Cherry Hill Park - Billy Joe Royal (cover-live by Bill Sharkey)

Cherry Hill Park (Billy Joe Royal, 1969). Live performance by Bill Sharkey, Home Studio, Hawaii Kai, HI. 2025-09-20. "Keeping the Oldies Alive"

"Cherry Hill Park," written by William Gilmore and Robert Nix, was Royal's fourth top 40 hit landing at the no. 15 position on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in 1969 (Whitburn, 2013). Robert Nix was the founding member and drummer for the Atlanta Rhythm Section (dbpedia, 2025). It was reported that Royal was the one who came up with the name the song after a friend of his was driving from NJ to PA and noticed a Cherry Hill, NJ town sign (wikipedia, 2025). During a 2008 interview with popculturemadness, Royal confirmed that his friend "casually commented 'hey, Cherry Hill, 'merry' hill'. The reference somehow made it's way into the lyrics of the song as the main character, 'Mary' Hill" (J. Lustig, njarts, May 11, 2015).

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Lyrics:

Mary Hill used to hang out in Cherry Hill Park
The game she played lasted all day to way after dark
Now all the girls they criticized her
but all the guys just idolized her
‘cause Mary Hill was such a thrill after dark,
in Cherry Hill Park

Mary Hill loved to ride on the merry-go-round
All the guys got eager eyes watchin’ Mary go ‘round
Now in the daytime Mary Hill was a teaser
Come the night she was such a pleaser
Mary Hill was such a thrill after dark,
in Cherry Hill Park

Oh, Mary Hill sure was fun down at Cherry Hill Park
Playin’ games with everyone ‘till way after dark
In Cherry Hill Park, in Cherry Hill Park

And then one day, Mary Hill, she married away
A man with money said “Come on honey” and she said “Ok”
She went away to play a one man game
And since that day it ain’t been the same
‘cause Mary Hill was such a thrill after dark,
in Cherry Hill Park

Oh, Mary Hill sure was fun down at Cherry Hill Park
Playin’ games with everyone ‘till way after dark
In Cherry Hill Park, in Cherry Hill Park
In Cherry Hill Park, in Cherry Hill Park
In Cherry Hill Park, in Cherry Hill Par