Top Five: Songs about dogs

by Jess Santacroce
Music Writer, 955 The Heat, Phoenix Radio

 At midnight on May 19/May 20, 2015, the Heat Beat mascot, a four and a half pound Chorkie, Miss Callie Santacroce, was born. Today Callie spends her days providing love, comfort, and an iron paw that keeps the day organized as each edition of “The Heat Beat” is written.
To celebrate her tenth birthday this week and wish her many more, this edition of “The Heat Beat” is dedicated to Callie, with a top five list of songs about dogs.

The songs on this list span genres and are in no particular order.

Martha My Dear: The Beatles

On the surface, this does not seem to be a song about a dog. The lyrics mention encouragement for Martha to hold out her “hand,” not a paw. They go on to remind Martha to “be good to me.” These details led listeners to speculate that the song was about Paul McCartney’s girlfriend at the time the song was written and released, a woman whose name was not Martha, but Jane.
In later interviews, however, Sir Paul McCartney has confirmed that the “silly girl” he sings of so lovingly was not a girlfriend, but Martha, his Old English Sheepdog.

Everything by the Beatles stands out, but “Martha My Dear” is a particularly enduring and endearing dog song, as it perfectly creates an image of a playful, loving and very loved dog in the listener’s mind.

Man of the Hour: Norah Jones

Like “Martha My Dear,” the lyrics of “Man of the Hour,” start out in a way that might make some listeners think the narrator is singing about romantic relationships. She describes two problematic potential boyfriends, noting she cannot decide between guys with these two issues. The song goes on to detail the narrator’s decision to instead choose neither of them, refuse to put up with any potential relationship issues, and instead choose her dog.

This of course means the narrator/singer will have to give up romantic love, but she’s fine with that. The trade-off is worth it. In the end, she asks her dog to be her “only man of the hour,” and he responds with a “yes” in the form of a bark as the song closes.

Searches for “Jazz songs about dogs,” will bring up a fair amount of results, including some full playlists, but most of the songs featured only use dogs, traits associated with dogs, and the word “dog” to describe or allude to human traits or behavior. “Man of the Hour” stands out as one of the few that is not only about an actual dog, but was written for a real dog, Jones’ poodle named “Ralph.”

My Dog and Me: John Hiatt

The lyrics of “My dog and me,” leave no room to question if the song is about a dog or a person. It is the straightforward story of spending a day in the outdoors with a dog, beginning with a description of the dog marking their trail and asking “How many times can one dog pee?”

​Despite the opening, the main character in the song has no real complaints about their dog. The rest of the lyrics go on to detail the feeling of freedom the narrator has when spending a day outdoors with their dog. Of course every dog owner does not enjoy outdoor activities, and all dogs will not run along a trail as the dog described in this song does, but the song is relatable to anyone who loves to spend time with their dog, as we can all relate to a relaxing afternoon just hanging out with our canine best friend.

I Love My Dog: Sublime

“Sublime” in its original lineup was on the music scene from 1988-1996, ending with the death of lead guitarist and singer Bradley Nowell from a heroin overdose at the age of 26. Perhaps best known for their 1996 songs “Santeria” and “What I Got” the band blended elements of ska, punk, reggae, and other genres to create their unique sound.

Although his life was tragically cut short, Nowell’s fans can look back on one memorable bright spot, his Dalmation, King Louie, nicknamed “LouDog.” King Louie is mentioned in “What I Got,” and can be seen in several of the band’s videos, as he served as their mascot.

King Louie/LouDog was reportedly adopted by the band’s manager following Nowell’s death, and himself passed away at age 12 in 2001. (Typical of larger breeds, Dalmations have a shorter lifespan than the typical expectation of 15-18, with most living to be only 11-13 years old. LouDog had a long life for his breed).

The song “I Love My Dog” was written about a week that LouDog went missing in the early 1990s. They announce simply that the narrator, who we know to be Nowell writing about himself and his real life, loves his dog and has to keep going on.

Cold Wet Nose (Teala’s Song): Kevin Keating

Utica musician Kevin Keating has written and posted three songs about his dogs on his YouTube channel as of the writing of this article. Each song is about one of his Border Collies who has since passed away. There is “Forever Home (Dolly’s Song), “One More Walk” about the passing of Teala, and “Cold Wet Nose” about the love and support Teala provided to him.

In “Cold Wet Nose,” Keating describes a dog who was by his side and keeping him smiling and happy with the” love behind her cold wet nose,” even through his toughest times.

Whether remembering a beloved pet who now waits in Heaven, honoring the best friend beside you, or looking forward to getting a new dog, pet parents can certainly relate to “Cold Wet Nose,” and its portrayal of a dog as a constant companion through it all.


While most songs are written about human relationships, dogs can have an immense impact on music, whether that be through comforting us through the ups and downs of our relationships with other people, keeping us company throughout our day, or serving as a mascot and inspiration for a song.

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