| "Wipe Out" | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Surfaris | ||||||||
| from the album Wipe Out | ||||||||
| B-side | "Surfer Joe" | |||||||
| Released | 1963 | |||||||
| Recorded | 1962, Cucamonga's Pal Recording Studio | |||||||
| Genre | Surf rock | |||||||
| Length | 2:12 | |||||||
| Label | Dot | |||||||
| Writer(s) | Bob Berryhill, Pat Connolly, Jim Fuller, Ron Wilson | |||||||
| The Surfaris singles chronology | ||||||||
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"Wipe Out" is a Twelve-bar blues [1] written by Bob Berryhill, Pat Connolly, Jim Fuller and Ron Wilson. The tune was first performed and recorded by The Surfaris, who were elevated to international status with the release of the "Surfer Joe" and "Wipe Out" single in 1963.
The song – both the Surfaris' version as well as cover versions – has been featured in over 20 films and television series since 1964, appearing at least once a decade. First heard in Kenneth Anger’s short Scorpio Rising, its most recent appearance was in Dominic Sena’s 2009 thriller, Whiteout.[2]
The term 'wipeout' refers to a fall from a surfboard, especially one that looks painful.
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Bob Berryhill, Pat Connolly, Jim Fuller and Ron Wilson wrote the tune almost on the spot as a suitable B-side was needed for the intended "Surfer Joe" single. In late 1962, while the band was in Cucamonga's Pal Recording Studio recording the single, one of the band members suggested that a gimmick sound indicating a wipe out off a surfboard be emulated. The suggestion was made that during the introduction before the music starts, a cracking sound, imitating a breaking surfboard, should be made. This followed by a manic voice babbling, "ha ha ha ha ha, wipe out." The spoken voice at the beginning of the song is the voice of the band's manager of the time, Dale Smallin.
The afterthought track spent four months on the national Billboard chart in the autumn of 1963, reaching #2 and kept out of the top slot only by Stevie Wonder's "Fingertips". The smash hit "Wipe Out" returned to the Hot 100 in 1966, reaching #16 in Billboard and #9 in Cash Box in its second national chart run. This time it is said to have sold around 700,000 copies in the US to add to its original million-plus. Meanwhile, original A-side "Surfer Joe", sung by Ron Wilson, only attracted airplay in the wake of "Wipe Out"'s success, and peaked at #62 during its six-week run. Ron Wilson's energetic drum solo for "Wipe Out" (a sped-up version of his Charter Oak High School marching band's drum cadence) was beaten out on malt-shop tables all over the country, helping the song become one of the best-remembered instrumental tunes of the period.
Another Southern Californian surf group calling themselves the Surfaris had formed around the same time. They renamed themselves the Original Surfaris following the popularity of "Wipe Out."
In addition to being featured in several films and television shows since 1964 (usually in chase scenes), the song also appears in the 1997 video game Final Fantasy VII's music track, "Electric de Chocobo" and the 2005 Korean rhythm video game Pump It Up's music track, "Mr. Larpus."
In 1993, Animal recorded a cover of this song for the Muppet album Muppet Beach Party. A music video was released to promote the album.
Tommy Tallarico also performs this song for the 16-bit videogame Cool Spot
In the summer of 1987 a remake of "Wipe Out" by The Fat Boys & The Beach Boys collaborating made #12 US and #2 UK.
The Replacements mention "Surfer Joe" in their 1989 song "I'll Be You". They also would infrequently perform "Wipe Out" in their early concerts.
The song can be heard in the 2001 Disney film, Recess: School's Out, when the six main characters (except for T.J. who gets captured) flee from Benedict's guards and escape the school after being caught spying to find out what Benedict is up to.
The 1990 animated series, The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 has a version of "Wipe Out" in the episode "Mind Your Mummy Mommy Mario." The song was removed in later reruns and video releases to avoid copyright issues; however, it is intact on the "King Koopa Katastrophe" video release.[3]
Following the 2001 death of television personality Morton Downey, Jr. (whom the aforementioned Super Mario Bros. 3's character "Morton Koopa, Jr." was allegedly named after), news reports and obituaries incorrectly credited him as the composer of "Wipe Out."[4][5] As of 2010, Downey's official website continues to make this claim.[6]