Born 1953. Huge music lover and used to be involved in the music industry managing bands and doing audio engineering. Have never heard of Freddy Cannon and only know the song as a “who cares”* Ramones* album filler.
I am pretty sure that in Australia it would only be known to real* Ramones *fans with memories good enough to recall the lacklustre reading they give of it on Brain Drain.
I vote very obscure. I should add I have never heard any version played on air.
Born in ‘48 and it and Breakin’ Up Is Hard To Do (by Sadaka) got me into rock and roll. I became a top 40 disc jockey in the mid ‘60s and the rollercoster effect on Palisades Park was my lead in. [irrational shouting]"…And now it’s time for TV on the radio comin’ at you with the big, Big, BIG sounds of KUBC hit, Hit, HITS radio!!!"[/irrational shouting]
I was born in 1980 outside of Houston, and heard on my mom’s oldies station as I was growing up. She would always sing “Garner State Park” since that’s where her family went when she was growing up.
Oregonian geezer, 60. Remember the song when it came out, as well as Transistor Sister and Way Down Yonder in New Orleans and Abigail Beecher, Tallahassee Lassie and Buzz-Buzz-a-Diddle-It. I used to play them on my show at the local radio station as oldies when I worked there 1966-70. Great fun, good 60s dance music, and ya gotta love “Boom Boom” Cannon as a stage name for a guy born Frederico Anthony Picariello.
I’m 59. I remember it well from when it was a hit, though I’ve only very rarely heard it on oldies stations.
From east of the Mississippi, btw.
Yep, definitely… especially the bridge (? – not a music person) with the odd hurdy-gurdy sound (or at least that’s what it sounds like to me).
The song is very familiar, but I wouldn’t have been able to name the singer.
Born '66 in NZ… is that west or east of the Mississippi? 
I’m 56, grew up in western Pennsylvania with a radio glued to my ear, never heard it.
Born in 1962, born & raised in SE Indiana, I know I’ve heard this song. Up till now I’ve never “listened” to it- couldn’t tell you what the title or lyrics were at all. It’s one of those “Never heard of it” until I played a few seconds & then “OHHH! That’s what that is!”
BUT I have heard it!
I was born in 1958. I know the song from the radio ads for Palisades Park too; I even went to the amusement park once. I never heard of the guy who sings the song though.
I only opened this thread because I misread the title as ““Palisades Park”: help me out, people- this is NOT and obscene song, am I right?”
And I only know the title, I don’t know the actual song.
Joe
Obscurity, I believe, is in the Eye of the Beholder.
I was born in 1943 and I’m fairly certain that it’s the Freddy Cannon version that I remember. East of the Mississippi.
Sigmagirl, I think I can still play “Way Down Yonder In New Orleans” on the keyboards. Doing just that made me a bunch of friends among a group of strangers. They just happened to be from New Orleans. I hadn’t thought of that memory in about forty years – maybe more.
“Creole babies with flashing eyes…” (Babies or ladies?)
I am 29, and I only know the song because it was on heavy rotation in my grandparents’ music collection. I’ve never heard it on the radio or in any medium other than personal home entertainment, and I’ve never heard it anywhere other than my grandparents’ house.
I’m 32 and love this song (though I haven’t heard it in a while). My parents listened to 50s and 60s music pretty much as a standard all throughout my childhood, though, so I am relatively familiar with songs from the era.
Creole babies with flashing eyes softly whisper with tender sighs!