<P> On September 9, 1952, the copyright application for "Hound Dog" was lodged . On the application the words and music are attributed to Don Deadric Robey and Willie Mae Thornton, with the copyright claimants listed as: "Murphy L. Robey (W) & Willie Mae Thornton (A)." It was renewed subsequently on May 13, 1980, with the same details . </P> <P> In late February 1953, "Hound Dog" was released by Peacock (Peacock 1612), with the song credited erroneously on the label to Leiber - Stroller (sic) - Otis . Thornton recalled later that she learned her record was in circulation while she was on her way to a performance with the Johnny Otis Orchestra during this tour in Dayton, Ohio . "I was going to the theater and I just turned the radio on in the car and the man said,' Here's a record that's going nationwide:' Hound Dog' by Willie Mae Thornton .' I said,' That's me!' (laughs) I hadn't heard the record in so long . So when we get to the theater they was blasting it . You could hear it from the theater, from the loudspeaker . They were just playing' Hound Dog' all over the theater . So I goes up in the operating room, I say,' Do you mind playing that again?' ' Cause I hadn't heard the record in so long I forgot the words myself . So I stood there while he was playing it, listening to it . So that evening I sang it on the show, and everybody went for it .' Hound Dog' just took off like a jet ." </P> <P> On March 7, 1953, "Hound Dog" was advertised in Billboard, and reviewed positively on March 14, 1953, as a new record to watch, described as "a wild and exciting rhumba blues" with "infectious backing that rocks all the way". According to Johnny Ace biographer James M Salem, "The rawness of the sound combined with the overt sexuality of the lyric made' Hound Dog' an immediate smash hit in urban black America from late March to the middle of July 1953 ." "Hound Dog" takes off immediately and looks like a national hit record . Rufus Thomas quickly records an answer song called "Bear Cat" on Sun 181 . Thornton's record is such a big seller that Peacock Records has three new pressing plants running full - time to try and keep up with demand . Debuting in the charts on March 28, 1953, it spent fourteen weeks on the Billboard Rhythm and Blues charts, seven of them at number one . By April 30, 1953, Cash Box magazine listed the song as "the nation's top - selling blues record", and it topped the charts in New York, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Newark, Memphis, Dallas, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Los Angeles . "By mid summer, it is obvious that "Hound Dog" will be the biggest seller in the history of Peacock Records ." The song was named as the Best Rhythm and Blues song of 1953 by Cash Box magazine, and was ranked number three on Billboard's Best Selling Rhythm & Blues Chart for 1953 . </P> <P> Don Robey estimated that Thornton's version of "Hound Dog" sold between 500,000 and 750,000 copies, and would have sold more had its sales not been diluted by an abundance of cover versions and "answer songs". The success of "Hound Dog" secured Peacock Record's place as a major independent label . However, despite its success, neither the composers nor artist were compensated well for their efforts . According to Stoller, "Big Mama's' Hound Dog' went to number one, sold a million copies, and did nothing for our bank statements . We were getting screwed ." After suing Robey, "We were given an advance check for $1,200," said Stoller, "but the check bounced ." As a result, Leiber and Stoller started their own label, Spark Records, and publishing company, Quintet Music . Those ventures were successful, but Leiber and Stoller would only earn substantial royalties from "Hound Dog" when it was covered by Elvis Presley (RCA 6604) in July 1956 . Similarly, Thornton stated: "That song sold over two million records . I got one check for $500 and never saw another ." In 1984, she told Rolling Stone, "Didn't get no money from them at all . Everybody livin' in a house but me . I'm just livin ." </P>

Elvis presley ain't nothin but a hound dog