Show #55: Songs About Food, Glorious Food

When I heard Jon Favreau and his music supervisor, KCRW’s resident Frenchman Mathieu Schreyer, on MBE earlier this week I was inspired to do a show featuring songs about food. The new film Chefis a hit and the soundtrack is great. It made me think of another Frenchman, the great Enlightenment philosopher Voltaine’s comment about eating:

“Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.”

With that in mind, I put a playlist together of food songs new and classic, from several corners of the world. Hope you enjoy them!

We begin with a jazz trio instrumental album by busy bassist Christian McBride, one of the hippest trios working today. The song is “Ham Hocks and Cabbage”. The familiar Booker T & The MG’s song, “Green Onions”. Some salsa for your tacos follows, per the group Duho. The great Slim Gaillard continues with his ode to potato chips, then Eddie Harris’ confessional as to why he’s overweight. The 1974 song, “Junk Food Junkie” is next, then the funky Willie Bobo classic. Nina Simone reprises a 1920s risqué classic, “I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl”. After that, a witty song by Dave Frishberg, “Peel Me a Grape” done by Blossom Dearie. Reggae veteran Lee Scratch Perry follows with his paean on Japanese food, then it’s the pop hit by Kelis. Nat Cole’s classic is next (what is chiffafa anyway?), then a hot Colombian piece about salt cod by Adolfo Echeverria, and a soft and touching interlude from the soundtrack of the film Like Water for Chocolate. Two more tropical pieces with I suspect double-entendres follow, and we wrap it with the great lyrics by the brilliant Michael Franti & Spearhead in praise of healthy living and Red Beans and Rice.

Rhythm Planet Playlist: 5/16/14

1. Christian McBride / Ham Hocks & Cabbage / Out Here / Mack Avenue

2. Booker T & The MG’s / Green Onions / Green Onions / Fantasy

3. Duho / Salsa Pa’ Tus Tacos (Fill)/ El Gran Debut / Melody

4. Slim Gaillard / Potato Chips / Laughing In Rhythm: The Best Of The Verve Years / Verve

5. Eddie Harris / That Is Why You’re Overweight / The Versatile Eddie Harris / Atlantic

6. Larry Groce / Junk Food Junkie / Dr. Demento 20th Anniversary Collection / Rhino

7. Willie Bobo / Fried Neck Bones And Some Fried Home Fries / Verve: Remixed 2 / Verve

8. Nina Simone / I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl / The Tomato Collection / Tomato

9. Blossom Dearie / Peel Me A Grape / My New Celebrity Is You / Daffodil

10. Lee Scratch Perry / Inakaya (Japanese Food) / Rise Again / Friars Point

11. Kelis / Jerk Ribs / Jerk Ribs / Interscope

12. Nat Cole / The Frim Fram Sauce / The Best Of Nat King Cole Trio: The Vocal Classics / Capitol

13. Adolfo Echeverria / Sabroso Bacalao / Sofrito: Tropical Discotheque / Strut

14. Leo Brower / Theme Of Tita Knitting / Like Water For Chocolate OST / Milan

15. Orquesta Guavacan / Arroz Con Coco / 5 Anos Afrerrados Al Sabor / Top Ten Hits

16. Xavier Cugat / Coco Seco / The Original Latin Dance King / Sony Music Entertainment

17. Michael Franti & Spearhead / Red Beans And Rice / Home / Capitol