Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

OT: Ice Cream Truck Music


Recommended Posts

I ran across this article and found it interesting in a mindless reading sort of way. Will perhaps tell you more than you ever wanted to know about ice cream truck music. Actually not completely OT, toward the end they talk about an artist generating new ice cream truck music. My vote is for Pop Goes the Weasel. Enjoy (or not).

 

Klonk

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing."

- George Bernard Shaw

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Replies 20
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

I haven't paid much attention, but what I recall is Music Box Dancer played in an endless loop - not on the list. But I live at the end of a dead-end street, so only hear ice cream trucks at the intersection when my windows are open - in other words, not that often.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't paid much attention, but what I recall is Music Box Dancer played in an endless loop - not on the list.

The paper recycling truck that drove through my neighbourhood in Japan in the 80s had that.

"The Angels of Libra are in the European vanguard of the [retro soul] movement" (Bill Buckley, Soul and Jazz and Funk)

The Drawbars | off jazz organ trio

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I ran across this article and found it interesting in a mindless reading sort of way. Will perhaps tell you more than you ever wanted to know about ice cream truck music. Actually not completely OT, toward the end they talk about an artist generating new ice cream truck music. My vote is for Pop Goes the Weasel. Enjoy (or not).

 

Klonk

 

As a child, we heard Pop Goes The Weasel often in the summer months. I figured out that I could drive everybody around me insane by whistling everything right up to the "Pop" and then starting over.

It is a form of mental torment that none can withstand or ignore.

 

Ironically, I think I learned it because the other ice cream truck that came around sometimes had a record player that played Turkey in the Straw - except there was a scratch in the record that made it skip and start playing one phrase over and over again until the driver jostled it or went over a bump or something.

 

So, I vote for Turkey in The Straw.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't see ice cream trucks where I live now. In the old neighborhood which is only five miles away ice cream trucks came around every day. One would always play "Fur Elise". Another played "The Entertainer" and another played "Home on the Range". Several years ago some local ice cream trucks were also selling cocaine until they got busted. I'm guessing they might have played "Mary Had a Little Lamb" which has the line "white as snow". Here in New Jersey during the pandemic ice cream trucks are considered essential businesses along with fast food restaurants and liquor stores so they are free to operate without the restrictions put on other businesses. The drivers do take precautions like wearing gloves and changing them after a cash transaction. Many now take credit cards and have Apps for tracking when they are getting close to your area.

 

A selection of ice cream truck music:

 

[video:youtube]

C3/122, M102A, Vox V301H, Farfisa Compact, Gibson G101, GEM P, RMI 300A, Piano Bass, Pianet , Prophet 5 rev. 2, Pro-One, Matrix 12, OB8, Korg MS20, Jupiter 6, Juno 60, PX-5S, Nord Stage 3 Compact
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Growing up in LA around 1960 i always heard this from the ice cream truck, so going somewhere else and hearing Pop Goes the Weasel or whatever always just seemed, well, wrong. I've always wondered, and maybe someone can identify it - is this just some song that i don't know, or something specific to ice cream trucks ?

1513.png.55a40bd42dc419bf7a3405ba1cf1c64c.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always thought the music was mostly 8 bit square waves, triangle waves, and white noise, so basically NES music.

I remember hearing 'Turkey In The Straw" and some NES sounding stuff.

Yamaha MX49, Casio SK1/WK-7600, Korg Minilogue, Alesis SR-16, Casio CT-X3000, FL Studio, many VSTs, percussion, woodwinds, strings, and sound effects.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great article, brings back a lot of memories. Little Brown Jug and Pop Goes the Weasel were the most popular in various neighborhoods of my youth, and those were for companies other than Good Humor. In my earliest years I recall the Good Humor truck making frequent passes, but can't recall the tune they played.

 

Wasn't there a scary ice-cream truck driver in a Stephen King novel or short story? If not, it seems like there ought to be :laugh:. There were days when certain trucks and their music seemed downright creepy to me.

'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo.

 

We need a barfing cat emoticon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The last ice cream truck I saw and heard about a month or so ago so ago was playing Christmas music and the sound was warbly. I was expecting to see Freddy Krueger driving the truck. :laugh::cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...