RC Cola and a Moon Pie
by NRBQ

Album: Workshop (1973)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • RC Cola, a soda drink, and Moon Pie, a pastry with a marshmallow filling, was a popular food combination in the American South in the 1950s. Their inexpensive prices combined with their generous portions meant the sodas and pastries were particularly favored by the working class, leading to RC Cola and Moon Pie being coined the "working man's lunch." In 1951, Big Bill Lister recorded an homage to the snack combination, "Gimme an RC Cola and a Moon Pie," and it was from this song that NRBQ lifted the retro arrangement for "RC Cola and a Moon Pie." NRBQ keyboardist, Terry Adams, told the Hartford Courant that he was an RC Cola enthusiast when he was younger: "Back then, I drank RCs, like two or three 16-ounce ones a day. I don't drink the stuff anymore. It's bad for you. I'd much rather have carrot juice."
  • There are two versions of this song - the original version, on the Workshop album, and a second, longer version, which was issued as a b-side to the single, "C'mon If You're Comin'," in 1973.
  • In 1976, NRBQ held their first ever Moon Pie Festival, a music festival in Hartford, Connecticut. The festival was held annually until 1980, before being revived again in 1993, when every attendee was given a free Moon Pie.
  • Workshop, NRBQ's third album, was originally titled Age of Aquarium. It was the first album to feature what many consider to be the "classic quartet" line up: Terry Adams (keyboard/coronet/trumpet), Joey Spampinato (bass/guitar/sax/vocals), Al Anderson (guitar/vocals), and Tom Staley (drums).

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Yacht Rock Quiz

Yacht Rock QuizFact or Fiction

Christopher Cross with Deep Purple? Kenny Loggins in Caddyshack? A Fact or Fiction all about yacht rock and those who made it.

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"

Dean Friedman - "Ariel"They're Playing My Song

Dean's saga began with "Ariel," a song about falling in love with a Jewish girl from New Jersey.

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.