Friday Five: Taters

This is the last Friday Five before Thanksgiving (well, not for you Canadians; you’ll just have to consider this list as very late or very early), so let’s talk about one of the day’s most important elements: food, more specifically potatoes. Enjoy a few songs about the carbolicious miracle tubers, and have a wonderful holiday.

• 5. “Cold Budweiser and a Sweet Tater” – Joe Diffie

  The frenetic closing track of 1993′s Honky Tonk Attitude is rather forgettable, but Diffie delivers his beer and potato woes with, well, attitude.

• 4. “Meat and Potato Man” – Alan Jackson

  You know, I’m with Jackson as he proclaims his love for fried taters, black coffee, boots, and Flatt & Scruggs, but he loses me with “steak well-done.” I’m a medium-rare gal, myself.

• 3. “Sweet Potato Blues” – Pokey LaFarge and the South City

  Prohibition-Era throwback Pokey LaFarge does a mighty fine job on this high energy folk/country/blues/ragtime version of the old song “No More Taters.” (Psst, you should really give a listen to his record Riverboat Soul. If you want some different “Sweet Potato Blues,” give a listen to Lonnie Johnson’s 1927 recording.

• 2. “Tater Pie” – Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys

  Taters, pie, and Bob Wills are all pretty excellent on their own, so check out how wonderful it is when they’re combined.

• 1. “Take an Old Cold Tater (And Wait)” – Little Jimmy Dickens

  This classic song, a #7 hit for Dickens in ’49, led Hank Williams to bestow his pal Little Jimmy with the nickname “Tater.” Too bad Tater Tots weren’t invented until 1953, because that might be a more accurate nickname.