# Songs about amusement parks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 1, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786 "2012-06-01T16:11:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/1 "2012-06-01T16:11:04Z")
I was flipping radio channels on the drive into work this morning and happened on “Palisades Park” by Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon (written by Chuck Barris). That got me to thinking about other songs about amusement parks – and I’m not finding too much. Freddy re-recorded “Palisades” as “Kennywood Park” for a limited-edition 45. I had thought Bobby Rydell’s “Wildwood Days” was about a park there, but apparently it’s just about having summer fun in a beach town. The Cowsills didn’t write “Indian Lake,” but they have claimed it’s about a lake in Rhode Island; there is an Indian Lake in Ohio that used to have a real amusement park (1924-1982) with roller coasters, dance hall, arcade, etc. The Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk” includes “From a park you can hear the happy sounds from a carousel.” I see that the rapper 50 Cent had a “song” called “Amusement Park,” and the Beach Boys had “Amusement Parks, U.S.A.”: \*At Palisades in Salisbury Parks the rolly coasters are flyin’ At Euclid Beach on the flying turns I’ll bet you can’t keep her smilin’// The parachutes at Riverview Park will shake us up all day And Disneyland and P.O.P. is worth a trip to L.A. \*(what’s P.O.P.?) 😕 The Hollies sang “On a Carousel”; there’s “Roller Coaster of Love” by the Ohio Players and “Tunnel of Love” by Dire Straits, but those are all metaphors, I think. I’d rather keep it literal. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/2 "2012-06-01T16:44:46Z")
There was a promotional song about Palisades Park that they used on TV ads for it. It wasn’t the same as the Chuck Barris song. I can’t get music here, but one of these ought to have it: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-mnXyMqSxIg/hqdefault.jpg "Palisades Amusement Park Radio Commercial") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mnXyMqSxIg) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/e9xPiGNlPGc/hqdefault.jpg "Palisades Amusement PK") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9xPiGNlPGc) As far as radio/TV ads go, Seabreeze Park in Rochester, N.Y. had its own jingle, too. Again, this might have it, or not: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6i9dc-eAZRw/hqdefault.jpg "Seabreeze Commercial Rochester 1998") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i9dc-eAZRw) But for a non-advertisement song about an amusement park by a significant group, there’s **Salt Lake City** by the Beach Boys. It’s not exclyusively about the Lagoon amusement park north of the city, but it takes up quite a bit of the song. The Beach Boys used to perform there: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSSj4hC3zvQ) [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anLZ1o1mu-c) > **[SALT LAKE CITY Lyrics - BEACH BOYS | eLyrics.net](https://www.elyrics.net/read/b/beach-boys-lyrics/salt-lake-city-lyrics.html)** > > Down in Utah, the guys and I dig a city called Salt Lake It's got the grooviest kids that's why we never get tired of Salt Lake And t... ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/3 "2012-06-01T16:55:14Z")
Closest I can think of is Lakeside Park by Rush although I can’t think of any amusement rides mentioned, so it might just be about a regular old park. A couple songs by The Promise Ring come close, too, but upon further recollection it turns out they just drop one or two fair references into generic childhood nostalgic songs without the entire song being about a fair. Plus they had an amusement park on one of their album covers. So I must have blended it all together and thought that they did an entire song about an amusement park. (ETA: only song I can think of at the moment is Heart of a Broken Story.) ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/4 "2012-06-01T17:04:43Z")
Springsteen’s “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” talks about activities on the boardwalk, including a tilt-a-whirl. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/5 "2012-06-01T17:05:19Z")
Of course, you’d think that Disney would have its song(s). I was surprised , on searching, to find a “Disneyland song” from “Smile”: > **[Disneyland Lyrics - Smile musical](https://www.allmusicals.com/lyrics/smile/disneyland.htm)** > > Disneyland Lyrics from Smile musical. Song lyrics to Broadway show. Soundtrack listing. It’s from the Broadway show by Marvin Hamlisch and Howard Ashman > **[Smile (musical)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smile_(musical))** > > Smile is a musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch and book and lyrics by Howard Ashman. It was originally produced on Broadway in 1986. The musical is based loosely on the 1975 comedy film of the same title, from a screenplay by Jerry Belson. > The original 1975 film was directed by Michael Ritchie with a screenplay by Jerry Belson. It starred Barbara Feldon as Brenda DiCarlo, Nicholas Pryor as Andy DiCarlo (Brenda's husband in the film), Bruce Dern as Big Bob Freelander, Geoffrey Lewis as Wilson S... ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/6 "2012-06-01T17:08:15Z")
_Tunnel of Love_ – Dire Straights ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/7 "2012-06-01T17:09:26Z")
