“Polk Salad Annie” is a song written and originally performed by Tony Joe White. It was released by him in 1969 as a single and later included in his album “Black and White.” The song gained popularity and has been covered by several artists, including Elvis Presley.
Elvis Presley included a live version of “Polk Salad Annie” in his concert repertoire during the early 1970s. The song was a part of his live performances, and it became a fan favorite. Presley’s rendition of the song captured the energy and charisma he was known for on stage.
“Polk Salad Annie” is characterized by its swampy, bluesy sound and storytelling lyrics. It tells the story of a woman named Annie who lives in the Louisiana bayou and gathers polk salad, a type of green leafy plant, to make a meal. The song describes the life and struggles of the people living in the southern United States, and it’s known for its catchy rhythm and memorable chorus.
Elvis Presley’s version of “Polk Salad Annie” showcases his ability to infuse his own style into different genres of music, and it remains a notable example of his live performances. The song’s catchy melody and engaging narrative have made it a classic in both Tony Joe White’s and Elvis Presley’s catalogs.
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Lyrics
Some of you all never been down South too much…
I’ gonna tell you a little story, so you’ll understand where I’m talking about
Down there we have a plant that grows out in the woods and the fields,
and it looks something like a turnip green.
Everybody calls it Polk salad. Now that’s Polk salad.
Used to know a girl that lived down there and
she’d go out in the evenings to pick a mess of it…
Carry it home and cook it for supper, ’cause that’s about all they had to eat,
But they did all right.Down in Louisiana
Where the alligators grow so mean
Lived a girl that I swear to the world
Made the alligators look tamePolk salad Annie
‘Gators got your granny
Everybody said it was a shame
For the mama was working on the chain-gang
What a mean, vicious womanEveryday before suppertime
She’d go down by the truck patch
And pick her a mess of Polk salad
And carry it home in a tote sackPolk salad Annie
‘Gators got you granny
Everybody said it was a shame
‘Cause the mama was working on the chain-gang
Whoo, how wretched, dispiteful, straight-razor totin’ woman,
Lord have mercy.Sock a little Polk salad to him
Yeah, you know what, yeah, yeahBut daddy was a lazy and a no-count
Claimed he had a bad back
All her brothers were fit for
Was stealing watermelons out of my truckFor once Polk salad Annie
‘Gators got your granny
Everybody said it was a shame
For the mama was working on the chain-gangSock a little Polk salad to him
You know what meets a meal mention
You sock a little
Hey, hey, hey, yeah, yeah
Chic a bon, chic a bon, chic a bon bon bon bon
Chic a bon, chic a bon, chic a bon bon bon bon
Sock a little Polk salad to him
You know what meets a meal mention
Sock a little Polk salad to him
You know what meets a meal mention
Chinc, chinc, chinc, chin, ling, ling ling