Ol' Red
Encyclopedia
"Ol' Red" is a song written by James "Bo" Bohan, Don Goodman and Mark Sherrill. The song was originally recorded by George Jones
on his 1990 album You Oughta Be Here with Me
and covered by Kenny Rogers
on his 1993 album If Only My Heart Had a Voice
, although neither artist released it as a single. It was recorded most recently by artist Blake Shelton
, and released in 2002 as the third and final single released from his self-titled debut album
.
when he murdered a man whom his wife was having an affair with. He is offered a job tending the prison dog named Ol' Red, a Bloodhound
(or possibly a Redbone Coonhound
) who is well-known among the inmates for his skill at tracking escaped prisoners.
The narrator writes a letter to his cousin, who delivers an unnamed female Bluetick Coonhound
to the prison. The Bluetick befriends Ol' Red and the dogs presumably engage in sexual intercourse as well. After a while, the narrator keeps Ol' Red separated from the Bluetick for several days, deliberately making Red anxious to see her. The narrator then makes his escape attempt, knowing that Red will track down the Bluetick instead. The final lyrics of the song reveal that the escape was successful with Red and the Bluetick having a litter of puppies to boot.
Although it did not reach the Top Ten, "Ol' Red" is one of Shelton's most commonly-requested songs in concert (as well as one of his best-known hits), and he considers it his signature song
.
George Jones
George Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
on his 1990 album You Oughta Be Here with Me
You Oughta Be Here with Me
You Oughta Be Here with Me is an album by American country music singer George Jones. This album was released in 1990 on Epic Records. It includes the singles "Hell Stays Open " and "Six Foot Deep, Six Foot Down", neither of which charted...
and covered by Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
on his 1993 album If Only My Heart Had a Voice
If Only My Heart Had A Voice
If Only My Heart Had A Voice is a 1993 album by country music superstar Kenny Rogers. It was Rogers' first album released on the Giant Records label. However, Rogers had been signed with its parent company, WEA, since 1989...
, although neither artist released it as a single. It was recorded most recently by artist Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton is an American country music artist. In 2001, he made his debut with the single "Austin". Released as the lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" went on to spend five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
, and released in 2002 as the third and final single released from his self-titled debut album
Blake Shelton (album)
-Album:-Singles:-Certifications:...
.
Content
The song's narrator is a prisoner serving time for committing a crime of passionCrime of passion
A crime of passion, or crime passionnel, in popular usage, refers to a crime in which the perpetrator commits a crime, especially assault or murder, against someone because of sudden strong impulse such as sudden rage or heartbreak rather than as a premeditated crime...
when he murdered a man whom his wife was having an affair with. He is offered a job tending the prison dog named Ol' Red, a Bloodhound
Bloodhound
The Bloodhound is a large breed of dog which, while originally bred to hunt deer and wild boar, was later bred specifically to track human beings. It is a scenthound, tracking by smell, as opposed to a sighthound, which tracks using vision. It is famed for its ability to discern human odors even...
(or possibly a Redbone Coonhound
Redbone Coonhound
The Redbone Coonhound is a breed of dog, which is widely used for hunting bear, raccoon, and cougar. Their agility allows them to be used for hunting from swamplands to mountains and some can be used as water dogs...
) who is well-known among the inmates for his skill at tracking escaped prisoners.
The narrator writes a letter to his cousin, who delivers an unnamed female Bluetick Coonhound
Bluetick Coonhound
The Bluetick Coonhound is a breed of dog. It is a type of coonhound and typically bred in the southern United States.- Appearance :The overall body style of the Bluetick Coonhound is muscular and speedy, not chunky or clumsily built. The head is carried well up and the tail carried over the back,...
to the prison. The Bluetick befriends Ol' Red and the dogs presumably engage in sexual intercourse as well. After a while, the narrator keeps Ol' Red separated from the Bluetick for several days, deliberately making Red anxious to see her. The narrator then makes his escape attempt, knowing that Red will track down the Bluetick instead. The final lyrics of the song reveal that the escape was successful with Red and the Bluetick having a litter of puppies to boot.
Although it did not reach the Top Ten, "Ol' Red" is one of Shelton's most commonly-requested songs in concert (as well as one of his best-known hits), and he considers it his signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
.
Chart performance
"Ol' Red" debuted at number 60 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of March 30, 2002.| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Bubbling Under Hot 100 |
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