I'm Looking Over My Dead Dog Rover

DESCRIPTION: Concerning the death of Rover, usually caused (inadvertently, one hopes) by the singer (e.g. by hitting Rover with a power mower). The text varies extremely, as does the cause of death; the only constant element seems to be the title line.
AUTHOR: unknown (tune "I"m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover" by Henry MacGregor Woods and Mort Dixon, 1927, according to Edward Foote Gardner, _Popular Songs of the Twentieth Century: Volume I -- Chart Detail & Encyclopedia 1900-1949_, Paragon House, 2000, p. 493)
EARLIEST DATE: 1988 (Pankake/Pankake-PrairieHomeCompanionFolkSongBook)
KEYWORDS: dog animal death humorous parody campsong
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (3 citations):
Pankake/Pankake-PrairieHomeCompanionFolkSongBook, p. 136, "I'm Looking Over My Dead Dog Rover" (2 texts, tune referenced)
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, p. 110, "I'm Looking Over My Dead Dog Rover" (notes only)
DT, DEADROVR
Roud #15720
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "I'm Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover" (tune)
NOTES [59 words]: I've never seen two versions of this song alike, and none of the printed versions matches my father's text. Looks to me like a genuine folk song, even if the plot is completely unfixed.
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, p. 110, quotes a source who claims this was written by a Boy Scout staff member at a camp in Butler (Ohio?). Possible, but beyond proof. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.5
File: DTdeadro

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