Surf City

Jan Berry, Brian Wilson

About Surf City

"Surf City" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Jan Berry about a fictitious surf spot where there are "two girls for every boy." It was first recorded and made popular by the American duo Jan and Dean in 1963, and their single became the first surf song to become a national number-one hit. In 1991, after moving to Huntington Beach, California, Dean Torrence helped convince elected officials that the town be officially nicknamed Surf City, USA. In 2006, the official trademark of "Surf City, USA" was granted to Huntington Beach after several back-and-forth lawsuits between Huntington Beach and Santa Cruz. As of 2009, more than 65 businesses in the city included "Surf City" as part of their name. 


Year:
1996
0:52
363 
#1

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Two girls for every boy

I bought a '30 Ford wagon and we call it a woodie
(Surf City, here we come)
You know it's not very cherry, it's an oldie but a goodie
(Surf City, here we come)
Well, it ain't got a back set or a rear window
But it still gets me where I wanna go

And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy

You know they never roll the streets up 'cause there's always somethin' goin' 
(Surf City, here we come)
You know they're either out surfin' or they got a party growin'
(Surf City, here we come)
Yeah, and there's two swingin' honeys for every guy
And all you gotta do is just wink your eye

And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy

And if my woody breaks down on me somewhere on the surf route
(Surf City, here we come)
I'll strap my board to my back and hitch a ride in my wetsuit
(Surf City, here we come)
And when I get to Surf City I'll be shootin' the curl
And checkin' out the parties for a surfer girl

And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy

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Brian Wilson

Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. On stage, Wilson provided many of the lead vocals, and often harmonized with the group in falsetto. Early during his on-stage career, Wilson primarily played bass guitar on stage, but gradually transitioned to primarily playing piano/keyboards. Besides being the primary composer in The Beach Boys, he also functioned as the band's main producer and arranger. After signing with Capitol Records in mid-1962, Wilson wrote or co-wrote more than two dozen Top 40 hits including "Surfin' Safari", "Surfin' USA", "Shut Down", "Little Deuce Coupe", "Be True to Your School", "In My Room", "Fun, Fun, Fun", "I Get Around", "Dance Danc… more »

2 fans

Written by: BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON, JAN BERRY

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Artists
"Surf City" is a song by "Jan and Dean," which is a partnership formed by Brian Wilson from "The Beach Boys" and Jan Berry.
Release
The song was released in May 1963 and became a major hit in the United States during that summer.
Composition
Brian Wilson and Jan Berry co-wrote the song. It depicts a fictitious surf spot where there are "two girls for every boy."
Performance
This song became Jan and Dean's first of three number ones on the Top Pop Singles chart.
Awards
"Surf City" was the first surf song to become number one on Billboard; hence, it holds a significant position in pop culture history.
Conflict
Despite its success, "Surf City" caused some tension between Brian Wilson and other members of The Beach Boys because he gave the song to Jan and Dean instead of them.
Impact
"Surf City" became a major influence for songs of a similar genre and defined the surf sound of the sixties.
Signature Phrase
The song's phrase "Two Girls for Every Boy" became a signature theme for Jan and Dean, and it is often associated with them even today.
Live Performances
Vetereran performers Jan and Dean continued to perform "Surf City" live, even decades after its initial release, keeping its essence alive.
Music Video
Although the song was released before the era of music videos, a live-recorded music video was created much later, featuring both Jan and Dean performing on stage.
Continuity
Surf City served as a stepping stone for other surfing-themed songs by The Beach Boys and others, leading to an entire subgenre of Surf Rock.
Honors
In 1991, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, signifying its significant cultural, historical, and aesthetic importance.

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