Surfin' USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Surfin' USA | ||
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| Studio album by The Beach Boys | ||
| Released | 25 March 1963 | |
| Recorded | 31 January - 12 February 1963 Except: "Lonely Sea": 13 June 1962 |
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| Genre | Surf Rock | |
| Length | 24:15 | |
| Label | Capitol Records | |
| Producer(s) | Nick Venet | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Beach Boys chronology | ||
| Surfin' Safari (1962) |
Surfin' USA (1963) |
Surfer Girl (1963) |
Surfin' USA is the second album released by The Beach Boys and was released in 1963. This was the group's second album to be credited with production from Capitol's Nick Venet, Capitol Records' representative for Artists and Repertoire.
Surfin' USA is notable for breaking The Beach Boys' career wide open with its title track, and for Brian Wilson's increasing prowess in songwriting, as well as vocal arrangement. The fuller-sounding vocals were achieved simply by doubling them, creating The Beach Boys' own unique sound. As with Surfin' Safari, some have speculated that it was not Nick Venet, the officially-listed producer, but Brian who produced Surfin' USA.
What is also interesting about this particular album is that five of its twelve tracks are surf instrumentals, "Stoked" being Brian Wilson's first of many instrumental songs he'd composed over the years for The Beach Boys. In addition, "Surf Jam" marks the first time Carl Wilson, aged 16 at the time, gets a songwriting credit.
While the title track of the album was the center of attention (with its B-side "Shut Down" receiving some notice in the process), there were other highlights to be found. "Farmer's Daughter", the first of many Brian Wilson falsetto lead vocals, was affecting enough that Fleetwood Mac covered it live in 1980, while "Lonely Sea" (an outtake from the Surfin' Safari sessions and the first song Wilson wrote with Gary Usher) is the earliest glimpse we have of Brian Wilson's melancholic side. "Lana" and "Finders Keepers" (with its Four Seasons-esque hook) are also acclaimed tracks from Surfin' USA.
The title track, "Surfin' USA", became The Beach Boys' first big hit in the US and took its parent album into gold record status and the Top 10, peaking at #2. In 1965, upon re-release in the UK, Surfin' USA would reach #17. The song so closely resembled Chuck Berry's Sweet Little Sixteen that the threat of a lawsuit gave Berry cowriting credit on the album.
The song "Surfin' USA" is part of the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
- "Surfin' USA" (Brian Wilson/Chuck Berry) – 2:27
- Features Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Farmer's Daughter" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 1:49
- Features Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "Misirlou" (Roubanis/Wise/Leeds/Russell) – 2:03
- Instrumental
- "Stoked" (Brian Wilson) – 1:59
- Instrumental
- "Lonely Sea" (Brian Wilson/Gary Usher) – 2:21
- Features Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "Shut Down" (Brian Wilson/Roger Christian) – 1:49
- Features Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Noble Surfer" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 1:51
- Features Mike Love on lead vocals
- "Honky Tonk" (Doggett/Scott/Butler/Sheper/Glover) – 2:01
- Instrumental
- "Lana" (Brian Wilson) – 1:39
- Features Brian Wilson on lead vocals
- "Surf Jam" (Carl Wilson) – 2:10
- Instrumental
- "Let's Go Trippin' " (Dick Dale) – 1:57
- Instrumental
- "Finders Keepers" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 1:38
- Features Mike Love on lead vocals
[edit] Singles
- "Surfin' USA" b/w "Shut Down" (Capitol 4932), 4 March 1963, US #3; #34 UK
("Shut Down" US #23)
Surfin' USA is now paired on CD with Surfin' Safari, with bonus tracks from that period.
Surfin' USA (Capitol (S) T 1890) reached #2 in the US, lasting 78 weeks in the charts. It reached #17 in the UK in late 1965.
[edit] Sources
- Surfin' Safari/Surfin' USA CD booklet notes, David Leaf, c.1990.
- "The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the Southern California Experience", Timothy White, c. 1994.
- "Wouldn't It Be Nice - My Own Story", Brian Wilson and Todd Gold, c. 1991.
- "Top Pop Singles 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
- "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c. 2002.
- All Music Guide.com
