Six songs about food to get your taste buds excited for restaurant week
Posted On: 10/11/13
Written By: Nate Brunet
*Click images below to view larger versions.
While Ocean City is abuzz with the sound of classic cruisers rolling through town this weekend, there is much to get excited for in town this week; but in all honesty, what I’m most excited for is Ocean City Restaurant Week starting this Sunday, October 13. Several restaurants around town will offer fixed price menu options from $10-$40 so you can dine at your favorite eatery at a great price! More than 15 restaurants are currently participating, and even though the event is called Ocean City Restaurant “Week,” we actually have two weeks to enjoy the experience! Now before I get too hungry, here are my six favorite songs about food that are sure to get your mouth watering.
“Bread and Butter”
By: The Newbeats
Off the album: Bread & Butter (1964)
Yes, this song is old…and admittedly even a little corny…but it’s still a classic. I’m sure most of you instantly knew the song I’m talking about by its title, but I bet you don’t know the original version. The song was a hit in the mid 60s, but faded in popularity until people were found singing the catchy tune once again in the 70s and 80s. Did The Newbeats make a comeback, or was this a cover of the original? Neither was true, actually, as the song was partially re-written for an ad campaign by Schmidt Baking Company (of Baltimore, Md.!) The first two lines, “I like bread and butter, I like toast and jam,” were kept, but the next two lines were changed to “I like Schmidt’s Blue Ribbon Bread, it’s my favorite brand.” And a collection of people exclaiming “Ohhhh, that’s how I know it!” was just expressed all over town.
By: The Newbeats
Off the album: Bread & Butter (1964)
Yes, this song is old…and admittedly even a little corny…but it’s still a classic. I’m sure most of you instantly knew the song I’m talking about by its title, but I bet you don’t know the original version. The song was a hit in the mid 60s, but faded in popularity until people were found singing the catchy tune once again in the 70s and 80s. Did The Newbeats make a comeback, or was this a cover of the original? Neither was true, actually, as the song was partially re-written for an ad campaign by Schmidt Baking Company (of Baltimore, Md.!) The first two lines, “I like bread and butter, I like toast and jam,” were kept, but the next two lines were changed to “I like Schmidt’s Blue Ribbon Bread, it’s my favorite brand.” And a collection of people exclaiming “Ohhhh, that’s how I know it!” was just expressed all over town.
“Cheeseburger in Paradise”
By: Jimmy Buffett
Off the album: Son of a Son of a Sailor (1978)
As the story goes, Jimmy Buffett wrote this song about an actual cheeseburger he ate while vacationing around the Caribbean. Sick of a diet solely comprised of canned food and peanut butter, all Buffett yearned for was a hot American Cheeseburger. Finally when he reached Road Town, on the island of Tortola of the British Virgin Islands, he found a restaurant serving said cheeseburger and loved it so much, decided to write a song about it. The name of the actual restaurant is still a mystery, but several places in the Caribbean still love to fool tourists that they’re the authentic location.
By: Jimmy Buffett
Off the album: Son of a Son of a Sailor (1978)
As the story goes, Jimmy Buffett wrote this song about an actual cheeseburger he ate while vacationing around the Caribbean. Sick of a diet solely comprised of canned food and peanut butter, all Buffett yearned for was a hot American Cheeseburger. Finally when he reached Road Town, on the island of Tortola of the British Virgin Islands, he found a restaurant serving said cheeseburger and loved it so much, decided to write a song about it. The name of the actual restaurant is still a mystery, but several places in the Caribbean still love to fool tourists that they’re the authentic location.
“Eat It”
By: “Weird Al” Yankovic
Off the album: “Weird Al” Yankovic in 3-D (1984)
Don’t laugh; you know I had to do it. Although Yankovic is legally allowed to write a parody of any song he wants, he always asks the original artist for permission out of respect. When asking Michael Jackson for permission to parody his classic, “Beat It,” he didn’t know what the pop icon would think of it. Jackson was amused and allowed the song to be parodied. Yankovic also made a music video to the song, which is a shot-for-shot remake of the original song’s video, save for minor changes such as the gang members fighting over a rubber chicken.
