Surfin' USA

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.

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Surfin' USA is notable for breaking The Beach Boys' career wide open with its Chuck Berry-patterned 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.

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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 intrumental 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.

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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, and a gorgeous recording. "Lana" and "Finders Keepers" (with its Four Seasons-esque hook) are also acclaimed tracks from Surfin' USA.

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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.

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The Beach Boys: The Beach Boys are a pop music group formed in Hawthorne, California in 1961, whose popularity has lasted into the twenty-first century. The original group comprised singer-musician-composer Brian Wilson, his brothers Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Alan Jardine. Many changes i...

1963: 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar)....

Chuck Berry: Charles Edward Anderson Berry (born October 18, 1926), better known as Chuck Berry, is a highly influential American guitarist, singer and composer. Berry was born in St. Louis, Missouri and was part of the first group to be inducted into the new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986. He...

Surfin' USA related Images and Photos (experimental)

Surfin' Safari I	Surfin' Safari II	USA Map II	Idaho USA
Going Surfin Surf c.1976	Forest USA	USA Cartoon Map	USA Map Dry Erase
USA Licence Plate	USA Licence Plate	Chevrolet USA	USA Capitol Building