The familiar jingle of the ice cream man is one we associate with warm summer days, childhood, and a perfectly swirled ice cream cone. Mister Softee, which is most popular in the Northeast but operates about 600 trucks across 16 states, was founded in 1956 by two Philadelphia brothers, William and James Conway. Not much has changed since the truck’s earliest days, including the fact that you usually hear it coming before you see it. Believe it or not, that legendary jingle has a name (“Mister Softee Jingle and Chimes”), and it also has lyrics! Here they are:

The creamiest, dreamiest soft ice cream

You get from Mister Softee

For a refreshing delight supreme

Look for Mister Softee



My milkshakes and my sundaes and my cones are such a treat

Listen for my store on wheels ding-a-ling down the street

The creamiest, dreamiest soft ice cream

You get from Mister Softee

For a refreshing delight supreme

Look for Mister Softee



S-O-F-T Dubble-E

Mister Softee!

The song was copyrighted in 1960, and has been a summertime staple ever since. If you want to plunk it out on your piano, you can find the full sheet music here.

As summertime approaches, you might hear Mister Softee's song ringing through your town. But if you don't live in the Northeast, check out America's 13 wildest and weirdest ice cream trucks to find out if there are any out-of-the-box mobile desserts near you.