Surfin'

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For the song by Kid Cudi, see Surfin' (Kid Cudi song).
"Surfin'"
Beach boys X label 301.jpg
Single by the Beach Boys
from the album Surfin' Safari
B-side"Luau"
ReleasedNovember 27, 1961[1]
RecordedNovember 1961
StudioWorld Pacific Studio
GenreCalifornia Sound[2][3]
Length2:10
LabelCandix
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Dorinda Morgan
  • Hite Morgan
The Beach Boys singles chronology
"Surfin'"
(1961) 		"Surfin' Safari"
(1962)

"Surfin'" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys, written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love. It was released as the first Beach Boys single (with Luau on the B-side) in November 1961 on Candix Records and it later appeared on the 1962 album Surfin' Safari.

The single effectively began the Beach Boys' music career, establishing them at the vanguard of what would later be regarded the "California Sound".[4] The single peaked at number 75 in the US; it was never released in the UK. The Beach Boys later re-recorded the song for their 1992 album Summer in Paradise. Love re-recorded it for his 2019 album 12 Sides of Summer.

Origins[]

In his book Becoming the Beach Boys (2015), James Murphy prefaces the chapter concerned with "Surfin'" to warn the reader that accounts of the events surrounding the conception, making, and release of the song are "addled with errors and incongruities" and have "frustrated music historians and writers for more than fifty years".[5] However, all accounts credit Dennis Wilson's interest in surfing as the lyrical inspiration for the song.[6]

For his final project at his Hawthorne High music class, Brian Wilson submitted a 32-measure musical composition instead of the 120-measure piano sonata that his teacher Fred Morgan had requested.[7] In Morgan's recollection, "Instead of writing a sonata, he wrote [a melody that later became] the song called 'Surfin'.'"[8] Thus, Wilson was given a failing grade on the assignment.[7] Morgan said, "I had nothing against the song; it was nice, but it just wasn't what I asked him for."[8] However, Wilson's mother Audree disputed Morgan's account and contended that the composition had not actually been "Surfin'".[9] Biographer David Leaf writes the contents of Wilson's submission has since "been lost in time".[10][nb 1]

Wilson recalled that he conceived "Surfin'" on the piano while repeatedly singing the title line.[12] Mike Love contributed the lyrics and the "bom-dip-di-dip" hook that had been lifted from Jan and Dean's 1959 hit "Baby Talk".[12] Wilson remembered that, after a couple of hours, he completed the song and decided to call it "Surfin'".[12] Early rehearsal tapes include an audible remark from Wilson in which he credits the song to himself, his brothers Carl and Dennis, and Love.[13] Brian is heard saying that "Dennis and Carl got the great idea. Mike and I just got a few ideas."[13] An argument then ensues over the writing credits, with Dennis remarking, "We all wrote a tremendous amount of words."[6] In a later interview, Dennis stated that he did not contribute to the writing of the song.[6] Murphy states that Al Jardine's involvement, if any, is unclear.[12]

Later, the Wilson family had guests visiting from England and subsequently took them to Mexico City for three days, leaving the refrigerator stocked and money if they chose to eat out. The day after they left, they group went down to a music store and got instruments with their food money. Brian played guitar, Alan took stand up bass, Dennis chose drums. Brian later said that in order to make a rock and roll sound, he would play bass while Carl played guitar and Mike Love played the saxophone, despite not having any prior experience.[14]

The Wilson's mother Audree remembered that she and her husband, Murry, had barely entered the room when the band said they had something to play for the Wilson parents. She recalled, "We saw all this stuff...and they had an act...and that's when Surfin' was born"[15] The band recorded a demo on Brian's Wollensak tape recorder that was later released on the 2001 compilation Hawthorne, CA.[16][page needed]

Recording[]

The five members of the Beach Boys, then known as the Pendletones, first brought up the song in a studio setting at the Morgans' office at Melrose Avenue. After singing a rendition of "Sloop John B", producer Hite Morgan told the group to record an original song. Dennis then mentioned "Surfin'". Hite asked them to play the song then, but the band responded that it was not yet finished.[17][page needed]

On September 15, the Pendletones, excluding Dennis, returned to the studio to record another demo.[16][page needed] While there, the four present members played the demo of "Surfin'" to Dorinda and Hite Morgan. Audree recalled, "He [Hite] wasn't so much in favor of it, but she [Dorinda] heard something she thought would click."[17][page needed] The song then took as many as twelve takes before the band could agree on a final version, partly due to Brian Wilson's insistence on a perfect song. Wilson's father, who was present during the recording, took over as producer after his criticisms of the band's methods.[17][page needed]

Release[]

After "Surfin'" was completed, Hite announced that he was going to transform the song into a record and release it on local radio.[17][page needed] When the group unpacked the first box of singles from Candix, they found that their band name had been changed to "the Beach Boys". Label promotion man Russ Regan explained to Murry that he had taken the liberty of giving the group a new name to associate them more directly with the popular surf-music genre.[18][page needed]

By the final weeks of 1961 Surfin had sold more than 40,000 copies.[19]

Personnel[]

Per James Murphy.[18][page needed]

Other versions[]

See also: List of cover versions of Beach Boys songs
  • 1963 – Jan & Dean, Jan & Dean Take Linda Surfin' (recorded with the Beach Boys)
  • 1965 – Annette Funicello, Annette Sings Golden Surfin' Hits
  • 1993 – The Surf Rats Muppet Beach Party

Charts[]

Chart (1962) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 75
US Cash Box Top 100 85

References[]

Note

  1. ^ Nonetheless, in 2018, the current principal of Hawthorne High School amended Wilson's grade to an A – and not for "Surfin'", but for "Surfin' U.S.A.".[11]

Citations

  1. ^ Murphy 2015, p. 127.
  2. ^ Starr 2009.
  3. ^ Howard 2004, p. 57.
  4. ^ Schinder 2007, pp. 101–103.
  5. ^ Murphy 2015, p. 81.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c Murphy 2015, p. 86.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Murphy 2015, p. 21.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b White 1996, p. 2.
  9. ^ Murphy 2015, p. 22.
  10. ^ Leaf 1978, p. 23.
  11. ^ Daly, Rhian (January 16, 2018). "Brian Wilson gets high school music grade changed from an F to an A". NME.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Murphy 2015, p. 84.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Murphy 2015, p. 85.
  14. ^ Leaf 1978, pp. 27–28.
  15. ^ Leaf 1978, p. 28.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Carlin 2006.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Leaf 1978.
  18. ^ Jump up to: a b Murphy 2015.
  19. ^ Taylor, Derek (October 5, 1966). "The Beach Boy Empire" (JPG). Hit Parader: 13.

Bibliography

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