous to this The Who only used recorders with a maximum of four tracks.
The song was not a major commercial success at the time of its release, perhaps because of its rather bizarre and campy style. Entwistle later said that it sounded much more like the group Small Faces and suggested that it would have perhaps been better for both groups if they had recorded it instead. Pete said in the notes to the 1974 LP Odds & Sods that this was one of the songs recorded during a period when the group went "slightly mad." The song contains both singing and spoken sections and has vocal contributions from three members of the group, Roger, Pete and John. It includes the memorable closing phrase, "Nice dog, yes, lovely form, lovely buttocks", spoken by Pete.
A subsequent song Dogs Part Two was later released as the B-side of Pinball Wizard
in 1969. Despite the similar titles the two songs are musically unrelated. Dogs Part Two is an instrumental credited to Keith Moon. Both Dogs songs were included on the 1987 collection U.S. collection Two's Missing
. That album is out-of-print, but Dogs is still available in a 1990s era stereo re-mix on the box set 30 Years of Maximum R&B.
released "Call Me Lightning" as the A-side of a U.S. single in March 1968. The Who considered the style of Call Me Lightning to be a bit out of date for the U.K. market. The single peaked at #40 on the U.S. singles chart. The B-side of the U.S. single "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
" was written by John Entwistle. Both tracks were later included in the U.S. compilation album Magic Bus: The Who on Tour
, released in September 1968.
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
in June 1968. It reached number 25 on the UK singles chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The B-side of the U.K. single was "Call Me Lightning." Both songs were originally released mixed in mono only, as they were not originally intended for album release.
The lyrics of Dogs were inspired by Townshend's friend Chris Morphet who had a fascination for Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
. Morphet contributes harmonica and backing vocals. It was recorded at London's Advision Studios
Advision Studios
- Origins :Founded in the 1960s by Guy Whetstone and Stephen Appleby, Advision originally provided voiceovers and jingles for television advertisements. The studio was initially located at 83 New Bond Street, but moved to 23 Gosfield Street in 1969. The studio complex was built to be able to house...
in early 1968. Townshend booked this studio as it was the first in the U.K. to install professional reel-to-reel eight-track
Multitrack recording
Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole...
equipment. Previous to this The Who only used recorders with a maximum of four tracks.
The song was not a major commercial success at the time of its release, perhaps because of its rather bizarre and campy style. Entwistle later said that it sounded much more like the group Small Faces and suggested that it would have perhaps been better for both groups if they had recorded it instead. Pete said in the notes to the 1974 LP Odds & Sods that this was one of the songs recorded during a period when the group went "slightly mad." The song contains both singing and spoken sections and has vocal contributions from three members of the group, Roger, Pete and John. It includes the memorable closing phrase, "Nice dog, yes, lovely form, lovely buttocks", spoken by Pete.
A subsequent song Dogs Part Two was later released as the B-side of Pinball Wizard
Pinball Wizard
"Pinball Wizard" is a song written by Pete Townshend and performed by the English rock band The Who, and featured on their 1969 rock opera album Tommy. The original recording was released as a single in 1969 and reached No. 4 in the UK charts and No. 19 on the U.S...
in 1969. Despite the similar titles the two songs are musically unrelated. Dogs Part Two is an instrumental credited to Keith Moon. Both Dogs songs were included on the 1987 collection U.S. collection Two's Missing
Two's Missing
Two's Missing is a compilation album by English rock band The Who.-Track listing:Side one#"Bald Headed Woman" – 2:09#"Under My Thumb" – 2:35#"My Wife" – 6:38...
. That album is out-of-print, but Dogs is still available in a 1990s era stereo re-mix on the box set 30 Years of Maximum R&B.
U.S. Single "Call Me Lightning"
The Dogs single was never released in the U.S. Instead, The Who and their U.S. label DeccaDecca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
released "Call Me Lightning" as the A-side of a U.S. single in March 1968. The Who considered the style of Call Me Lightning to be a bit out of date for the U.K. market. The single peaked at #40 on the U.S. singles chart. The B-side of the U.S. single "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (The Who song)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a song by English rock band, The Who. It was written by the band's bassist, John Entwistle. The song was about drummer Keith Moon's drinking problems. This would be the first of two songs from The Who written about Keith, the second being Doctor Jimmy from the album...
" was written by John Entwistle. Both tracks were later included in the U.S. compilation album Magic Bus: The Who on Tour
Magic Bus: The Who on Tour
Magic Bus: The Who on Tour was the fourth American album by British rock band The Who, released in the US in September 1968 to capitalize on the success of their single of the same name. It is a compilation album of previously released material, and was not issued in the UK, although the album was...
, released in September 1968.