Tony Joe White — Polk Salad Annie
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Total ratings: 1160
Length: 3:38
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Now some of y'all never been down South too much
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this
So that you'll understand
What I'm talking about
Down there we have a plant that grows out
In the woods and the fields
Looks somethin' like a turnip green
Everybody calls it Polk salad, polk salad, huh
Used to know a girl that lived down there and
She'd go out in the evenings and pick her 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
There lived a girl that I swear to the world
Made the alligators look tame
Polk salad Annie, polk salad Annie
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause her mama was working on a chain-gang
A mean business woman
Now, everyday 'fore supper time
She'd go down by the truck patch
And pick her a mess o' Polk salad
And carry it home in a tote sack
Polk salad Annie
The gators got you granny
(Chomp, chomp, chomp)
Everybody said it was a shame
Cause her mama was a-workin' on a chain gang
A wretched, spiteful, straight-razor totin' woman
Lord have mercy, pick a mess of it
Her daddy was lazy and no count
Claimed he had a bad back
All her brothers were fit for
Was stealin' watermelons out of my truck patch
Polk salad Annie
The gators got your granny
(Woo hoo)
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause her mama was a-working on a chain gang
Sock a little polk salad to me
Know I need a mess of it
Ooh, good God
Got to have me
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this
So that you'll understand
What I'm talking about
Down there we have a plant that grows out
In the woods and the fields
Looks somethin' like a turnip green
Everybody calls it Polk salad, polk salad, huh
Used to know a girl that lived down there and
She'd go out in the evenings and pick her 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
There lived a girl that I swear to the world
Made the alligators look tame
Polk salad Annie, polk salad Annie
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause her mama was working on a chain-gang
A mean business woman
Now, everyday 'fore supper time
She'd go down by the truck patch
And pick her a mess o' Polk salad
And carry it home in a tote sack
Polk salad Annie
The gators got you granny
(Chomp, chomp, chomp)
Everybody said it was a shame
Cause her mama was a-workin' on a chain gang
A wretched, spiteful, straight-razor totin' woman
Lord have mercy, pick a mess of it
Her daddy was lazy and no count
Claimed he had a bad back
All her brothers were fit for
Was stealin' watermelons out of my truck patch
Polk salad Annie
The gators got your granny
(Woo hoo)
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause her mama was a-working on a chain gang
Sock a little polk salad to me
Know I need a mess of it
Ooh, good God
Got to have me
Comments (59)add comment
Go watch the live version live
If you could bottle Tony Joe White's grunt, it would make a fortune.
Grammarcop wrote:
I did find this anecdote:
It seems some supporters of James Polk, the 11th president of the
United States, mistakenly thought pokeberry was named for the president.
As such, they would often wear springs of pokeweed on their lapels or
around their neck in his honor.
Properly this should be "Poke Salad Annie" because the salad is made with the leaves of Phytolacca americana, which is more commonly known as American pokeweed. The berries are poisonous to humans but the birds can eat them without a problem.
I did find this anecdote:
It seems some supporters of James Polk, the 11th president of the
United States, mistakenly thought pokeberry was named for the president.
As such, they would often wear springs of pokeweed on their lapels or
around their neck in his honor.
Properly this should be "Poke Salad Annie" because the salad is made with the leaves of Phytolacca americana, which is more commonly known as American pokeweed. The berries are poisonous to humans but the birds can eat them without a problem.
Love salad...and my girl Annie.
amb599 wrote:
More better! Ha!
Reminds me of one burbon, one scotch and one beer. Except that this is more original and more good :)
More better! Ha!
LOVE TJW - more please!
pinto wrote:
hahaha! THAT'S funny!
I don't know. I may be partial to Mia's cover of this song on Two and a Half Men.
hahaha! THAT'S funny!
I don't know. I may be partial to Mia's cover of this song on Two and a Half Men.
amb599 wrote:
More. Original. Than. 1953.
Reminds me of one burbon, one scotch and one beer. Except that this is more original and more good :)
More. Original. Than. 1953.
I can't help but think of that episode of Two and a Half Men every time I hear this song.
Straight up 10.
Zep wrote:
In some circles it is 'Poke'.
We have a good crop in our backyard. Not brave enough to try eating it though.
c.
All these years (back to when it first came out) I always thought it was "Poke Salad Annie."
