Ice cream is probably not the first subject you think of when it comes to famous songs. Instead, you’ll likely think of songs about first love, nature, discovery, and other things. Just not a classic dessert.
That said, a few fun songs about ice cream are worth a listen. They not only conjure delicious images of soft, flavorful scoops. They also remind you of summer, ice cream trucks, picnics, and other fun activities associated with ice cream.
Below is our list of 13 of the best songs about ice cream. Be warned, though. You might have serious cravings while going through this list. Have fun reading!
1. “Banana Split For My Baby” By Louis Prima
If anyone can sing a fun jingle about ice cream, it is Louis Prima. You might recognize him as the voice of the monkey King Louis from Disney’s The Jungle Book, so it’s funny then that he is singing about bananas.
The song employs some classic Louis Prima trumpet while he sings about getting a decadent ice cream dish with a date.
“Banana Split For My Baby” has seen a few covers over the years, from Fred Mollin in 2007 to Jumpin’ Up in 2015. But the Louis Prima original is too charming and fun to top.
2. “I Love Rocky Road” By Weird Al Yankovic
This 1983 classic from Weird Al Yankovic perfectly captures the zaniness and fun of eating ice cream as a kid. Specifically, the Rocky Road flavor. If you are familiar with the song “I Love Rock and Roll,” “I Love Rocky Road” is a parody of that.
Yankovic’s trademark humor shines through in the lyrics. He says losing teeth and gaining weight is worth it to keep enjoying the flavor. This is also a song with “ice cream” in the lyrics. It starts with the line, “I hear those ice cream bells, and I start to drool.”
The song’s melody is not surprisingly catchy. And it made the fantasy of eating a triple scoop of Rocky Road every day irresistible.
3. “Ice Cream Castles” By The Time
If you’re not familiar with the American musical group The Time, then perhaps you are familiar with Prince, who was one of the vocalists. Their song “Ice Cream Castles” came out in 1984, whose message surrounds race.
In the song, ice cream castles refer to stories of interracial romance. That’s evident, backed by the line, “You are white, I am of color. Let’s fall in love.” There is also a line that mentions “white girls, black girls, orientals, Jamaican.”
The chorus goes on to say that “we’re all ice cream castles in the summertime.” Years later, the message of this song still holds true. Now “we are free” to fall in love with anyone, regardless of skin color or race.
4. “Ice Cream Phoenix” By Jefferson Airplane
You won’t find the word “ice cream” in this song except in its title. And it’s a wonder why rock band Jefferson Airplane would call it “Ice Cream Phoenix.” But let’s check out the song.
If you listen to the song from beginning to end, it’s easy to say that it’s about love. More specifically, it talks about how much a person has to love another. It sounds kind of sad, with lyrics saying, “Tell me why, if you think you know why/People love when there’s no tomorrow.”
But that’s the thing about love. It makes you open your heart to someone else though you don’t know what will happen tomorrow or in the future.
5. “Ice Cream Man” By Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers
A song with “ice cream” in the title, “Ice Cream Man,” is as straightforward as it can be. This single is by Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers and came out in 1977.
The song brings back memories of childhood when the ice cream man comes down the street. It reflects the excitement a child feels when the bell and chimes signal the truck’s arrival.
The song sounds like a fun children’s song you would have hummed while waiting for the truck. So it wouldn’t be surprising to find this sung at a children’s summer camp.
6. “Ice Cream And Cake” By The Buckwheat Boyz
A song about ice cream and cake? Now, these two desserts would make some sweet tooth happy.
Some of you might remember this song from a Baskin-Robbins commercial back in the day. The Buckwheat Boyz made quite an impact with this lively song.
People still cannot decide which part is more memorable from the lyrics. “Ice cream ‘n’ cake, do the ice cream ‘n’ cake” or the “ice cream ‘n’ cake ‘n’ cake.” Either way, this song has one message. Get yourself a favorite scoop of ice cream and a slice of cake.
7. “Ice Cream” By MIKA
Here’s yet another song that mentions ice cream along with the sweltering summer heat. MIKA‘s “Ice Cream” describes a hot summer in great detail. It mentions burns, sweat, yellow grass, and bright blue swimming pools.
