any one ▁who ' s ▁ever ▁heard ▁the ▁Big ▁M ama ▁Thor nt on ▁original ▁would ▁probably ▁argue ▁otherwise ." ▁Pres ley ▁was ▁aware ▁of ▁and ▁appreciated ▁Big ▁M ama ▁Thor nt on ' s ▁original ▁recording ▁of ▁" H ound ▁Dog ", ▁and ▁had ▁a ▁copy ▁in ▁his ▁personal ▁record ▁collection . ▁Ron ▁Smith , ▁a ▁school friend ▁of ▁Pres ley ' s , ▁says ▁he ▁rem embers ▁El vis ▁singing ▁along ▁to ▁a ▁version ▁by ▁Tommy ▁Dun can ▁( le ad ▁singer ▁for ▁the ▁classic ▁line up ▁of ▁Bob ▁Will s ▁and ▁the ▁Texas ▁Play bo ys ). ▁According ▁to ▁another ▁school mate , ▁El vis ' ▁favorite ▁r ' n ' b ▁song ▁was ▁" B ear ▁Cat ▁( the ▁Answer ▁to ▁H ound ▁Dog )" ▁by ▁R uf us ▁Thomas , ▁a ▁hero ▁of ▁Pres ley ' s . ▁ ▁Ag ree ing ▁with ▁Robert ▁F ink , ▁who ▁claims ▁that ▁" H ound ▁Dog " ▁as ▁performed ▁by ▁Pres ley ▁was ▁intended ▁as ▁a ▁" w itt y ▁multi ra cial ▁piece ▁of ▁s yg n ify in ' ▁humor , ▁trop ing ▁off ▁white ▁over rea ctions ▁to ▁a ▁black ▁sexual ▁in nu endo ", ▁Fre ya ▁Jar man - I vens ▁as ser ts ▁that ▁" Pres ley ' s ▁version ▁of ▁' H ound ▁Dog ' ▁started ▁its ▁life ▁as ▁a ▁black face ▁comedy ", ▁in ▁the ▁manner ▁of ▁Al ▁J ol son , ▁but ▁more ▁especially ▁" A fr ican - American ▁perform ers