12 Songs About Ice Cream – Rock, K-Pop and Rap Songs
It’s hard to find someone that doesn’t love ice cream. And when you’re in the perfect mood for a tasty scoop, you’ll definitely want to listen to these memorable songs about ice cream. So without further ado, let’s check out some of our favorite ice cream-related songs.
The Best Songs About Ice Cream
Let’s begin with a song by Blackpink.
Ice Cream by Blackpink with Selena Gomez
Blackpink had been steadily rising in popularity leading up to this August 2020 release featuring pop icon Selena Gomez. “Ice Cream” is a fun single, perfectly encapsulating summer vibes with its electro-pop sound that mixes bubblegum cuteness with flirtatiousness and euphemism.
It’s an infectiously catchy sound with hooks that stay stuck in your head for days, and the rap bars against singing in both English and Korean is an auditory delight. In each minute of the song, the group finds something to keep the listener hooked and singing the chorus to themselves all day. “Ice cream, chillin’, chillin’, ice cream, chillin’!”
Up to this point, Blackpink was one of the most prominent groups in the K-pop genre, but collaborating with Selena Gomez, a well-established Western artist, helped expose them to an even wider audience to catapult them towards super stardom. “Ice Cream” peaked at number thirteen marking the group’s first top twenty single on the US charts.
As the icing on this decadent ice cream cake, the music video is exquisite. Blackpink sports colorful fashion, vibrant hair colors, and excellent dance choreography. You could really tell Selena and Blackpink had a lot of fun on this one!
Ice Cream by Raekwon featuring Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Cappadonna
Wu-Tang legend Raekwon the Chef pulls in fellow Clan rappers Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Cappadonna to bring us this lyrical heavy hitter “Ice Cream” on Raekwon’s debut album. With a backing beat reminiscent of anything you would find on a legit Wu-Tang album and a flow that is well-executed, coordinated, and dripping with swag, you almost can’t ask for a better track when looking for a great street rap tune from the 1990s.
Method Man supplies the chorus, using the metaphor of ice cream and different ice cream flavors to represent different ethnicities of women. This metaphor is expanded on in the outro when the Method elaborates, “One love to my butter pecan Ricans” and “big up to my French vanillas, parlez vous francais.”
As far as the euphemism in the verses, delivered by Ghostface, Raekwon, and Cappadonna respectively, it’s difficult to catch every instance of the metaphor. Lyrically and vocally, these men are above average at their craft and put many modern acts to shame. Beyond the speed and technicality of the lyrical delivery, Wu-Tang inserts their trademark street swag over the top leaving everything dripping with slang. It’s undeniably stylized and incredibly well-executed.
“Ice Cream” was released as a single in 1995, reaching the peak position of 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Hot Rap Songs chart.
Ice Cream by Freddie Gibbs featuring Rick Ross
Flash forward 17 years and the sample used on Raekwon’s “Ice Cream” gets new life on a 2022 track of the same name. Freddie Gibbs teams up with fellow rapper Rick Ross to deliver a new spin on “ice cream.” This time, instead of sex and innuendo, the “ice cream” is “all white bricks”, alluding to selling drugs.
Judging by the music video, Gibbs and Ross are stacking cash from the operation, as they’re depicted iced out in an ice cream truck sipping on champagne and living larger than life. Plus, the icy cold killer beat and the over-the-top lyrical and rhythmic proficiency demonstrated by these two rap vets that are still very much in their prime guarantees this song will stay heavy in your rotation for a long time.
Mr. Ice Cream Man by Master P featuring Silkk the Shocker
“Mr. Ice Cream Man” was released by Master P featuring his brother, Silkk the Shocker, back in 1996. The song peaked at number 12 on the Hot Rap Songs chart, while the album itself, Ice Cream Man, peaked at number six on the Hot R&B Albums chart and 26 on the Billboard Hot 200.
With a chorus sung by Mia X, Master P switches the game up on the “ice cream” euphemism. “If you’re sellin’ that ice cream, you gots to make sure it’s good.” Instead of sex and sexuality, now we’re talking about drugs. This metaphor is further extended with lines like, “In the hood, I gots ice cream cones, and if you fiends want a lick, nothin’ for free, that’s gon’ cost you twenty bones.”
The music starts flippant with a basic 8-bit tune of “Pop Goes the Weasel”, a song that many ice cream trucks actually use on their routes, but it progresses immediately into a downright dirty drop with heavy bass, sinister-sounding chimes behind a swag-drenched lyrical delivery of some hip-hop greats.
Master P even throws in a few trademark “uhh” grunts, although it would still be another year before releasing “Make ‘Em Say Uhh!”
Ice Cream Paint Job by Dorrough
Most folks interested in hip-hop and the closely adjacent car culture may be familiar with the term “Ice Cream Paint Job”, but they may not know of the origin of the commonly used term. Dorrough’s 2009 debut album might very well be the first instance, featuring lead single “Walk That Walk” and follow-up sensation “Ice Cream Paint Job” which peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as achieving number 10 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 5 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.
