Tag: surf

Jan + Dean | Surf City

“‘Surf City’ is part of a proud tradition of songs about imaginary party utopias. It belongs in the same lineage as ‘Funkytown’ and ‘Love Shack’ — starry-eyed dreams about places where everyone is having fun all the time” (Stereogum) … “Jan and Dean didn’t hit their peak until they met Brian Wilson. The duo played a lot of early-’60s shows with the Beach Boys, with the Beach Boys even backing them up a few times.

… Berry wanted to record one of Wilson’s songs. Wilson wouldn’t let them have ‘Surfin’ USA,’ since he knew the Beach Boys were going to record that one. But he hadn’t finished the very similar ‘Surf City’ (1963), though he had written and demoed the first verse and chorus. So Berry finished writing the song, and it became the song that really popularized surf music — and maybe surfing in general — in America … ‘Surf City’ would be Jan and Dean’s only #1, but they kept recording increasingly complex surf-pop jams, often with Wilson, for the next few years (1964’s ‘Dead Man’s Curve’ is a banger).”

Starting in Ab major, the track shifts up to C major at the 2:07 mark before cranking into a chaotic fading outro (normally not heard on the radio … even the short 2:43 run time was often shortened by a DJ’s early fade).

Ronny + The Daytonas | Little G.T.O.

“Nashville’s greatest contribution to the hot rod and surfing craze of the early ’60s came in the form of Ronny + the Daytonas,” AllMusic reports. The band was “centered around singer-guitarist-songwriter John ‘Bucky’ Wilkin … After writing (“GTO”) in physics class as a senior in high school, Wilkin’s mom pulled a few strings, landed him a publishing deal, and had a session set up with (a) Nashville producer … The record sprang to number four on the national charts.” Nashville session musicians backed Wilkins up on the recording of the track, and he quickly came up with a name for the “band,” which initially was anything but a stable list of personnel.

The band’s accelerated breakthrough story might have been very much of its era. But ClassicCarHistory.com categorizes the 1964 track as timeless, placing the tune on its Top Ten Car Songs list. “The song reached #4 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart and sold over one million copies.”

1:46 brings a half-step key change to this classic three-chord surf rocker. Many thanks to regular contributor Rob Penttinen for this submission!

The Beach Boys | Fun, Fun, Fun

Wrapping up Beach Boys week is “Fun, Fun, Fun,” a 1964 single by The Beach Boys which features a guitar riff during the opening inspired by Chuck Berry’s iconic “Johnny B. Goode”. The track hit #5 in the US, #5 in Australia, and #8 in New Zealand.

The tune modulates at 1:51. Many thanks to frequent contributor JB for this submission and so many others!

The Beach Boys | Be True to Your School

Continuing with Beach Boys week: “Be True to Your School,” by Brian Wilson and Mike Love of The Beach Boys, was released in 1963. The melody of the University of Wisconsin fight song, “On, Wisconsin,” can be heard on the track. There was also single version, which was released with “In My Room”. The tune peaked at #6 on the Billboard charts, but also #3 in New Zealand, #6 in Sweden, and #10 Australia. However, the single performed best back home in Los Angeles: three weeks at #1, according to airplay on KFWB.

The key change is at 1:54, interspersed with cheerleader chants. Many thanks to Rob Penttinen for this submission!

The Beach Boys | I Get Around

The Beach Boys‘ first charting single, 1964’s “I Get Around,” was co-written by band members Brian Wilson and Mike Love. Starting in G major, the tune transitions to Ab major at 1:06.

Rolling Stone magazine’s Anthony DeCurtis praised Wilson’s tendency to be “very complex and have every single thing you do have an emotional impact, and have the hearer not even be aware of it — just hear it the first time and get it. That’s hard.”