Almanac Music: ‘Eat the Music’ – Songs Involving Food
Almanac Music: ‘Eat the Music’ – Songs Involving Food
Hi, Almanackers! This week’s piece in my ongoing series about key popular song themes concerns songs that in some way involve food.
So, dear readers, please put your relevant songs in the ‘Comments’ section. Below, as usual, are some examples from me to get things going. (Note: please leave any songs involving drinks out of your choices, as we’ll deal with those on another occasion.)
‘Green Onions’, written by Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper, Lewie Steinberg and Al Jackson Jr., performed by Booker T and the MG’s (1962)
A classic instrumental twelve-bar.
‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, performed by the Beatles (1967)
Written by Lennon, credited to Lennon-McCartney, this is certainly a high water mark in terms of Lennon’s songwriting genius.
‘Savoy Truffle’, written by George Harrison, performed by the Beatles (1968)
This Harrison number, possessing some searing lead guitar work by George, centres upon varieties of chocolate.
‘Life is a Minestrone’, written by Eric Stewart and Lol Creme, performed by 10cc (1975)
Clever-clever, but also very good.
‘Eat to the Beat’, written by Deborah Harry and Nigel Harrison, performed by Blondie (1979)
Punky Blondie.
‘Jack and Diane’, written and performed by John Mellencamp (1982)
‘Suckin’ on a chili dog…’
‘Eat It’, written by Michael Jackson and ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic, performed by ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic (1984)
Grammy Award winning comic parody of Michael Jackson’s hit, ‘Beat It’.
‘Eat the Music’, written and performed by Kate Bush (1993)
Sensual, textural, and very foody indeed! The video is Kate Bush meets Carmen Miranda – wow!
…………………………………………
Now, wonderful readers / listeners – over to you. Your responses to this topic are warmly welcomed. In the ‘Comments’ section, please add your own choice of a song (or songs) involving food, along with any other relevant material you wish to include.
[Note: as usual, Wikipedia has been a good general reference for this piece, particularly in relation to checking dates and other details.]
Read more from Kevin Densley HERE
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About
Kevin Densley is a graduate of both Deakin University and The University of Melbourne. He has taught writing and literature in numerous Victorian universities and TAFES. He is a poet and writer-in-general. His fifth book-length poetry collection, Please Feed the Macaws ... I'm Feeling Too Indolent, was published in late 2023 by Ginninderra Press. He is also the co-author of ten play collections for young people, as well as a multi Green Room Award nominated play, Last Chance Gas, published by Currency Press. Other writing includes screenplays for educational films.
‘Vegetables’ – Jan & Dean
‘Does your chewing gum … ‘ – Lonnie Donegan (food?)
‘Mashed Potato’ – James Brown
‘Little Green Apples’ – O C Smith
‘Apple Suckling Tree’ – Bob Dylan & The Band
‘Sweets for my Sweet’ – The Drifters / The Searchers
‘Summer Wine’ – Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood
Just a few that jumped to mind.
Great stuff, Col. Thank you for getting this ‘innings’ off to a fine start. To select just one of your choices for comment – ‘Summer Wine’. The first two words of this song are foods, of course: ‘Strawberries, cherries…’
I heard it through the grapevine – Credence Clearwater Revival.
Let’s Cook – Mental as Anything
Duck Soup – Drumbago’s All Stars
Thanks, Adam, for this fine trio of songs..
Hey KD – I’ll kick off my contribution with a very fine dining establishment, where you can get anything you want:
Alice’s Restaurant – Arlo Guthrie
Thank you, Karl – classic song!
“American Pie”, by Don McLean.
“The Candyman Song”, by Sammy Davis Jr.
“Sugar Sugar”, by The Archies.
“My Favourite Things” by Julie Andrew’s.
In the lyrics, “Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels” and “Door bells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles”.
“Build Me Up, Buttercup”, by The Foundations.
“Toast and Marmalade for Tea”, by Tin Tin.
Thanks, Anon – you’be certainly contributed to a flying start for our innings, with your song choices of the ‘sweet’ variety. ‘Build Me Up, Buttercup’ has been a particular favourite of mine since childhood.
“Food, Glorious Food”, written by Lionel Bart, is the opening song from the 1960s West End and Broadway musical (and 1968 film) Oliver.
Hard to get a more iconic food song than the one you’ve chosen from Oliver, Anon. Cheers!
Here’s my entree KD – I think it is some coded metaphor for something or other – perhaps the readers could help.
Food – The Pursuit Of Happiness
Your love is like greasy fried noodles
Instantly gratifying – makes me want to come back for more
You fill me up and I’m hungry an hour later
Got to have another serving – give me a sweet encore
Come on over for some barbecued pork
I want to get you on my fork and then I’m gonna swallow you whole
Want to baste you on both sides get you nice and tender
Want you to melt in my mouth – give me a sensory overload
Ring the dinner bell, I’m starving to death
Ring the dinner bell, I’m starving to death
Sometimes you’re a little like shake and bake chicken
A little hard on the outside but so soft within
I bite through your coating and you ooze all over me
I feel just like a pig with your juice running down my chin
Ring the dinner bell, I’m starving to death
Ring the dinner bell, I’m starving to death
For dessert how about a nice piece of your cherry pie
With some whipped cream on it, that would taste so unreal
After we’re done I see you sucking on a cigarette
You know there’s nothing like a smoke after a good hearty meal
Ring the dinner bell, I’m starving to death
Ring the dinner bell, I’m starving to death
In the Stray Cat’s ‘Stray Cat Strut’, Brian Setzer sings.
