"Amusement Parks U.S.A." is a song written by

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...

and Mike Love for the American

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1965 album '' Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)''. Produced by Wilson and featuring a lead vocal by Love, the song's lyrics describe "mess ngaround at the musementpark all day." A short bridge section with session drummer Hal Blaine imitating a carnival barker is also featured, interpolating the spoken introduction to the Coasters' song "

Little Egypt (Ying-Yang) "Little Egypt (Ying-Yang)" is a 1961 rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kin ...

". The lyrics mention such amusement parks as Palisades Park in Cliffside Park, New Jersey; Salisbury Park in Salisbury, Massachusetts; Euclid Beach Park in Cleveland; Riverview Park in Chicago; Disneyland and Pacific Ocean Park in the Los Angeles area; and

Steel Pier The Steel Pier is a 1,000-foot-long () amusement park built on a pier of the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey, across from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City (formerly the Trump Taj Mahal). Begun in 1898, it was one of the most po ...

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

. All but Disneyland and Steel Pier ceased operation within a few years of the song's release.

Alternate releases

"Amusement Parks U.S.A." was released as the B-side to " Salt Lake City" on a promotional single. It was also released as a single in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, backed with " The Rocking Surfer." The song was omitted from the 1980s re-release of ''Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)'' (retitled ''California Girls''), along with " I'm Bugged at My Ol' Man."

Critical opinion

'' AllMusic'' critic Richie Unterberger described the track as a "subpar effort" and as one of the "throwbacks to the empty-headed summer filler of previous days" on ''Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)''. Author Jim Fuselli called the track a throwback "to the group's happy-go-lucky days," after also describing the album that it first appeared on as lacking "a coherent lyrical theme."

Personnel

Personnel sourced from Craig Slowinski. The Beach Boys * Al Jardine – harmony and backing vocals * Mike Love – lead and bass vocals *

– lead, harmony, and backing vocals, grand piano, laughter *

Carl Wilson Carl Dean Wilson (December 21, 1946 – February 6, 1998) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the Beach Boys. He was their lead guitarist, the youngest sibling of bandmates Brian and Dennis, and the group's ''de ...

– harmony and backing vocals * Dennis Wilson – harmony and backing vocals Session musicians and production staff

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amusement Parks Usa 1965 songs The Beach Boys songs Songs written by Brian Wilson Songs written by Mike Love Songs about the United States Song recordings produced by Brian Wilson