Helter skelter (ride)

A helter skelter is an amusement ride with a slide built in a spiral around a high tower. Users climb up inside the tower and slide down the outside, usually on a mat or hessian (burlap) sack. Typically the ride will be of wooden construction and, in the case of fairground versions, designed to be disassembled to facilitate transportation between sites. The term is primarily (but not exclusively) found in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the ride is uncommon and may be called by other names, such as a "Skyslide".

History

The term "helter-skelter" was first recorded in the United Kingdom at Hull Fair in October 1905, taking its name from the much older adverb meaning "in confused, disorderly haste". Other recorded names for the slide include Canadian slide, alpine glide, lighthouse slip, slipping the slip and glacier slip.

In popular culture

The ride inspired the Beatles song of the same name and is also mentioned in the songs "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" from Genesis, "Ball and Chain" by XTC, "Fade In-Out" by Oasis, "Fat Gal" by Merle Travis, "Wild Child" by Enya, "American Pie" by Don McLean, "Bloodbath in Paradise" by Ozzy Osbourne, "Arabella" by Arctic Monkeys, and "Black Curtains" by Megadeth. In March 2010, The Shapeshifters also released a track called "Helter Skelter". A version of the ride is featured briefly in the credit sequence of the K-On! movie as part of the music video for "Singing!"

Helter Skelter

Helter Skelter or Helter-skelter may refer to:

Charles Manson

People

Arts, media, and entertaiment

Fictional entities

Films

Games and entertainment

List of Instant Star episodes

The following is an episode list for the Canadian drama Instant Star. The series premiered on September 15, 2004 and ended on June 26, 2008.

Seasons

Season 1 (2004 - 2005)

Season 2 (2006)

Season 3 (2007)

Season 4 (2008)

Instant Star Minis

Season 3

Starting in Season 3, Instant Star Mini webisodes have appeared on The N.com's The Click.

Helter Skelter (book)

Helter Skelter (1974) is a true crime book by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry. Bugliosi had served as the prosecutor in the 1970 trial of Charles Manson. The book presents his firsthand account of the cases of Manson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and other members of the self-described Manson Family. It is the best-selling true crime book in history.

Description

The book recounts and assesses the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of Charles Manson and his followers for the notorious 1969 murders of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, actress Sharon Tate, and several others.

The book takes its title from the apocalyptic race war that Manson believed would occur, which in turn took its name from "Helter Skelter" by The Beatles. Manson had been particularly fascinated by the Beatles' White Album, from which the song came.

Reception and legacy

Helter Skelter was first published in the United States in 1974 and became a bestseller. The book won the 1975 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime book, and was the basis for two television films, released in 1976 and 2004. At the time of Bugliosi's death in 2015, it had sold over seven million copies, making it the best-selling true crime book in history.