” Get my dinner from a garbage can.”
Now that’s talking food.
Glen!
Couple more KD
I Eat With Gusto, Damn! You Bet – Jonathan Richman
Abominable Snowman In The Market – JR
Ice Cream Man -JR
Double Chocolate Malted – JR
Chewing Gum Wrapper- JR
Accident Waiting To Happen – Elvis Costello
Uncomplicated – EC
Alison – EC
Pulling Mussels From The Shell – Squeeze
Popcorn – Hot Butter
Cheeseburger – Gang Of Four
Iskender Time – Radio Birdman
London Calling – Clash
Pizza Van – Greg Champion
How To Make Gravy – Paul Kelly
Marvellous lyric, Swish – for some reason, the
Seinfeld episode where George Costanza combines food and sex springs to mind!
Eggs and Sausage – Tom Waits
Rock Lobster – B52s
Fast Food – Richard Thompson
“Dip You In Honey”, “Ice Cream”, “Lemon to a Knife Fight – The Wombats (all from the album ‘Beautiful People Will Kill You’),
“Peaches” – The Presidents of the United States of America,
“Hot Potato” – the Wiggles
“Pour Some Sugar on Me” – Def Leppard,
“All That Meat and No Potatoes” – Louis Armstrong,
“Strawberry Swing” – Coldplay,
“Country Pie” – Bob Dylan,
“Cake by The Ocean” – DNCE,
“Lime in the Coconut” – Harry Nilsson,
and…
“Mick Jones Nicked My Pudding” – Dropkick Murphys.
Hank Williams – Jumbalaya (“Jambalaya, crawfish pie and fillet gumbo”)
Woody Guthrie – Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) (“Is this the best way we can grow our big orchards?
Is this the best way we can grow our good fruit? To fall like dry leaves to rot on my topsoil And be called by no name except “deportees”?”)
trad or anon – The Praties they grow small (a song of the Irish Potato Famine)
Cyril Tawney – The Oggie Man (a folk song about the seller of traditional Cornish pasties – Martyn Wyndham-Read used to sing this at folk clubs in Melbourne in the sixties)
Ewan McColl – The Shoals of Herring
Guy Clark – Texas Cookin”
Guy Clark – Homegrown Tomatos
That’s Amore, Dean Martin, to kick things off.
Thanks, Glen, for the Stray Cats song.
And thank you, Swish, for your fine list – ‘How to Make Gravy’ had to get a guernsey some time, didn’t it?
Thanks, Willo, for your three choices – very pleased that ‘Rock Lobster’, in particular, got an early mention in relation to our developing songlist.
Thank you, Smokie – what a fine, eclectic set of song choices there! Just to pick one for special focus – Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald’s version of Ed Kirkeby and Fats Waller’s ‘All That Meat And No Potatoes’. What a sassy, swingin’, jazzy, swaggering song!
“Honey, Honey”, by Abba
“Do-Re-Mi”, by Julie Andrews (“Ti, a drink with jam and bread”)
As ducklings are young ducks, “There once was an ugly duckling”, by Danny Kaye.
“At Seventeen”, by Janis Ian (“To ugly duckling girls like me”)
Thanks, Dave, for your superb choices. There’s a highly pleasing folkiness about many of them.
And thank you, Rick K, for bringing Dino into this thread.
Thanks again, Anon.
Okay, a little flexing to get going:
Ode to Billy Joe, Bobby Gentry
Turn it On, Turn it On, Turn it On, Tom T Hall (if you don’t know this song have a listen and you’ll understand why he’s one of the best songwriters of any genre)
Soup, Blind Melon (sorry)
Down Under, Men at Work
Cheeseburger in Paradise, Jimmy Buffett
Cheers
“This Little Piggy Went To Market” – Bounce Patrol – Kids songs (‘This little piggy had roast beef”)
There are many Television Advertisement Jingles:
“Birds Eye Fish Fingers”
“I Feel Like Chicken Tonight”
“Arnotts Scotch Finger Biscuits”
“McDonalds” (in the lyrics, burgers, fries, chicken, fish, hot apple pies)
“Meadow Lea, You Ought To Be Congratulated” (in the lyrics, potatoe, chocolate cake, scones, cherry pies, apple, pudding, garlic bread, kebabs, pumpkin)
“Kentucky Fried Chicken”
“Happy Little Vegemites” (in the lyrics, for breakfast, lunch and tea)
“Four ‘n’ Twenty Pies” (with Ted Whitten, Jack Dyer, Bob Skilton and Des Tuddenham singing the song)
“Four ‘n’ Twenty Hot Stuff” (four ‘n’ twenty pies sung to the tune of “Hot Stuff”, by Donna Summer)
“It’s a Long Way to the Shop If You Want a Sausage Roll”, by Dario Western. It’s a song parody of “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll), by AC/DC.
