Who let the dogs out the song

This was written by Anslem Douglas, a musician from Trinidad who wrote it two years before The Baha Men recorded it - his original version is called "Doggie." Various versions were hits in the Caribbean, but The Baha Men toned down the calypso rhythm to make it more appealing to American listeners.
We have yet to meet someone who can remember any words to this song other than the chorus, which is: "Who let the dogs out? Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof." The song does have verses and even a hint of meaning - the lyrics are about disrespectful men who hit on women at a party.
In 2015, when we asked Rik Carey of Baha Men about this song's appeal, he gave this explanation: "People are just into their dogs."
So how does he feel about the song years later? "It's a blessing, so I wouldn't ever want to change that," Carey said. "It gave us all this experience, so I'm not going to fight it."
A key component of this song is the bellowing voice that asks the question, "Who let the dogs out!" Every group member auditioned for this line, which went to Marvin Prosper, who was a vocalist in the group.
Considering what a sensation this song was in America, it had a surprisingly low chart position, peaking at just #40. While the song seemed to be everywhere, its omnipresence was due more to cultural references than to record sales or airplay. Few radio stations put the song in rotation, and in this pre-download era, consumers had little interest in owning the single. To put it in perspective of other one-hit wonders of the era, Lou Bega's "Mambo No 5 (A Little Bit Of)" made #3, and "Macarena" spent a shocking 14 weeks at #1.
Knowing most radio stations would have no interest in this song, it was marketed through sports, with the single sent to various baseball, basketball, football, hockey and soccer teams in hopes that they would play it at games.The radio promotion machine was built around calls and visits to program directors in an effort to win favor, and this same approach was made to promote this song, except they courted the musical directors of the arenas instead of the PDs. These personal appeals worked, and the song entered rotation at a slew of sporting events, often used after the home team made a big play.
Most of the music played during sporting events is during lulls in the action - after a foul ball in a baseball game or when a football team is in the huddle - which is only room for about 12 seconds of a song. Songs with quick, high energy, easily understood hooks work well, and "Who Let The Dogs Out" fit the bill for these jock jams.
The Baha Men recording of this song was the brainchild of their producer, Steve Greenberg, who heard a version of the song by Fat Jakk and his Pack of Pets in 1998. Greenberg hated the song but loved the hook and was convinced he could work it into a hit. He convinced the Baha Men to record it and let the charge to get the song distributed and heard.
Greenberg had some experience foisting catchy, unorthodox tunes on unsuspecting listeners: He was executive producer of the 1997 Hanson hit "MMMbop."
The title became a popular catch phrase in America when it was used in the 2000 World Series between the Mets and Yankees. At one point, an exasperated reporter who was sick of hearing the same questions over and over asked Yankees manager Joe Torre if he knew who let the dogs out.
This caused a spat with the Seattle Mariners baseball team, which was the first pro franchise to put the song in rotation. Catcher Joe Oliver was using it as his theme music, but shortstop Alex Rodriguez wanted it for himself. Rodriguez got his way because he was the star. The next year, Rodriquez signed a record $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers.
Eric Heimbold, who also did "Jump, Jive an' Wail" for The Brian Setzer Orchestra, directed the video, which was shot in various locations around Miami.
This is very popular with kids. It won Favorite Song at the 2001 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, and the following year Baha Men won for Favorite Band.
Shortly before Baha Men recorded this song, their lead singer, Nehemiah Hield, left the group. Steve Greenberg and his team went to the Bahamas to hold tryouts, and found three young singers to add to the band. These guys provided a more video-friendly look for the group, and their youthful energy came in handy when they had to travel the world performing this song over and over.
This won the 2000 Grammy for Best Dance Recording.
This was used in the 2000 movie Rugrats In Paris - the deal was made before the song became a hit. Other films that have used the song include:
Rat Race (2001)

Bubble Boy (2001)
Men in Black II (2002)
The Hangover (2009)Among the TV series to use the song:
South Park ("About Last Night..." - 2008)

