With the recent passing of Brian Wilson, there’s been a renewed interest in thesurfrockmusicof The Beach Boys. In the band’s early years, they became the best and most successful artists playing surf music. However, by the time they arrived, the scene was well underway, populated by an array of talented and memorable artists. Some of these bands have stood the test of time, while others have been regrettably forgotten despite the excellence ofThe Beach Boys' definitive songs.
With such an array of music and styles in the genre - from instrumental songs grounded in world music to vocal numbers built on doo-wop - it’s easy to get stuck to the standards or to get lost in the weeds, missing the true gems. A quick look at 10 of the finest songs from the era not by The Beach Boys can help orient fans to the wealth of treats available, hopefully launching deep explorations into the surf.
10Walk Don’t Run (1960)
The Ventures
The Ventures came together in 1958, right as the surf rock craze was beginning. The instrumental rockers soon became one of the most prolific acts of the century, releasing over 200 albums and around 150 singles. One of their earliest releases, “Walk Don’t Run,” became their biggest hit (at #2, behind only Elvis) and defined not only their sound, but that of the entire era.
“Walk Don’t Run” had previously been recorded by Johnny Smith and the great Chet Atkins, but these were jazzy numbers. The Ventures modernized it, andthe reverb guitar and bright production established a baseline for instrumental surf rock for every act that followed.The band would go on to a long and varied career, but this cut remains their definitive achievement.
9Mr. Moto (1961)
The Belairs
Just a year later, surf music was truly starting to take off, and the best release of 1961 came from The Belairs (web searchers take note: they’ve had their name listed in at least three different ways). “Moto” was instrumental in shaping the sound of the movement.The groupadded a mysterious element, largely due to the incorporation of Middle Eastern influences, and fitting for a track connected to a fictional secret agent.
The Belairs would never match the commercial or artistic success of “Mr. Moto,” splitting up just a few years later. The members would remain influential through their work with other bands, particularly The Challengers, whose albumSurfbeatwould cover essential surf music and help bring the genre more widespread attention.
8Pipeline (1962)
The Chantays
The Chantays likewise had a brief but glorious burst, releasing just a couple albums and a handful of singles in the early ’60s. One of those tracks, though, would go on to be one of the most important in the history of surf rock. “Pipeline” quickly hit #4 on the charts, and hasremained an essential part of the genre to this day.
It has a defining bassline in an era more noted for lead guitars or vocal harmonies.
The song sticks out among its peers for several reasons. It has a defining bassline in an era more noted for lead guitars or vocal harmonies. It has the noticeable addition of keyboards, an unusual element for early surf rock, but one that gave “Pipeline” its distinctive feel. The song feels heavily rhythmic and atmospheric, adding a different sort of take on a burgeoning style.
7Miserlou (1962)
Dick Dale
Dick Dale, known appropriately as “The King of the Surf Guitar,” might be the most influential individual musician in the history of instrumental surf rock. His thick tone and quick alternate picking gave his music a particular flavor that other artists would work to copy. No recording of his showcased his talent better than his version of “Miserlou.”
The song comes from a traditional folk number, likely from the area around Turkey. Dale played a fast, reverb-heavy version on his guitar,creating an instant classic and re-shaping a young genre.Quentin Tarantino’s use of this recording inPulp Fictiongave it a second life, if it needed it, and the track remains a vital part not just of surf music, but also of all rock.
6California Sun (1963)
The Rivieras
Purists focused on instrumental surf music, but by 1963, vocal-based songs had become an important part of the tradition. One of the most important of these releases was The Rivieras' “California Sun.” The lyrics helped build the myth of a young, joyful California with “a pretty chick wherever you go,” a perfect sentiment for its moment.
The original version by Joe Jones had a different feel, as it was much more of an R&B number. The Rivieras gave it a glistening organ sound andmade it into more of a pop number. The change paid off, as the track reached #5 on the charts and quickly became a staple. It’s appeared in a number of movies, and just a couple of guitar notes instantly conjures up the feeling of a sunny day at the beach.
