# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/21 "2012-06-02T04:08:09Z")
The only one that comes to mind for me is [Coney Island by Death Cab for Cutie](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49sj6x2OmC4). ---
**Author:** ![dada2fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ccd318/32.png) [@dada2fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dada2fish)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/22 "2012-06-02T04:39:26Z")
David Bowies Memory of a Free Festival. According to Wikipedia: “The track was written as a homage to the Free Festival, organised by the Beckenham Arts Lab, which was held at Croydon Road Recreational Ground in Beckenham on August 16, 1969.” ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/23 "2012-06-02T05:05:52Z")
Keith Urban has a wonderful song called “Till Summer Comes Around” about a summer love at a boardwalk carnival: Another long summer’s come and gone I don’t know why it always ends this way The boardwalk’s quiet and the carnival rides Are as empty as my broken heart tonight and: I got a job working at the old park pier And every summer now for five long years I grease the gears, fix the lights, tighten bolts, straighten the tracks And I count the days 'til you just might come back and: Oh and I close my eyes and you and I Are stuck on a ferris wheel rockin with the motion Hand in hand we cried and laughed I love that song! ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/24 "2012-06-02T05:30:17Z")
Cal, I actually went to Freedomland when I was kid!!! ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/25 "2012-06-02T06:29:59Z")
Warner Bros. cartoon fans may recognize [The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWRuKEAfOgI), but might be surprised to ind out it has lyrics. Likewise, there’s [Love Rollercoaster](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBkVV9xxCHE) by the Ohio Players, remade by the [Red Hot Chili Peppers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-lbIfaqm0U). ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/26 "2012-06-02T12:01:58Z")
**Funland at the Beach** by the Dead Kennedys, which features a sabotaged roller coaster and has the line “Crushed little kids adorn the boardwalk.” ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/27 "2012-06-02T15:13:19Z")
The band The Gaslight Anthem have “[The Patient Ferris Wheel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCN_Potbuf0)”. ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/28 "2012-06-02T15:54:39Z")
Helter Skelter, about an amusement park slide. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/29 "2012-06-02T20:55:47Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > 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. I was trying to think of that one! ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/30 "2012-06-02T22:00:37Z")
[Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars)](http://youtu.be/uYRAZMM0vYk) - R.E.M. But of course, not literally about a carnival. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/31 "2012-06-03T04:21:37Z")
_Stuart_ by The Dead Milkmen contains the lines: I first became aware of this about ten years ago, the summer my oldest boy, Bill Jr. died. You know that carnival comes into town every year? Well this year they came through with a ride called The Mixer. The man said, “Keep your head, and arms, inside the Mixer at all times.” But Bill Jr, he was a DAAAREDEVIL, just like his old man. He was leaning out saying “Hey everybody, Look at me! Look at me!” Pow! He was decapitated! They found his head over by the snow cone concession. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/32 "2012-06-03T15:37:25Z")
Richard and Linda Thompson’s “Wall of Death” has a number of references to amusement park rides but I’m not sure it’s about any specific place and may actually be more about a fair or circus than an amusement park. _“You aren’t going nowhere when you ride on the carousel Oh you may be strong but what’s the good of ringing a bell The Switchback will make you crazy Beware of the bearded lady Oh let me take my chances on the Wall of Death”_ ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/33 "2012-06-04T22:12:38Z")
[Fountains of Wayne’s Red Dragon Tattoo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hHazHKChRs) begins: Monday gonna take a ride on The N train down to Coney Island ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/34 "2012-06-04T22:49:37Z")
Theme Park by The Tubes. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmsmJhv_li8) ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/35 "2012-06-04T23:26:58Z")
[Moxy Früvous’ _Fly_](http://www.elyrics.net/read/m/moxy-fruvous-lyrics/fly-lyrics.html) > [@](#): > > On the day they both conspired to ride the midway after dark > They had enough of their pride to not bring coins to this amusement park > And she held his hand to follow > And he held his breath, then let go > They crouched down low. > Sat in the front row. > Untied the rope so they could fly > Hold on tight, let’s get it just right, > We’ll take our last flight. You and I. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/36 "2012-06-05T02:13:30Z")
Captain Dan by Weird Al. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/37 "2012-06-05T05:03:57Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Captain Dan by Weird Al. That’s [Skipper Dan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0cCRRFi1aA) (YouTube) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/38 "2012-06-05T05:18:39Z")
[Penny Arcade](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvqdEopJ2SI), Roy Orbison ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/39 "2012-06-05T05:24:02Z")
Would you count [The Carny](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqfS7NdcwdM) by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds? ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/40 "2012-06-05T07:41:08Z")
The Smiths’ _Rusholme Ruffians_. I don’t think there’s a permanent fairground in Rusholme (part of the Manchester area) but the song is about the goings on during the last night of a presumably traveling fair. Parachutes and whirling waltzers are mentioned. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786.md?page=3)