In 1873, the Northern Pacific Railroad announced Commencement Bay as the western terminus of their transcontinental railroad line, frustrating expectant boosters in Seattle, and forever impacting the growth and development of Tacoma. 2023 marks the sesquicentennial of that momentous event, and Tacoma Historical Society will be celebrating that history throughout the year with our museum exhibit, Dreams & Dispossessions: The Railway Comes to Tacoma, and related events in our museum, online, and around the community. Bookmark NP150.org to stay in the loop with all we have planned!
In a planning meeting with our curator and registrar in the weeks leading up to the exhibit opening, the question arose as to whether there had ever been any sheet music specifically published by or associated with the Northern Pacific Railroad. I didn’t know the answer that day, but it would have been surprising if the answer were no – after all, in the late 1800s and early decades of the 1900s, sheet music was a ubiquitous form of advertising, political discourse, and civic pride.
And so I began my research. Expecting to find sheet music adorned with illustrations of a train passing through beautiful vistas, and lyrics rhyming about railway voyages across the continent, I instead found a song about a big potato…
The story begins with Hazen Titus, who in 1908 was named superintendent of dining cars for the railroad. Soon after starting in his new role, Titus was on board the North Coast Limited when he overhead two Washington farmers complaining that they couldn’t find a market for their potatoes, because they were so large, customers thought they were too big to serve. Titus soon ordered as many as the farmers could provide.
Titus tried several other items in the dining cars, including Big Baked Apples and individually-sized lemon pies, but the potatoes were what the customers went crazy for, and before long, the “Great Big Baked Potato” became a staple of not just the dining car menus, but also Northern Pacific’s advertising more broadly. s of the huge spud appeared on postcards, letterhead, and even in 3D form, when NP mounted a 40-foot-long, three-dimensional Great Big Baked Potato on the roof of its commissary in Seattle. Electric lights caused the butter to glow and the potatoes eyes to wink.
But back to the song, which you can peruse in its entirety here. Musically it is nothing special – as mentioned earlier, sheet music was a common form of advertising in this era, and new songs were churned out quickly by songwriters relying on quick formulas of melody, harmony, and rhyme patterns. But the lyrics can be entertaining:
Verse 1 In going from Seattle I took the North Coast train Because my time was limited I wished some time to gain I crossed the great Columbia where roses were in bud Then wandered into dinner and there met Doctor Spud. Twas laying on a platter sure something just immense, Served with a spoon and butter and it only cost ten cents It was split right up the center, filled with butter and whats better, It was sweet and hot and mealy. Was it good? Well I should stutter.
Verse 2 I looked at it and smelled of it, ’twas sweet as any rose, I thought if I consumed it I must loosen up my clothes But the Great Big Baked Potato soon was lodged in my inside, And I was glad and happy on the N.P. Road to ride But I’ve been busy thinking, and wondering ever since How the Great Big Baked Potato could be furnished for ten cents. Of course I ordered other thing and on them I did dine, But I cannot forget that Lovely Spud, it was so very fine.
Verse 3 That N.P. road sure does the things that makes their service best. I always try to ride with them when traveling in the West. Their milk and cream and vegetables are always nice and fresh Of course their stuff is raised upon their farm at Paradise Then here’s to the N.P. Railroad, Doctor Spud, and the man, Who makes you travel happily and does what ‘ere he can, To serve you well and promptly and all regardless of expense: A Great Big Baked Potato that only cost ten cents.
And of course, the chorus: Oh! you Great Big Baked Potato, you are Irish thro and thro, You may talk of your onions, your garlic or stew, But just try that “Potato” it’s good for you. If you want a “sure thing” hunch, For your breakfast, dinner or lunch, On the N.P.R.R. in the Dining Car, Get a Great Big Baked P-O-TA-TO.
Interested in more detail on this story? Visit these two great blog posts, and potentially fall down a railroad history rabbit hole:
When I was a somewhat sheltered teenager in the mid-90s, one of the most subversive things I could find to do was to watch Shooting Stars. To my parents (devoted fans of the Two Ronnies, Morecambe and Wise and their ilk), the chaotic and “alternative” nature of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer’s comedy style, coupled with celebrity guests that hadn’t come close to their pre-Millennium sphere of consciousness (the likes of Jarvis Cocker, Johnny Vegas and Sara Cox), meant that it was as alien to them as enjoying an OASIS single.
