Shaggy Dog
Music/Lyrics: Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins
Vocals: Trey
Original Artist: Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins
Debut: 1986-10-15
Historian: Dan Mielcarz (ColForbin)
"Shaggy Dog," part of the Phish dog canon along with “Dog Log,” “No Dogs Allowed,” and “Runaway Jim” was played several times from ’86-’88, after which it disappeared. It is a fun Lightnin’ Hopkins cover that many people assumed was gone forever (or at least only played during soundchecks). After a 450 show absence, an a cappella version was played on 5/6/92, and then it made another surprise appearance on 10/29/95. The best “Shaggy Dog” recording is no doubt the version played on 8/21/87 at Ian McLean’s Farm that contains a continuous refrain of barking dogs (one of them being Trey’s dog, Marley) in the background. The original Lightnin’ Hopkins version of this song is titled “Shaggy Dad,” but for whatever reason, Phish changed the title and the lyrics to “Shaggy Dog.”
Recommended Versions: 1986-10-31, 1987-08-21, 1992-05-06, 1995-10-29
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Performances
Song History
