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Leon Thomas – Mutt | Behind the Song

Variety | April 14, 2026



Leon Thomas and his producers, D Phelps and Rob, show us what went into the making of their hit “Mutt” and reveal how the song is technically not in key.

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Written by Variety

Comments

This post currently has 20 comments.

  1. @natevelar

    April 14, 2026 at 4:22 pm

    Someone please tell Leon about Big Mama Thornton (born Willie Mae Thornton). Black Woman. (He is crediting a Elvis for her work) She recorded the original version of "Hound Dog" in 1952, four years before Elvis Presley’s massive 1956 hit.

    She is one of the most significant figures in music history because her version of the song literally laid the groundwork for Rock and Roll. Here’s how she inspired the movement:

    1. The Original Powerhouse
    Big Mama Thornton was a powerhouse blues singer, drummer, and harmonica player. When songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller (who were just teenagers at the time) wrote "Hound Dog," they wrote it specifically for her. While Elvis’s version is about an actual dog and a rabbit, Big Mama’s original was a gritty, "bawdy" blues track about a woman telling off a no-good man (the "hound dog" in question).

  2. @teecaver

    April 14, 2026 at 4:22 pm

    I love watching these creatives talk about their concepts and how songs came about. They’re all so darn talented. I just started playing the piano inherited from my uncle who was a pro musician. I have mixers all sorts of ish to make a song eventually. I just love watching these videos.

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