Elvis Didn’t Record ‘Hound Dog’ First

Big Mama Thornton recorded the original ‘Hound Dog’ in Los Angeles on August 13, 1952—four years before Elvis Presley’s famous RCA recording. This short documentary follows the documented chain through writers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Johnny Otis and the session players, Thornton’s hit release, Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, and Presley’s 1956 recording.

No ‘Hound Dog’ recording or lyrics are used. Narration voices are AI-generated.

Sources:
Library of Congress registry:
Library of Congress essay:
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame:
Elvis Presley official catalog:
Recording Academy Hall of Fame:

Visual attributions are shown in the film. Music credit: Hidden Order production. Selected underscore: ‘Jazz Me Blues’ (1921), CC0 archive source.

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