Back in college I'd come home on breaks and drink at a cozy little pub in Ellicott City, Maryland on Route 108 that no longer exists: the Allview Inn. And that little bar had a stained glass window with this toast inscribed:

"To Autumn sun, to wily quail,
To rod and gun, to golden ale."

And so I cribbed that forgotten verse and modified it for the opening chorale. The lyrics for this one date to about 1990, but the melody and riffs were re-written in early 2003, I'd bet.

Not much of a text, I suppose: horny men. But the title has a nice double meaning at least: trying to get laid, and how frenzied dogs tire themselves out pointlessly.

That little phony choir at the beginning is an idea I've had for a while, inspired by the old Crickets records. When you hear Buddy Holly's guys singing, they sound so quaint compared to later rock n roll back ups. Almost like they're singing in church.

Well in the 80s, having a black gospel choir sing on your record was de riguer. No one surely ever wanted to take a white suburban choir of middleagers and put them on a rock record, though. Just not cool, bro. And so of course I wanted to do it, but never did. This song has my closest approximation. I did the same effect at the end of the song "Some Alternative" on "Ever So Transient," too.