Surfin' U.S.A.
Surfin' U.S.A. is the second album by the American rock band the Beach Boys, released March 25, 1963 on Capitol Records. It reached number two in the US, lasting 78 weeks on the Billboard album chart, eventually being certified gold by the RIAA, and brought the group newfound national success. It was led by one single, its title track with the B-side "Shut Down". In the United Kingdom, the album was belatedly released in late 1965, reaching number 17.
The majority of the album's recording commenced in the first week of 1963, three months after the release of Surfin' Safari. Like the group's debut album, production was credited ostensibly to Capitol's representative for Artists and Repertoire, Nick Venet, although bandleader Brian Wilson was heavily involved in the album's composition. The album marks the beginning of his practice to doubletrack vocals, resulting in a fuller sound.
Background
In 1990, Brian Wilson reflected on Surfin' U.S.A. in liner notes which accompanied its first CD issue:Front cover artwork
The photograph that adorns the front sleeve was taken by artist/photographer/surfer John Severson during January 1960, showing California-based waverider Leslie Williams riding the winter swell at Sunset Beach in Hawaii. Intended for the front cover of Severson's Surfer magazine, the original negative was damaged during the color separation process and could not appear in print. When Capitol Records requested a suitable photograph for the new Beach Boys album Severson fixed the damaged image and sold it to them.Reception
In a retrospective review, Richie Unterberger wrote: "The album as a whole is the best they would make, prior to the late '60s, as a band that played most of their instruments, rather than as a vehicle for Brian Wilson's ideas. The LP was a huge hit, vital to launching surf music as a national craze, and one of the few truly strong records to be recorded by a self-contained American rock band prior to the British Invasion." Author Luis Sanchez summarized the album's impact on culture and the image it established for the Beach Boys:Track listing
's writing credits on the tracks marked with a were only awarded after a 1994 court case.Some later reissues of the album omit "Stoked" and "Surf Jam".
Sales chart positions
;Albums| Year | Chart | Position |
| 1963 | US Billboard 200 Albums Chart | 2 |
| 1965 | UK Top 40 Album Chart | 17 |
;Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
| 1963 | "Surfin' U.S.A." | US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart | 3 |
| 1963 | "Shut Down" | US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart | 23 |
Personnel
The Beach Boys- Brian Wilson – vocals, bass guitar, keyboards, celeste on "Lana"
- Mike Love – vocals, saxophone
- David Marks – harmony and backing vocals, rhythm guitar
- Carl Wilson – harmony and backing vocals, lead guitar
- Dennis Wilson – harmony and backing vocals; drums except "Surfin' USA"
- Frank DeVito — drums on "Surfin' USA"
- Gary Usher – guitar intro on “Lonely Sea”