**Freedomland** was an amusement park built _within_ New York City circa 1960. t was _bigger_ than Disneyland when it opened. (It was built by Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood, who built Disneyland. He also built other amusement parks around the country, including Pleasure Island near me in Massachusetts. All of them closed relatively rapidly, wkith Frededomland lasting about three years). They commisioned an album for the park, with music by Broadway composer Jule Styne (who also did “Mr,. Magoo’s Christmas Carol”): [http://freedomlandusa.webng.com/Sounds.htm](http://freedomlandusa.webng.com/Sounds.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/8 "2012-06-01T17:09:55Z")
> [@mcgato](#): > > Springsteen’s “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” talks about activities on the boardwalk, including a tilt-a-whirl. That’s good. Songs that mention actual amusement park rides are good, like “Under the Boardwalk” as I said above; I’m just not talking about rides as metaphors for love/sex/life as in “On a Carousel.” I don’t have a problem with commercials either; it’s summer! (almost) and I just wanted to hear more songs. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/9 "2012-06-01T17:16:40Z")
[“Sugar Mountain”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyZfQZBP-fc&feature=related) by Neil Young is about a Canadian amusement park. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/10 "2012-06-01T17:34:18Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > And Disneyland and P.O.P. is worth a trip to L.A. \*(what’s P.O.P.?) 😕 The now defunct [Pacific Ocean Park](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Ocean_Park) which was in Santa Monica. The Model Rockets had “Rusty Rollercoaster”, about sneaking into a park after closing and riding the ride, complete with safety announcements, carnival music, and chain lift sound effects. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/11 "2012-06-01T17:51:16Z")
“[Bibleland](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spPXuNUKEm4)” by the band Daniel Amos, probably inspired by someplace like [Holy Land USA](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Land_USA) (Bible-themed theme park) ([lyrics here](http://www.danielamos.com/da/bibleland/bibleland.html)) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/12 "2012-06-01T18:06:29Z")
I see Van Morrison had a song called “Coney Island,” but it doesn’t refer to the New York amusement park. Lou Reed and Tom Waits each had (different) songs called “Coney Island Baby” in addition to the barbershop classic by that title. The Ramones’ “Oh Oh I Love Her So” talks about taking a girl to Coney Island, and there seem to be lots more. A band called the Dirtbombs has a song called “Cedar Point '76,” but the most it says is “Almost time to go, dizzy from the rides, Behind the pinball machine, I’m trying to hide// Watch her disappear in the corkscrew line” It’s basically about trying to hook up with a girl the singer meets in the arcade. Cedar Point is 142 years old, the second-oldest amusement park in the U.S., if you believe Wikipedia; you’d think there’d be an actual song about it. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/13 "2012-06-01T18:12:59Z")
Does the Dada song “I’m Going to Dizz Knee Land” count? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/14 "2012-06-01T18:42:15Z")
Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland: [Henry Burr - Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland (1910) - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAeMqGibd9g) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/15 "2012-06-01T18:51:09Z")
_We were terrorized this morning Riding It’s A Small World After All And there should have been a warning Parents must have lots of alcohol There’s a woman in a rat suit Tell me does she ever get a breath Always stuck inside a rat suit Scaring all the children half to death_ From [Taking the Kids to Disney World](http://www.yellowtailrecords.com/lyrics/lyr_myn.html#disney) by Uncle Bonsai. (link is to lyrics) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/16 "2012-06-01T18:58:42Z")
There’s the old song “[On the Boardwalk in Atlantic City](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQsONXr_VBU).” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/17 "2012-06-01T20:21:46Z")
Mary Hill sure was fun down in [Cherry Hill Park](http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/billy-joe-royal-lyrics/cherry-hill-park-lyrics.html). Which is in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/18 "2012-06-01T21:08:50Z")
“Jersey Girl” by Tom Waits (covered by Bruce Springsteen) has the lyrics: Tonight I’m gonna take that ride Across the river to the Jersey side Take my baby to the carnival And I’ll take her on all the rides ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/19 "2012-06-01T21:19:22Z")
Leon Russell, _Tight Rope:_ I’m up on the tightwire, one sides ice and one is fire It’s a circus game with you and me. I’m up on the tightrope, one side’s hate and one is hope But the tophat on my head is all you see. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/20 "2012-06-02T03:51:33Z")
Would you accept Todd Rundgren’s “[The Night The Carousel Burnt Down](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T96EgHnp-uA)”? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786.md?page=2)