Even a Dog Can Shake Hands is a song from Warren Zevon's 1987 album, Sentimental Hygiene.
About the Song[]
The song describes the life of a successful musician dealing with fans, tag-alongs, and agents in the general theme of everyone trying to benefit from his fame. The song describes how old "friends" are trying to mooch his money, how everyone is trying to get him to sign contracts by making grand and likely unsubstantiated promises, and how everyone seems to be trying to live off his success. The musician thinks cynically how all this supposed friendliness is phony noting that "even a dog can shake hands." This is a reference to a popular canine trick of getting a dog to stick out is paw on command so its owner can shake it. Given that Zevon never really acquired the mass fame described in the song, outside of the initial success of Excitable Boy, it seems a little odd that he would write a song like this. Though he was friends with many notable musicians and probably knew people in this position. Also, given that the album was his return to record producing, it might have been a slight wish for success with his comeback. The track was composed alongside Bill Berry, Peter Buck and Mike Mills and they might have also affected the lyrics.
Lyrics[]
Note: the text of this song's lyrics is not under the same copyright license as the wiki's encyclopedic text, it is used under fair use/dealing.
Well, he's trying to survive up on Mulholland Drive
He's got the phone in the car in his hand
Everybody's trying to be a friend of mine
Even a dog can shake hands
He wants twenty per cent 'cause he knew you back when
Now they all want a piece of the band
Everybody's trying to be a friend of mine
Even a dog can shake hands
All the worms and the gnomes are having lunch at Le Dome
They're all living off the fat of the land
Everybody's trying to be a friend of mine
Even a dog can shake hands
Sign Page 42
We'll do the rest for you
Find a way to make it pay
Don't lose your head
You'll end up dead
Or you'll be living in the Valley someday
Abandon all hope and don't rock the boat
And we'll all make a few hundred grand
Everybody's trying to be a friend of mine
Even a dog can shake hands
You'll be making the scene 'til they pick your bones clean
No, they don't leave much for the fans
Everybody's trying to be a friend of mine
Even a dog can shake hands
Sign Page 42
We'll do the rest for you
Find a way to make it pay
Don't lose your head
You'll end up dead
Or you'll be living in the Valley someday