Melissa & Joey ("Up Close & Personal" - 2010)
The Big Bang Theory ("The Engagement Reaction" - 2011)
Baha Men are one-hit wonders in America, but wildly popular in their home country of the Bahamas, where their upbeat tunes exhibit the friendly, relaxed nature of the islands. "Who Let The Dogs Out" has a Caribbean sound, but many of their other songs are distinctly Bahamian, with junkanoo rhythms formed by goat-skinned drums, whistles and horns. The group prides themselves on live performance, but had a hard time showing their skills in the "Dog" days.
Desmond Child helped produce this song. He is a prolific hitmaker who had worked with many artists, including Bon Jovi, Cher, Kelly Clarkson, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper and Joan Jett. His slick production helped make this accessible to a mainstream audience.
Rik Carey is the only member of the 9-piece Baha Men not to own a dog. He only owned cats.
Baha Men had one more hit on the Hot 100: "You All Dat" (featuring Imani Coppola) made #94 in 2001. The following year, they had some success collaborating with Aaron Carter on "Summertime," and also with the stadium-friendly "Move It Like This." Their 2004 album Holla! was their last until 2015, when they issued Ride With Me on Sony Records.
The Baha Men performed this live on ESPN's Sportscenter in 2000.
The group updated this song on their 2015 track "Off The Leash," which finds them getting wild at party.
The group appeared twice on The Simpsons, always parodying this song. In the 2002 episode "Large Marge," they sing it as "Who Let the Milk Out?"; and "Who Let Her Jugs Out?" In the 2005 episode "Thank God It's Doomsday," they do it as "Who Wants a Haircut?" The later was included on The Simpsons 2007 album Testify.

The nostalgia is real when it comes to Baha Men’s “Who Let The Dogs Out.” Most 90s kids remember hearing the song in Rugrats in Paris, which is how it achieved fame, and nowadays it’s used as a pump-up song in sports arenas everywhere.

However, when shouting back the boisterous “who, who, who, who, who!” at sports games, most don’t consider the meaning of “Who Let The Dogs Out.” And we certainly weren’t thinking about it as kids.

Looking at the lyrics today, we can see that they are actually quite feminist. They depict a bumping party where everybody is dancing and having a good time until the men start aggressively hitting on the women.

This is depicted in the first verse:

Well the party was nice, the party was pumpin’ (Hey, Yippie-Yi-Yo)And everybody havin’ a ball (Hah, ho, Yippie-Yi-Yo)Until the fellas started name callin’ (Yippie-Yi-Yo)
And the girls respond to the call, I heard a woman shout out

First verse to “Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men.

As we can see, these fellas showed up at the party and started catcalling the women, who were previously having a ball.

However, these women look out for each other, so they shout out in response and refer to the disrespectful men as dogs. Hence the chorus:

Who let the dogs out?Who, who, who, who, who?Who let the dogs out?Who, who, who, who, who?
Who let the dogs out?
Chorus to “Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men.

The lyrics to the first bridge are fairly hard to make out, and are listed differently in different places, but the important part is that she calls this dog, named “Gruffy” or “Scruffy”, a “flea-infested mongrel.”

Below is the first bridge as listed on Genius:

I see ya’ little speedboat head up our coastShe really want to skip townGet back gruffy, back scruffy
Get back you flea-infested mongrel!
Bridge to “Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men.

Clearly these men are not doing themselves any favors with the women at the party, though to them it is just part of the game.

In the second verse we can see that the singer himself is playing that game, and he’s trying to tell himself not to be upset when a woman calls him a dog, because this is the game that he signed up for.

Baha men promotional shot from 2000.

His goal, at the end of the night, is to have a woman in front of him while he’s behind her. If you’re thinking of doggystyle, then you’re on the right track:

Gonna tell myself, “Hey man no get angry” (Hey, Yippie, Yi, Yo)To any girls calling them canine, hey! (Yippie, Yi, Yo)But they tell me “Hey Man, It’s part of the Party!” (Yippie Yi, Yo)
You put a woman in front and her man behind (Yippie, Yi, Yo), I heard a woman shout out

Second verse to “Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men.

Next up is another hit of that booming chorus, and then a short section with repeated lyrics stating how a doggy is nothing without his bone. Of course, this is yet another innuendo.

In the third verse, we can see that the singer has accepted his status as a dog, and has decided to stop thinking about it and just enjoy the night:

Well if I am a dog, the party is onI gotta get my groove cause my mind done goneDo you see the rays comin’ from my eyeWalking through the placeThat Diji man is breakin’ it down?Me and my white short shortsAnd I can’t see color, any color will doI’ll stick on you, that’s why they call me PitbullCause I’m the man of the land
When they see me they say Woo!
Third verse to “Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men.

We’re offered a visual of the white short shorts that this dog wears when he’s on the prowl, and he’s got rays coming from his eyes as he searches around the place for somebody to go home with.

He says that he doesn’t see color, meaning that he isn’t too picky about the woman he goes home with, and he’s ready to stick on the next willing participant like a pitbull.

“Who Let The Dogs Out” was not written by the Baha Men but rather by the Trinidadian composer Anslem Douglas, who first recorded the song as a single called “Doggie” in 1998.

Soon after, it was covered by Jonathan King with his project Fat Jakk and his Pack of Pets. King showed the track to record producer Steve Goldberg, who gave it to the Baha Men and “Who Let The Dogs Out Was Born”.

Listen to versions of the song by Baha Men, Anslem Douglas, and Fat Jakk and his Pack of Pets below.