Sportsong of the Week #10
"Surfin' U.S.A."
Beach Boys
1963
Lyrics by Brian Wilson & music by Chuck Berry
Copyright Arc Music
Summer is finally here! Let's head out to the beach, paddle out while listening to Sportsong of the Week #10: Surfin' U.S.A. by the Beach Boys. 'If everybody had an ocean, then everybody'd be surfin'!'
In 1961 The Beach Boys started their rock band in Hawthorne, California. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Emerging at the vanguard of the "California Sound", the band's early music gained international popularity for their distinct vocal harmonies and lyrics evoking a southern California youth culture of surfing, cars, and romance.
"Surfin' U.S.A." is a song with lyrics by Brian Wilson set to the music of "Sweet Little Sixteen," written by Chuck Berry. It was first recorded by Wilson's band the Beach Boys and released as a single on March 4, 1963, then appearing as the title track to their album Surfin' U.S.A. The lyrics describe surfers wearing "baggies" (boardshorts), huarache sandals, and "bushy bushy blond hairdos"; it namechecks many surfing beaches, mainly in California.
It's one of the most recognizable surfsongs ever. And for a reason. Listening to it you start dreaming about driving down the coast in your van, wind through the windows, surfboards on top of the roof, lookin' were the surf is best. Ultimate feeling of freedom! On 'surfari to stay'!
(The live version in 2012 below proves the boys still got it!)
Full lyrics "Surfin' U.S.A." - Beach Boys
If everybody had an ocean Across the U.S.A. Then everybody'd be surfin' Like California You'd see 'em wearing their baggies Huarachi sandals too A bushy bushy blond hairdo Surfin' U.S.A. You'd catch 'em surfin' at Del Mar Ventura County line Santa Cruz and Trestle Australia's Narrabeen All over Manhattan And down Doheny Way Everybody's gone surfin' Surfin' U.S.A. We'll all be planning out a route We're gonna take real soon We're waxing down our surfboards We can't wait for June We'll all be gone for the summer We're on surfari to stay Tell the teacher we're surfin' Surfin' U.S.A. Haggerty's and Swami's Pacific Palisades San Onofre and Sunset Redondo Beach L.A. All over La Jolla At Waimea Bay Everybody's gone surfin' Surfin' U.S.A. Everybody's gone surfin' Surfin' U.S.A. Everybody's gone surfin' Surfin' U.S.A.