Playing at a dogs birthhday party

Subject: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 02:36 PM

My band have been booked to play at a dogs birthday party. I am still smiling each time I think of this but can anyone suggest suitable - ideally funny - songs.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Will Fly
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 02:40 PM

Dem Bones.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DOGS' PARTY
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 02:41 PM

You've just got to get this one in.

The Dog's Party

The dogs they had a party
They came from near and far
And some dogs came by aeroplane
And some by motor car

They went into the lobby
And signed the visitors´ book
And each one hung his arsehole
Upon a separate hook

One dog was not invited
And this aroused his ire
He rushed into the meeting place
And loudly shouted, ´Fire!´

Now the dogs were so excited
They had no time to look
And each one took an arsehole
From off the nearest hook

It is a sad sad story
For it is very sore
To wear another´s arsehole
You´ve never worn before

And that is why when dogs meet
By land or sea or foam
Each sniffs the other´s arsehole
In hope it is its own

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Will Fly
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 02:44 PM

Hound Dog
Puppy Love
Old Shep

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Amos
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 02:48 PM

Old Blue (two versions)
Groundhog (1 line about hounds)

I suppose you could do an adaptation of "I've Got an Old Tom Cat", changing the names to protect the feline...


A

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 02:50 PM

Piddling Pete.

More seriously;

Old Blue.
While the Gamekeepers lie Sleeping
The Mountain Streams where the Moorcocks Crow
The Bonny Bunch of Rushes Green
The Bogs of Shanaheever
The Missus, Her Mother, The Bulldog and Me.

And lots more. I'll ponder the matter while I'm having pint tonight.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 02:51 PM

I suppose I've got to get this one in before anyone else does.

How Much is that Doggie in the Window?

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 03:01 PM

Fluffy
Heywood Banks


Sesame Street
Hard Working Dog

Quit Kicking My Dog Around

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Melissa
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 03:02 PM

(I was that guest)
Sounds like a fun party!

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Maryrrf
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 03:06 PM

Master McGrath?

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Melissa
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 03:37 PM

I couldn't find a copy of Bob Dyer singing this..the song starts at about 2:30
Jim the Wonderdog

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 04:40 PM

Champion he was a Dandy.

Oh, and that really sad song about the shepherd whose dog got the devil and drove his flock off a cliff, I can't think of its name right now.

Bellman

Dido Bendigo etc.

Isn't there a song about Beth Gelert as well as the story?

Little Gomez (the song of the randy chihuahua)

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Tangledwood
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 05:10 PM

Down the River

words and notation on page 12 here

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: melodeonboy
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 05:16 PM

"Man's Best Friend" (Wynonie Harris)

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: BK Lick
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 05:41 PM

On Kathy Kallick's first children's album "What Do You Dream About?" she does "The Doggy Medley"
combining "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?" with "Where Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?"

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Suffet
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 06:01 PM

Queen of the Rails (Utah Phillips)
Here, Rattler, Here! (Traditional African-American)
I'm Gonna Tell the A-S-P-C-A You Treat Me Like a D-O-G (Shel Silverstein)

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 06:16 PM

Oh, sorry, I didn't notice the identity of the OP. Forget I posted.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: BK Lick
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 06:25 PM

"A Ragged Old Man" (Utah Phillips)

Just a ragged old man
And his ragged old doggie
A ragged old life
In a ragged old world

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: CupOfTea
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 06:59 PM

For a truly memorable performance in honor of the dog, I suggest Lou & Peter Berryman's
"Dog of Time" -such a good song, that Cindy Mangsen recorded it on her "Cat Tales" Yah, yah, the last line refers to the "Kitty of romance"... but where else but with the Berrymans could you get to sing things like "slinking through the vestibule, the Wiener Dog of doom" or "The Poodle of depression licks the Pekinese of pique" Words and music to this are in one of their recent songbooks.

If recitations make up any part of your repertoire, a bit of Les Barker would be splendid.. "Go, Stay and Fetch" or DACHSHUNDS WITH ERECTIONS which seems to have a tune now, though I know it as a poem.

Joanne in Cleveland

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Soldier boy
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 08:35 PM

You're all barking mad!!

Bless.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Artful Codger
Date: 15 Jul 10 - 10:17 PM

Richard: You might have been thinking of "George and George's Son" by John Kirkpatrick.

