14 Foodie Songs to Whet Your Appetite

A writing prompt for songs about food

I’ve been tagged in some super-fun writing prompts that really got me thinking outside the music box. So I thought it was high time I created a music writing prompt of my own.

I love food as much as I love music. Why not combine two of my passions?

So here’s the prompt: What are your favourite songs that mention or are about food?

There are some great tunes to choose from and I had a hard time narrowing down my list. But here are some of my favourite foodie songs:

American Pie by Don McLean (1971)

Mmm, pie! One of my life’s ambitions is to sample some home-cooked pie in an American diner.

“American Pie” isn’t really about pie, though. It’s about the death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. But the song is about more than that. Don McLean sings about the loss of innocence he felt as he moved from his 1950s childhood to a 1960s adolescence.

“American Pie” tells the parallel tale of music and politics. And although I don’t think the music died that day in 1959, this song does fill me with a yearning for a time I never lived through.

It also fills me with a yearning for American home-cooked pie.

Blueberry Hill by Fats Domino (1956)

“Blueberry Hill” is about a place where the song’s protagonist spent time with his beloved, who later leaves him.

Of the many “Blueberry Hill” versions, the one by Fats Domino is my favourite.

It’s a good old rhythm and blues tune that comes in at just under two minutes. “Blueberry Hill” thumps along. Each instrument blends perfectly together, along with Fats’ voice.

Whenever I hear “Blueberry Hill”, I feel like I’m listening to it live in a bar in the 1950s. For such a short song, it’s genius for capturing a tale of romance up on Blueberry Hill.

I went to Finland, up above the Arctic Circle, one summer. Wild blueberries grew on the ground and I walked through the forest picking and eating them. Bliss!

Breakfast in America by Supertramp (1979)

“Breakfast in America” is a song about an English lad who dreams of going to America.

“Breakfast in America” marks Supertramp’s transition to more of a pop sound. But still, they got pretty creative with this song and used a bunch of instruments rarely used in pop songs, such as a pump organ Roger Hodgson purchased when he was 17, a tuba and a tack piano which was responsible for that fairground sound in the song.

Besides a reference to “kippers for breakfast”, “Breakfast in America” isn’t really a food-focused song. Instead, it’s about the grass always being green somewhere else. From across the pond, 1970s America looked bigger, brighter and more attractive in general than Supertramp’s home country.

I love the oompah sound of “Breakfast in America” and the circus, or fairground, feel it evokes. If you listen to this song while you’re eating a good breakfast with a couple of coffees, you can’t help but have a good day.

I’ve had breakfast in America a few times. It’s pretty tasty, especially when it consists of eggs, bacon, juice and coffee. There’s only one thing that beats breakfast in America. Brunch in America.

Buttered Popcorn by The Supremes (1961)

“Buttered Popcorn” is the Supremes’ second single and the only recording where Florence Ballard sings lead throughout the song.

“Buttered Popcorn” is a song sung from the perspective of a woman whose man does nothing much aside from eating popcorn.

I can relate — I love salty buttered popcorn, especially when I’m watching a movie. But whoever invented sweet popcorn should be imprisoned for crimes against food.

“Buttered Popcorn” is a thumping good early-60s tune. Ballard has a fantastic, powerful soul voice, more so than Diana Ross, dare I say.

Sadly, “Buttered Popcorn” didn’t chart. It was described as “too raw” for the time and perhaps a bit too suggestive with all its references to “greasy and sticky and gooey and salty” buttered popcorn. But that’s exactly why I love this song.

Cornflake Girl by Tori Amos (1994)

“Cornflake Girl” is about the divisions and betrayals amongst groups of women, partly inspired by a book about female genital mutilation that Tori Amos read.

The bowl of cereal is a metaphor — the cornflake girls are closed-minded and conformist whereas the raisin girls are free-thinking and open.

I love how the simple concept of a bowl of cereal is used to explore the complex relationships between women in a way that I, who was a struggling 19-year-old raisin girl, could understand.

I love the strong piano that features throughout “Cornflake Girl” as well as the whistling, which Amos fought hard to include in the track. Everyone else wanted to use a mandolin.

Fun fact: Tori Amos appeared in a Just Right (a cereal that features both cornflakes and raisins) commercial in the mid-80s, beating Sarah Jessica Parker for the spot.

Honey Pie by The Beatles (1968)

“Honey Pie” appears on The Beatles’ White Album. The song is performed in the British music hall style, a genre beloved by Paul McCartney’s father and my grandmother.

In fact, my grandmother was a “working girl north of England way”. But, unlike the girl in the song, she didn’t “hit the big time in the USA”.

I love the crackling record and old-timey sounds of “Honey Pie”. I reckon it’s a cute, fun song that folks of all ages can bop along to.

I’ve never eaten a honey pie, but I bet it would be delicious. In fact, I’m going to try out this recipe:

A Marshmallow World by Darlene Love (1963)

“A Marshmallow World” was first performed by Bing Crosby in 1950, followed by a bunch of other singers that same year. My favourite version is Darlene Love’s 1963 tune. It’s the perfect mixture of rock and soul, and her voice is phenomenal.

