Surfin' Safari

Surfin' Safari
Studio album by The Beach Boys
Released	1 October 1962
Recorded	3 October 1961, April 19, 8 August, 5 September, & 6 September 1962
Genre	Surf rock
Length	24:53
Label	Capitol
Producer	Nick Venet, Murry Wilson
Professional reviews
Allmusic link
The Beach Boys chronology
Surfin' Safari (1962) Surfin' USA (1963)

Surfin' Safari is the debut album by The Beach Boys, released in 1962. Surfin' Safari is now paired on CD with Surfin' USA with bonus tracks from the period. Surfin' Safari peaked at #32 in its 37-week run on the US charts. It would be the lowest charting Beach Boys album until Smiley Smile in 1967.

History

In the autumn of 1961, cousins Brian Wilson and Mike Love composed a song on surfing, titled "Surfin'" at the behest of Brian's younger sibling, Dennis Wilson. They quickly formed a band, bringing in youngest Wilson brother Carl on lead guitar and Brian's high school friend Al Jardine on rhythm guitar. Brian took up bass, Dennis the drums and Mike would be the frontman, while they all would harmonize vocals arranged by Brian. Released that December, produced by Hite & Dorinda Morgan, and backed by the rarest Beach Boys' B-side, "Luau", "Surfin'" made #75 in the US Top 100 in early 1962.

Father Murry Wilson became the band's manager. He submitted a professionally-recorded demo tape to Capitol Records that spring. The Beach Boys were signed and "Surfin' Safari" b/w "409" (from the April 1962 demo tape) was released as a single that June. Al Jardine left the band before the demo session, to be replaced by a friend of Carl's, David Marks, until the fall of 1963.

With both "Surfin' Safari" and "409" becoming hits (the former reaching US #14), Capitol Records approved a full album. Brian Wilson, who regularly collaborated with Mike Love and Gary Usher, contributed the songs that made up the bulk of the LP.

Surfin' Safari, despite the official credit to Nick Venet, was reportedly produced by Brian Wilson. The second single, "Ten Little Indians", was less successful, reaching only #49, with Brian feeling that "Chug-A-Lug" would have made a far better follow-up. Though Mike and Brian are the most prominent singers (as they would be throughout most of The Beach Boys' career), Dennis makes his first vocal appearance on "Little Girl (You're My Miss America)".

Front cover artwork

The front sleeve features the five-piece band on the beach at Paradise Cove, north of Malibu. The picture was taken by in-house Capitol photographer Kenneth Veeder

Track listing

Side one

1. "Surfin' Safari" (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) – 2:05
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
2. "County Fair" (Brian Wilson, Gary Usher) – 2:15
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
3. "Ten Little Indians" (Brian Wilson, Gary Usher) – 1:26
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
4. "Chug-A-Lug" (Brian Wilson, Gary Usher, Mike Love) – 1:59
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
5. "Little Girl (You're My Miss America)" (Vincent Catalano, Herb Alpert) – 2:04
   • Features Dennis Wilson on lead vocals
6. "409" (Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Gary Usher) – 1:59
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals

Side two

7. "Surfin' " (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) – 2:10
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
8. "Heads You Win - Tails I Lose" (Brian Wilson, Gary Usher) – 2:17
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
9. "Summertime Blues" (Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart) – 2:09
   • Features David Marks on lead vocals, w/ Carl Wilson: harmony vocals
10. "Cuckoo Clock" (Brian Wilson, Gary Usher) – 2:08
    • Features Brian Wilson on lead vocals
11. "Moon Dawg" (Derry Weaver) – 2:00
    • Instrumental
12. "The Shift" (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) – 1:52
    • Features Mike Love on lead vocals

Musicians

Mike Love-Lead Vocals

Brian Wilson-Bass Guitar, Piano, Vocals

Dennis Wilson-Drums, Vocals

Carl Wilson-Guitar, Vocals

David Marks-Guitar, Vocals

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.
• Allmusic.com

External links

• Surfin' Safari lyrics
• The Beach Boys Album Covers Site