About The Song
“Polk Salad Annie” is a 1968 song written and performed by Tony Joe White, known for its swamp rock style and catchy guitar riff. “Polk Salad Annie” was featured on Tony Joe White’s 1969 album, “Black and White”. Tony Joe White’s original version of “Polk Salad Annie” inspired many cover versions by other artists. The song became famous after Elvis Presley covered it, but some prefer White’s original version.
Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie” paints a picture of a girl, Annie, living in rural Southern poverty. The song describes the lifestyle of a poor rural Southern family and mentions a plant called polk salad, resembling turnip greens, which grows in the woods and fields of the region. The song reflects the cultural and culinary traditions of the region, where polk salad was a staple for some impoverished communities.
Video
Lyrics
If 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 in the fields
Looks somethin’ like a turnip green
And everybody calls it Polk salad, Polk salad
Used to know a girl 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, vicious woman
Everyday ‘fore supper time
She’d go down by the truck patch
And pick her a mess of Polk salad
And carry it home in a tow sack
Polk salad Annie
The gators got your 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
You know I need me a mess of it