Great to see you’re really sinking your teeth into this theme, Rick.
Yes, that Tom T Hall song is a beauty – how brilliant is the ending, especially!
Thanks, Anon – what an interesting collection of jingles (as well as a kids’ song and a parody) you’ve put together in your latest installment.
Greg Champion has sung many song parodies about pies over the years. Among them are the following:
“Bye Bye Miscellaneous Pies”, (1986) to the tune of “American Pie”, by Don McKean.
“Silly Pie Songs”, to the tune of “Silly Love Songs”, by Paul McCartney and Wings.
“The Pies Got Smashed”, to the tune of “Monster Mash”, by Bobby Pickett.
Well, Anon – what an interesting sub-genre – or is that sub-sub-genre? – the parody pie song, as opposed to the non-parody pie song!
As you can see, this topic, similar to songs concerning animals, is very addictive. “Joy to the World”, by Three Dog Night (in the lyrics “Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea”. I’m sure they were referring to the plural fish, which of course is food.
“SPC Baked Beans & Soaghetti” television advertisement jingle.
“Mary Had a Liitle Lamb” – YouTube – Chu Chu TV Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs. Of course, lamb is a type of food.
“You’ve Never Had Chocolate Like This”, (Hoverchocs) by The cast of Wonka and Timothée Chalet, from the Wonka 2023 film.
“Oompa Loompa Songs”, from the 1971 film, Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. (lyrics, “What do you get when you guzzle down sweets?”)
Hey Anon, c’mon man, it was right there in front of you. I’m talking about Mother Goose and their song, Baked Beans. Cheers
“Two Strong Hearts”, by Olivia Newton-John and John Farnham (lyrics, We stick together like the honey and the bee”).
Apologies for my spelling mistake in my previous comment, where I should have typed “SPC Baked Beans & Spaghetti”.
Thanks, Anon and Rick, for keeping the momentum going here.
And Anon, all your talk of pies reminded me of Paul McCartney’s fine rocker, ‘Flaming Pie’ (written with Jeff Lynne), from Macca’s 1997 album of the same name.
“Another Brick in the Wall”, by Pink Floyd (lyrics, “If you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding”).
“The Milky Bar Kid” television advertisement jingle. It concerned Milky Bar chocolates.
“Caramello Koala” television commercial jingle. It concerned Caramello Koala chocolates.
A handful before tonight’s game KD
Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps Please – Splodgenessabounds
Down In A Tube Station At Midnight – The Jam
We’re A Happy Family – The Ramones
I Just Want To Have Something To Do – The Ramones
Meat Is Murder – The Smiths
In 1976, Dylan offered a recently penned song called ‘Sign Language’ to Eric Clapton. The song was included on Eric’s ‘No Reason to Cry’ album and has Eric & Bob duetting on the song.
The opening verse offers this foodie lyric:
“You speak to me/in sign language
As I’m eating a sandwich/in a small cafe
At a quarter to three”
Smut – Skyhooks
Thanks again, Anon – you’re certainly a font of knowledge in relation to themed song choices.
Thanks so much for your latest choices, Swish – excellent. I’m also glad you mentioned the song that immortalised Twisties, ‘Smut’. Ah yes, ‘Munchie munchie Twisties…’
Good pickup with your latest Dylan-related contribution, Karl. Thanks!
*Or, above, it probably should be ‘Munchy munchy Twisties…’* Mmmm…
Happy weekend KD
I’ll kick off a lazy Saturday with an oldie but a goodie (in fact it’s as old as I am!)
My Boy Lollipop – Barbie Gaye
(although Millie Small’s 1964 version is the one most of us will remember – and has a nice harmonica section that could have easily been included in a previous post).
Hong Kong Garden – Siouxsie and the Banshees (chicken chow mein and chop suey)
Dance This Mess Around – B52s (limburger)
I Don’t Mind – Hitmen (T-Bone steak, HJ yumbo)
There’s a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He’s Elvis – Kirsty MacColl
I have decided to bring up the Almanac Music Reader’s 50, with a single.
“On the Good Ship Lollipop”, by Shirley Temple.
“Lollipop” (1958 song), by Chordettes.
Thanks, Karl – happy weekend to you, too. ‘My Boy Lollipop’ is a beauty! (Good note about the harmonica, also.)
Thanks, Swish, for your latest bunch. To single out just one: ‘Hong Kong Garden’ is replete with food references, to be sure.
Three from Warner:
Late One Saturday Afternoon (it’s a ripper)
Million Miles from Home (steak that bends)
Old Stock Road (in my top 5 Warner songs, KD you’ll have to allow it as butter is mentioned)
and one from Cold Chisel, Breakfast at Sweethearts
Onyas
Thank you, Anon, for your latest choices – and for bringing up our fifty!
Cheers, Rick. Thanks for the the three ‘Warners’ and the Chisel. (And butter is certainly fine as a food item – I’m a big fan of butter!)
