Now some of y'all never been down South too much
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this
So that you'll understand
What I'm talkin' about
Down there we have a plant that grows out
In the woods and the fields
Looks somethin' like a turnip green
Everybody calls it polk salad1, polk salad, huh
Used to know a girl that 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
'Cause that's about all they had to eat
But they did all right
Down in Louisiana
Where the alligators grow so mean
There lived a girl that I swear to the world
Made the alligators look tame
Polk salad Annie, polk salad Annie
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause her mama was working on a chain-gang
A mean business woman
Now, everyday 'fore supper time
She'd go down by the truck patch
And pick her a mess o' Polk salad
And carry it home in a tote sack
Polk salad Annie
The 'gators got you granny
(Chomp, chomp, chomp)
Everybody said it was a shame
Cause her mama was a-workin' on a chain gang
A wretched, spiteful, straight-razor totin' woman
Lord have mercy, pick a mess of it
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
(Woo hoo)
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause her mama was a-working on a chain gang
Sock a little polk salad to me
You know I need a mess of it
Ooh, good God
Got to have me
1. These are greens also known as poke salad, made from pokeweed. It's mainly a Southern dish.