Learned it from Bill Salter & the Quarrymen (a Canadian 60s group. Their version (as tweaked by me) was...

Gotta Quit Kickin' My Dog Around (D)

1                   6m             1                5                1
Every time I go to town, boys keep kickin' my dog around,
                                     6m                         1               5                1
Makes no difference if he’s a hound, they gotta quit kickin' my dog around.

                            1                            4          1
        Well you kin lock me up in the county jail,
                                          5
        Tear my still house down,_
                     1                                  4          1                        
            You kin take my wife, you kin take my life,
                                       5                1
        But you gotta quit kickin' my dog around.


Well, me 'n Lem Briggs 'n ol' Bill Brown, we took a load of corn to town,
My ol' Jim dog, bein' an orn'ry ol' cuss, well, he just natcherly followed us.

As we drift' past that Johnson store, a passle o' yaps came out the door,
Ol' Jim, he scooted behind a box, when all them fellas started throwin' rocks. Well…
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They tied a can around his tail, ‘n run him past that county jail,
Well, that just nacherly made me sore, ol’ Lem, he cussed and Bill he swore.

Well, me 'n Lem Briggs 'n ol' Bill Brown, we lost no time in gettin' on down,
Whupped them fellas on the ground, for kickin' my ol' dog Jim around. Well…
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Ol' Jim, he seen his duty then, he lit right into them gentlemen,
He shore messed up that courthouse square, with rags, 'n meat, 'n hide, n' hair. Well…