About the song
Tony Joe White’s “Polk Salad Annie” is a timeless Southern rock classic that has captivated audiences for decades. Released in 1969, the song became a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, solidifying White’s status as one of the most influential musicians of his generation.
The song’s intro immediately sets the stage with a catchy guitar riff and a driving rhythm. White’s distinctive, gravelly vocals then come in, delivering the lyrics with a sense of humor and swagger. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a woman named Annie, who is known for her love of polk salad and her ability to attract men.
One of the song’s most memorable aspects is its infectious chorus, which features the line, “Polk salad Annie, she’s a woman of the night.” The chorus’s repetitive refrain further reinforces the song’s central theme of a woman who is both mysterious and alluring.
The song’s production is simple yet effective, with White’s guitar playing providing the primary accompaniment. The arrangement allows his vocals and the lyrics to take center stage, creating a raw and intimate atmosphere.
“Polk Salad Annie” is a testament to the enduring power of Southern rock. Its timeless melody, catchy lyrics, and White’s charismatic performance have made it a beloved classic that continues to resonate with audiences of all ages. The song’s enduring popularity is a testament to White’s talent and his ability to create music that transcends time and genre.
Video
Lyrics
If some of ya’ll never been down south too much
Some y’all never been down s-
I’m gonna tell you a little story so’s you’ll understand what I’m talkin’ about
Down there we have a plant that grows out in the woods, and the fields
And it looks somethin’ like a turnip green
Everybody calls it polk salad
Now that’s 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
Because 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 tame
Polk salad Annie, gators got your granny
Everybody said it was a shame
Because her momma was a workin’ on the chain gang
A mean vicious woman
Everyday before 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
Everybody says it was a shame
Because her momma was a workin’ on the chain gang
A wretched, spiteful, straight-razor totin’ woman
Lord have Mercy, pick a mess of it
Sock a little polk salad to me
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
Everybody said it was a shame
Because her momma was a workin’ on the chain gang
Yeah, sock a little polk salad to me, you know I need me a mess of it
Sock a little
Sock a little polk salad to me, you know I need a real mess of it (chick-a-boom)
Sock a little polk salad, you know I need a real (chick-a-boom)
Ching-ching-ching-ching-a-ling (chick-a-boom)
Ching-ching-ching-ching-a-ling (chick-a-boom)
Ching-ching-ching-ching-a-ling (chick-a-boom)
Ching-ching-ching-ching-a-ling (chick-a-boom)
Ching-ching-ching-ching-a-ling (chick-a-boom)
Ching-ching-ching-ching-a-ling (chick-a-boom)
Ching-ching-ching-ching-a-ling (chick-a-boom)
Ching-ching-ching-ching-a-ling (chick-a-boom)