Song Of The Day 2/17/2016: The Willis Brothers – “Somebody Knows My Dog”

Songs From the Spreadsheet – This bit of treachery involving an easily-swayed German shepherd was recorded in 1967 by the Willis Brothers, who had a top 10 country hit in 1964 with the trucker anthem "Give Me 40 Acres (To Turn This Rig Around)." The Willis Brothers were from Oklahoma and gained stature after the Second World War as the backup band for Hank Williams. One of them was nicknamed "Skeeter," so they were all set there. They were mainstays at the Grand Ole Opry way up until 1995. "Somebody Knows My Dog" is a cheatin' story as told through the shifting sympathies of the least loyal dog in the history of country music. In even the most tragic country songs, after the protagonist has lost his wife, truck, whiskey and boots, the dog is the very last thing to stand by his side. Dogs just don't change their allegiances. So in many ways, this is the most tragic country song one can dream up without murders or tuberculosis. Note the out-of-context Tex-Mex horn section.