Surfin' Safari

"The Shift" redirects here. For the 2010 short film, see The Shift (film).

Surfin' Safari
Studio album by The Beach Boys
Released	October 1, 1962
Recorded	October 3, 1961, April 19, August 8, September 5–6, 1962
Genre	Surf rock
Length	24:53
Label	Capitol
Producer	Nick Venet (except "Surfin'", Hite Morgan, and "Surfin Safari" & "409", Murry Wilson)
The Beach Boys chronology
Surfin' Safari (1962) Surfin' USA (1963)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	[2]

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 the 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 Morgan, and backed by "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 number 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, Dennis makes his first vocal appearance on "Little Girl (You're My Miss America)".

In the UK, the album wasn't released until April 1963, and failed to chart.

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 Ken Veeder.

Track listing

Side one
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Surfin' Safari"	Brian Wilson/Mike Love	Love	2:05
2.	"County Fair"	B. Wilson/Gary Usher	Love	2:15
3.	"Ten Little Indians"	B. Wilson/Usher	Love	1:26
4.	"Chug-A-Lug"	B. Wilson/Usher/Love	Love	1:59
5.	"Little Girl (You're My Miss America)"	Vincent Catalano/Herb Alpert	Dennis Wilson	2:04
6.	"409"	B. Wilson/Usher/Love	Love	1:59

Side two
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Surfin'"	B. Wilson/Love	Love	2:10
2.	"Heads You Win - Tails I Lose"	B. Wilson/Usher	Love	2:17
3.	"Summertime Blues"	Eddie Cochran/Jerry Capehart	Carl Wilson and David Marks	2:09
4.	"Cuckoo Clock"	B. Wilson/Usher	B. Wilson	2:08
5.	"Moon Dawg"	Derry Weaver	instrumental	2:00
6.	"The Shift"	B. Wilson/Love	Love	1:52

Musicians

• Alan Jardine - vocals, acoustic bass (on "Surfin'" only)
• Mike Love - vocals
• David Marks - rhythm guitar, vocals (all tracks except "Surfin'")
• Brian Wilson - bass guitar, piano, vocals
• Carl Wilson - lead guitar, vocals
• Dennis Wilson - drums, vocals
• Nik Venet - howls on "Moon Dawg", carnival barker on "County Fair"
• Andrea Carlo - girl on "County Fair"

References

1. ^ Allmusic review
2. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/the-beach-boys

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