In some circles it is 'Poke'.
We have a good crop in our backyard. Not brave enough to try eating it though.
c.
All these years (back to when it first came out) I always thought it was "Poke Salad Annie."
this has me dancing and dangling dangerously on a 10 foot ladder hanging some curtains - yeeeeehhaaawww
Powerful tune. Glad to finally hear the original. First heard this via the baritone treacle of legendary bluesman Captain Luke from the Music Maker Relief Foundation
Capt. Luke and Cool John Ferguson - Polk Salad Annie - Bing video
Capt. Luke and Cool John Ferguson - Polk Salad Annie - Bing video
First concert I ever attended in Vancouver sometime around 1969, this guy opened, Tower of Power was next, headliner was CCR. Heady days.
9 for the song - plus 1 for the girl on alligator
Dutch Mason version is the one for me ,, slow ,, bluesy ,,, warped the record on the back seat of the car ,,,,, played it with a quarter on the arm to stop the bounce,,,, this is pretty good too ,,,,,
Somehow, Pokeweed (without an L) became Polk Salad (with an L)
Gotta love language, eh?
Gotta love language, eh?
Very nice original.
But the live recordings of Elvis's cover version w/ James Burton on guitar and the Sweet Inspirations on background vocals is outta this world...
"Chicka bom - chicka bom. Chicka-bom-ba-bom-babom-bom-bom..."
But the live recordings of Elvis's cover version w/ James Burton on guitar and the Sweet Inspirations on background vocals is outta this world...
"Chicka bom - chicka bom. Chicka-bom-ba-bom-babom-bom-bom..."
Well that sure was good for a smile. I was ten-yrs-old when this came out. "POKE ah SEHled". A concise yet memorable line. :-)
memoryboxer wrote:
Or a GT40. (Used in the movie Ford v. Ferrari.)
makes me want to cruise a midnight highway in a voodoo Cadillac
Or a GT40. (Used in the movie Ford v. Ferrari.)
meatmike wrote:
We Southerners boil any leaf, call it greens, and eat it. I don't know why.
Why? You really want to go there?
We Southerners boil any leaf, call it greens, and eat it. I don't know why.
Why? You really want to go there?
Annie in her younger days
dutch mason has the best version ,, slow blues cool
Article from Saveur on Poke Sallet https://getpocket.com/explore/...
How Did This Poisonous Plant Become One of the American South’s Most Long-Standing Staples?
The plant’s inherent toxicity hasn't deterred those who swear by its delicious flavor and purported medicinal properties.
How Did This Poisonous Plant Become One of the American South’s Most Long-Standing Staples?
The plant’s inherent toxicity hasn't deterred those who swear by its delicious flavor and purported medicinal properties.
ImaOldman wrote:
You must not be "southern", because poke salad IS a thing (made from poke greens from a pokeberry bush) and "poke" as "southern for pork" is definitely NOT a thing. It might *sound* like that to a yankee ear, but southern folk know the difference between "poke" and "pork", even if they say it the same way.
Now what kind of hillbilly names their song "Polk Salad Annie" is an entirely different question.
I always thought he was singing "Poke salad Annie" poke being southern for pork, great old song though.
You must not be "southern", because poke salad IS a thing (made from poke greens from a pokeberry bush) and "poke" as "southern for pork" is definitely NOT a thing. It might *sound* like that to a yankee ear, but southern folk know the difference between "poke" and "pork", even if they say it the same way.
Now what kind of hillbilly names their song "Polk Salad Annie" is an entirely different question.
Man, I haven't heard this one for decades. Great groove!
bam23 wrote:
It's quite poisonous as a mature plant, especially the roots, but the young leaves have been eaten in this country, primarily in the South, as a green vegetable for a long time. It's a weed, both there and in California, where it can get huge since there is no freezing season. You can buy canned poke greens in grocery stores. Not a recommendation, by the way, as I have never tried them from the can or the plant. Their reddish-purple berries are eaten by birds and were used as a fabric dye in colonial times.
We Southerners boil any leaf, call it greens, and eat it. I don't know why.
It's quite poisonous as a mature plant, especially the roots, but the young leaves have been eaten in this country, primarily in the South, as a green vegetable for a long time. It's a weed, both there and in California, where it can get huge since there is no freezing season. You can buy canned poke greens in grocery stores. Not a recommendation, by the way, as I have never tried them from the can or the plant. Their reddish-purple berries are eaten by birds and were used as a fabric dye in colonial times.
