Me and You and a Dog named Boo by Lobo

Album: Introducing Lobo (1971)

Charted: 4 5

License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

This song is about two hippies and a dog taking a cross-country road trip in an old car that runs poorly. The protagonists of the song get mired in the Georgia clay, steal food from a farmer and work to pay it off, and end up living in Los Angeles, but the old car makes them want to hit the road again. Judging from my experience with classic cars, the 1946-55 Kaiser automobile runs poorly and fits into the time frame of the song. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Darrell - Eugene, United States
Lobo is singer/songwriter Roland Kent LaVoie. Lobo means "Wolf" in Spanish. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Diana - Huntsville, AL
Apparently, many people mistakenly call this "You And Me And A Dog Named Boo," even though it messes up the rhyme. Funnily enough, Lobo tried out the "You And Me" title first (sans Boo), but he couldn't make it work. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place when his German shepherd, Boo, ran into the room and sparked his imagination.

Lobo told the story in a 2013 interview: "I was working on several songs, including a tune about traveling around the country with this girl, and I was trying to rhyme 'you and me.' Now 'me and you' would have been easier, but I was trying to do it with proper grammar. I couldn't find anything to rhyme that fit what I wanted to say in the song. Finally, after I got back home to Florida, I decided to turn the phrase around to 'me and you.' I was thinking about it, sitting in a room that had a big sliding glass door overlooking the back yard. My big German shepherd dog: Boo, came running around the corner and looked in at me. I said: 'Well, now, that's kinda freaky. How about putting 'a dog named Boo' into the song?' That's literally how it came about. All of a sudden the song really started coming together. I hadn't been to any of the places mentioned in the song except Georgia, but I just kept putting in places that sounded far away like Minneapolis and LA."
This was LaVoie's debut single under the Lobo moniker. He issued a string of hits throughout the '70s, including two more Top 10 singles: "I'd Love You To Want Me" and "Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend."
This was used in the TV shows Big Love ("Winter" - 2011) and Veronica Mars ("M.A.D." - 2005).

Comments: 15

Sam A. Burkes Lll from Phila, Miss.I have dearly loved this song, rather simplex as it was, and had performed it in about 1972 in a trio, of my brother in bass, Him Monroe in drums, myself on rudimentary solo guitar. Played this on my '67 Rickenbacker 12-string thru a Fender Super Reverb Amp. Bro had a Gibson EBObass, Fender Twin Amp, can with 15" spkrs. Jimmy had a TigerSwiel set of Kent drums. all he could afford. Sing sounded great! Used a capo. like LaVoie did. Thanks Lobo!! Those were fun days..I was skinnier, sang better!!
Robert E from OntarioLoved this song so much I named my dog Boo!!
Mr Curious from New YorkGreat song! Question for those cagey yet clever souls out there: Who's the brunette with the silver wrist bracelet sitting in that old car?
Dee from CincinnatiLove this song. I hadn't heard it for years!
Dede T from MinnesotaSt Paul, as in Minnesota? Anybody know
Seventhmist from 7th HeavenMonsters, Inc: Me and you and a kid named Boo.
Dean from Birmingham, AlAusten (and Duane) Walk Away from it All was good song too!
Carolyn from Knoville, TnFor John: the words are "a woman's mind told me that's so" which I think indicates that the woman believed that if you wanted something badly enough (willpower made that old car go) you could make it happen.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyWhen I first heard this song I thought the dog's name was 'Blue'; wasn't until I saw the actual record I realized my mistake!!!
Duke from Iowa City, Ia"the morning we got caught by an old hen".
The line is "The morning we got caught robbin' from an old hen."
They were stealing eggs.

The song goes on to say "Old Mcdonald".
Old McDonald would be the farmer, as in "Old McDonald Had A Farm.
Peter from Windsor, On@John: Reading a transcription out of a fake book shows me "woman's" and "hen".

I have no good explanation for the former, but as for the latter...it's almost literal; they were trying to steal eggs for food, but got caught by the farmer when the old hen started a'fussin'.
John from North Arlington, NjI have seen lyric versions of this song on the net that in the first verse say "willpower made that old car go; a woman's mind told me that's so. Other versions say "willpower made that old car go, my roamin' mind told me that's so.
"my roamin' mind" makes more sense, but it sounds like Lobo is saying "woman's"

Also, "the morning we got caught by an old hen". The song goes on to say "Old Mcdonald". But that would be a male. Could they be saying "the morning we got caught by an old hand", as in an old farm hand?
Austen from Fourwinds, TxDuane, the B Side of "You And Me And A Dog Named Boo" was a song called "Walk Away From It All". This is on the 7" 45 single that would have been what most radio stations used for their airplay rotations. "Walk Away From It All" was also on the album "Introducing Lobo" (at least I am pretty sure it was) and can be heard at this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UScSrTfUMRg
Howard from St. Louis Park, MnThis was the song that put Lobo on the musical map in 1971. To me, it was a story song that would have also made a great country hit. It's probably the only song to mention Minnesota's capitol city St. Paul and Old McDonald.
Duane from Collierville, TnDoes anyone remember the song on the flip side of "You and me and a dog named Boo"?

Thanks

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Live ForeverOasis

The Oasis song "Live Forever" was written in response to "I Hate Myself And I Want To Die" by Nirvana. "Kids don't need to hear that nonsense," said Noel Gallagher.

Put Your Records OnCorinne Bailey Rae

Corinne Bailey Rae's 2006 hit "Put Your Records On" borrows the opening line ("Three little birds sat on my window") from the Bob Marley song "Three Little Birds." Both songs have the same message: Don't worry, because every little thing's going to be alright.

When I'm 64The Beatles

In The Beatles' "When I'm 64," Paul McCartney asks a woman if she'll still be there for him when he's 64. In 2006, he got his answer when shortly before his 64th birthday, he and Heather Mills separated.

Try AgainAaliyah

Until December 5, 1998, a song had to be issued as a single to make the Hot 100. Aaliyah's "Try Again" was the first tune to top the chart based on airplay alone, without any sales figures being included.

I Remember EverythingZach Bryan

Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves had both gone through divorces when they wrote and recorded the wrenching duet "I Remember Everything." It was the first #1 Hot 100 hit for each of them.

Bad RomanceLady Gaga

Lady Gaga is a big fan of horror movies; listen for the names of these three Alfred Hitchcock films in the lyrics to "Bad Romance": Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window.