Poke Salad Annie Lyrics
Tony Joe White
Lyrics
Some of you all never been down south too much
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this
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, 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, 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 the 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 tote sack
Polk salad Annie the 'gators got you granny
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause the mama was working on the chain gang
A wretched, spiteful, straight razor totin' woman
Lord have mercy, pick a mess of it
Her daddy was a lazy and no count
Claimed he had a bad back
All her brothers were fit for
Was stealing watermelons out of my truck
That's polk salad Annie the 'gators got your granny
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause her mama was working on the chain gang
Sock a little polk salad to him
You know I need a meal mention
Come on good girl
Gotta help me
Song & Lyrics Facts
Tony Joe White's "Poke Salad Annie" is a song from his 1968 album, Tony Joe. The single was released in 1969 and peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
It has been described as a mix of blues, country, folk and rock and roll music. Written by Tony Joe White, it features him playing electric guitar and singing lead vocals. He is backed up by a band consisting of Kenny Malone (drums), Norbert Putnam (bass) and Mac Gayden (guitar). The lyrics of "Poke Salad Annie" tell the story of a young girl living in rural Louisiana who loves to pick wild pokeweed salad. The song paints a vivid portrait of life in the Deep South during the 1960s. In addition to its commercial success, the song has become an enduring classic covered by numerous artists over the years.