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August 10, 2013

A Brief History of Ice Cream Truck Music

When you hear an ice cream truck playing “Little Brown Jug,” you’re hearing an updated version of a 30-year-old digital unit that replicated the sound of a 55-year-old electronic unit, based on a 65-year-old mechanical unit, which was based on the music box, which was invented more than 200 years ago. And they’ve been using the same song for 70 years, and that song was written 75 years before that. - - Neatorama

Posted by gerardvanderleun at August 10, 2013 10:31 AM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.

Your Say

I'd suggest that ice cream trucks are the perfect cover for the x-ray everything in sight vans being fielded by dhs et al.

Posted by: tired dog at August 11, 2013 6:32 AM

If I remember correctly, and I was only 4 or 5 years old at the time, the only record I had to play on my first record player was a 45rpm with "Little Brown Jug" on one side and "Camptown Races" on the other. I didn't care, I was more fascinated with the workings of the record player than the music.

Posted by: drdave at August 11, 2013 8:04 AM

Tired dog... makes you wonder why they got rid of all that lead paint in homes.

Posted by: Potise at August 11, 2013 8:06 AM

The song played on ice cream trucks in Oklahoma City is usually 'Ach du lieber, Augustin.' Regardless, it carries just as well. When the truck passes by this afternoon, I intend to get a couple of Nutty Buddies. For some reason, ice cream from an ice cream truck is better than other ice cream.

Posted by: Lorne at August 11, 2013 10:10 AM

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