“The Tra La La Song”, (One Banana, Two Banana) – 1968 pop song, which was the theme song for the children’s television program, The Banana Splits Adventure Hour.
“PK Chewing Gum” television advertisement jingle.
Two from Led Zeppelin:
“Custard Pie” (Physical Graffiti)
“Hot Dog” (In through the out door)
KD – I note you have George Harrison’s ‘Savoy Truffle’ in the video clips.
George also turned his attention to 2 other food items on his ‘All Things Must Pass’ album:
Apple Scruffs – some nice harmonica in this one too!
Thanks For The Pepperoni – last track on album – side 6 (those were the days)! Just a 6min jam – Harrison/Clapton/Mason
Thank you, Anon, for ‘Tra La’ and ‘PK’ – your knowledge of TV themes and jingles is impressive.
Cheers, Smokie – nothing like a bit of Zeppelin to liven things up! Thank you.
Thanks, Karl. Excellent Harrison knowledge displayed on your part.
This may be stretching things a bit, but ‘Crackerbox Palace’ by George could also be included, in that the word ‘crackerbox’ suggests a box containing biscuits – among other possibilities.
I checked out Crackerbox Palace – & yes, stretchhhhhing it a lot KD, but it’s your post, so….
Now, it seems that Neil Diamond had some serious foodie issues. These are all from Hot August Night:
Crunchy Granola Suite
Cherry Cherry
Porcupine Pie
Soggy Pretzels
Werewolves of London – Warren Zevon
“Looking for a dish of beef chow mein”
Here we go round the lemon tree: The Move
Lazy day: Moody Blues
Hotcakes: Carly Simon
Piggies: The Beatles
Scarborough Fair: Simon and Garfunkel
Renaissance Fair: The Byrds
Breakfast in America: Supertramp
When I was a boy: Jeff Lynne’s ELO
Chocolate cake: Crowded House
Brotherhood of the Blues: David Crosby
Apple tree: Johnny Rivers
Cherry pie: Daddy Cool
Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows: Lesley Gore
MacArthur Park: Donna Summer
Heinz Baked Beans: The Who
Tuesday: You Am I
Meat City: John Lennon
My Sweet Potato (instrumental): Booker T and the MGs
“You are the Sunshine of My Life”, by Stevie Wonder. (lyrics, “You are the apple of my eye”.)
“The Twelve Days of Christmas”, by The Wiggles (lyrics, “And a partridge in a pear tree”)
“Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves”, by Cher (lyrics, “Gave him a ride, filled him with a hot meal”.)
“I Made a Hundred In The Backyard At Mum’s”, by Greg Champion (lyrics, “And when we stopped for lunch, I was 24 not out”.)
“Sing a Song of Sixpence”, by The Wiggles – Kids Sings and Nursery Rhymes (lyrics, “Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie”, “When the pie was opened, the birds began to sing” and “The queen was in the parlour, eating bread and honey”.)
“C’Mon Aussie, C’Mon”, by The Mojo Singers (lyrics, “And Dougy’s chewing’ gum).
“Australiana”, by Austen Tayshus (lyrics, “Bernie says, It’s okay mate, she’s apples, I’ll get em for ya”).
Sorry, but I’m addicted to this songs involving food theme.
There was a television advertisement jingle in the 1970s, promoting Australia. In the lyrics, “We love football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars”.
Thanks, Karl, for your Neil Diamond quartet of songs – Hot August Night is really quite ‘foody’, isn’t it?
Hi Graham! Very much a song with food/food related content, ‘Werewolves of London’. Good pick. Trader Vic’s restaurant is also mentioned, as is Lee Ho Fooks.
Thank you, Liam, for your well-chosen bunch of songs – many of them are well-known, but hadn’t been mentioned yet in our discussion.
Many thank, Anon, for your latest lot – interesting, varied bunch there.
Sugar Man – Rodriguez
Brown Sugar – Rolling Stones
Although I accept that neither ‘sugars’ are soluble carbohydrates.
Tupelo Honey – Van Morrison
…on the other hand Tupelo Honey is made by bees refining the sugary secretions of plants. It is unique in the realm of honeys due to its high fructose to glucose ratio. It is also a magnificent song!
“Disco Duck”, by Rick Dees
“Piano Man”, by Billy Joel (lyrics, “And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar”)
“I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts”, by Merv Griffin
“Monster Mash”, by Bobbie Pickett (lyrics, “To the master bedroom where the vampires feast”)
“Sweet Caroline”, by Neil Diamond. Strictly speaking, it’s not a song involving food, but there’s plenty examples of sweet food.
Long Tall Glasses – Leo Sayer
I-94 – Radio Birdman
If I Knew You Were Coming I’d have Baked a Cake – Eileen Barton
The Roving Kind ( I took her for some fish and chips) – Guy Mitchell
She Wears Red Feathers (She lives on just coconuts and fish from the sea) – Guy Mitchell
Also here’s three from Peter Combe
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Toffee Apple
Six Juicy Apples
“No Milk Today”, by Herman’s Hermits. Milk is considered as a whole food. It provides 18 out of 22 essential nutrients.
