About the song
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to Elvis Presley, then you know that his music has a unique ability to transport you to another time and place. One such song that does this is “Polk Salad Annie,” a lively and humorous number that gives us a glimpse into the simpler, yet often challenging, life of people in the American South.
Recorded live, “Polk Salad Annie” is a classic Elvis performance. The King’s voice, with its signature blend of power and tenderness, is in top form as he delivers the song with infectious enthusiasm. The backing band provides a solid foundation, and Elvis’s trademark hip-shaking and energetic stage presence only add to the overall appeal.
The song itself is a fun and folksy tale about a young woman named Annie who gathers a wild green called polk salad for her family’s meals. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of rural Southern life, with references to alligators, chain gangs, and watermelon-stealing brothers. While the subject matter may seem simple, there’s a deeper meaning to be found in the song. It’s a celebration of resilience and the ability to find joy in the midst of hardship.
Elvis’s performance of “Polk Salad Annie” is more than just a catchy tune. It’s a cultural artifact that offers insights into the social and economic conditions of the American South in the mid-20th century. The song’s popularity is a testament to Elvis’s ability to connect with people from all walks of life.
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)
