Talk:Walking My Cat Named Dog

An Anodyne Cover

I'd never heard the original, but having given it a listen and then Dr Hook's version, one can only conclude that they both easily trump the Giants efforts. Norma's 60s original has a period charm, and it wins out because of the vocal and the organic arrangement. It's also got that gentle 60s subversion of twisting the rules and norms. Flans, as we know, likes to sing like a girl, but if you're covering a girl song you well advised to alter the vocal arrangement, unless your someone like Thom Yorke, who can compete. This is what Dr Hook wisely did on their cover (which has a more subversive flavour than Norma's) and Flans himself did on his successful Bills, Bills, Bills cover.

Musically, it's almost like muzak with all the soul of the original sucked out. As a parent, I quite like singing nursery rhymes to my child. Hence much you tubing of songs to try and remember all the words! What I find frustrating are how many versions are so bland and lacking any life or spirit. This cover reminds me of that. The band are skilled and inventive coverers but not with this one. They'd have been better off having Linnell sing it as a kind of sea shanty with the accordion and Flans doing back up, or if they wanted to stay truer to the original get Robin to sing it, as she has a wonderful voice. Dr Hook's version could have been a template for them to work from, a funky arrangement and more engaged vocal means this vies with Norma's original for the one you'd want to play. I'd go for Norma's on a chilled out playlist and Dr Hook's whilst driving in the car on a sunny day. TMBG's version lags a distant third and is not one I'd like to return too. One senses this was recorded in one session to fill up another week. It bodes ill for the kids album if it makes the cut. (Mr Tuck)

I think it's telling by the late updating of TMBW and the lack of other reviews here that TMBG have committed perhaps the most mortal sin of all this summer - they have become *boring*. ~SirDarrell

To add insult to injury—the injury being a regrettable purchase—there are many original DAS tracks that never got a proper studio incarnation and are still being ignored. To name a couple, there are "No Answer" and "What is Everyone Staring at?", but there are many more. If TMBG are not going to be producing original work, they might as well cover some of their neglected tracks. Barrieau (talk) 20:56, 31 July 2015 (EDT)

Just because people aren't writing reviews doesn't mean they don't enjoy the songs. I, for one, thought this song was really cute and fun, but I don't really have much more to say about it than that, and I didn't really think that was worthy of a post. I don't think it's fair to take lack of discussion as lack of enjoyment. I most certainly have not found any of the new material "boring"--even the ones I haven't particularly liked (and there are only a couple of those) aren't ones I'd apply that label to. --Self Called Nowhere (talk) 04:58, 1 August 2015 (EDT)

Agreed. It's a problem with the arrangements and also a lack of energy. Too much stuff is being churned out to fill the schedule. Pretty much everything is overproduced (very little sounds remotely live on record anymore - I'd kill for a few songs with the accordion at the forefront rather than samey synths) and there is also a conformity about the arrangements that makes them sound MOR I've argued before that it's all too cosy on Planet Giant. They now sound like the kind of band that they were against back in the 80s!

If I were their producer (and I am available) I'd be throwing a lot of stuff back and saying not good enough. Get out the comfort zone. One can forgive them on this track: filling this 52 week schedule must be hard; but not on Glean which is one of their most filler albums ever. One thing you note from the Giants, is that they never ever say an album wasn't up to scratch or say anything that is remotely self critical. Lennon and McCartney were harsher on themselves than the Giants! I feel they are at that point where they need to shake it up all else the work will just continue to trail off. I've said it before but is anyone in the Giants camp willing or able to be constructively critical. (Mr Tuck)

What a bunch of nattering nabobs of negativism.[1] This is a delightful song intended for kids, people--get over yourselves. Geez.

It might be a song intended for kids, but it's still a weak cover. The original or the DR Hook version are both infinitely superior. Criticism is not negativity, it's how one judges the relative strengths of whatever it is one is discussing. (Mr Tuck)

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing?

I feel like this might be a reference to the Fudge books. In the books, the main characters have a Dog named Turtle. I don't know, I just get that idea every time I hear it. Next in Line (talk) 11:13, 11 August 2015 (EDT)

There's a gem

I'm a novelty song nut, and this one was new to me. I enjoyed listening to the original, too.--Pittsburghmuggle (talk) 05:13, 2 December 2015 (EST)