Mary Mac, all dressed in black
Silver buttons up and down her back
High, low, tipsy toe
She broke a needle now she can’t sew
Walkin’ the dog
I’m just walkin’ your dog
Well if you don’t know how to do it
I’ll show you how to walk the dog
Ask my mama for 15 cents
To see the elephant jump the fence
It jumped so high it touched the sky
Didn’t come back ’til the 4th of July
Walkin’ the dog
I’m just walkin’ your dog
Well if you don’t know how to do it
I’ll show you how to walk the dog
Ha, uh, ha, uh
Uh, uh, uh, uh
Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
Well well, silver bells and little bitty bitty white shells
Pretty maids all in a row
Walkin’ your dog
I’m just walkin’ your dog
Well if you don’t know how to do it
I’ll show you how to walk the dog
Well if you don’t know how to do it
I’ll show you how to walk the dog
Well if you don’t know how to do it
I’ll show you how to walk the dog
Playful Nostalgia and Streetwise Swagger
“Walkin’ The Dog” by Aerosmith is a lively, blues-infused rock track that blends playful nursery rhyme references with a laid-back, streetwise attitude. The lyrics weave together familiar childhood imagery—like Mary Mac in her buttoned dress and the classic “Mary, Mary, quite contrary”—to create a sense of nostalgia and whimsy. Yet, beneath these lighthearted lines is a confident, almost cheeky tone, as the narrator boasts about “walking the dog” and offers to show others how it’s done. The repeated chorus emphasizes this cool, effortless swagger, inviting listeners to join in the fun and movement of the song.
Song Credits
- Songwriters: Rufus Thomas
- Release Year: 1973
- Label: Columbia Records