Surfin' Safari

Surfin' Safari
Studio album by The Beach Boys
Released	October 1, 1962
Recorded	October 3, 1961; April 19, August 8, September 5–6, 1962, Capitol & Hite Morgan Studios, California
Genre	Surf rock
Length	24:53
Label	Capitol
Producer	Hite Morgan, Nick Venet and Murry Wilson
The Beach Boys chronology
Surfin' Safari (1962) Surfin' U.S.A. (1963)
Singles from Surfin' Safari
"Surfin'" Released: November 1961 "Surfin' Safari" Released: June 4, 1962 "Ten Little Indians" Released: November 26, 1962

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Surfin' Safari is the debut studio album by American rock band the Beach Boys, released on October 1, 1962 on Capitol. Surfin' Safari peaked at number 32 in its 37-week run on the US charts and 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 number 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 number 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.^{[citation needed]} 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 was not 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

All songs written and composed by Brian Wilson/Gary Usher except where noted. 

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

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

2001 CD reissue bonus tracks
No.	Title	Lead Vocals	Length
13.	"Cindy, Oh Cindy" (B. Barons/B. Long)	B. Wilson	2:10
14.	"The Baker Man" (B. Wilson)	Love	2:37
15.	"Land Ahoy" (B. Wilson)	Love	1:38

Personnel

The Beach Boys

• Al Jardine – harmony and backing vocals; acoustic bass
• Mike Love – lead, harmony and backing vocals
• David Marks – lead, harmony and backing vocals rhythm guitar
• Brian Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocals; bass guitar; organ
• Carl Wilson – harmony and backing vocals; lead guitar
• Dennis Wilson – lead, harmony and backing vocals; drums

Additional musicians and production staff

• Nick Venet – harmony and backing vocals; electric guitar

Sales chart positions

Albums

Year	Chart	Position
1963	US Billboard 200 Albums Chart	32

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1962	"Surfin' Safari"	US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart	14
1962	"409"	US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart	23
1962	"Surfin'"	US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart	76

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.