rufus thomas, “walking the dog”
from: walking the dog, 1963
“Baby’s back, dressed in black
Silver buttons all down her back
High, low, tipsy toe
She broke a needle and she can’t sew
Walkin’ the dog
Just walkin’ the dog
If you don’t know how to do it
I’ll show you how to walk te dog
Asked a fellow for fifteen cents
See the fellow he jumped the fence
Jumped so high he touched the sky
Never got back till the fourth of July
Walkin’ the dog
Just walkin’ the dog
If you don’t know how to do it
I’ll show you how to walk the dog
Come on now, come on, come on
Mary, Mary, quite contrary
Tell me, how does your garden grow?
You got silver bells and you got cockleshells
Pretty maids all in a row
Walking the dog
Just a walkin’ the dog
If you don’t know how to do it
Show you how to walk the dog
Come on now, come on, come on
Oh oh, just a, just a, just a walkin’
Just a, just a, just a walkin’
Just a, just a, just a walkin’
Oh yeah, if you don’t know how to do it
I’ll show you how to walk the dog, oh
Just a, just a, just a, just a, just a, just a walkin’
Just a, just a, just a, just a, just a, just a walkin’, oh”
At the high school dances of the time, this little number was a staple among those of us who belonged to the “back ain’t got no bone club'‘ groovin as we were across the sawdust covered floors. Indispensible Memphis Stax classic. Please note the epic whistle style!
