Surfin' Safari By The Beach Boys

Surfin' Safari

1963

The Beach Boys

There are certain songs that just remind you of 'Summer', no matter when you hear them,,,especially if those songs are about, oh, I don't know...surfing! This was probably one of the many thoughts being discussed back in 1961 when a trio of brothers...Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson...got hold of a cousin named Mike Love, and a friend of theirs named Al Jardine, asked their dad to manage them, formed a band, named it 'The Beach Boys', and started recording hit records about the Early '60s Southern California lifestyle...Surfing, Cars, and Girls. And on this post, I'm going to feature three of 'em...their first three Top 20 hits, two of which cracked the top 10

Ok, the Beach Boy Fanatics among you are screaming “WHOA ROB!!!!. That's not exactly the way it happened, and besides...David Marks replaced Al Jardine before their first big hit.

Ahhh, true that. But he was in the band when they recorded their first hit...well minor hit in the rest of the US, but a HUGE hit in Cali. It was called 'Surfin', was recorded under the 'small 'Candix Records'' label, and sold about 40, 000 copies, reaching # 75 in the US, but going all the way to #3 in Southern California. Oh...and they recorded it as 'The Pendletons, not The Beach Boys. The ultimately very fortuitous name change was courtesy of a promotions worker who made the change to better tie them in with the Surf Music scene.

To make a long story short, they wrote and recorded a couple more songs, made demos, auditioned and were turned down by Dot and Liberty Records (How'd you like to be known as 'The Guy Who Turned Down The Beach Boys'???), then signed a seven year contract with Capitol Records...and started churning out hits.

Their first Top 20 hit was 'Surfin' Safari', and when it was originally recorded Al Jardine actually was on guitar...but that version, recorded on Feb 8, 1962, wasn't released until the late '60s. The version that hit #14 on The Hot 100 was recorded on April 19^th, 1962, after Dave Marks joined the group. He played guitar along with Carl Wilson, Brian Wilson was on Bass Guitar, Dennis Wilson on drums, and Mike Love sang Lead Vocals...the basic recipe for that legendary Beach Boys sound that everyone grew to know and love.

They added it to the demo tape along with '409' and a couple of other songs...you don't become a major record label like Capitol without having people who can recognize talent when they hear it...Capitol listened to it, went 'WOW!', and signed them to the aforementioned contract before someone else got smart and beat them to it.

The 'B' side of 'Surfin' Safari' was another Beach Boy's tune that everyone's heard...'409',...and supposedly That's the one that Capitol actually wanted to be the 'A' side of the record when it was released on June 4^th, 1962. DJs liked 'Surfin' Safari better though...so they flipped the record and played it rather than '409'. (By the way, if you find an original single with '409' as the 'A' side, hang on to it for dear life...there are none known to be in existence, so I have a feeling it'd be worth a few bucks).

'Surfin' Safari' made it to #14 on The Hot 100 and almost...but not quite...earned them their first Gold Record, with sales of a bit over 900,000. Interestingly enough, the biggest order for copies of the single came from New York City...about as far from the world of surfing as you can get.

Beach boys songs will never disappear from ''Oldies' stations...if they did it'd have to be a sign of The Apocalypse! This one (Along with both of the other Beach Boy's classics I'm featuring this week)have been staples on the radio since they were released, you still hear 'em now (especially in the summer) and our kids and grand kids 'll hearing them long after we're gone.

If you're gonna blog post a video of 'Surfin' Safari, ya gotta find one with surfing footage on it...and I managed to find one with some awesome footage! So enjoy! 'Surfin' Safari' by The Beach Boys! (And don't even try to tell me that you weren't at least lip-syncin' to it! ;) )

As a bonus...remember the original recording of Surfin' Safari...recorded in February '62 back when Al Jardine was still part of 'The Beach Boys? Here it is! There are some subtle differences in the lyrics...see if you can catch 'em

And as a second bonus...with more awesome surfing pics...The first ever Beach boys song, recorded when they were still The Pendletons' (But released as The Beach Boys) 'Surfin', by The Pendletons/The Beach Boys

Surfin' USA by The Beach Boys

Surfin' USA

1963

The Beach Boys

If you asked a hundred people who grew up on the music of the Sixties and Seventies what song they think of immediately when they think 'Beach Boys', 'Surfin' USA' would be way up there in the numbers in the songs they named. Thing is, it really wasn't The Beach Boys' song...not completely anyway.

