Tom Paxton was a major player during the early '60s folk revival, and he has written several classic folk songs. His songwriting and singing are in top form on FUN FOOD SONGS. Each of these "food songs" extols the virtues of its subject with folky wit and wonderful, kid-friendly nonsense lyrics.

Several songs feature particularly catchy refrains that work well with the verses, and repeat like mantras for food lovers. The chorus in "Mashed Potatoes" is great on its own, but it's even better when it follows a verse about a boy who opens his lunch box to find it's filled with mashed potatoes. On another track, Paxton discovers that repeating the word "pita" twenty-four times makes a marvelous chorus. (It's also easy to sing along with.)

The musicianship here is excellent, with some fine banjo and guitar picking, and several inventive sound effects. The sound of a grumbling stomach is mimicked by a tuba and a steel guitar, and one song features a gargling solo--possibly a first in recording history.