5Shoot The Curl (1963)
The Honeys
Surf rock has traditionally been the domain of male musicians, but The Honeys broke that mold. The group, which began as a sister act, was finding its legs in the early ’60s when it made an important connection: Brian Wilson. The Beach Boy quickly became a songwriter and producer for the act (going so far as marrying Marilyn Rovell, thereby producing Carnie and Wendy Wilson).
The Honeys had a decent run through the 1960s, but they never topped 1963’s “Shoot The Curl” (backed with the more girl-group-sounding “Surfin' Down The Swanee River”). The track establishes the band, as was desired, as a female equivalent to The Beach Boys. The opening line,“We’re going to ride those boys right out of style,” says it all. The Honeys didn’t quite do that, but they certainly carved out space for themselves.
4Surf City (1963)
Jan & Dean
Besides The Beach Boys, no vocal surf group had as much impact as Jan & Dean. The duo came out of a doo-wop tradition and had a great sense of harmony.When they turned their sound to the coast, they became nearly untouchable, with hits like “The Little Old Lady From Pasadena” and “Dead Man’s Curve” making them essential listening.
“Surf City,” with its promise of “two girls for every boy”, marked their high point. The song developed an appealing fantasy, with teens heading for the coast in an old, barely reliable car to a town with an abundance of attractive women and limitless possibilities for fun. Jan & Dean delivered the myth with a wink and impressive harmonies that owed much to The Beach Boys. The song hit all the right beats and has long been part of the ideal vision of California.
3Surfin' Bird (1963)
The Trashmen
The Trashmen remain an oddity. They were a surf act from the decidedly ocean-free state of Minnesota, and their biggest hit makes zero sense. That cut “Surfin' Bird” also sounds like the amalgamation of a couple of other goofy songs from the era. The Trashmen sang the odd “Bird is the word” and a bunch of nonsense syllables to end up nowhere at all.
Yet the song’s endlessly catchy. The group’s high energy comes through, and if yousimply want to dance around and shut your brain off, there are few songs that help you do it better than this one. The song’s success gave them a few more years together. The Trashmen kept a distinctly avian flare, reaching the charts again with their next single, “Bird Dance Beat,” taken from the album of the same name and based heavily on “Surfin' Bird.”
2Wipeout (1963)
The Surfaris
The Surfaris have plenty going for them; they have the best name of the surf rock era, they have the best laugh to ever open a track, and they took an amazing song to #2 on the charts to begin their career. That said, they only produced two truly great songs over their career, and both were released on the same single. The B-side “Surfer Joe” hasn’t maintained the place in culture it deserves, but “Wipe Out” continues to be one of the greatest hits of the era.
In 1987, rappers The Fat Boys collaborated with The Beach Boys on “Wipeout!” This remake of a classic became a hit, and, while it’s still a fun number, the song and its video are oddities worth tracking down as curiosities, if nothing else.
“Wipe Out” opens with the sound of a breaking surf board, a maniacal laugh, and the title words (the only vocals in the song). From there, the drums take over. If surf music is typically guitar-based music,this song proves that percussion can get you to the shore just as quickly. With an unforgettable melody and truly unique elements, “Wipe Out” has stuck around as one of the best instrumental rock tracks of the ’60s.
1Tell ‘Em I’m Surfin’ (1964)
The Fantastic Baggys
Unlike The Trashmen or The Surfaris, The Fantastic Baggys didn’t produce anything with remarkable staying power. In fact, their most notable contribution might come from backing Jan & Dean on “The Little Old Lady From Pasadena.” However, they did manage at least one excellent song that deserves to be remembered.
Fantastic Baggys co-founder P. F. Sloan went on to interesting work, writing hits throughout the ’60s, including “Secret Agent Man” and “Eve Of Destruction.”
“Tell ‘Em I’m Surfin’” has the quintessential sound of the era, clearly indebted to The Beach Boys or Jan & Dean, but with harmonies and a melody that lets the song thrive on its own. If you doubt the strength of The Fantastic Baggys, compare this performance to Jan & Dean’s take, and not the superiority of the original. It’s a shame that The Fantastic Baggys have been forgotten (except maybe in South Africa, where they found surprising success), but at least they’ve left some stellar music for modern fans.