Brian Wilson wrote the lyrics...but Chuck Berry originally wrote the music, when he wrote a early Rock and Roll classic called Sweet Little Sixteen. The Beach Boy's Brian Wilson was hanging out with his girlfriend Judy Bowles and her brother, and they were talking about the best places to surf, when 'Sweet Little Sixteen' played on the radio. Brian started humming along with it, and realized that names of surf spots would fit perfectly where the names of the cities were in the lyrics for Sweet Little Sixteen. He and Judy's brother came up with a list of surfing spots, Brian added other lyrics, and set them to Sweet Little Sixteen's music, the Beach Boys recorded it, it was released as a single (With 'Shut Down' as the B side) on March 4^th, 1963, and all but immediately became a hit, climbing to #3 on The Billbaord Hot 100...everyone was happy and all was well with the world...well almost everyone.

See Brian Wilson was listed as the sole and only composer. Arc Music, which was Chuck Berry's publisher, was not amused. Lawsuits were threatened, negotiations were held (As Kids bopped to the music while they crooned 'Ev'rybody's Gone Suuuuurrrrrfin'...Surfin' USA!!!!') and agreements were made...and Chuck Berry was listed as one of the composers on every single and album from 1966 on. In fact, Arc Music actually holds the Copyright to the song...Brian Wilson's lyrics and all.

Surfin' USA was the group's follow-up to Surfin' Safari, and their first Top 10 hit. It wouldn't be the last...it started a string of top 10 hits...interrupted occasionally by one that only cracked the top 20...that would span three years, and include 13 top 10 hits...three of 'em making it all the way to #1

The song just clicked with everyone...it was high energy, catchy, and just made for summer and the beach...so much so that it was re-released in July 1974 and made it to #36 on The Hot 100. I remember it constantly being on the radio that summer, (Q-94 in Richmond...then and to this day Richmond. Va’s Premiere Top 40 station) and we liked it then just as much as the kids had ten years earlier, in 1963

Surfin' USA is another one that will probably be around long after all of us are gone...it's just one of those songs that just screams 'SUMMER. When you're listening to an Oldies station, and you hear that distinctive guitar riff kicking' it off, and your head starts bobbing, you KNOW you're going to end up belting out the lyrics right along with Mike Love...and that it'll be stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

If you're gonna have a video for Surfin USA it's just got to include surfing footage or pictures...I truly think that's mandated by Federal Law...or if it isn't it should be, because it actually took me forever to find one. When I did, though, I managed to find a good one!

So enjoy! Fifty years, hard as it is to believe, after it hit #3 on the Hot 100...Surfin' USA By The Beach Boys.

Surfin' USA wasn't finished with the charts yet! It's been covered by more than a dozen artists, but Leif Garret had the most successful cover of Surfin' USA when he took it to #20 on the Hot 100 in 1977. He didn't do a bad job with it all...but The Beach Boys still own it!

So, as a bonus...The original music video of Leif Garrett's cover of 'Surfin' USA'

And finally...Chuck Berry's 'Sweet Little Sixteen...the song that birthed Surfin' USA. Take a listen and see how close the two really are musically.

A couple of quick Surfin' USA Fun Facts.

Even though their first four singles...three of 'em Top 20, and two of those Top 10...were about surfing, Dennis Wilson was the only Beach boy who actually surfed.

Like the song itself, the recording session for Surfin' USA was very upbeat and happy, according to David Marks...he said that the energy and good vibes during the session were a one of a kind thing, and it really comes through when you listen to the song.

