Amusement Parks U.S.A.

"Amusement Parks U.S.A." is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for the American rock band The Beach Boys. It was released on their 1965 album Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!). Sung by Love and produced by Wilson, the narrator in its lyric sings about "mess[ing] around at the [amusement] park all day." A short section featuring Hal Blaine imitating a carnival barker is also featured.

"Amusement Parks U.S.A."
The 1965 Japanese single release of the song
Single by The Beach Boys
from the album Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)
B-side"The Rocking Surfer (Japanese single)" "Salt Lake City (song) (US Promo single)"
ReleasedJuly 5, 1965
RecordedApril 14 & May 5, 1965
Genre
Length2:29
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Brian Wilson/Mike Love
Producer(s)Brian Wilson

Alternate releases

"Amusement Parks U.S.A." was released as the B-side to "Salt Lake City" on a promotional single.[1] It was also released as a single in Japan, backed with "The Rocking Surfer."[2] 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!!).[3] 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."[4] However, G. A. De Forest in his 2007 polemic Beach Boys vs Beatlemania, admired the track for its exuberance of performance and compared it favorably with the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour in its authentic reflection of a carnival atmosphere.

Personnel

Personnel sourced from Craig Slowinski.[5]

The Beach Boys

Session musicians and production staff

References
  1. "The Beach Boys 1960s U.S. promos". beachboys45.nl.
  2. "The Beach Boys Japanese singles 1964-1965". beachboys45.nl.
  3. Unterberger, Richie. "'Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)'". allmusic.com.
  4. Fuselli, Jim. The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds.
  5. Slowinski, Craig. "Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)". Retrieved April 8, 2019.
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