About the song
There are few performances in Elvis Presley’s vast catalog that so vividly capture his stage presence, storytelling charm, and sheer showmanship as “Polk Salad Annie.” Originally written and recorded by Tony Joe White in 1968, the song found new life — and a whole new energy — when Elvis Presley made it part of his live shows in the 1970s. His version wasn’t just a cover; it was a transformation. It became a wild, funky, southern-fried spectacle that showcased Elvis’s charisma, humor, and deep-rooted connection to Southern culture.
“Polk Salad Annie” is more than just a song — it’s a slice of gritty Southern folklore. It tells the story of a tough Louisiana girl who grew up poor and lived off the land, gathering “polk salad” (a wild green, similar to spinach) to survive. It’s a tale of resilience, hardship, and raw country life, told with a wink and a grin. And no one could sell a story quite like Elvis Presley. When he took the stage, particularly during his Las Vegas performances, this song became a full-blown theatrical experience — complete with spoken-word introductions, hip-shaking swagger, and electrifying energy.
Musically, Elvis’s “Polk Salad Annie” leans heavily on rhythm and blues, funk, and swamp rock — a genre Tony Joe White helped pioneer. But Elvis made it his own with pulsing bass lines, tight horns, and a rhythm section that hit hard and fast. His voice, half growl, half gospel shout, delivered the song with playful grit. You can hear him living every word, enjoying the rhythm, laughing between lines, and playing to the crowd.
What makes this song especially beloved among longtime Elvis fans is that it highlights his versatility. Here was a man who could croon heartbreak ballads and then turn around and tear the roof off with a performance like this — full of fire, rhythm, and Southern flavor.
Elvis Presley – Polk Salad Annie is pure entertainment, Southern storytelling, and bluesy brilliance all rolled into one. It’s not just a song — it’s a performance that reminds us why Elvis was, and will always be, The King.
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)
