Baha Men get a foot in the door with ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’

Anyone who has logged any time watching sports on the couch lately has likely been introduced to the Baha Men, via the group's barking hit "Who Let the Dogs Out." Currently getting airplay in an American sports arena near you, "Who Let the Dogs Out" now gets spins in between Gary Glitter's "Rock N' Roll #2" and Queen's "We Will Rock You."

Blending Junkanoo--a Caribbean style of music which uses instruments such as goatskin drums and cowbells--with a hip-hop attitude turned "Who Let the Dogs Out" from a Caribbean regional hit for songwriter Anslem Douglas into a song that sports teams in the U.S. race to embrace as their own.

Fresh from a performance before Wednesday's (10/25) World Series game between the Mets and Yankees at New York's Shea Stadium, Baha Men founder Isaiah Taylor said that he's perfectly comfortable with having his group's song used to get crowds woofing.

"It's good--you know how many people in this world make records every day," the bassist/vocalist said. "How many people can say, 'I hear my song at every arena at all the sporting events.' It's a good feeling, it's a great feeling."

Taylor admits that he originally opposed the idea of covering "Who Let the Dogs Out," but allowed that he now thanks his lucky stars that he caved in.

"Steve Greenberg is the executive of the record company S Curve. He heard the song and said 'That song can be a hit if it's recorded the right way.' It was Steve's idea. The project was his baby. I rejected the song. Because the whole thing to me was that it was a hit in the Caribbean. ... He said to me, 'Do this one song for me and whatever you want to do after that is fine.' He convinced me, and I thank God every minute of the day that he did."

The Baha Men started out playing under the name High Voltage in 1979, and switched to their current moniker in 1992 after encountering several other bands with the High Voltage name. The band has shuffled members over the years, but the present line-up features lead singers Rick Carey, Omerit Hield, Marvin Prosper, guitarists Herschel Small and Patrick Carey, percussionists Colyn "Mo" Grant and Anthony "Monks" Flowers, Taylor and keyboardist Jeffrey Cher.

The Baha Men have two weeks worth of tour dates with 'NSync in November, and plan a world tour for next year. Taylor said eight songs have been written towards a new album. Considering the fact that there are two versions of "Who Let the Dogs Out" on the album of the same name, it would be reasonable to think that "Who Let the Dogs Out 2" might be on it's way, but Taylor said the Baha Men will steer clear of that rocky avenue.

"No, the 'Dogs' is a different type of song. It's catchy, but that's in an arena by itself. We have other songs that will also be just as good [which] won't be that catchy for the arenas but will still be good in terms of lyrics and music."