See also this thread: Songs about dogs

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Gurney
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 01:35 AM

'Little Gomez' and 'Nobody's Moggie Now' by Eric Bogle.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Ebbie
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 02:12 AM

And a recitation about Old Yeller. Very inspiring to all.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: GUEST,Jeff
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 02:53 AM

How 'bout the song where dog spelled backwards is God? Don't know how it goes, but someone posting here will, most likely.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 04:25 AM

Brilliant suggestions. Especially where you have suggested links so I can hear the tune. I've got some eric Bogle on CD so might start there - I think they would suit the mood.

Does anybody else have the feeling they lurch from one booking to another. We did a help for heroes charity spot recently so I was learning a few military songs and tunes - Liberty bell etc. What a good tune. Now working on the list for Broadstairs - so although late August sounds ages away for the Doggy party it will come sooner than I should like. I wish I was quicker at learning songs and tunes.

I know I can always fall back on my barn dance sets - and its nice to be able to concentrate on playing them without having to call the dances at the same time, but I wish -----

Oh dear. I think I must be getting old.

Still open for other suggestions for the party.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 07:35 AM

THE DOGS' MEAT MAN

Thomas Hudson

  IN Gray's Inn Lane, not long ago,
  An old maid liv'd a life of woe ;
  She was fifty-three, and her face like tan,
  When she fell in love with a dogs' meat man.
  Much she lov'd this dogs' meat man;
  He was a good-looking dogs' meat man;
  Her roses and lilies had turn'd to tan
  When she fell in love with a dogs' meat man.
  
  Every morning he went by, 
  Whether the weather was wet or dry, 
  And right opposite to her door did stan'
  And cry "dogs' meat!" this dogs' meat man. 
  Then her cat would run out to the dogs' meat man, 
  And rub against the barrow of the dogs' meat man, 
  As right opposite to her door did stan' 
  And cry  "dogs' meat!" this dogs' meat man. 
  
  One morn she kept him at the door,
  Talking half an hour or more ;
  For you must know that was her plan,
  To have a good look at the dogs' meat man.
  "Times are hard," says the dogs' meat man ;
  "Folks get in my debt," says the dogs' meat man;
  Then he took up his barrow and away he ran,
  And cried "dogs' meat!" this dogs' meat man.
  
  He soon saw which way the cat did jump,
  And his company he offered plump ;
  She couldn't blush, 'cause she'd got no fan,
  So she sot and grinn'd at the dogs' meat man.
  "If you'll marry me," says the dogs' meat man,
  "I'll marry you," says the dogs' meat man :
  For a quarter of peppermint then he ran,
  And she drink'd a "good health" to the dogs' meat man.
  
  That very evening he was seen
  In jacket and breeches of velveteen ;
  To Bagnigge Wells then in a bran
  New gown she went with the dogs' meat man. 
  She'd biscakes and ale with the dogs' meat man, 
  And she "walk'd arm in arm" with the dogs' meat man; 
  And the people all said vot round did stan' 
  He was quite a dandy dogs' meat man. 
  
  He said his customers, good lod !
  They ow'd him a matter of two pound odd;
  And she replied it was quite scan- 
  -dalous to cheat such a dogs' meat man.
  "If I had but the money," says the dogs' meat man,
  "I'd open a tripe shop," says the dogs' meat man,
  "And I'd marry you to-morrow."—She admir'd the plan, 
  And — she lent a five pound note to the dogs' meat man.
  
  He pocketed the money and went away,  
  She waited for him all next day;  
  But he never com'd, and she then began 
  To think that she was diddl'd by the dogs' meat man. 
  She went out to seek for the dogs' meat man, 
  But she cou'dn't find the dogs' meat man
  Some friend gave her to understan' 
  He'd got a wife and seven children, this dogs' meat man  
  
  So home she went in grief and tears, 
  All her hopes transform'd to fears,  
  And her hungry-cat-to miew began. 
  As much as to say "where's the dogs' meat man?" 
  She cou'dn't help thinking of the dogs' meat man, 
  The handsome swindling dogs' meat man; 
  So you see just in one day's short span, 
  She lost her heart—a five pound note—and the dogs' meat man.
  

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 07:53 AM

I don't think anybody's mentioned it yet, but You Ain't Nothing But A Hound Dog should have them howling in the aisle.

Come to that, I don't think anybody's mentioned Old Dog Tray, or Walking the Dog, or Yellow dog blues.

Then there's Mick Quinn's famous ode; The Man Who Shot the Dog, about a man who shot Mick's dog.

