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Surf music and summertime go hand in hand. Traditionally Summer is beach, family, community, bbq’s and surf music time.
Reggae music comes from Jamaica and the Blues originally started in the South, Surf music began early 1960’s in California. Surfing was talking the world by storm and a new sound associated with freedom, expression and surfing began to emerge specifically from Southern California.
East coast transplant to So Cal. Dick Dale is largely credited with creating the surfing sound. His 1961 single “Let’s Go Trippin’” is often cited as the first surf rock instrumental and the song that launched the surf music craze. Other notable songs include “Misirlou” which came out in 1962. It should be noted Dick Dale actually surfed.
Dale is also credited as one of the founders of heavy metal for pushing the volume of amplification. He played extremely loud and powerful using his signature super fast staccato single note flat picking style.
With the help of electric guitar pioneer and sound wizard Leo Fender, Dale helped to develop new equipment that was capable of producing dense and previously unheard volumes including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier. Blow the roof off loud!
The Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, Newport Beach, was a pivotal venue for the rise of music in the early 1960s. It served as the launching pad for Dick Dale & The Del-Tones, who became the house band and helped define the surf music rock sound with their high volume, energetic performances.
The venue regularly drew thousands of young fans who came to dance the “surfer stomp,” a signature dance step associated with the surf scene. The ballroom’s massive dance floor and impressive acoustics made it the ideal setting for Dale’s high-energy live shows.
The Rendezvous hosted many of the top bands at the time including The Chantays, The Surfaris, and The Bel-Airs, as well as early performances by The Beach Boys (then known as The Pendletones).
Its popularity and influence helped Dick Dale into mainstream culture and made it one of the most important night hang outs for surfers before it was destroyed by fire in 1966 and never rebuilt. The site where the iconic venue once stood now has beachfront condominiums
If you’ve read this far, here is some fun trivia for you.
Do you know were the term “Surf Music came from? ….
Ask Google A. I. or any chat bot of your preference “Who coined the term Surf music?”
I received the following answer from the chat bot Perplexity
The exact origin of the term is unclear, but it emerged as a marketing label in the early 1960s to describe the new, guitar-driven sound associated with California’s surf culture. Dick Dale is often credited as the father originator, but the term itself was likely popularized by record labels and the media as the genre gained traction
Actually…. Turns out it was a well known surfer from Malibu coined the term “Surf Music”! And here’s how I know!
Dick Dale passed in 2019 and a paddle out along with a celebration of life occurred in Huntington Beach to honor the “the King of Surf Guitar”. I was honored to escort Dick Dale’s granddaughter on my surfboard.
After the paddle out everyone gathered at the base of the Huntington Beach pier for the celebration of life. Speakers in attendance whom intimately knew or played music with Dick Dale related bits and pieces of Dick’s life and how he lived it to the fullest.
It turned out one of Dick Dales old band mates was introduced and given the stage. I couldn’t quite hear his name as I was standing further back in the crowd. Being keenly interested in what this man had to say I moved up to the front to listen closer.
The old man related about how the surfers really liked their music and many in the audience of Dick Dale’s shows at the Rendezvous we’re well known surfers from Malibu. One night after closing time and a particularly energetic performance a surfer came up to the band and said, “We love this music, it’s “Surf Music!!!”
Ironically, despite remembering the surfer from Malibu was very famous the old man couldn’t remember his name. What he did remember is Dick immediately adapted the term and soon after became recognized as the King of Surf Guitar”
On a side note to this story, fortunately I had gone forward to hear better because when the old man finished and was leaving the stage he tripped, thank goodness I was right there to catch him.
Other early pioneers of the genre include the Bel-Airs with their 1961 single “Mr. Moto” another early surf instrumental that received significant airplay and is considered a masterpiece of rhythm and flow. What I love about Mr. Moto is it’s twang and even tempo.
With their 1960 hit “Walk, Don’t Run” The Ventures are seen as a precursor for surfing music. Walk don’t run was one of the hottest instrumentals going at the time. Not sure what they were thinking in regards to the title of the song but when I listen to it I visualize a surfer walking the board gracefully.
The song “Pipeline” named in honor of the famous Banzai Pipeline surf spot will forever be at the top of the surfing music charts.This song is fast paced yet velvety smooth. The Chantays came out with Pipeline in 1963.
I have to wonder where they they got the inspiration for the tune as it’s doubtful they ever actually surfed the notorious Pipeline. Pipeline the song became a top ten national hit at the time.despite being only instrumental.
Certainly one of the coolest songs ever written and one of my fav’s is “Wipe Out” by the Surfaris. The beginning “Wipeout” is pure classic and the drumming has a rapid and infectious beat! Many consider “Wipe Out” an all-time fun surfing song due to its massive popularity, iconic drum solo, and enduring presence in pop culture.
Wipe Out reached number two on the charts and is one of the most recognizable surf songs to this date. Other songs include “Surfer Joe” and “Point Panic”.
Dick Dale, known as the “King of Surf Guitar,” famously stated his music is instrumental and did not consider vocal bands to be authentic surfing music. He said, “Real surf music is instrumental”
Traditional Surfing music may be instrumental but just like surfing, music is not restricted by any limitations. Surfing has inspired many musicians such as Sublime, the Butt Hole Surfers, Jack Johnson and Jimmy Buffet to create music with catchy tunes and poetic lyrics.
The Beach Boys led by Brian Wilson, wrote and sang some of the most beautiful music ever made when they brought vocal harmonies and surf-themed lyrics to the mainstream with hits like “Surfin' U.S.A," "Surfer Girl," and "Surfin'Safari"
Guitar God Jimi Hendrix referenced surfing music in his song "Third Stone from the Sun," when he sang “You’ll never hear surf music again" widely believed to be a nod to Dick Dale, the pioneer of surf guitar, especially after Dale was diagnosed with cancer.
Perhaps One of my all favorite songs in the surf genre has to be the from late legendary Jimmy Buffet’s with his soulful tune “the Oldest Surfer on the Beach” not the fast big wave powerhouse sound of Dick Dale more like the small wave relaxed sound …. easy listening.
If you enjoyed our journey into the fascinating world of surf music please Like, Comment and Share!
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