I, however, loved it – and not just because my parents didn’t get it. I loved the air of unpredictability, the new comedy boundaries they were pushing, and the feeling that this was programming for fans who wanted a new type of entertainment. And I really loved Georgie Dawes – played by 21-year-old Matt Lucas, just starting out in TV, the character who kept the scores, and for some reason played the drums and dressed in a onesie. I won’t pretend that I understood all of it, but I did find it hilarious – even if I didn’t know why.
There was often a round in the quiz called “George’s Song”, and this was where Matt got to show off his emerging vocal talents (which are extensive nowadays, and he’s showcased in Les Miserables, among other things). One of the songs he performed was Thank You, Baked Potato. (If you’ve never experienced it, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPsY_nhTtxg) As you will see, it doesn’t make a great deal of sense, but there is something irrestibly humorous about a baked potato handing out life advice, along with a very catchy melody; and Matt giving in to giggles at one point only adds to the hilarity.
I love everything about this – so many people have come together to raise money for this charity (that frankly, we shouldn’t never be needed in the first place), and the architect of it all is a man whose comedy has delighted me since he first brought us Baked Potato, nearly 25 years ago.
But what has this got to do with the NHS? Well, last week Matt wrote some new lyrics for Baked Potato; sound advice in light of the COVID-19 health guidance, with wise words such as “Wash your hands, stay indoors, thank you Baked Potato. Only go to grocery stores, thank you Baked Potato”. This cover version’s popularity on Twitter has been such that it’s being released as a single for download, today – and the preorder sales mean that’s it’s already sold thousands. And all of the money raised will be going to the new charity he’s launched with Damien Lewis and Helen McCrory: Feed NHS, which delivers hot food to NHS workers. The amount raised in JustGiving donations alone – before the song has even been released – is a staggering £500k.
Verse 2 I looked at it and smelled of it, ’twas sweet as any rose, I thought if I consumed it I must loosen up my clothes But the Great Big Baked Potato soon was lodged in my inside, And I was glad and happy on the N.P. Road to ride But I’ve been busy thinking, and wondering ever since How the Great Big Baked Potato could be furnished for ten cents. Of course I ordered other thing and on them I did dine, But I cannot forget that Lovely Spud, it was so very fine.
In a planning meeting with our curator and registrar in the weeks leading up to the exhibit opening, the question arose as to whether there had ever been any sheet music specifically published by or associated with the Northern Pacific Railroad. I didn’t know the answer that day, but it would have been surprising if the answer were no – after all, in the late 1800s and early decades of the 1900s, sheet music was a ubiquitous form of advertising, political discourse, and civic pride.
And of course, the chorus: Oh! you Great Big Baked Potato, you are Irish thro and thro, You may talk of your onions, your garlic or stew, But just try that “Potato” it’s good for you. If you want a “sure thing” hunch, For your breakfast, dinner or lunch, On the N.P.R.R. in the Dining Car, Get a Great Big Baked P-O-TA-TO.
Interested in more detail on this story? Visit these two great blog posts, and potentially fall down a railroad history rabbit hole:
In 1873, the Northern Pacific Railroad announced Commencement Bay as the western terminus of their transcontinental railroad line, frustrating expectant boosters in Seattle, and forever impacting the growth and development of Tacoma. 2023 marks the sesquicentennial of that momentous event, and Tacoma Historical Society will be celebrating that history throughout the year with our museum exhibit, Dreams & Dispossessions: The Railway Comes to Tacoma, and related events in our museum, online, and around the community. Bookmark NP150.org to stay in the loop with all we have planned!
Baked Potato Song | Shooting Stars | BBC
FAQ
What is the origin of the baked potato?
Who sang baked potato song?
Who is the baked potato guy?
Who made jacket potato?
What is the Baked Potato Song about?
Matt said: “The Baked Potato Song was something I sung on ‘Shooting Stars’ 20 years ago and in an idle moment on Tuesday night I rewrote the lyrics and updated them. “Baked Potato is always giving good advice and the new advice in the new version of the song is about washing your hands, staying indoors and only going to grocery stores.
Why did Lucas release a reworked ‘Baked Potato’ Song from Shooting Stars?
On 3 April 2020, Lucas released a reworked version of his “Baked Potato Song” from Shooting Stars titled “Thank You Baked Potato”, with all proceeds from the track going towards the Feed NHS campaign, which aims to provide meals for NHS workers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. The song reached No. 34 in the charts.
Did Lucas eat a baked potato on Shooting Stars?
Lucas first duetted with a baked potato on madcap comedy quiz Shooting Stars, where the singing vegetable delivered some sensible life lessons – from “Do be early, don’t be late” to “Always eat what’s on your plate”. Allow Google YouTube content? This article contains content provided by Google YouTube.