This “story of famous dogs” doesn’t begin with a radio friendly reception upon its release. As a matter of fact, Atomic Dog, probably one of the most revered party songs today, was shunned “like a dog” by radio because of industry hang ups and Clinton’s political standings. Released in 1982, Atomic Dog was birth from a preliminary track from David Spradley, Garry Shider and a loose spontaneity of George Clinton. As fans, we marvel at the groove heavily provoked by a synthesized sound but for Clinton it was just a matter of getting behind the microphone and saying whatever came to mind in the moment. Nothing really premeditated, just having a good night of partying and putting it to wax. With that in mind, especially the notable sexual innuendo of a “dog chasing the cat”, I’m surprised Atomic didn’t contain more explicit content. But when I ponder further, there may be an uncensored version that never found the light of day. One never knows….
While this song has been sampled more than a “freak of the week”, it hasn’t gone without its share of lawsuit infringement issues. Like any song that has a notable line, these elements were taken by R&B group, Public Announcement in 1998. Fortunately, the court ruled in the creator’s favor understanding the brand recognition and importance of these creative elements. The writers were compensated for damages.
Hope West is a music enthusiast and music photographer who has captured artists like B.B. King, Janet Jackson, Teddy Riley and many others. A life long lover of music, Hope is a graduate of Full Sail University where she studied music engineering. She’s also a proud “Florida Girl” born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. and currently resides in Atlanta, GA as a “Georgia Peach”. Hope is known for her creativity, sense of humor and quirky perfectionism. Artist(s) that make her freak out as a music fan: Sheila E., Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Quincy Jones.