Dorrough reclaims the “ice cream” metaphor. Now instead of sex or drugs, we’re talking about clean cars with creamy interiors and lavish custom upgrades that make them embody pure luxury. The song serves as a celebration of Dorrough’s beautiful Chevy and the effect it has on onlookers as he cruises through the streets.
The deep bass and crunk flavor of this tune attracted many other rappers who also wanted their chance to drop a verse about their whips. “Ice Cream Paint Job” would go on to receive an almost immediate remix, a megamix, a second remix dubbed the “West Coast Remix”, a shortened radio version, a Lil Wayne freestyle follow-up, a Tyga freestyle follow-up, a third remix, and a sample used by DJ Girl Talk on his song “Oh No.”
The remixes pulled in a huge collection of rap’s most colorful and talented stars including Jermaine Dupri, Soulja Boy, Snoop Dogg, Jim Jones, Slim Thug, E-40, Rich Boy, Charlie Boy, and Nipsey Hussle.
The deep bass, crunk vibes, incredible style and swag, and catchy lyrics make any version of the song your go-to quintessential driving track. “Are the rims big? Do it ride good? Lean back, right hand on the pinewood.”
Let’s get it.
Ice Cream Girl by Sean Kingston featuring Wyclef Jean
Sean Kingston essentially set the bar impossibly high with his eponymous debut that sold so well, it achieved certified Gold status by the RIAA and gave us some of his most recognizable tunes like “Beautiful Girls” and “Take You There.” The second studio album Tomorrow dropped only two years later and lit up the radio with “Fire Burning”, only to fall flat after a single week of strong sales.
Tomorrow sold 13,000 copies in the first week with sales plummeting significantly after that. Despite the massive success of his first showing, Kingston was falling out of the limelight.
It’s confounding considering how well-produced, well-written, and thoughtfully crafted the album was. Plus, it roped in superstar talent to illustrate Kingston’s newfound seat at the table, featuring guest spots from Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden and reggae icon Wyclef Jean.
“Ice Cream Girl”, while never a single, combines light synth chords with a subtle but funky bass amidst Kingston’s lighthearted, love-filled lyrics about an “ice cream girl”, “a beauty queen”, a girl that just lights up the world whenever she’s around. Wyclef features toward the latter half of the track with a heavily autotuned part that injects more levity and soul into the song.
“Ice Cream Girl” is not your “Fire Burning” club track, but it’s still a great and underrated song from Sean Kingston, showing the real range of his abilities.
Ice Cream by Sarah McLachlan
Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan was still a few years from “Building a Mystery” when she released her third studio album, entitled Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, which featured this deep cut “Ice Cream.” While the song was not a single, the album itself is regarded as McLachlan’s breakthrough album which provided her more international attention than she had previously garnered.
“Ice Cream” is a simple song. McLachlan sings soulfully against elegant piano chords and a jazz beat that rides that ride cymbal almost nonstop for the track’s 2:44 runtime. Lyrically, McLachlan sings of gratitude and appreciation to a lover whose “love is better than ice cream, better than anything else that I’ve tried.”
A simple and soulful piano tune, this deep cut is a soothing song that deserves a listen and sets the mood nicely for romantic evenings with your special someone.
Ice Cream Man by Van Halen
The 1978 eponymous debut album by legendary rock group Van Halen was an astronomical success, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 200 and selling over 10 million copies to achieve certified Diamond status by the RIAA.
The album gave us classics like “Runnin’ With the Devil”, “Eruption”, “Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love”, and “Jamie’s Cryin’”, but it also gave us this lesser known tune called “Ice Cream” which singer David Lee Roth insisted on including to pay homage to the blues. The song is actually a cover of John Brim who recorded it originally in 1953 that was not released until years later in 1969.
Musically, the song features a typical blues arrangement and melody, which Van Halen cranks up to 11 on their version as the full band comes in with distorted guitars after the first verse. To add even more of their personal touch, legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen sprinkles in a solo that absolutely shreds before the song finishes with your tried-and-true blues “big finish” buildup.
Lyrically, Lee Roth sings the words with his trademark “Hot for Teacher”-type sexuality– “I’m your ice cream man, stop me when I’m passin’ by. See, all my flavors are guaranteed to satisfy.”
It’s a deep cut for sure, outshined by all the classics that also were on that first Van Halen album as well as their more prevalent cover of Ray Davies’ “You Really Got Me”, but it’s a great tune regardless and a delicious treat to hear.
Ice Cream by The Wombats
British indie rock band The Wombats released their fourth studio album Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life to a favorable reception, as did singles “Lemon to a Knife Fight”, “Turn”, and “Cheetah”.
