You Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog,
Cryin' all the time.
You ain't nothin but a hound dog,
Cryin' all the time.
Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine.

It was 35 years ago this week that Ginger Alden found Elvis Presley face down in the shitter, with a copy of "The Scientific Search for the Face of Jesus" in his hands and enough pills in his system to start a new pharmacy. I was 11. Steve Trinrud ran across the field to tell me the news. I didn't believe him until I turned on WDUX and heard it for myself.

Flash forward 35 years, and here I am, 46-years-old - that's four years older than Elvis when he bought the farm - and I'm dancing in the kitchen with Justuce, singing her "Hound Dog."

I'm not sure how we settled on "Hound Dog" as our bonding song. Before we got them, I always envisioned "Come and Get Your Love," the old 70's song by the Native American one hit wonder band Redbone.

Hell (hell), what's the matter
'Cause you're fine and you're mine
And you look so divine and
Come and get your love...
Come and get your love...

But nope, Justuce wasn't having any of that. I even tried tickling them during the fast parts...

Com'n gitcher love, com'n gitcher love
Com'n gitcher love now...

Still no go.

I slowed it down with Loggins and Messina's "Love Song," another pre-arrival fantasy favorite of mine (I liked it so much I named my blog after it)...

Like my brother, the wren and I
Well, he told me if I try, I could fly for you
And I wanna try for you 'cause...
I wanna sing you a love song
I wanna rock you in my arms all night long

Both non-starters at our house. I tried singing it on the piano to them and they ran for the hills. Shit, I thought, DFS stuck me with two kids who have no taste in music whatsoever.

Turns out I was wrong. I picked up Justuce the other day, cradled her in my arms like a baby and started bopping out an a cappella "Hound Dog," and I'll be darned if the clouds didn't part, the sun came out, the giggles started and we were off and rollling.

At least three times today she came up to me. "Do the dog song! Pick me up!"

So, not to look a gift hug in the mouth, that's what I do...I pick her up, I cradle her tight, I dance around the kitchen and I sing "Hound Dog." Every three or four lines, I toss her up in the air and I catch her coming down. She giggles like crazy and that's music to my ears.

Justin got an eyeful of our impromptu choreography and got in line right away. Now I rotate back and forth between the two of them until I'm hot and sweaty and I have to sit down. She's 42 pounds, he's 52 pounds, toss those numbers up in the air nine or ten times in a row and you'll be panting too. We ain't never caught a rabbit, but I've got two happy children. Thanks, King.

Quarter after midnight and all is well on Bonnie Castle Way. Splash pad park in Henderson today. Happy Meals for lunch and a buffet with Shayna for dinner. They played Mario Kart on the Wii and took turns having tantrums when they lost.

But I love them.

And they let me sing "Hound Dog" to them, and pick them up and dance.

And for that I say thank you, Elvis.

Thank you. Thank you very much.