# 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:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/41 "2012-06-05T15:55:23Z")
[Mounted Animal Nature Trail](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SawuKi0lvs0) by The Arrogant Worms ---
**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 6, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/42 "2012-06-06T23:25:55Z")
> [@tellyworth](#): > > Would you count [The Carny](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqfS7NdcwdM) by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds? I don’t know if it counts, but that’s a good song. 🙂 ---
**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 7, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/43 "2012-06-07T03:17:50Z")
[Midnight Carnival](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5E0s03RKz0) by Chris Mars ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/44 "2012-06-07T18:50:31Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > 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. _This is the last night of the fair And the grease in the hair Of a speedway operator Is all a tremulous heart requires A schoolgirl is denied She said : “How quickly would I die If I jumped from the top of the parachutes?”_ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/45 "2012-06-07T19:09:41Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > [“Sugar Mountain”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyZfQZBP-fc&feature=related) by Neil Young is about a Canadian amusement park. I’ve never heard of it. The park that is, I know the song. It’s no doubt intended to reference a fictitious amusement park, but if you ask me it’s really being used as a euphemistic reference to childhood. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/46 "2012-06-08T00:25:47Z")
_Mickey Mouse_ by **Sparks** "And my name is Mickey Mouse To my right is Minnie Mouse And we own a little place in Disneyland California \*\* Don Henley’s\*\* _Little Tin God_ contains the line “from little dark motel rooms to six flags over Jesus” ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/47 "2012-06-08T00:50:18Z")
[Disneyland](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0hNDaY78lA) by Five For Fighting. ---
**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 8, 2012, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/48 "2012-06-08T12:08:53Z")
> [@DummyGladHands](#): > > Cal, I actually went to Freedomland when I was kid!!! So did I. Three times. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/49 "2012-06-08T13:57:08Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > 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. Definitely about an amusement park. The opening is: > [@](#): > > Midway hawkers calling > “Try your luck with me;” > Merry-go-round wheezing > The same old melody > A thousand ten cent wonders > Who could ask for more > A pocketful full of silver > The key to heaven’s door ---
**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 8, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/50 "2012-06-08T14:09:38Z")
> [@DummyGladHands](#): > > Cal, I actually went to Freedomland when I was kid!!! Actually, if you go to Clarke’s Trading Post in New Hampshire you can see some of the remains of Freedomland – they have the railroad station, some other buildings, the seats from the Satellite City “Flying saucer” theater at their arena, and they used the plans from the tilted house to make the Casa Loco. See the Freedomland page for more details [http://freedomlandusa.webng.com/Clarks%20Trading%20Post.htm](http://freedomlandusa.webng.com/Clarks%20Trading%20Post.htm) Some other bits ended up at Great Escape in New York State: [http://freedomlandusa.webng.com/Freedomland%20Today.htm](http://freedomlandusa.webng.com/Freedomland%20Today.htm) ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/51 "2012-06-08T15:26:50Z")
> [@emcee2k](#): > > Helter Skelter, about an amusement park slide. Drat! I came in to mention that one, confident that no one else would (even though Cecil did an article on the song). ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/52 "2012-06-08T15:35:45Z")
_Graham Parker_ of _Graham Parker and the Rumour_ fame released a terrific song a few years back called _Fairground_. Parker is a pretty funny guy as evidenced by [his website](http://www.grahamparker.net/Home.html) and this explains his presence in the new [Judd Apatow comedy](http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/on-the-set-of-judd-apatows-new-comedy-with-graham-parker-and-the-rumour-20111018) playing himself. Unfortunately I can’t locate a link to the great jaunty tune that drives [these lyrics](http://lyrics.is/song-fairground-lyrics-graham-parker.html) but they certainly capture the fairground of my teens. Well the girl who takes the tickets For the ghost train around the back Looks a lot like Courtney Love You know a real class act And I’ll bet that that’s her boyfriend Who runs the Hoopla stand Maybe he’s a genius that no one understands Maybe he’s an inventor Clever with his hands Right now he’s just small time But he’s got big plans Or maybe he’s just a shifty guy That’s got a violent streak Maybe he’s the one who murdered That clown and and got away scott free Parker is well worth checking out he’s done a lot of clever stuff. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786/53 "2012-06-08T19:01:56Z")
“Big Dipper” by Jethro Tull, from their Too Old to Rock n Roll album. “Tilt A Whirl” by The Masters of Reality [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-amusement-parks/623786.md?page=2)