Surfin' Safari

(1962)

My rating: ***1/2

Surfin' Safari was the Beach Boys' first album, released in November of 1962. Often dismissed as trivial by fans of the later music, Surfin' Safari actually is pretty good compared to many albums of its day. It included, of course the Beach Boys' first top 40 hit, "Surfin' Safari" as well as their first top 100 hit, "Surfin'", as well as the first Beach Boys' car song, "409." The album tracks range from entertaining ("Chug-A-Lug"-a song about root beer fests, and "Heads You Win, Tails I Lose") to thoroughly forgettable ("The Shift", "Cuckoo Clock"). There's also a cool cover of "Summertime Blues" and a killer surf instrumental (a remake of "Moon Dawg" that has been called the "definitive" version by music critics). Overall, a good start, and a great sign of what was to come.


E-mail me

Please sign my guestbook

Back to my Home Page


This page has been visited times since June 15, 1998.