Thanks, Karl – for your latest three songs. Bob Dylan apparently said, in relation to ‘Tupelo Honey’: ‘Tupelo Honey has always existed, and Van Morrison was merely the vessel and the Earthly vehicle for it.’ Beautiful praise indeed.
Many thanks for your latest lot, Anon – ‘I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts’ particularly tickled my fancy. For me, though, ‘Sweet Caroline’ is pushing the boundaries in relation to the theme.
Fine couple there, Swish. Thanks for your latest choices. One reminded me how good some of the early Leo Sayer songs were.
Thank you, Fisho – great to see you onboard for our latest theme. Almost always you come up with some wonderful classics, like ‘If I Knew You Were Coming I’d have Baked a Cake’.
There was a Tall Oak Tree (If she’d left that apple on that apple tree) – Dorsey Burnette.
Cherry Ripe – Julie Andrews
This Little Girl’s gone a rocking – Ruth Brown
Anything you can do, I can do better (can you bake a pie, no, neither can I) – Howard Keel and Betty Hutton from Annie Get Your Gun.
And here’s a few more –
Banana Boat (Day-O) Harry Belafonte or Stan Freberg (lots of fun with this one)
Ginger Bread – Frankie Avalon
Mangoes – Rosemary Clooney
Lemon Tree – Trini Lopez
A Marshmellow World – Bing Crosby
Beans in my Ears – the Serendipity Sisters
“All Night Long”, by Lionel Richie (lyrics, “We’re going to have a party, Karamu, Fiesta, forever”). Fiesta is a Spanish word for feast.
There was a song released on You Tube in 2022, in honour of the number 1 ranked female tennis player in the world, Iga Swaitek. It’s titled “IGA (Swiatek)”, by Ben Robinson. (lyrics, “Breadsticks here and bagels there”)
The television advertisement jingle, “The cats of Australia have made their choice, Snappy Tom”. (cat food)
Fancy me forgetting this one –
One of those days (ants come dancing carry off the bread) – Elvis Presley’s final song from G I Blues.
This Elvis song rates as one of my favourite Elvis songs. I once wrote a fishing article based on this song about a time when everything I did was wrong.
Well, this theme is cookin! I offer these tidings:
Dining Alone, Shakey Graves
She Don’t use Jelly, The Flaming Lips
If You Don’t Like My Peaches, The Cartridge Family
Carmelita, Warren Zevon
Dinner with Friends, Kacey Musgraves
Thanks, Fisho, for your latest selections – you’re really ‘cooking on gas’, to use the well-known saying!
Thank you again, Anon, for your most recent material – you’ve certainly been a major contributor as we head towards another century.
Thanks for your latest choices, Rick. It can be so interesting where a food reference crops up, such as ‘Pioneer Chicken stand’ in the junkie’s lament, the beautiful ‘Carmelita’.
Exactly KD, and if you don’t know the Cartridge Family song have a listen. Vocals by the ridiculously underrated Suzannah Espie.
And a few more:
Spanish Pipedream, John Prine
You Never Can Tell, Chuck Berry
School Days, Chuck Berry
Back in the USA, Chuck Berry
Promised Land, Chuck Berry
A Week in a County Jail, Tom T Hall
Great stuff, Rick – this current list is proving to be one of our best yet, I feel.
And what about the plentiful food references in ‘Jambalaya (On The Bayou)’ – enough to make one want to do a major Cajun style cook-up!
We’ve had Breakfast At Sweethearts, so why not Breakfast In America – Supertramp?
‘Can we have kippers for breakfast/Mummy dear, mummy dear?’
Thanks for your Dylan quote re Van Morrison – high praise indeed!
I’ve been reluctant to add: Tea For The Tillerman – Cat Stevens (of course) – but although the album cover suggests the liquid beverage only, the concept of ‘tea’ can be broadened to include a food additive on the side.
“Octopus’s Garden”, by the Beatles. Octopus is a type of food.
I have decided to bring up the century with “Jam”, by Michael Jackson.
Well done everyone. It’s our 3rd consecutive century and our 4th century of the season.
Unfortunately, it’s dawned on me that the song “Jam”, by Michael Jackson in my previous comment, is not about the food, jam.
So, I was given a run short by the umpire. Therefore, I will bring up the Almanac Music Readers century instead with the song “Chocolate”, by Kylie Minogue. (lyrics, Like chocolate, come here)
Joni Mitchell – Ladies of the Canyon (” Annie sits you down to eat”)
Judy Collins – Cook with Honey
Bob Dylan – North Country Blues (“With the lunch bucket filled every season”)
Brisbane Realist Writers Group – On a Queensland Railway Line (This was a song about the problems of Queensland Railways (including buying Food) in the early 1960s. Check it out on YouTube, it’s a bit daggy but I have always found it amusing)
Aeroplane Jelly television advertisement jingle.