But, of course, the cherry on top is wanting ice cream to cool down. The coldness and the sweet taste make it the perfect summer snack.
The whole song feels almost like a fantasy, with the summer heat tamed as soon as you taste ice cream. So it’s hard not to hum this song as you drive to the ice cream parlor with the windows down on a hot day.
8. “Ice Cream” By Sarah McLachlan
Something as fun as ice cream does not sound like a Sarah McLachlan pop ballad. Surprisingly, the central line about love being better than ice cream and chocolate is a sweet, simple sentiment that works for her.
Some classic 90s acoustic guitar is thrown in with plenty of McLachlan’s trademark vocals to make “Ice Cream” worth a listen. The song opens with the line, “Your love is better than ice cream.” That’s saying something because we know how delicious ice cream is.
Notably, this is not as classic or bestselling as some of McLachlan’s other songs. But it’s still a hummable tune you can easily play on guitar.
9. “Ice Cream” By Blackpink
If the song does not make you crave ice cream, the CandyLand-like music video will give you a serious sweet tooth. Blackpink‘s “Ice Cream” is a recent hit, hitting #13 on the Billboard 100 list in 2020.
As you’ll see from the video, there are flipping, scooping, dipping, and other motions associated with serving ice cream. Cherries, peppermints, full-size ice cream cones, it has it all.
Once again, ice cream serves as a symbol in this song, though the imagery remains no less delicious. The song sends the message for women to know their worth and choose a man who knows it.
10. “Ice Cream Party” By Modest Mouse
There’s no need for a deep analysis of Modest Mouse‘s “Ice Cream Party.” As the title suggests, the singer is holding an ice cream party at his house. He is inviting a friend to attend that party.
When you listen to the lyrics, you’ll get a feeling that this is from a juvenile perspective. This is based on the line saying, “There’s no end to the ways that we can play and play and play.”
This is the first indie rock song on this list, with a strangely melancholy sound. No wonder, though. A line in the lyrics says, “You’ve heard that him and mom are separated.” They won’t be around to stop the party, so the singer is begging his friend to come.
11. “Ice Cream” By The George Lewis Ragtime Jazz Of New Orleans
There isn’t much in the lyrics of “Ice Cream,” as performed by The George Lewis Ragtime Jazz of New Orleans. But you’ll never forget this song.
After going through a few lines of lyrics, the song dives straight into classic ragtime jazz. It’s fun to listen to the trumpets and clarinet while singing how everyone wants ice cream. Who can forget these classic words: “I scream, you scream, everybody wants ice cream.”
It’s a fun, homey song that sounds like it came from a 1950s soda parlor. If you’re lucky, you might hear this song playing on a New Orleans square or at any jazz club. Hopefully, they serve ice cream nearby if you happen to listen to it.
12. “Do You Like Ice Cream While Surfin’ On The Sand” By Toca Luna
Without question, kids love ice cream. It’s only right that musicians create a song for kids about their favorite snack. Toca Luna‘s “Do You Like Ice Cream While Surfin’ on the Sand” was released in 2020, a time when we were required to stay at home due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Let’s just hope that this song helped a lot of children who had to stay indoors. The song’s verses are repeated, which makes it easy to memorize.
While this song suits children best, it will also remind adults of childhood memories of eating ice cream.
13. “Ice Cream” By Michael Hearst
This might be the simplest song on this list. The lyrics are just two words accompanied by fun piano, harmonica, and bell sounds.
There are no metaphors or profound meanings to be found. It’s just “ice cream, ice cream” over and over in different melodies. But you can be sure that once kids hear Micheal Hearst‘s “Ice Cream,” they’ll be clamoring for this dessert!
While not a classic song, it’s still a fun novelty song to play in the summer. If you’re running an ice cream stand or making your own ice cream recipe, it is a simple background song that sets the fun, summery vibe.
Summing Up Our List Of Ice Cream Songs
Now that we’re at the end of this list, we hope that at least the songs above made you crave ice cream. It’s a delicious treat that everyone can enjoy.
From our compilation of songs, you found out that ice cream is not just the literal picture of flavorful, delicious scoops. It can be a metaphor for things such as love and romance.
Either way, we hope you found a few new favorites on this list. Play them the next time you find yourself reliving your childhood while having a scoop of ice cream.
