“Surfin’ USA” by The Beach Boys - album review

features in: Album Chart of 1963Album Chart of the Decade: 1960s

TJR says

Five Surf instrumentals (including the WELL neat “Surfer Jam” and “Misirlou”), four Surf / Sea lyrics songs, one about drag racing and two about girls. That’s the winning formula on Album # 2! Music wise, it’s a tad grittier than the debut, whilst the vocal harmonies are much fuller and richer. It’s the title track which gives the album it’s “must have” status, of course. The adaption tree for “Surfin’ USA” started with the marvellous “Route 90” written and performed by Clarence Garlow in 1954, which was adapted into “Sweet Little Sixteen” by Chuck Berry in 1958, then further adapted lyrically and musically by Brian Wilson for The Beach Boys 1963 megahit. Berry received co-writing credit for composing the song – but only after litigation! What about poor old Clarence? It’s a shady old business…

The Jukebox Rebel
01–Jan–2013

Tracklist
A1 [02:27] 9.5.png The Beach Boys - Surfin’ USA (Brian Wilson, Charles Berry) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
A2 [01:49] 6.7.png The Beach Boys - Farmer’s Daughter (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A3 [02:03] 8.3.png The Beach Boys - Misirlou (Nicolas Roubanis, Milton Leeds, Fred Wise, Bob Russell) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
A4 [01:59] 6.2.png The Beach Boys - Stoked (Brian Wilson) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A5 [02:21] 5.7.png The Beach Boys - Lonely Sea (Brian Wilson, Gary Usher) Pop Ballad
A6 [01:49] 6.2.png The Beach Boys - Shut Down (Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Roger Christian) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B1 [01:51] 5.6.png The Beach Boys - Noble Surfer (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B2 [02:01] 7.1.png The Beach Boys - Honky Tonk (Bill Doggett, Clifford Scott, Billy Butler, Shep Sheperd, Henry Glover) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B3 [01:39] 5.4.png The Beach Boys - Lana (Brian Wilson) Pop
B4 [02:10] 7.4.png The Beach Boys - Surf Jam (Carl Wilson) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B5 [01:57] 6.2.png The Beach Boys - Let’s Go Trippin’ (Dick Dale) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B6 [01:38] 6.2.png The Beach Boys - Finders Keepers (Brian Wilson, Mike Love) Blues / Rhythm n Blues

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