“I’m Popeye the Sailor Man”, by Billy Costello (lyrics, Cause I eats me spinach)
On YouTube, Shirley Serban sings the following:
“Hopelessly Devoted to Food” – Parody of “Hopelessly to You”, by Olivia Newton-John
“Take My Bread Away” – Parody of “Take My Breath Away”, by Berlin
“I Will Always Love Food” – Parody of “I Will Always Love You”, by Whitney Houston
“Escape (The Pina Colada Song)”, by Rupert Holmes (lyrics, “I’m not much into health food.”)
Fair enough, Karl, regarding your point about ‘Tea for the Tillerman’ – thank you for that.
Liam Hauser had already listed ‘Breakfast in America’.
And, I thought you would like that Dylan quote regarding ‘Tupelo Honey’. It certainly stood out when I read about it.
Thanks, Anon, for bringing up our century – you deserved to be at the crease when it happened. Of course, thank you, also, for your latest song choices.
Thanks, Dave, for your most recent choices, and, in general, for the folk influence you so often bring to the table.
“Do they know it’s Christmas?”, by Band Aid (lyrics “Feed the world”)
Yes, Anon – I’ll certainly pay that one. Food is absolutely central to the song, of course.
Smiths Chips television advertisement jingle, sung to the tune of “Happy Together”, by The Turtles (lyrics, “To think about the chips you love”)
When the Boat Comes In (Theme song from my all time favourite TV series) – Bob Fox
If you want to be Happy, Never Make a Pretty woman your wife – Jimmy Soul
Take Me out to the Ball Game – Frank Sinatra
Shrimp Boats – Jo Stafford
Saturday Night at the Movies – The Drifters
Great jingle knowledge displayed yet again, Anon – many thanks.
Interesting bunch of song choices, as usual, Fisho. Believe it or not, I know ‘When the Boat Comes In’, too!
Okay, the Food theme is roaring along, so many great suggestions and Swish has thrown in some rippers, including the B-52s and of course the Skyhooks song!
Here’s a couple I reckon are core to your theme KD, including Merle going political!:
Memphis Soul Stew, King Curtis
Rainbow Stew, Merle Haggard
Stoned Soul Picnic, The 5th Dimension
Three fine numbers there, Rick, including ‘Memphis Soul Stew’, which can be classified as an instrumental, in spite of a fair bit of introductory spoken material.
And, everyone, how about this addition – an ENTIRE 1965 album by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, called Whipped Cream & Other Delights. The tracks are, as listed by Wikipedia:
Side 1
“A Taste of Honey” (Bobby Scott, Ric Marlow) – 2:43
“Green Peppers” (Sol Lake) – 1:31
“Tangerine” (Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger) – 2:46
“Bittersweet Samba” (Sol Lake) – 1:46
“Lemon Tree” (Will Holt) – 2:23
“Whipped Cream” (Naomi Neville) – 2:33
Side 2
“Love Potion No. 9” (Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller) – 3:02
“El Garbanzo” (Sol Lake) – 2:13
“Ladyfingers” (Toots Thielemans) – 2:43
“Butterball” (Mike Henderson) – 2:12
“Peanuts” (Luis Guerrero) – 2:09
“Lollipops and Roses” (Tony Velona) – 2:27
Vegemite- King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Nifty song – thanks, Luke. The film clip for it is cool, too!
‘Eat to the Beat’ – Blondie (title track of their fourth album)
Thanks, Smokie – that song was done in my initial list in connection with this food theme.
Time to turn up the heat on this foodie theme KD:
‘Hot chili peppers in the blistering sun’
Romance in Durango (opening line): Dylan with a dash of Jacques Levy
Hey KD, King Kurtis is delivering the ingredients for a Memphis Soul Stew (four tablespoons of boiling Memphis guitars) and then the band kicks in and cooks! Love it.
Now on with the game.
We missed the absolute classis WZ song, Excitable Boy, Warren Zevon (he rubbed a pot roast all over his chest)
Fish & Chips, Chuck Berry
I Love, Tom T (not his finest but there’s a mention)
Hey Ya, Outkast (Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbor) and one of the best songs of the last 25 years
That’s Entertainment, The Jam (watching the news and eating your tea) just barely scrapes in.
Cheers
King Curtis
“YMCA”, by the Village People (lyrics, “you can have a good meal”)
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow”, by Judy Garland (lyrics, “Where troubles melt like lemon drops”)
Thanks for more Dylan, Karl – while we’re on the the subject of turning up the heat, a Graham Parker song is relevant, ‘Heat Treatment’: ‘I tried to eat but could not swallow’.
Baked Beans by the wonderful Mother Goose
Thanks for the additions, Rick – great variety across your five latest songs. And ‘Excitable Boy’ – yes, how could we forget the wonderful Warren – well, we haven’t now!
Thanks again, Anon. You’re certainly clocking up some major ‘runs’ here!
Thanks, Willo – like yourself, I was/am a Mother Goose fan. Our list is getting so long now, and increasingly difficult to check back through in a thorough way – Rick Kane mentioned ‘Baked Beans’ earlier in the thread.
Thanks, the next milestone is 150. It’s definitely achievable, as we’ve acquired extra specialist food song music batsmen as the innings has progressed. It’s been a great team effort.
