Hubby and I took our Harley for a walk on the weekend along Lake Ontario. It was a beautiful day as you can see. It made me think of all the summers before, when I was in my 20s, enjoying every weekend at some dance bar. I remembered there were a couple of summers when a group of us dressed up in late 50s/ early 60s garb and went to a special event showcasing music from the 50s and early 60s music. I especially loved dancing to surfin' music. I could wiggle my Mac Nuggets( I had to use this Shady), twist and shout like no tomorrow. I loved to go go dance shaking my ponytail ( HA! Gotcha!) As if it would come free from my head. It was a lot of fun so, with that in mind, I chose these 3 songs...
1. SURFIN' USA BY THE BEACH BOYS-1963
Anything 60s, involving surf and water, has to showcase the Beach Boys. This song was written by Chuck Berry and Brian Wilson and is a great one to dance to.
2. WIPEOUT BY THE SURFARIS-1963
I almost wiped out dancing to this tune many times. I didn't know it, at the time, but I could easily give myself whiplash or dislocate something and I did injure myself with this fun song. I gave myself whiplash by whipping my head around and, at a wedding, I stretched my hip muscles a bit too far. I had a tough time walking but, it was worth it. I had so much fun dancing to this fun tune. I had no idea it was written by 4 dudes- Bob Berryhill, Pat Connolly, Jim Fuller and Ron Wilson.
3. MISIRIOU BY DICK DALE & THE DELTONES
I remember dancing to this tune at that fun oldie tunes event. It was not the typical songs to dance to but I loved it and forgot about that song until I heard it in the movie "Pulp Fiction." The guitar playing blows me away and, when k looked it up I was surprised to kearney it comes from an old folk song from the Eastern Mediterranean area becoming quite popular in the 1920s with the Greek, Turkish and Jewish musicians. I think that's pretty cool.
I have never been surfing not even Annette Funnicello style...have you? What surfing songs did you dance to? Which songs made you get up and dance?
Hi Birgit...my husband favorite group the Beach Boys...he even went tosee Brian Wilson when he came over here a few years ago...Hope you are well xxxx
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to know you took my smooch-pooch Harley for a walk by the lake. It looks like a lovely spot, and I'm glad it triggered fond memories of your Rumspringa years as a wild 20-something. Please search high and low, rummage around your closets, garage and attic, until you find vintage film footage that shows you wiggling your Mac Nuggets and twisting and shouting like there's no tomorrow, then promptly post it. I'd like to see it, dear friend! If you had a ponytail back then, Shirley you must have resembled Jeri Lyn, my favorite Action Kids dancer on Where The Action Is. I actually managed to make an email connection with Jeri in the early 2010s!
I enjoyed your set of three classic surf rock tunes. Seems like every garage band in America attempted a version of "Wipe Out," an instrumental requiring a great deal of precision and stamina on the part of the drummer. Your story about hurting yourself while dancing to the frantic tune reminds me of what happened to Mrs. Shady at a wedding reception. Fueled by firewater, she injured her hip on the dance floor and was hobbling around for weeks afterward.
The third song by Dick Dale - "King of Surf Guitar" - and his Del-Tones is performed in a scene from A Swingin' Affair, a youth-oriented drama film released in late May, 1963. Swingin' Affair marked the film debut of actress and dancer Teri Garr. I know it's a long shot but, I need to ask. Are YOU the voluptuous, twisting blonde we see in the foreground? I read comments from YouTubers just now, and a few think it is Teri Garr, but I agree with those who disagree. It doesn't look like her. The jet-set woman is too old and mature to be Teri, who would have been age 19 during production. Thanks for giving us some background on "Misirlou." I did some further reading and learned that the song originated in Athens circa 1927 and that it refers to a Christian's love for a Muslim, a taboo at the time.
I never tried surfing on a board, but I spent countless hours body surfing at the seashore when I was a boy and teenager. During my years as a freelance DJ working private parties, I owned a tape deck that played 10.5 inch diameter reels. Each reel contained a different party theme. My two-hour long surf rock mix was always well received. I actually liked Jan And Dean a little more than The Beach Boys and therefore loaded my surf theme tape with J&D songs. A killer instrumental that I also included on the reel is "The Lonely Surfer" by Jack Nitzsche:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ded4NC5kTw
Sadly, Nitzsche, a prolific musician, arranger, songwriter, composer, and record producer, suffered a stroke and died young at age 63 in 2000.
Thanks for a block of songs ripped directly from the soundtrack of my youth, dear friend BB. Have a super day and I'll be waiting for you tamale in the balcony-- "At the Movies!"
It does look like a beautiful day.
ReplyDeleteNever been surfing. I don't want to be shark bait.
Never been surfing, but I love surf music: "Mr. Moto," "Point Panic," "Pipeline" ...
ReplyDeleteNever been surfing, I don’t need to add to the ways I can potentially injure myself! Of these songs, I only know the Beach Boys.
ReplyDeleteEven though I lived near water most of my life, I was always too scared to surf. Boogie boarding, I've done a bit of. But not surfing.
ReplyDeleteYes, you had to include Surfing USA, Birgit. Another great combination of picks. "And we'll have fun, fun, fun til the Daddy takes the T-bird away."
Happy Summer, Birgit! 🌞 I like all the tunes you showcased here and even did a BOTB featuring Miserlou. Ouchie on the hip! Same thing happened to me on a brutal trek around Florence, Italy (the tour guide must have been amped up on caffeine or something!) but yeah, it was worth it. I can just picture you shaking that ponytail! 😀 Never been surfing as I'm too klutzy.
ReplyDeleteEven I have heard of the Beach Boys (Grin)! I've never heard of the last group, though.
ReplyDeleteGreat song choices, BIRGIT.
ReplyDeleteI actually use classic Beach Boys (and a certain kind of Rum) to chase away the snow: [Link> NOTES FROM DOGTOWN'S DOG POUND (Or, 80-PROOF CLIMATE CHANGE)
Now here's Dick Dale teaming up with another fantastic guitarist, Gary Hoey, doing a version of one of Dale's famous old surf style tunes: [Link> SHAKE & STOMP (Part II) To me it sounds like a battle between chain saws, and I can't even imagine someone trying to dance to it without breaking their neck, back, and tail bone!
~ D-FensDogG