Surfin' Safari / Fun, Fun, Fun / Shut Down / Little Deuce Coupe / Surfin’ USA - Live At The University Of Michigan/1966/Show 2

Many of the early Beach Boys songs were about surfing, which was their niche (their first record label named the band; they were almost The Surfers). Only their drummer, Dennis Wilson, surfed, but they could fake it in photos and songs. "Surfin' Safari" is a travelogue of popular surf spots in California: Huntington, Malibu, Doheny State Beach, Rincon, Laguna Beach. They also mention Cerro Azul in Peru. Released June 4th 1962, this was the Beach Boys' first major hit. In his 1990 autobiography Brian Wilson said it sold 900,000 copies, and more overseas: #1 in Sweden, #13 in New Zealand, and a hit too in Italy and France, where it attracted cover versions.

In the first verse, the band grabs some honeys and loads up the woody with some boards, setting the stage for the surfin' safari with some hip lingo. A woody is a funny looking wood-paneled vehicle popular with surfers. It also gets a mention in "Surfer Girl" with the line, "In my woody I would take you everywhere I go."

Written by Wilson and lead singer Mike Love, this was the first recording to display the distinctive counterpoint harmonies for which the group became famous. The recording was also self-produced, and taken to Capitol complete with its B-side "409" which was a minor hit. This precedent made the Beach Boys the first total, self-contained artists of the rock era, not to be matched for many years to come.