The surfing spots mentioned in the song, in the order that they're mentioned:

Del Mar" - Del Mar, San Diego County, California

"Ventura County Line" - Ventura County, California

"Santa Cruz" - Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California

"Trestles" - San Onofre State Park, San Diego County, California

"Australia's Narrabeen" - Narrabeen, New South Wales

"Manhattan" - Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles County, California

"Doheny" - Doheny Beach, Dana Point, Orange County, California

"Haggerty's" - Palos Verdes Estates, Los Angeles County, California

"Swami's" - Swami's Beach, Encinitas, San Diego County, California

"Pacific Palisades" - Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles County, California

"San Onofre" - San Onofre State Park, San Diego County, California

"Sunset" - Sunset Beach, Oahu, Hawaii - or - Sunset Beach, Orange County, California

"Redondo Beach" - Redondo Beach, Los Angeles County, California

"L.A." - Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California

"La Jolla" - La Jolla, San Diego County, California

"Waimea Bay" - Waimea Bay, Hawaii

Surfer Girl by The Beach Boys

Surfer Girl

1963

The Beach Boys

For the third early Beach Boys surfing tune...finish the lyric: 'Do You Love Me, do You ​'

If you guessed anything than than 'Surfer Girl', you've never ever listened to Oldies, and definitely weren't born in the Fifties, and more than likely not the Sixties either.

This was the first Beach Boys tune that Brian Wilson got full credit on...composing, arranging, and producing. The tune, and some of the lyrics came to him, of all places, in his car as he was riding to a hot dog stand. He bought his 'dog, returned to his house, and finished what was ultimately to be another Beach boys Classic. The story since it was written was that the tune was for his first girlfriend, Judy Bowles but Brian has said that he actually didn't have anyone in mind when he wrote it....the lyrics just came to him as he hummed the melody, which was actually inspired by the Dion And The Belmont's version of 'When You Wish Upon A Star'.

It was the closest thing to a ballad the Beach Boys would ever record...Surfer Girl was actually one of the earliest Beach boy songs, but the original recording wasn't released until much later. The version we all know and love was recorded on June 12^th, 1963, and released on July 22^nd '63. It peaked at #7 on The Billboard Hot 100 on September 14, 1963, becoming the Beach Boys' second top 10 hit.

Like 'Surfin' Safari' and 'Surfin' USA', Surfer Girl's a classic...And like the other two tunes. It's been a staple on Top 40, then Oldies stations (Especially Oldies stations near the beach on either coast) for 50 years. I mean what can be better than the beach on a summer afternoon.

Also like the other two, if you're gonna Blog post a video for the song, it better have surfing in it! And if it's about 'Surfer Girls'...well, enjoy! Surfer Girl, by The Beach Boys. And don't even tell me you weren't singing along with it! ;)

Believe It Or Not by Joey Scarbury

Believe It Or Not

1981

Mike Post/Joey Scarbury

Last post dealt with the four biggest instrumental theme songs (IMHO) of the 60s, 70s, and 80s...so this week I'll take on the three biggest vocal theme songs.

I think everyone who was around as a teen or early twenty-something in the early 80s remembers the first one...remembers it well and fondly. It's one of catchy, addictive tunes that even the occasional metal head found him or herself silent lip-syncing to if they should run across it. Thing is a lot of people don't remember where it came from. It's one of those cases of a TV theme song that was far more popular than the show that it was a theme for.

Back in 1981, a teacher named Ralph Hinkley...played by Richard Katt...was given a suit by a bunch of aliens, tried it on, immediately lost the instruction manual for it, and alleged hilarity ensued for the next two and a half seasons. The Greatest American Hero was a mid-season replacement, premiering on March 18^th, 1981...along with it's theme song, Believe It Or Not.

The show was actually pretty forgettable, hitting a wall after only 44 episodes. The catchy, high energy theme song was far more popular than the show. The music was written by Mike Post...who also penned the music for The Hill Street Blues and Rockford Files themes...the lyrics were penned by Steven Geyer, and they tapped Joey Scarbury to sing it. It was a talent-trifecta made in heaven for the song, which debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 9^th, 1981 and climbed the charts steadily, making it to #2 for the week of August 22^nd. The song hung around the Top 40 for a total of 18 weeks, and outlasted the show by several years, and you could still hear it occasionally on Oldies stations until a few years back. It's kind of dropped off the radar other then the occasional 'X# Of Greatest Hits' count down. To bad really...'Believe It Or Not' was almost as good an energy boost on a long, never-ending work-day as a caffeine fix!

So Enjoy...'Believe It Or Not', written by Mike Post and Sung By Joey Scarbury. The Video has both the lyrics and some scenes from the show.

As Bonus # 1...the opening credits from 'The Greatest America Hero.