“A Spoonful of Sugar”, by Julie Andrews
A couple of well-known tunes and a bit of a dive into three excellent artists. The Earle song is a bit of a fave of mine.
Number 29, Steve Earle (I take him for a steak sometimes)
A Town Called Malice, The Jam (A whole street’s belief in Sunday’s roast beef gets dashed against the Co-op)
Scarborough Fair, Simon and Garfunkel
Separate Beds, UK Squeeze (My mother didn’t like her, she’d never peel the spuds, so we took off together and stayed at Mrs. Smith’s, breakfast at half seven where you can view the cliffs)
What I Don’t Know ‘Bout You, You Am I (Do you remember the gear I first saw you in eating Mexican in ’92?)
Like your Graham Parker lyric KD – some of these food suggestions are a bit hard to swallow.
Here’s a whimsical & easy to swallow food lyric from our nobel prize winning laureate for literature Mr Dylan:
‘Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup’ – from Wiggle Wiggle, off the Under The Red Sky album.
A smorgasbord of tunes. My belated contribution if not already lodged is The Jam – Down in the Tubestation at Midnight.” I’ve a little money and a takeaway curry “ which unfortunately later the “curry gone cold” Sad song but one of the best.
A short time ago I was thinking about Peter Sellers’ songs and although, not one of his, I remembered this one – Boiled Beef and Carrots – Harry Champion ( the Sellers one I was thing of was Any Old Iron which has nothing to do with food).
That’s Amour a – Dean Martin
“Like a Rolling Stone”, by Bob Dylan (“Now you don’t seem so proud about having to be scrounging your next meal.”)
Thanks, Frank – ‘smorgasbord’ is a very fitting description, I feel. And fine song choice with ‘Down In The Tube Station At Midnight’.
Thanks, Anon, Rick, Karl and Fisho, for your most recent material.
This list feels like it has developed a life of its own! Wonderful!
Ralph McTell – Peppers and Tomatoes Several vegies get mentioned in this song but it is really about the Bosnian War and quite possibly Ralph’s second best song.
Richard Thompson – Beeswing (“We busked around the countryside and picked food down in Kent”) This is really a song about the Hippy Lifestyle and lost love but as you can see it does mention food.
Mary Chapin Carpenter – He Thinks He’ll Keep Her (“She makes his coffee, she makes his bed She does the laundry, she keeps him fed”)
Kate and Anna McGarrigle – I Eat Dinner
Harry Chapin 30,000 Pounds of Bananas
Michael Nesmith – Texas Morning (“Cactus Jack drinks coffee black”)
Thanks, Dave – there are excellent songs in your latest installment, such as the Ralph McTell number.
In ‘Texas Morning’, the coffee reference relates to drink, not food – I wrote in the second paragraph of my intro to this piece that we’ll be covering the drink theme in a later, separate Almanac music piece.
Wow, it was so long ago that I forgot. Sorry.
Beatles – “A Taste of Honey”
“Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds”, by The Beatles (“Where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies”)
No worries, Smokie. Thanks for the Beatles’ version of ‘A Taste of Honey’.
Thank, Anon, for another song from the Beatles.
The “Life Savers” lollies television advertisement jingle (“Get a whole lot more out of life.”)
The “Samboy Chips” television advertisement jingle (“Hit me with a Samboy Chip, to the tune of “Hit me with your rhythm stick”, by Ian Dury and the Blockheads).
Coming in at 16m 33s, ‘Highlands’ off Dylan’s 1997 ‘Time Out Of Mind’ album, is his 2nd longest song.
Around the 7min mark, Dylan is in a restaurant in Boston – not sure what he wants to eat.
The conversation with the waitress follows:
I said “Tell me what I want”
She say “You probably want hard boiled eggs”
I said “That’s right, bring me some”
She says “We ain’t got any, you picked the wrong time to come”
Not sure if hard boiled eggs have been mentioned in this post before, so this might be a ‘first’ for that excellently naturally packaged, easy to peel, nutritious food source.
Thanks, Anon. Lifesavers and Samboy Chips certainly bring back memories.
Thank you, Karl, for your info surrounding the Dylan song, as much as for the song itself.
I have more television food advertisement jingles:
1) Pizza Hut (“481 11 11 Pizza Hut delivery”), obviously involving pizzas.
2) Cadbury Roses chocolates (“Thank you very much”)
3) Cadbury Flake chocolates (“Created like no other chocolate”)
4) Tip Top bread (“Good on you Mum, Tip Top’s the one)
5) Arnott’s Sao biscuits (“You can’t beat a Sao for a snack”)
6) Caramello Koala chocolates (“They call me Caramello”)
By the way, is anyone hungry?
Thanks, Anon – your knowledge pf advertising jingles, especially Oz ones, is phenomenal!
And I’m pretty sure no-one has mentioned ‘Sloop John B’ (with its lines related to grits and corn), a song I came to know via the Beach Boys.
Sara Lee cakes television advertisement jingle (“Everybody doesn’t like something, but nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee.”)
You’re more than ‘eating the music’ in this discussion, Anon – you’re devouring it! Thanks yet again.
