"Hot Dog" is a recorded song on English rock band Led Zeppelin's 1979 album, In Through the Out Door. A fun, rollicking tune in the style of a country hoe-down, it features some Elvis-style vocals from singer Robert Plant. The song was influenced by American Rockabilly music, which Plant enjoyed. The lyrics about a girl in Texas who "Took my heart" may have been based on a real woman in Plant's life, but he called this a tribute to Texas and the state of mind of the people who lived there. Plant also mentions the name "U-Haul" in one of the song's verses, referencing the American-based, "move-it-yourself" company. The title of the song - Hot Dog - refers to a distinctly American cuisine.
Upon listening closely it is possible to hear Plant counting to four and a slight electronic buzz before the song begins. Guitarist Jimmy Page used a Fender Telecaster on this song, outfitted with a device called a B-Bender. This device, which raises the pitch of the guitar's B String via interface with the musician's guitar strap, can be heard at the end of the song's guitar solo.
"Hot Dog" was performed live at Led Zeppelin's performance at Knebworth in August 1979, placed rather awkwardly between "Ten Years Gone" and "The Rain Song", and on their tour of Europe in 1980. A promotional video was shot of the band's performance at Knebworth, which was the closest Led Zeppelin ever came to a music video. However, the track was omitted from the Led Zeppelin DVD , which was released in 2003 and instead featured various other songs performed by the band at Knebworth. This is possibly because Plant forgot some of the lyrics of the song when it was played at Knebworth.
Led Zeppelin parody cover band Dread Zeppelin recorded a version of this song on their album Hot & Spicy Beanburger.
