Who Let the Dogs Out… It’s More Complicated than you Think!
Okay. This post really isn’t about dogs. But it is about podcasts. And it’s about a podcast episode that has “dogs” in its title. And since I am a huge fan of podcasts… and dogs… I figured that was enough of an excuse to write this post.
One of my favorites is podcaster Roman Mars’ 99% Invisible. It’s perfect for people who like to get deep-dive, behind-the-scenes looks at various cultural phenomena and trends.
Recently Mars interviewed the creator of a documentary that looked into the provenance of the Baha Men’s 2000 world-wide, mega-hit Who Let the Dogs Out.
The song was both wildly popular and wildly reviled. You can look at how it resonated across the planet here.
But before I go on, I have to let you all listen to it!
“Who let the dogs out? Woof woof woof woof woof!”
There… now that I’ve embedded THAT earworm-y, musical hook into your brain for the day, you have to read more!
Here are some things that you’ll learn from the podcast:
- The song is actually a feminist anthem (of a sort!)
- There are FOUR different songs that all use a version of the “who let the dogs out” hook.
- The hook MAY have originated with a high school football cheer from Texas… or maybe Michigan…
- An explanation why the title does not have a question mark at its end.
That’s just a small part of the info jam-packed into this podcast.
The best thing for me? There’s actually a version of the song that I really liked. I’d tell you, but I want you to listen to the podcast to discover it on your own.
Here’s the trailer for the documentary:
Here’s a link to the 99% Invisible website.
PS. There’s another podcast I like, Slate’s Decoder Ring, that did a similar deep dive into another earworm-y song…
“Baaaaaaaaaby Shark! Baby shark, doo doo doo doo doo doo!”
HA! That’s going to stick with you all day too!
