"Cherry Hill Park" is a song written by Robert Nix and

Billy Gilmore William Gilmore, also known as Bill, Billy, and Shakin' Bill (because he stood still onstage) was an American musician who played the bass and the keyboard. He grew up in Sarasota, Florida before settling down in Atlanta, Georgia. He played wi ...

, arranged by

Buddy Buie Perry Carlton "Buddy" Buie (January 23, 1941 – July 18, 2015) was an American songwriter, producer and publisher. He is most commonly associated with Roy Orbison, the Classics IV and the Atlanta Rhythm Section. Career Buie was born in Marian ...

, James Cobb, and Emory Gordy, Jr., and produced by Buie and Bill Lowery.

Content

The subject of the song is one Mary Hill, a girl who frequents the titular Cherry Hill Park. During the day she acts as a tease to the boys in the park but at night when they return to the park she “pleases” them, as noted in the barely disguised suggestive lyrics. However, she "married away" to a "man with money". As a result, she stopped coming to Cherry Hill Park. Royal came up with the song's title after a friend described seeing Cherry Hill, New Jersey, on a visit to nearby

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

Mixes

Different mixes of this song exist, some with additional background vocals in the song's bridge, others in varying lengths, the longest version available being 3:17, with an extended finale running 33 seconds longer than the common single version.

Chart performance

Its original by

Billy Joe Royal Billy Joe Royal (April 3, 1942 – October 6, 2015) was an American country soul singer. His most successful record was " Down in the Boondocks" in 1965. Life and career Born in Valdosta, Georgia, to Clarence and Mary Sue Smith Royal, and rai ...

was a hit in

1969 This year is notable for Apollo 11's first landing on the moon. Events January * January 4 – The Government of Spain hands over Ifni to Morocco. * January 5 **Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 701 crashes into a house on its approach to ...

reaching #15 on both the '' Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and the '' Cash Box'' chart, and #8 in Canada. It was on Royal's 1969 album '' Cherry Hill Park''.

Cover versions

*Buie also produced its

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

performed by the

Classics IV The Classics IV is an American band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, United States, in 1965. The band, founded by Dennis Yost, is known mainly for the hits "Spooky," " Stormy," and "Traces," released 1967 to 1969, which have become cover standards ...

which was released by

United Artists Records United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B. History Genres In 1959, ...

in 1971. He and the Classics IV's manager Paul Cochran were two of the four owners of Studio One. The cover was actually marketed with its title combining the first two words of the original's ("Cherryhill Park").

References

1969 singles Billy Joe Royal songs Cherry Hill, New Jersey Columbia Records singles 1969 songs {{1960s-single-stub