By: “Weird Al” Yankovic
Off the album: “Weird Al” Yankovic in 3-D (1984)
Don’t laugh; you know I had to do it. Although Yankovic is legally allowed to write a parody of any song he wants, he always asks the original artist for permission out of respect. When asking Michael Jackson for permission to parody his classic, “Beat It,” he didn’t know what the pop icon would think of it. Jackson was amused and allowed the song to be parodied. Yankovic also made a music video to the song, which is a shot-for-shot remake of the original song’s video, save for minor changes such as the gang members fighting over a rubber chicken.
“The Lemon Song”
By: Led Zeppelin
Off the album: Led Zeppelin II (1969)
Alright, as usual, I’m taking some creative liberties and cheating for one song. Not only are lemons not really the most appetizing food to eat on its own, but the lyrics of this song have little to do with the small yellow fruit. For example, the song has innuendos such as, “Squeeze me baby, ‘till the juice runs down my leg.” Most impressive about this song is how it was recorded. No electronics were used to add to it. Everything you hear is essentially the band playing live in the studio; even the echo of frontman Robert Plant’s vocals is simply his voice bouncing off the studio’s walls.
By: Led Zeppelin
Off the album: Led Zeppelin II (1969)
Alright, as usual, I’m taking some creative liberties and cheating for one song. Not only are lemons not really the most appetizing food to eat on its own, but the lyrics of this song have little to do with the small yellow fruit. For example, the song has innuendos such as, “Squeeze me baby, ‘till the juice runs down my leg.” Most impressive about this song is how it was recorded. No electronics were used to add to it. Everything you hear is essentially the band playing live in the studio; even the echo of frontman Robert Plant’s vocals is simply his voice bouncing off the studio’s walls.
“Peaches”
By: The Presidents of the United States of America
Off the album: The Presidents of the United States of America (1995)
The back story of this song is pretty sweet, and no, I did not mean for that to be a pun. Lead singer and “basstarist” Chris Ballew wrote this song while sitting under a peach tree in the yard of his crush, of whom he was about to reveal his feelings to. The lyrics describe a man who moves to the country to eat all the peaches he wants, and the song’s music video has no shortage of peaches… that is until a group of ninjas attack the band at the start of the instrumental jam. No, I’m not joking; the music video is awesome.
By: The Presidents of the United States of America
Off the album: The Presidents of the United States of America (1995)
The back story of this song is pretty sweet, and no, I did not mean for that to be a pun. Lead singer and “basstarist” Chris Ballew wrote this song while sitting under a peach tree in the yard of his crush, of whom he was about to reveal his feelings to. The lyrics describe a man who moves to the country to eat all the peaches he wants, and the song’s music video has no shortage of peaches… that is until a group of ninjas attack the band at the start of the instrumental jam. No, I’m not joking; the music video is awesome.
“Strawberry Fields Forever”
By: The Beatles
Off the album: Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
The final version of this song is essentially two distinct versions of it combined into one. One version was more traditionally recorded, with the only “otherworldly” sounds being Paul McCartney’s keyboard and the vocals of band members. Not entirely satisfied with the song, John Lennon asked producer George Martin to write a score with strings and horns to make it sound dreamier. Lennon liked both versions, and asked the producers to combine both into one full song. That caused some difficulties, as the score was in a higher key and faster tempo than the first version. Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick sped up the first version while slowing down the other version, with only the use of a pair of editing scissors, two tape machines and a speed control device. And, to burst the bubble of all those “Paul is Dead” theorists out there, Lennon does not say “I buried Paul” at the end of the song. He actually said “cranberry sauce,” which was always a joke of his to say something out of sync while recording songs.
«Go back to the previous page.By: The Beatles
Off the album: Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
The final version of this song is essentially two distinct versions of it combined into one. One version was more traditionally recorded, with the only “otherworldly” sounds being Paul McCartney’s keyboard and the vocals of band members. Not entirely satisfied with the song, John Lennon asked producer George Martin to write a score with strings and horns to make it sound dreamier. Lennon liked both versions, and asked the producers to combine both into one full song. That caused some difficulties, as the score was in a higher key and faster tempo than the first version. Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick sped up the first version while slowing down the other version, with only the use of a pair of editing scissors, two tape machines and a speed control device. And, to burst the bubble of all those “Paul is Dead” theorists out there, Lennon does not say “I buried Paul” at the end of the song. He actually said “cranberry sauce,” which was always a joke of his to say something out of sync while recording songs.