The song has been referenced in more episodes of other TV shows...from 'Seinfeld' right on up to 'Heroes'...than just about any other theme music, and was covered by none other than 'Alvin And The Chipmunks'

And with that thought in mind...as bonus #2, the Official...yes, official...music video for Alvin And The Chipmunks, covering 'Believe It Or Not'

Welcome Back by John Sebastian

Welcome Back

1976

John Sebastian

In September of 1975 The world was introduced to 'The Sweathogs' at James Buchanan High School, in Brooklyn, and loved 'em...at least for three seasons. They tried to ring too many changes in the show for Season 4, and basically killed it.

It also introduced the world to a guy named John Travolta who, as we may recall, enjoyed some small success on The Big Screen and equal success as a private pilot (Really...how many other general aviation pilots own, are fully qualified to fly, and indeed do fly a fully restored Qantas Airlines Boeing 707, converted to a the ultimate private luxury get-a-way ride.)

Most importantly, for our purposes, it introduced the world to a tune named 'Welcome Back, penned and sung by former 'Lovin' Spoonful' front-man John Sebastian. The name of the show got changed because of the song, BTW...originally the series was to be called 'Kotter', and Sebastian was tapped to write and record the theme music. He looked at the show's proposed title, scratched his head, buried his head in thesauruses, and finally told the show's producers 'There is no word in any known or unknown language that both rhymes with 'Kotter;' and makes sense in the context of this show'.

So John Sebastian, being a pretty decent songwriter as we may recall, changed the lyrics so they'd be more generic, and more importantly, more easily rhymed. And the words 'Welcome Back' were prefixed to the title of the show, and became the title of the theme song.

As popular as the show was the song was possibly more popular. The public wanted a single...now! Of course, being a TV theme song it was only about a minute long, far too short to release as a single, so Sebastian went back to the drawing board and wrote a second verse, and added a harmonicas solo...oh, By The Way, that's him playing the Harpoon. He was a studio-quality harmonica player. And the public had their wish granted in a big way, rewarding Sebastian by giving him his only hit as a solo artist. It also saved his bacon with his label...Warner Bros. Records was about to drop him due to low sales, instead they rushed him into a marathon writing and recording session to get the single out.

'Welcome Back' The Single debuted in late March or Early April 1976, and made it to #1 on the Hot 100 in May of that same year.. It was also certified Gold'. But it's dropped off of the Oldies Station radio play-lists, a common fate of hit TV theme songs. To bad, really...everyone loved that piano solo leading in to one of the mellowest TV theme songs to ever become a hit.

So Enjoy! Welcome Back, By John Sebastian

And as a Bonus...the original opening credits from Welcome Back Kotter

Gabe Kaplan, who both co-created and starred in the show, based the show and the characters on his own experiences at New Utrecht High School , also in Brooklyn. New Utrech is also the building used for many of the exterior shots. Take a look at the list of Notable Alumni over on the school's Wikipedia page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Utrecht_High_School Definitely not a bunch of Sweathogs!

Secret Agent Man by Johnny Rivers

Secret Agent Man

1966

Johnny Rivers

Back in 1966 a British action-adventure series called 'Danger Man' was imported into the US, and new theme music was written for it...written by PF Sloan and Steve Barri, and recorded by Johnny Rivers, and at first only 15 seconds long. Then the Powers that Be decided (Rightfully so as it turned out) that it would make a perfect single, so two more verses were written for it, Johnny Rivers recorded it, and it sailed up to # 3 on the Hot 100. The song was FAR more memorable than the show, which lasted for one season in The U.S. Really...I've asked people who looked at me and said 'Never heard of it'. I don't remember it, and that is the type of show an eight or nine year old boy would slam eat up. (Was I ever really That young???)

The song, however, has had tremendous lasting power, and of the three featured this week, it's the only one still regularly heard on Oldies stations...that distinctive 'Spy Music' guitar rift has just screamed 'ACTION!' for nearly 50 years, hard as it is to believe!

So Enjoy! Secret Agent Man by Johnny Rivers

And as a bonus...we answer the question 'What if they made a 'Pretty Little Liars' spinoff whence Caleb was an Undercover Agent From The FBI???' Really cool, and creative, IMHO