TOP FIVE — SONGS ABOUT FOOD

Or at least tangentially about food. And like all good lists this one goes, in alphabetical order, to 11.
  1. The Band – “Home Cookin'” from A Musical History. A 1976 outtake, this is Rick Danko near his vulnerable best.
  2. Carolyn Mark & the New Best Friends – “Yanksgiving” from The Pros and Cons of Collaboration. Cooking to this song is tons of fun, but also guaranteed to make you wish that you were at Carolyn Mark’s party instead.
  3. Descendents – “Weinerschnitzel” from Fat EP. Good advice re: bull sperm.
  4. Guy Clark – “Texas Cookin'” from Texas Cookin’. He also wrote “Home Grown Tomatoes,” which is going to be the anthem of my forthcoming Summer of the Caprese Salad.
  5. John Mellencamp – “Hot Dogs and Hamburgers” from The Lonesome Jubilee. The American version of Leatherface’s “Baked Potato” (see below).
  6. Leatherface – “Baked Potato” from Mush. The British version of John Mellencamp’s “Hot Dogs and Hamburgers” (see above).
  7. Parallel 5th – “Carrots and Peas” from The Living Room Compilation. They were a Rhode Island new wave band that hardly mattered, but this song is funny and takes the place of The Beach Boys’ “Vegetables” which is on every other list of best food songs on the interwebs.
  8. Patty Griffin – “Making Pies” from 1000 Kisses. This is the best written song on this list. And Guy Clark is on this list. Good god, this song.
  9. Robert Earl Keen & Lyle Lovett – “Front Porch Song” from Keen’s No Kinda Dancer and Lovett’s Lyle Lovett. In addition to the much acknowledged steaming greasy plates of enchiladas, also consider the pimento cheese sandwiches that inspired the fourth verse.
  10. Steve Goodman – “The Vegetable Song” from Somebody Else’s Troubles. Most underrated songwriter on this list. And Guy Clark is on this list.
  11. Tom Waits – “Eggs and Sausage (in a Cadillac with Susan Michelson)” from Nighthawks at the Diner. *rhythmic snap*

We’re well aware that this site takes its name from a song on an album called Pizza Deliverance and offers sporadic taco recipes, and know you know that I, personally, am always starving. What do y’all got in the pantry? Food songs! Deliver them.

Author: Mike Ostrov

Mike Ostrov relays the history of popular song on message boards and under rocks.

8 thoughts on “TOP FIVE — SONGS ABOUT FOOD”

  2. “Eat at Joe’s” by Suzy Bogguss. The songs begins:

    “I go to work from 10:30 until 6 a.m
    Raking up those dimes and quarters
    Slinging eggs and ham
    Scrambled,poached or over easy
    Coffee black and strong”

  3. Carolina Chocolate Drops – Cornbread & Butterbeans
    Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band – Born Bred Corn Fed
    Drive-By Truckers – Sandwiches For The Road
    Grayson Capps – Bacon
    Tom Waits – Filipino Box Spring Hog/Fish In The Jailhouse/Ice Cream Man
    Silver Jews – Candy Jail
    Possessed By Paul James – Feed The Family
    Kentucky Parlor Pickers – Shake Your Molasses
    Old Crow Medicine Show – Mary’s Kitchen

    …although I suspect some of these aren’t actually about the food.

  5. Divine Fits – Like Ice Cream
    Cracker – Sweet Thistle Pie
    Texas Tornados – Guacamole
    Elvis – Polk Salad Annie
    U2 – Lemon
    The Flaming Lips – She Don’t Use Jelly

    and…errrr…
    Prince – Cream

  6. Big Cheeseburgers and Good French Fries – Blaze Foley and/or Gurf Morlix
    Mama’s Fried Potoatoes – Reverend Peyton and that big damn band

  7. Commander Cody–Two Triple Cheese

    Southern Culture on the Skids could fill half the list: Eight Piece Box, Carve Dat Possum, Banana Puddin’

    Mofro–Ho Cake

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