Day off to attend a meeting in Sydney and then endure, nay suffer a flight delay heading home, had to eat dinner in the food court! I tell ya, my first world problems are tough as Styrofoam.
Anyways, here’s a few more:
I Remember Carolina, Margo Cilker (rippa country rock tune)
Light on in the Kitchen, Ashley McBryde (great songwriter)
Lemon Tree, Peter, Paul and Mary (may have already been posted
and Buttholeville, a song by Drive By Truckers, southern country rock band, who are playing the Northcote Theatre on Sunday night and it’s gunna go orf.
It’s a tough life, Rick, but not so tough that you couldn’t provide more quality material for our theme. Thanks again.
Congratulations for bringing up the Almanac Music Readers 150, our 2nd 150 of the season, following songs concerning animals. It was a captain’s innings. Once again, well done to all those involved who contributed to the team score.
Peters Choc Wedge TV advertisement jingle (“It’s the Daddy of ‘em all”).
Cheers, Anon!
“Remember the Days of the (Old Schoolyard), by Cat Stevens (“When we had simplicity and we had warm toast for tea”).
Thanks, Anon – very good song choice there.
“Milkshake”, by Village People “Add some ice cream (some ice cream) and blend (yeah-eah)”.
Thanks again, A.
“Down Under”, by Men at Work (“She took me in and gave me breakfast”, “Buying bread from a man in Brussels” and “He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich”).
Good selection, Anon! Thank you.
“Saturday in the Park”, by Chicago (“A man selling ice cream”)
Another good one – thanks, Anon.
“Walk On The Wild Side”, by Lou Reed (“Looking for soul food and a place to eat”)
“You’re Movin’ Out Today”, by Carole Bayer Sager. “The grocer told me what you do with bread (what you do?)”
Thank you, Anon – soul food is definitely good enough for me in terms of this food theme, as is, of course, bread!
“Brown Girl in the Ring”, by Boney M (“She looks like a sugar in a plum, Plum plum”) and (“We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes”).
Thanks, A – another good pickup in relation to this theme.
“Walk Like an Egyptian”, by The Bangles (“They’re hanging out in the donut shop.”)
Yep, thanks, Anon. Cops and donuts go together like a…um…er…you know…
“Penny Lane”, by The Beatles (“A four of fish and fingerpies”)
“When I’m sixty-four”, by The Beatles (“Will you still need me, Will you still feed me, When I’m sixty-four?”)
Thanks for this excellent Beatles pair, Anon. (And I have read many times that ‘finger pie’ is slang and has sexual connotations.)
“My Girl”, by The Temptations (“I’ve got so much honey, the bees envy me.”)
Yep, honey is certainly a food – thanks, Anon.
“Mrs Robinson”, by Simon and Garfunkel (“Put it in the pantry with your cupcakes.”)
“Matthew and Son”, by Cat Stevens (“There’s a five-minute break and that’s all you take for a cup of coffee and a piece of cake.”)
Cheers,. Anon – thanks for your latest two – well-known songs, indeed!
“Nutbush City Limits”, by Tina Turner (“Salt pork and molasses is all you get in jail.”)
“Big Yellow Taxi”, by Joni Mitchell (“Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees.”)
Thanks, Anon, for this latest pair – both rippers!
“Boney Maroney”, by Larry Williams (“We’re all happy now as we can be making love underneath the apple tree.”)
“When You’re Gone”, by Bryan Adams (“Even food don’t taste that good”)
Thank you, Anon, for your latest two choices.
“True Blue”, by John Williamson (“If they sell us out like sponge cake”)
Now there’s a line from ‘True Blue’ one doesn’t immediately think of. Thanks, A.
Pop goes the Weasel – Anthony Newley (half a pound of fourpeny rice, half a pound of treacle)
Thanks, Fisho – a well-known song.
And ‘Pop Goes the Weasel’ reminds of of an old schoolboy ditty popular in the wake of the notorious Profumo affair of the early nineteen-sixties: ‘Half a pound of Mandy Rice / Half a pound of Keeler / Put ’em together and what have you got? / A pound of sexy sheila…’
“Boogie Fever”, by The Sylvers “I took my baby to the pizza parlour (pizza parlour) to get a bite to eat, na na na” and “ You know she ate her pizza dancing to the beat.”
Cheers, Anon – thanks for your latest choice.
“Living in the 70’s”, by Skyhooks (“I’m livin’ in the 70’s, eatin’ fake food under plastic trees.”)
Thanks, Anon, for ‘Living in the Seventies’.
“Under the Boardwalk”, by The Drifters (“You can almost taste the hot dogs and french fries they sell.”)
“Sixteen Going On Seventeen”, from The Sound of Music (“Eager lads and roues and cads will offer you food and wine.”)
Thanks for ‘Sixteen Going On Seventeen’, Anon.
Nice day to go to the Pub – Cosmic Psychos (Nice day to have some beetroot, beetroot)
Thanks, Willo.
(I’m pretty partial to a burger that includes beetroot. This begs the question – where has the beetroot gone, in a hamburger context? It used to be a regular thing; now, it seems, not half so much.)