The marshmallow world refers to snow and the nice things that come with winter, like Christmas (in the Northern Hemisphere, but not where I’m from).

Besides marshmallows, there are plenty of other yummy food references in this song — whipped cream, pumpkin and sugar.

Fun fact: Darlene Love’s younger sister, Edna Wright, was lead singer of the deliciously-named band, Honey Cone.

My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small (1964)

“My Boy Lollipop” is a sweet (sweet like candy) song about a young girl in love. The song, performed by 17-year-old Millie Small, is one of the first ska hits outside Jamaica. You can also hear the beginnings of the reggae sound in “My Boy Lollipop”.

There were rumours that Rod Stewart played the harmonica solo in “My Boy Lollipop”, but it was actually performed by Pete Hogman from the group Jimmy Powell and The Five Dimensions.

Fun fact: at 5 foot 2 (157cm) Millie Small was quite small.

I love the song “My Boy Lollipop” but I’ve never been a lollipop fan. They look all bright and shiny, but they just wind up making a big sugary mess.

Peaches by The Stranglers (1977)

The “peaches” in this song are women, and some seedy bloke is strolling along the beach staring at them.

Well, I don’t fancy that. But the opening riff in this song is so cool it makes up for it.

I first heard “Peaches” when I watched the 2000 British film, Sexy Beast, which stars Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley. “Peaches” is the tune played during the film’s opening scene which features a pink Winstone sun-bathing in yellow speedos by his pool in Spain.

And I do love peaches as a fruit. Maybe the Stranglers should rewrite this song so it’s the innocent story of a person enjoying eating a nice summer peach as they take a walk along the beach.

Peppermint Man by Dick Dale (1962)

Mr Peppermint Man may have worn a “bright, stripy shirt” but he was a “bad, lovin’ man” who left girls “in vain”.

To me, “Peppermint Man” sounds more doo-wop than the surf rock Dick Dale is most known for. I still love this song, though.

And peppermint is a great candy flavour. If your breath stinks, try some peppermint.

Stoned Soul Picnic by Laura Nyro (1968)

The most well-known version of “Stoned Soul Picnic” is probably by the 5th Dimension, but the original was written and performed by Laura Nyro. The 5th Dimension actually recorded quite a few songs that Nyro wrote.

Both versions of “Stoned Soul Picnic” are great but I prefer the original. It has a sweeter quality to it.

It’s likely the “stoned” element of this picnic refers to alcohol rather than anything else. That’s fine by me. I like to share a nice bottle of wine when I go on a picnic. This picnic also promises trains of blossoms, music and trust, as well as “lots of time and wine”. Sounds divine!

Sugar Town by Nancy Sinatra (1966)

Written by Lee Hazlewood and performed by Nancy Sinatra, the “Sugar Town” single has “Summer Wine” as its B-side. I do rather enjoy wine accompanied by a sugary snack!

“Sugar Town” alludes to sugar cubes being laced with LSD. But I only just discovered that today. I think an innocent candy snack is enough to ensure your “troubles will pass” without the need for anything harder.

“Sugar Town” is a happy, relaxing song — classic 60s Nancy Sinatra! It kinda reminds me of sunshine and lollipops.

Tea With Cinnamon by Katzenjammer (2010)

Tea with cinnamon sounds quite delicious. I also reckon it’d be a great immune booster.

Katzenjammer is an all-girl Norwegian folk-pop band. The word “katzenjammer” is German for a cat’s wail, but the band Katzenjammer sound much more pleasant than that. Each band member plays multiple instruments and they fuse country, pop, folk and gypsy music.

“Tea with Cinnamon” is a really nice song. It comes complete with piano accordion played to a polka beat. The song sounds nice and cheerful even though the narrator’s dreams are “defeated yet again by tea with cinnamon”.

The “Tea with Cinnamon” music video is fun too and worth a watch.

Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show (2004)

“Wagon Wheel” is a song about hitchhiking rather than food. But in the UK and other Commonwealth countries, a Wagon Wheel is also a snack consisting of two biscuits (cookies) that form a chocolate-covered sandwich of marshmallow and jam. Deeee-licious!

Bob Dylan wrote the chorus and melody for “Wagon Wheel” back in 1973. Seventeen-year-old Old Crow Medicine Show frontman, Ketch Secor, added the verses 30 years later. Both musicians are credited as the song’s co-authors.

“Wagon Wheel” is a beautiful alt-country tune that evokes images of old-timey Americana. Images of the delicious chocolatey Wagon Wheel snack are not evoked, so maybe this one is a stretch. But I love the song.

Fun fact: my dad once saw a fellow in the pub stuff three Wagon Wheels into his mouth at once. The diameter of a Wagon Wheel is 8.8 centimetres (3.5 inches).

Your turn!

I’d love to hear your favourite songs about food please tag me in your piece or hit me up in the comments.

Tagging some of my music-writing buddies, but please join in even if I missed your name!

Alex Markham, Anthony Overs, Charlie Cole, Dan Reich, David Acaster, Katemiya, Kevin Alexander, Mark Holburn, Pierce McIntyre, Steve Devine, Steven Hale

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