Metaphors In Big Mama Thornton

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Big Mama Thornton, like many other early blues musicians, made music that was reflective of that time in history. Her lyrics tell a story of which her fans have the ability to relate their lives to. For example, Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog” is an extended-metaphor of a man who is bad for a woman.

The first two lines in her song say, “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog, Been snoopin’ ‘round my door.” This line is comparing a dog to a man in a relationship, more specifically a hound dog. A hound dog is known for its unique skill of chasing and hunting down its prey. Going right into the song, she is referring to the man as a dog chasing its prey and cannot be controlled. When she says the second part of this line, she is referring to the man trying to be discrete while cheating on her. The last line of the first verse states, “You can wag your tail, but I ain’t gonna feed you no more.” This is an example of another metaphor of man and a dog because dogs become extremely clingy when it is time to feed them.

The song also has some sexual metaphors. For example, in her fourth verse ...

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