“Ice Cream” was not a single, but brings us more of what makes The Wombats so great. We’ve got an alt-rock, dance-pop vibe with twangy guitars, upbeat drums, and background leads that accent the music in all the right places. The rhythm screeches to a slow down in the chorus, which may seem like it would interrupt the head-bobbing beat but actually elevates the song as a whole, making it one of their better and more underrated tunes.
Lyrically, singer Matthew Murphy sings about unrequited love and how the source of his affection “keep[s him] wanting more” while he’s “melting like an ice cream in the sun.” He wants more than she’s willing to give, so instead he languishes in place waiting for her instruction.
The metaphor of “ice cream” here is brilliant, as it’s something fun and sweet that everyone likes but subject to melting away into nothingness if neglected in the hot sun. It’s a smart way to put a new spin on a tried-and-true trope along with imagery that makes the song stand out.
ice cream man by YUNGBLUD
Following the success of his debut album, British rocker Yungblud released his second studio album Weird! in 2020. It sold 39,000 copies in the first week and produced six singles, one of which included a collaboration with American rapper and rockstar Machine Gun Kelly and pop punk legend Travis Barker.
“ice cream man” was not a single from this album, but is overall a fantastic track nonetheless featuring Yungblud’s charismatic vocals backed by distorted guitars, upbeat drums, and an infectiously poppy “la la la, ooh!” Supplemented by Yungblud’s sophisticated alternative look, it’s no wonder pop punk is getting a revival right now and pervading music, fashion, and other areas of modern life.
Lyrically, there’s a lot to unpack on “ice cream man”. There are themes of independence with a hint of isolation and irritation as shown by him not wanting to “get out of bed for your nonsense.” There’s a tongue-in-cheek, snarky humor behind the lyrics, and when he’s asking to be locked up in your ice cream van, he’s really just rephrasing the sentiment of “put me out of my misery.”
The mainstream culture doesn’t appeal to Yungblud, but luckily he’s here to herald the counterculture.
Ice Cream by New Young Pony Club
One listen to New Young Pony Club’s “Ice Cream” and you might mistakenly believe it’s a 1980’s classic dance tune that was all the rage decades ago. In actuality, the song hails from the English electronic dance band’s debut studio album Fantastic Playroom, which was released in 2007.
What makes the track so great is that perfectly encapsulated nostalgic sound that harkens back to the post punk and new wave era with a basic synth melody amidst bumping dance bass and a flat affect on the vocals provided by singer Tahita Bulmer. Bulmer “ can give you what you want. [She] can make your heartbeat short. [She] can make you ice cream.”
The staccato lyrical delivery and flat affect is actually quite reminiscent to classic tune “Money” by The Flying Lizards, even though it was released decades later. Overall, “Ice Cream” is an incredibly dancy song and, although NYPC never got much traction in the States, the album was well-received in the UK and led to two follow-ups between 2007 and 2013.
Ice Cream Party by Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse made their mark way back in 2004 with the album Good News for People Who Love Bad News and the singles “Float On” and “Ocean Breathes Salty.” Since then, they’ve undergone a number of lineup changes with members coming and going regularly, leading to staggered releases and significantly less exposure than they previously enjoyed.
In 2019, Modest Mouse released three standalone singles, one of which was the song “Ice Cream Party”. With previous singles that positioned the band as eclectic, avant-garde, and borderline unhinged with zany lyrics and eccentric singing from singer-songwriter Isaac Brock, it seemed like it would be a shoe-in for another upbeat bop with fantastical imagery and extravagant fanfare.
That’s not what we got. “Ice Cream Party” is actually quite the opposite.
Instead, the song meanders ominously for over six minutes across an ethereal soundscape, and Brock’s signature near slapstick singing is subdued and somber instead. He quietly informs and implores an unknown individual that “there’s an ice cream party in [his] house, please come over.” Not much context is given, but Brock does divulge that the parents of whomever is singing the song are now separated and that the narrator “won’t tell any other kids that” anyone came over to play.
The “ice cream party” therefore becomes quite the opposite of joyous. We don’t know exactly what’s going on, but we have an image of a child pleading with a friend or former friend for them to visit so they could have a little fun despite the tragic and traumatic circumstances unfolding around them.
This context elevates the song from an otherwise dreary, spaced-out stoner tune to a thoughtful, emotional song about loss, tragedy, trauma, and coping with all the feelings that come along with it. It’s heart-wrenching to think about the imagery and subject of the song, but we at least can respect the move to bury the sadness with ice cream.
Ice cream can make everything better.
Conclusion
When we hear that iconic jingle sing throughout the neighborhood on a summer afternoon, it’s all smiles no matter what your age is. Artists and musicians understand that ice cream is the perfect metaphor because it’s sweet, delicious, and universally loved. That’s why there are so many songs about ice cream, even if it’s just a clever metaphor to disguise the true meaning of the song.
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