We Southerners boil any leaf, call it greens, and eat it. I don't know why.
cogarch wrote:
It's quite poisonous as a mature plant, especially the roots, but the young leaves have been eaten in this country, primarily in the South, as a green vegetable for a long time. It's a weed, both there and in California, where it can get huge since there is no freezing season. You can buy canned poke greens in grocery stores. Not a recommendation, by the way, as I have never tried them from the can or the plant. Their reddish-purple berries are eaten by birds and were used as a fabric dye in colonial times.
It's quite poisonous as a mature plant, especially the roots, but the young leaves have been eaten in this country, primarily in the South, as a green vegetable for a long time. It's a weed, both there and in California, where it can get huge since there is no freezing season. You can buy canned poke greens in grocery stores. Not a recommendation, by the way, as I have never tried them from the can or the plant. Their reddish-purple berries are eaten by birds and were used as a fabric dye in colonial times.
lizardking wrote:
Wow, Francis Marion is well preserved :p.
Funkin out to the Swamp Fox! A great way to spend a 'hang-over' Friday after a Thursday 4th of July....uggg turned to COOL...Long Live RP!!
Wow, Francis Marion is well preserved :p.
HO-LEE SHIT!!
Haven't heard this since high school. Nice to realize it still rocks the house! BillG, where do you get your inspiration?
PS: It is indeed POKE salad, from pokeweed, the main ingredient. Click here for a 21st century recipe.
Haven't heard this since high school. Nice to realize it still rocks the house! BillG, where do you get your inspiration?
PS: It is indeed POKE salad, from pokeweed, the main ingredient. Click here for a 21st century recipe.
I always thought he was singing "Poke salad Annie" poke being southern for pork, great old song though.
Great flashback. I remember finding this song on a sampler album put out by the record company in 1970; Tony Joe White's "Polk Salad Annie" was the most memorable cut!
Think I need to visit Louisiana real soon. Love this tone.
Funkin out to the Swamp Fox! A great way to spend a 'hang-over' Friday after a Thursday 4th of July....uggg turned to COOL...Long Live RP!!
makes me want to cruise a midnight highway in a voodoo Cadillac
When I looked up Polk in Wikipedia the nearest thing was pokeweed, a poisonous weed..
Just passed less than a month ago. R.I.P. Tony Joe White
R.I.P., tjw.
Chomp. Chompchomp. What a cool song. I love it!
How about playing some of his later stuff Bill?
Ray Wylie's 'Mother Blues' should be next...
WOOF! I went and hooked up with Sally's sister Sheila, gawd allmighty I'm still healin' : (
Music list is frozen at TJ White, but VLC tells me it is Jesca Hoop, now unmistakably Natalie. Ahh! Bill's on top of things. All is well again.
Reminds me of one burbon, one scotch and one beer. Except that this is more original and more good :)
What a blast from the past. Wikipedia calls the genre of White's work "Swamp Rock"! Not exactly sure what that means but the Louisiana Cajun and Zydeco influences are great. Good fun and a great story tune.
Only knew the (better) version of Elvis before, nice to hear the original!
Elvis would get the ten, and this gets a good 8!
Elvis would get the ten, and this gets a good 8!
ghoffman wrote:
I remember hearing it quite a bit back in the day. And in your neck of the woods, too (DFW).
A classic late 60s tune that never got much air play. I'm glad to hear it. 
I was thinking just the other day that I should request it.
I was thinking just the other day that I should request it.I remember hearing it quite a bit back in the day. And in your neck of the woods, too (DFW).
wow, long time not playing this nice tune...
Love it!
Reminds me of Burt Reynolds' "Gator" movie days, for some reason!
Reminds me of Burt Reynolds' "Gator" movie days, for some reason!
Yeah! It's groovie baby.
A classic late 60s tune that never got much air play. I\'m glad to hear it. I was thinking just the other day that I should request it.
I was thinking just the other day that I should request it.What a bizarre song to put in the mix, but boy! do I like his voice! 
Classic!! Thanks!!!
Gosh, it\'s been years since I heard this one. Always amusing, especially to hear it here! Only heard it before on 10 at 10 on KFOG (the best 40 minutes of radio ever. Still.)
Go watch the live version live
Excellent!