I scream. You scream. We all have good reason to scream these days. Today, let’s hear it for 360°Sound’s best ice cream songs. Today is National Ice Cream Day (the third Sunday of every July since President Ronald Reagan made it so in 1984). We offer our picks for the best songs about ice cream. Well, not all these songs are literally about ice cream – sometimes the artist has something else in mind (insert two winking emojis here).
The only criterion for inclusion in this list was that “ice cream” or something ice cream-related be in the title or the lyrics, so we’ve included a wide range of musical flavors. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a refreshing scoop of your favorite, as we turn up the heat and see what melts first.
MIKA – “Ice Cream”
Release date: 2019
Genre: Pop
A little sample: I want your ice cream/I want it melting on my tongue
The Time – “Ice Cream Castles”
Release date: 1984
Genre: R&B/funk
A little sample: Ice cream castles in the summertime/We’re all ice cream castles in the sun
Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers – “Ice Cream Man”
Release date: 1977
Genre: Rock
A little sample: Ice cream man, upon my block/Your little chimes, they reel and they rock
Tom Waits – “Ice Cream Man”
Release date: 1973 (Check out our best Closing Time covers here)
Genre: Folk/blues/jazz
A little sample: Cause I’m the ice cream man, I’m a one-man band/I’m the ice cream man, honey, I’ll be good to you
Louis Prima – “Banana Split For My Baby”
Release date: 1959 (recorded in 1956)
Genre: Big band/swing
A little sample: Banana split for my baby/A glass of plain water for me
Sarah McLachlan – “Ice Cream”
Release date: 1993
Genre: Adult contemporary
A little sample: Your love/Is better than ice cream/Better than anything else that I’ve tried
John Brim – “Ice Cream Man”
Release date: 1969 (recorded in 1953, famously covered by Van Halen in 1978)
Genre: Blues
A little sample: Oh my, my, I’m your ice cream man, stop me when I’m passin’ by/See now all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy
Raekwon – “Ice Cream”
Release date: 1995
Genre: Hip-hop
A little sample: French-vanilla, butter-pecan, chocolate-deluxe/Even caramel sundaes is getting’ touched
The Wombats – “Ice Cream”
Release date: 2018
Genre: Indie rock
A little sample: Am I right where you want me?/Melting like an ice cream in the sun
Smashing Pumpkins – “La Dolly Vita”
Release date: 1990 (b-side to “Tristessa”); included on 1994 comp Pisces Iscariot
Genre: Alternative rock
A little sample: La dolly vita/Cool as ice cream
George Lewis – “Ice Cream”
Release date: 1953 (words and music by Howard Johnson; first published in 1927)
Genre: Jazz
A little sample: I scream/You scream/We all scream for ice cream
New Young Pony Club – “Ice Cream”
Release date: 2007
Genre: Electropop/disco-rock
A little sample: I can make you ice cream/We could be a sweet team
Modest Mouse – “Ice Cream Party”
Release date: 2019
Genre: Indie rock
A little sample: There’s an ice cream party in my house/Please come over
Pissed Jeans – “I’ve Still Got You (Ice Cream)”
Release date: 2007
Genre: Hardcore punk
A little sample: Just a taste and all my troubles fall behind/Sweet bowl of sugar is there to ease my mind
