28 Songs About Food, from Cheeseburger in Paradise to Watermelon Sugar

What is the most famous song about food?

"Cheeseburger in Paradise" by Jimmy Buffett is the most famous song about a single meal, and "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" by Hank Williams is the classic song about a feast. "Watermelon Sugar" by Harry Styles is the modern favorite, and "Eat It" by Weird Al Yankovic is the funniest.

Classic songs about food

1. "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)", Hank Williams: a Cajun feast in song.
2. "Yes! We Have No Bananas", Frank Silver and Irving Cohn: a 1923 novelty hit.
3. "Blueberry Hill", Fats Domino: a classic love song with a sweet title.
4. "Banana Boat Song (Day-O)", Harry Belafonte: a Jamaican work song about loading bananas.
5. "Green Onions", Booker T. and the M.G.'s: a classic soul instrumental with a food name.
6. "Mashed Potato Time", Dee Dee Sharp: a dance craze named after a side dish.
7. "Polk Salad Annie", Tony Joe White: a swamp rock song about a Southern green.
8. "Cheeseburger in Paradise", Jimmy Buffett: the ultimate island meal.

Songs about sweets and dessert

9. "Lollipop", The Chordettes: a bouncy 1958 hit.
10. "Tutti Frutti", Little Richard: named after an ice cream flavor.
11. "Sugar, Sugar", The Archies: a bubblegum pop number one.
12. "Savoy Truffle", The Beatles: a song about a box of chocolates.
13. "Honey Pie", The Beatles: a 1920s-style love song.
14. "Cherry Pie", Warrant: an 80s hair metal party song.
15. "Cake by the Ocean", DNCE: a fun summer hit.
16. "Butter", BTS: a smooth summer anthem.

Songs about fruit

17. "Strawberry Fields Forever", The Beatles: named after a children's home in Liverpool.
18. "Coconut", Harry Nilsson: a silly song about a lime and a coconut.
19. "Peaches", The Presidents of the United States of America: a 90s alt-rock hit.
20. "Watermelon Sugar", Harry Styles: a sweet summer song.
21. "Peaches", Justin Bieber: a laid-back 2021 hit.

Funny songs about food

22. "Eat It", Weird Al Yankovic: a parody of "Beat It".
23. "Junk Food Junkie", Larry Groce: a health nut with a secret.
24. "On Top of Spaghetti", Tom Glazer: the meatball that rolled away.
25. "Milkshake", Kelis: an instantly recognizable 2003 hit.

Songs about cooking and breakfast

26. "Banana Pancakes", Jack Johnson: a lazy morning in the kitchen.
27. "Breakfast at Tiffany's", Deep Blue Something: a 90s hit named for a movie.
28. "Bacon Pancakes", from Adventure Time: Jake's short, silly cooking song.

Why are there so many songs about food?

Food is comfort, celebration and home, which makes it a natural subject for songs. Some food songs are really love songs, like "Blueberry Hill" and "Honey Pie", while others are pure fun, like "Eat It" and "On Top of Spaghetti". Food words are also short and catchy, which is why they show up in so many choruses.

The story behind Cheeseburger in Paradise

Jimmy Buffett wrote "Cheeseburger in Paradise" about a long sailing trip in the Caribbean, when after days of healthy food on the boat all he could think about was a real cheeseburger. The song became one of his signature hits, and the name was later used for a chain of restaurants.

Food songs from movies and musicals

Movies and musicals have some of the most famous food songs of all. "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast is a dinner served by singing dishes, "Food, Glorious Food" from Oliver! is a hungry orphans' dream, and "Le Festin" from Ratatouille is a love letter to French cooking.

Songs about food for a dinner party

For a dinner party, keep the music relaxed: "Blueberry Hill", "Green Onions" and "Banana Pancakes" set an easy mood, and "Jambalaya" and "Cheeseburger in Paradise" bring smiles when the food comes out. Save the funny songs for dessert.

Songs for a cookout or barbecue

For a backyard cookout, mix "Cheeseburger in Paradise", "Watermelon Sugar", "Cake by the Ocean" and "Banana Boat Song (Day-O)" with summer favorites. See our songs about summer for more, and for drinks, our songs about drinking.

Songs for a restaurant, café or food truck

For a restaurant or café opening, a playful food playlist sets a fun tone: "Green Onions" and "Blueberry Hill" work as background music, and "Cheeseburger in Paradise" or "Butter" bring a smile. Keep the volume low enough for conversation.

Food songs for kids

Kids love "On Top of Spaghetti", "Yes! We Have No Bananas" and "Lollipop", and "Eat It" always gets a laugh. A food song is a fun way to make lunchtime or a cooking lesson more exciting.

Food songs for Thanksgiving

For a holiday meal, add a few of these songs to the classics on our Thanksgiving songs list. "Mashed Potato Time" and "Honey Pie" are fun surprises between the turkey and the pie.

A song for the cook in your family

For the grandma whose recipes everyone loves, the friend who always hosts or the partner who cooks every night, a personalized song can celebrate their famous dishes and the meals you have shared, with their name in the chorus. It makes a delicious birthday, holiday or thank-you gift.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: country, pop, acoustic and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three dishes or meals that remind you of them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Thank the cook with a song of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.