Tom T. Hall：Meaning of Ode To A Half A Pound Of Ground Round Songmeaning

The song is about Tom T. Hall's experience of nearly starving to death in Roanoke, Virginia. He wakes up on Wednesday knowing that he won't be able to eat until Friday when he gets his paycheck. He spends the next few days feeling hungry, irritable, and desperate. He even contemplates stealing someone's lunch. Finally, on Friday, he gets his paycheck and can afford to eat at a local diner. The sweetest meal he's ever had is a half a pound of plain ground round. The song is about the simple pleasure of having enough to eat when you've been hungry for days.