# "Palisades Park": help me out, people- this is NOT and obscure song, am I right? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759 "2009-12-18T17:37:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/1 "2009-12-18T17:37:41Z")
Just finished recording a cover of [Palisades Park](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYDSFKLu-TA) by Freddy Boom Boom Cannon (written, WTF, by Chuck Barris). About half the people who worked with me knew the song, about half of them didn’t. Didn’t know Palisades Park? Really? Now, all of these people are too young to have know it when it was originally a hit- but they are all people who are into music and know Rock/Pop history pretty well. A 30 year old who has never taken an interest in older music- I could imagine that person not knowing the song. But these people are all music people- not only musicians but knowledgeable music fans. Palisades Park is a Oldies Radio standard, right? Anyone with a passing interest in pop music history knows this song, right? Now, I myself, knew the song before The Ramones covered in in 198?, but the fact that The Ramones did it increases the likelihood of people knowing it- still half these people didn’t know it. This may just be a coincidence: Everyone who knew it grew up East of the Mississippi, everyone who didn’t know it grew up West of the Mississippi. . . . very small sample, though, the coincidence may not mean anything. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/2 "2009-12-18T17:40:11Z")
I got nothin. I even googled the lyrics and I still don’t recognize it. East of the Mississippi here. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/3 "2009-12-18T17:45:51Z")
I’m 25 and I know it. I have it on my iTunes because I got it on some sixties compilation. I don’t LOVE it but I definitely know it and could probably sing along with it. I’m pretty big on the early sixties, though–I love to say that I was born in the wrong decade music wise. Grew up east o’ the Mississippi. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/4 "2009-12-18T17:48:28Z")
It doesn’t get played much on oldies stations around here (not anymore, anyway; since “oldies” usually means Beatles and beyond), but it’s instantly recognizable from the production effects and whimsical, circular melody. It was used to charming effect in _Confessions of a Dangerous Mind_ (the movie “about” Barris), and I had to admit that was the first time I’d heard it in ages–perhaps since I was a kid. Maybe semi-obscure, but a song that, once heard, you’re unlikely to ever forget. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/5 "2009-12-18T17:49:22Z")
I know it very, very well. But I am very, very knowledgeable about '50s and '60s music. ---
**Author:** ![beatlejuice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a8b319/32.png) [@beatlejuice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beatlejuice)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/6 "2009-12-18T17:51:22Z")
Not so obscure: "His only album in 1962 was titled “Freddy Cannon At Palisades Park” that peaked at #101 on the charts. This would be the only album to make the charts for him. His biggest selling single of the year would also come from this album titled “Palisades Park” that peaked at #3 on 12 March. It peaked at #15 on the R&B singles charts and it would become his 3rd and final top 10 hit of his short career. " I myself saw Chubby Checker at Palisades Park.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/7 "2009-12-18T17:52:00Z")
It’s not exactly a “heavy rotation” song on any oldies station I’ve ever heard, but I do know it. I’m not surprised that a lot of people don’t, though. “Semi-obscure” sounds like the right label. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/8 "2009-12-18T18:00:59Z")
Born in 1966, started listening to the radio at about five, and not familiar with this song. The title sounds vaguely familiar, but the song doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/9 "2009-12-18T18:04:07Z")
I probably wouldn’t have been able to come up with the name Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon in my advancing age (I am 46), but I definitely know the song, and have since at least 1980 or so, when I started listening to stuff other than the current top 40. \*You’ll never know how great a kiss can feel 'Til you’re stuck at the top of a ferris wheel. \* ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/10 "2009-12-18T18:05:14Z")
I’m 27 and I’ve never heard of it, although I don’t shy from retro music. Listening to it on Youtube, it sounds familiar, but only because it’s very, very 60s. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/11 "2009-12-18T18:08:36Z")
Born in 1971 and I know this song very well. From the Ramones cover. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/12 "2009-12-18T18:10:15Z")
Born 1970. Knew if first from the Ramones, and experienced the original afterward. ETA: Born east of the Mississippi, spent a lot of time west of the Mississippi 'til I was about 10, then east of the Mississippi 'til now… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/13 "2009-12-18T18:11:58Z")
I know it, but then, I’m old enough to know it. It’s pretty much dropped off the radar, even among oldies stations. Freddie Cannon didn’t have a long career, and I wouldn’t say that “anyone with a passing interest in pop music” would necessarily be familiar with it. Maybe anyone with a passing interest in post-Buddy Holley and pre-Beatles pop music – but that’s a fairly narrow niche. Looking at my _Billboard_ magazine list of the top songs of 1962, Palisades Park clocked in at #28 for the year. Among the artists that ranked higher than Mr. Cannon were Chubby Checker (twice), Ray Charles, the Four Seasons (also twice), Elvis (three times), the Crystals, the Shirrelles and Little Eva’s original version of The Loco-Motion. There’s only so much musical ephemera you can keep in your head after 27 years. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/14 "2009-12-18T18:20:43Z")
I’m 35, and I know the song quite well. I’m pretty familiar with music of that period, though. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/15 "2009-12-18T18:24:31Z")
I am in my mid-40’s and grew up in California. I am very familiar with that song. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/16 "2009-12-18T18:29:56Z")
I’m a Montrealer in my 30s. I’m pretty sure that number played on a local English-language oldies show back in the 80s, but I also had it on a kid’s record full of 50s and 60s tunes. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/17 "2009-12-18T18:31:18Z")
I’m 21, and I’m pretty sure I’ve heard this song before. I grew up mostly listening to oldies stations when we weren’t listening to NPR or baseball on the radio. Actually, now that I’m listening to the Ramones version on YouTube, I think that’s what I’ve heard before, not the earlier versions. ---
**Author:** ![eveanyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@eveanyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eveanyn)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/18 "2009-12-18T18:33:00Z")
That song was on a best of the oldies cassette I had more than 20 years ago. I’ve also heard it on the local oldies radio station. I’m in my late 30’s and grew up in Canada ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/19 "2009-12-18T18:34:32Z")
Know it very well. It was in steady rotation on the oldies station when I was in high school and college, late 70s to mid 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759/20 "2009-12-18T18:36:55Z")
Born in '48 & I remember the song well. I could even have named the artist. (How can you forget Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon.) It may have gotten more airplay back East, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/palisades-park-help-me-out-people-this-is-not-and-obscure-song-am-i-right/521759.md?page=2)