| "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)" | |
|---|---|
| Single by The Four Preps | |
| Released | 1958 |
| Genre | Pop music |
| Label | Capitol |
| Writer(s) | Bruce Belland, Glen Larson |
"26 Miles (Santa Catalina)" is a popular song by the 1950s and 1960s pop band The Four Preps. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number six on the Billboard R&B chart in 1958.[1] The song sold over a million copies[2] and was played on The Ed Sullivan Show.
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At the age of 15, the band's lead singer Bruce Belland broke his ankle and took up the ukulele to pass the time while recuperating. He learned four chords, which ended up becoming the song's opening music. The chorus was developed some time later, when, while body surfing at a California beach, Belland's friend said he could see Santa Catalina 26 miles away.[3]
Glen Larson also receives credit for writing the song, as he contributed to the lyrics.
The song was covered by Dent May on his album Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele.[4]
The song served as an influence to Beach Boys singer Brian Wilson, as well as Jimmy Buffett.[3]