Of course, if it's instrumentals, how about a set which includes Granny, will your dog bite/The Dogs Among The Bushes/Dog and Cat Rag/That's My Rabbit, My Dog Caught It

Anyway, if you get stuck, you could always give them a blast of Whoopee-Ti-Yi-Yo Git Along Little Dogies.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 08:07 AM

The one Fred mentioned near the top of the thread, The Dog's Party, goes to the tune of the hymn "The Church's One Foundation", which makes it all the funnier if sung with a long face and a great deal of pathos.
There's also an Edinburgh song about "Greyfriars Bobby", the faithful wee dug wha widna leave his master's side.
And the Eric Bogle one about chihuahuas.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: SINSULL
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 08:11 AM

"He's A Tramp" from Lady and the Tramp.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: kendall
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 08:26 AM

Please don't do Old Shep! You will have them in tears.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Bettynh
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 08:53 AM

The Dog's Party

Little Gomez

Barry Louis Polisar has some good dogs songs, sampled here. Check out "I wanna be a Dog,"Our Dog Bernard," "It's my Mother and my Father and my Sister and the Dog," and "The Dog Barked"

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 11:05 AM

All well and good, Flora, but keep in mind that the dog's birthday is just an excuse for PEOPLE to get together and enjoy each other's company. Too many dog songs with lyrics will distract from that.

But of course you should be prepared to lead 'Happy Birthday.'

If I were you, I'd do a couple of dog songs, then move on to your old favorites. As an experienced musician once told me, 'People like what they already know.'

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 08:42 PM

The dogs might NOT like:
"Put the dog in the microwave" or
"Dead Dog Scrumpy"!

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: kendall
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 03:54 AM

Tommy Makem and Gordon Bok used to sing one titled, If I were a Dog I'd have my way.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: JennieG
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 03:57 AM

"This Old Man" - the one with the chorus which goes :
"With a knick knack paddy whack, give a dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home".

Id the party gets convivial they will go rolling home!

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: beeliner
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 04:14 AM

A recitation of T. Texas Tyler's "Dad Gave My Dog Away", over the tune of "Old Shep", would stop the show!

You might also work in a couple of old minstrel show three-liners:

"Mistah Bones, mah dog got his nose cut off!

Got his nose cut off? How's he smell?

TERRIBLE!"

"Mistah Bones, I had to shoot mah dog!

Had to shoot yo' dog? Was he mad?

Well, he wasn't exactly thrilled!"

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 06:01 AM

If you don't know the tune of the Dog's Party. Here's a Youtube video. Bow wow

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: gnu
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 02:14 PM

What a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips in this Café.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Stewie
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 11:06 PM

Ya gotta quit kicking my dog around.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 03:58 AM

Thanks a million for all the suggestions. I'm going to print the list off - though Im not sure I'll manage to learn a tenth of the songs. If you see me walking along the prom or on the bandstand at Broadstairs mumbling to myself with words in hand - you'll know what I'm doing.

Smile and wave.

Flora.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Tangledwood
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 04:43 AM

The dogs might NOT like:
"Put the dog in the microwave" or
"Dead Dog Scrumpy"!


Or if it comes to that "I'm looking over my dead dog Rover"

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: Valmai Goodyear
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 05:37 AM

Song for Vic: ' No more for me long trips down to Bonio'.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 06:00 AM

If you want the dogs themselves to have a bit of a sing-song, play a bit of mouth-organ (doesn't matter if you can't actually play one, just blow into it).

You can guarantee that the heads will be back, the tails will be wagging, and the most un-nervingly wolf-pack-like of howls will start within seconds ...

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: CheshireCat
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 06:08 AM

A long time ago, a threesome at college did our own Doggie Medley: we started off with a nice, bluesy "Walking The Dog", which segued into "How Much is that Doggie...?" (as I remember, we had harmonised backing vocals to this section: "shooby dooby woof woof woof"). One verse was enough before the piece de resistance: our third member, a mad Scotsman called John, leapt onto the stage with a hairbrush mic yelling "You ain't nuthin' but a hoond dog!". You can get away with three voices and two acoustic guitars (we did) although the mad Scotsman is an advantage. (Nationality isn't such an issue here, it's just that John's Glaswegian accent seemed to suit the ambience.)

This piece was conceived, arranged and performed by someone who has gone on to become a respected Mudcatter, and whose name will therefore be withheld to protect the guilty.

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 08:57 AM

sfmans

my own dog has been invited and of all the instruments I play the one she likes to join in with is the melodeon - a similar intrument to the mouth organ. It makes folk festivals a bit of a no no with her - even though she howels fairly well in tune.

has anyone been banned from such a do because of their dog?

Subject: RE: Playing at a dogs birthhday party
From: alanabit
Date: 19 Jul 10 - 09:40 AM

That must have been a terrible experience Cheshire Cat... and the rest is silence from a very discreet alanabit...