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Surfin' Safari
Studio album by The Beach Boys
Released	29 October 1962
Recorded	4 October 1961, April, 8 August, 5 September, 6 September 1962
Genre	Surf rock
Length	24:53
Label	Capitol Records
Producer(s)	Nick Venet
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
The Beach Boys chronology
N/A	Surfin' Safari (1962)	Surfin' USA (1963)

Surfin' Safari is the debut album by The Beach Boys, released in 1962.

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 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 & Dorinda Morgan, and backed by the rarest Beach Boys' B-side, "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 #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 (as it would be throughout most of The Beach Boys' career), Dennis makes his first vocal appearance on "Little Girl (You're My Miss America)".

Surfin' Safari peaked at #32 in its 37-week run on the US charts.

Contents 1 Track listing 1.1 Singles 1.2 Sources 2 External links

1. "Surfin' Safari" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 2:05
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
2. "County Fair" (Brian Wilson/Gary Usher) – 2:15
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
3. "Ten Little Indians" (Brian Wilson/Gary Usher) – 1:26
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
4. "Chug-A-Lug" (Brian Wilson/Gary Usher/Mike Love) – 1:59
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
5. "Little Girl (You're My Miss America)" (Catalano/Herb Alpert) – 2:04
   • Features Dennis Wilson on lead vocals
6. "409" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love/Gary Usher) – 1:59
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
7. "Surfin' " (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 2:10
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
8. "Heads You Win - Tails I Lose" (Brian Wilson/Gary Usher) – 2:17
   • Features Mike Love on lead vocals
9. "Summertime Blues" (Eddie Cochran/Jerry Capeheart) – 2:09
   • Features Carl Wilson on lead vocals, w/ David Marks: harmony vocals
10. "Cuckoo Clock" (Brian Wilson/Gary Usher) – 2:08
    • Features Brian Wilson on lead vocals
11. "Moon Dawg" (Derry Weaver) – 2:00
    • Instrumental
12. "The Shift" (Brian Wilson/Mike Love) – 1:52
    • Features Mike Love on lead vocals

• "Surfin' " b/w "Luau" (Candix 331/X 301/Candix 301), November 1961, US #75
• "Surfin' Safari" b/w "409" (Capitol 4777), 4 June 1962, US #14 ("409" US #76)
• "Ten Little Indians" b/w "County Fair" (Capitol 4880), 19 November 1962, US #49

• • Surfin' Safari is now paired on CD with Surfin' USA with bonus tracks from the period.
  • B-Side of "Surfin'" single, "Luau", was released on the Lost & Found (1961-62) package in 1991.

• 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.
• All Music Guide.com

• Surfin' Safari lyrics

The Beach Boys
Brian Wilson | Carl Wilson | Dennis Wilson | Mike Love | Al Jardine | Bruce Johnston
Studio albums
Surfin' Safari (1962) | Surfin' USA (1963) | Surfer Girl (1963) | Little Deuce Coupe (1963) | Shut Down Volume 2 (1964) | All Summer Long (1964) | The Beach Boys' Christmas Album (1964) | The Beach Boys Today! (1965) | Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) (1965) | Beach Boys' Party! (1965) | Pet Sounds (1966) | Smiley Smile (1967) | Wild Honey (1967) | Friends (1968) | 20/20 (1969) | Sunflower (1970) | Surf's Up (1971) | Carl and the Passions - "So Tough" (1972) | Holland (1973) | 15 Big Ones (1976) | Love You (1977) | M.I.U. Album (1978) | L.A. (Light Album) (1979) | Keepin' the Summer Alive (1980) | The Beach Boys (1985) | Still Cruisin' (1989) | Summer in Paradise (1992) | Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 (1996)
Live albums
Beach Boys Concert (1964) | Live in London (1970) | The Beach Boys in Concert (1973) | Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980 (2002)
Related articles
Song List | Lead Vocalists | Capitol Records | Brother Records | Sea of Tunes | Discography | Solo Discography