h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have heard "Raindrops keep falling on my head" and also the theme tune from Monty Pythons Flying Circus!

mini

Ice cream vans don't play tunes in Germany. Now I know what I've been missing all these years. So, if they do play them in other countries, I wonder what they play? But do carry on - the variety of stuff tinkling around British streets is going to keep this thread going for a good while yet!

Weirdest one I ever heard - The Foggy Dew, an Irish rebel song. And weirder still was the place it was being played. The most recent was Greensleeves.

I only know "Foggy Dew" as a rather risque folk song that my dad and his cronies used to sing when they were drunk. And even then, they toned it down if we kids were within earshot.

Yes, I know that one too. They are completely different apart from having that phrase in the lyrics and title, though. I think there are a few ballads with that name, to be honest.

On the first episode of the new Dr Who with Amy Pond the ice cream van was saying:

"Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence or the human residence will be incinerated."

Mind you, so was every other electronic device with a speaker.


~jwf~

Sadly it's neither a Redford nor Newman looky-likey who drives the local ice-cream van. Double chin and aggressive glare as I passed him on the street tonight.

I heard an ice cream van in Cardiff the other year playing the tune from Benny Hill!

I think I may even have checked to see if there wereany scantily clad ladies and a little short bloke scampering around.

Ours plays Lili Marleen

for a few years now, ours (in my neighbourhood in Edmonton, Canada) has played 'Turkey in the Straw': http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_in_the_Straw and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb1ITffCM1Y

But, jwf, "it was supposed to be Clare de Lune."

Didn't realise you'd started this thread, mol, but I was frisking Ask and the convo title popped up just as an episode of The League of Gentlemen was starting on the tv; the ice cream van was playing the music from The Exorcist!

The only chime I've ever heard in France is apparently called "the Colonel Bogey March" (of "Bridge on the River Kwai" fame).
Haven't heard one in ages, though.

Does anyone remember what tune was playing on the van in the original film version of "Day of the Triffids"?

I just remember wishing the Triffids would catch them up and stop that damn, insidiously 'cheerful', mindlessly repetitive chiming.

~jwf~

Ah, the old stalwart of the thriller and horror film - using 'cheerful', mechanical music to give people the heebie-jeebies!