Walkin' My Cat Named Dog - Norma Tanega (1966)

1966 was a great year to be a teenager, and "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog," playing frequently in the background helped make it so. Written and performed by Norma Tanega, this unpretentious, freewheeling, goofy and poetic "closet classic" is considered to be one of the greatest pop tunes of the
pre-psychedelic era.

Comprised of a haunting vocal, lyrical twists and a production spiced with simplified wall of sound elements, it caught the public's fancy. Tanega explained the meaning behind the lyrics
to "Walkin," saying: "I had always wanted a dog, but because of my living situation I could only have a cat; I named my cat dog and wrote a song about my dilemma." Apparently, others could
relate, because "Walkin'" zoomed to #22 on the Billboard charts, and became a huge hit in the UK as well.

Lyrics:

WALKIN' MY CAT NAMED DOG

I'm walkin' all around the town
Singin' all the people down
Talkin' around, talkin' around

Me and my cat named Dog
Are walkin' high against the fog
Singin' the sun
Singin' the sun

Happy, sad and crazy wonder
Chokin' up my mind
With perpetual dreamin'

Driftin' up and down the street
(Driftin' up and down the street)
Searchin' for the sound of people
(Searchin' for the sound of people)
Swingin' their feet, swingin' their feet

Dog is a good old cat (dog is a good old cat)
People what you think of that
(People what you think of that)
That's where I'm at, that's where I'm at

Happy, sad and crazy wonder
Chokin' up my mind
With perpetual dreamin'

---- Instrumental Interlude ----

Dog is a good old cat
People what you think of that
That's where I'm at,
That's where I'm at, that's where I'm at

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Folk
• Pop
• Rock
• Classic
• Oldie
• 1960s
• Norma
• Tanega
• Dusty
• Springfield
• Dylan
• Cat
• Dog

[sillydream1969]

if the word COOL ever applied to

anything.

...this is the top of the pyramid of all

cool songs'..........

[buzzthjerk]

OH why can we not just enjoy the music of a beautiful talented woman without SOMEBODY dredging up who she prefers to be intimate with ...this is directed at BOTH sides of the issue!

[mercury73732]

I am renaming my cat "Dogg", in honor of this song.

[MsSilentfairy]

kewl....so honest..life in not the fast lane...the lane of life...thank u

[OldiesMusicKathy]

Love this song!!! I totally forgot about it!! It's been years since I've heard it. So good to see this video too! Waaaay back in 1966! What great memories from that era; just an 8th grader then (13 years old). Wow how time flies! This song actually has a melody and pretty harmony, so unlike much of the music today.

Thanks for sharing, clotho98. Kathy

[RoyFive]

I learned the word "perpetual" from listening to this song. Who says contemporary music isn't educational?

[JohnnyCxviii]

This is a terrific song. One of kind, though its whimsy reminds me of Melanie Safka's Brand New Key.

[eaogden]

Haven't heard this song since it came out but it has always haunted me. So glad to find it here. Brings back many 60's memories

[searayus1]

Like to have that SG today............

[Ingeneer1977]

Забористая трава была

[harmonicaspit]

There's on harmonica passage towards the end of the song that sounds like Stevie Wonder from "Fingertips." Couldn't find any info in this regards on the web. Anyone know anything about who played on this song other then Norma Tanega? This song's  just just as catchy today as it was 45 years ago.