In the summer of 1961, Brian Wilson was thinking about writing rock ’n’ roll songs and putting together a band. His younger brother, Dennis Wilson, suggested that they write a song about surfing.
Surfing was becoming a major part of Southern California youth culture, but it had barely made its way into mainstream pop music. Dennis, the only serious surfer among the future Beach Boys, saw an opportunity to turn the local pastime into a song.
Brian took the idea to his cousin Mike Love, and the two began working on what became “Surfin’,” a simple, R&B-influenced song that would become the Beach Boys’ debut single and effectively launch the group’s career.
Brian later recalled how Dennis came up with the idea. “My brother Dennis came home from school one day and said something about how surfing looked like it was going to become the next big craze, and we should write a song about it,” he told Bomp!
Brian soon brought in Al Jardine, a Hawthorne High classmate who had been encouraging him to form a folk group. Carl Wilson joined as well, adding his voice and picking up the guitar. Dennis completed the lineup after their mother urged them to include him, since the song had started with his suggestion.
The group initially planned to record a couple of traditional folk songs. But Brian arrived with his new surfing tune, and the session took a different direction.
Jardine later recalled the early recording process to Rock Cellar. “Brian had come up with this tune shortly before going down to the studio, this surfing idea. The surfing idea was actually Dennis’ idea. Brian prepared this track bed called ‘Surfin’.’ I played stand-up bass on it.”
The group did not have much money to work with, so they had to piece together the funds for recording. “My mother had to rent the equipment because the Wilsons had gone on vacation to Mexico and the food money was gone,” Jardine continued. “So we had to go and beg, borrow and steal from my mother who came up with three hundred bucks. That was a h*** of a lot of money in ’61.”
The young group made an early demo of “Surfin’,” which impressed their father, Murry Wilson, enough to take on a management role. Soon afterward, they headed into a professional studio to record the song for release.
“Surfin’” was recorded at World Pacific Studios in Los Angeles in early November. The group reportedly cut the song in eight takes, with the final take selected as the master.
Jardine remembered how quickly the recording came together. “We cut ‘Surfin’’ real quickly. We did it all at one time. We sang and played. We just stood up in front of the microphone and basically played the song for Murry and the publisher and that’s the one they liked.”
Candix Records released “Surfin’” on November 27, 1961, with “Luau” on the B-side. The song received its first radio play on Los Angeles station KFWB on December 2, and by the final weeks of the year, it had sold more than 40,000 copies.
The single eventually reached No. 75 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, giving the young group its first national chart success and helping set the direction for the music that would soon make the Beach Boys nationally known.
Love later explained to the Washingtonian why he thought the song connected with listeners. “Everyone we hung out with in southern California was into that lifestyle. I think that’s what caught the interest of the people like us — the beachgoers. We didn’t assume anything would be a hit, but we knew it was unique.”
The record also helped Murry get the group in front of Capitol Records. The label signed the Beach Boys and released “Surfin’ Safari” in 1962, opening the door to the much bigger success that followed.
Related: 1966 Hit Song, Written by Neil Diamond, Turned a TV Band Into Pop Stars
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