Americana: RC Cola & MoonPie

Or should I say "Southern Americana"? Someone mentioned this yesterday. I had never heard about the combination. But it appears there is some deep connection between RC Cola and MoonPie that goes way back to... way back. Wikipedia says the origin of the tradition is unclear:

It is uncertain whence the tradition of eating moon pies with RC Cola derived.[3] However, this 'working man's lunch' became so popular that by the 1950s it formed the basis of Big Bill Lister's song, "Gimmee an RC Cola and a Moon Pie."

But About.com has much more information:

The MoonPie hit the markets of Chattanooga Tennessee in 1917 and R.C. Cola arrived in 1934. They were an instant success when they combined forces in the 1950's. You could buy a RC (Royal Crown) Cola and MoonPie special for 10 cents, back then, that was a full 16 ounces of soda and the MoonPies' weighed about near (that's southern for Approximate size) a half pound.

This combo was soon labeled as the instant fast food lunch of the fifties. Although it's never been acknowledged that the merging of the two was a planned marketing strategy or just plain luck.

This combination has inspired many to write, read and celebrate in its existence. Songs such as the 1950s hit "Gimm'e an RC Cola and a Moonpie" from Big Bill Liston in the 1950's to today's version from NRBQ called "RC and Moonpie" and "Moonpie" by Edwin Hubbard As well as the popular children's musical version by Bill Harley called "Weezie and the Moon Pies". Along with several books "The Great American Moon Pie Handbook" by Ron Dickson in 1985 and the somewhat new children's book "Jimmy Zangwow's Out-of-This-World Moon Pie Adventure" written by Tony DiTerlizzi and released in 2000.

Now I have a craving. So, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, or banana? I'm thinking banana. Banana looks more like the moon. But I want to do this thing right.

More from NPR. T-shirts, bags, hats and other memorabilia. "RC Cola and a MoonPie" even has a Facebook page. And MoonPies have been to the moon. Wow. Neil and Buzz each carried one. They ate them when they got back.

Nelsen Adelard Band w/Mark Norris "RC Cola & a Moon Pie":

Typical yankee acting like a typical southerner:

Vintage RC Cola commercial:

posted by rdbrewer at 05:51 PM

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