Released: June 18, 1972

Songwriter: Tony Joe White

[Verse 1]
Some of you all never been down South too much
I'm going to tell you a little story, 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. Now that's 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, 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

[Chorus]
Polk salad Annie
Alligators got your granny
Everybody said it was a shame
For the mama was working on the chain-gang
What a mean, vicious woman

[Verse 2]
Everyday before suppertime
She'd go down by the truck patch
And pick her a mess of Polk salad
And carry it home in a tote sack




[Chorus]
Polk salad Annie
Alligators got you granny
Everybody said it was a shame
Because the mama was working on the chain-gang
Whoo, how wretched, despiteful, straight-razor toting woman
Lord have mercy

Sock a little Polk salad to him
Yeah, you know what, yeah, yeah

[Verse 3]
But daddy was a lazy and a no-count
Claimed he had a bad back
All her brothers were fit for
Was stealing watermelons out of my truck

[Chorus]

[Verse 4]
Sock a little Polk salad to him
You know what meets a meal mention
You sock a little
Hey, hey, hey, yeah, yeah
Chic a bon, chic a bon, chic a bon bon bon bon
Chic a bon, chic a bon, chic a bon bon bon bon
Sock a little Polk salad to him
You know what meets a meal mention
Sock a little Polk salad to him
You know what meets a meal mention
Chinc, chinc, chinc, chin, ling, ling

Elvis Presley

Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American performer that spanned all media—music, film, and historic live concerts—with a vehement passion that earned him the moniker, “The King of Rock and Roll.”

Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi to Gladys and Vernon Presley. At the age of 13, he moved with his family to Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis began to explore the blues scene prevalent in Memphis and the culture it encompassed.

In August 1953, he walked into Sun Records to record a song for his mother’s birthday. Manager of Sun Records Sam Phillips took note of his unique voice and persona, and invited Elvis back to the studio in July 1954, where he ultimately recorded his first true single, “That’s All Right,” with “Blue Moon of Kentucky” as the B-side.