Charabanc

A charabanc (pronounced sha-ra-bang) is a kind of open-topped bus common in Britain throughout the early part of the 20th century. It was particularly popular for "works outings" to the country or the seaside that businesses would hold once a year. The name derives from the French char à bancs ("carriage with wooden benches"), where it originates in the early 19th century.It is mentioned in Ian Anderson's song, "Wondering Again" from the Jethro Tull compilation Living in the Past, as well as imaginatively in The Decemberists' song "The Legionnaire's Lament". From what is gathered from the context of the song, a charabanc ride is nothing but a joy-ride for the nothing-to-dos, and finds use in guiding tourists approximately a town or city. Also mention in the Stranglers song Peaches.

The charabanc travel around is also the (admittedly vague — see The Beatles Anthology, episode 6) premise of The Beatles' 1967 television film supernatural Mystery Tour, in which a group of characters (Spotlight 'oddities', 'lovelies' and The Beatles themselves) toured Southern England in a mix of music hall tunes or comedy, contemporary psychedelia, and musical set pieces by the Fab Four.