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Surfin' Safari cover

Surfin' Safari

Studio Album by The Beach Boys

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Released on October 1, 1962

Capitol US T 1808

Produced by Nick Venet

Chart position: # 32

Originally released in mono

Tracklist

TitleComposer
1
Surfin' Safari
Hit HITB.Wilson/Love
2
County Fair
B.Wilson/Usher
3
Ten Little Indians
Hit HITB.Wilson/Usher
4
Chug-A-Lug
B.Wilson/Usher/Love
5
Little Girl (You're My Miss America)
Catalano/Alpert
6
409
Hit HITB.Wilson/Usher/Love
7
Surfin'
Hit HITB.Wilson/Love
8
Heads You Win, Tails I Lose
B.Wilson/Usher
9
Summertime Blues
International HitHITCochran/Capeheart
10
Cuckoo Clock
Gem GEMB.Wilson/Usher
11
Moon Dawg
Weaver
12
The Shift
B.Wilson/Love

Reviews

  • Surfin' Safari? Schmurfin' Safari! File under: gremmies getting laughed out of town by the real surfers, for the cornball, nursery rhyme filler they chose to pad out their cracking debut double-A side 45. Up and running at least, and, to be fair, 'too young to vote'!

    Sean Macreavy photo Sean Macreavy
  • A little gold, a lot of dross. Don’t blame the Boys. The filler material has Murry’s bad ideas and supremely poor taste all over it. This is how record companies assembled pop albums in 1962, before the Beatles showed everyone, including Brian, how to do it. Completists only.

    Gene Dorney photo Gene Dorney
  • Not a bad first effort. Surfin' Safari and 409? Classics. The album also set up the Beach Boys weren't just Surfin' and Cars. Chug-a- Lug is about hanging with friends and The Shift has nothing to do with 4 speed transmissions. From the start, they weren't going to be just a fad.

    Rick Kiebiech photo Rick Kiebiech
  • The title track, 409 and Surfin’ all show tremendous promise. The rest is fine, but sounds like a lot of filler, and already, they had better songs in the bag, like Lonely Sea and Surfer Girl. Also, the vocal arrangements, while great for their time, are quite thin.

    Matthew Poloskey photo Matthew Poloskey

Editions

  • Surfin' Safari (180g Transparent Blue Vinyl Stereo Edition)

    • April 19, 2014
    • Not Now Music
    • EU
    • NOTLP002X
    • LP/7''
    Limited edition for Record Store Day 2014 in the EU.
    
    From rear sleeve:
    Original album produced by Nick Venet, except for:
    'Surfin'' produced by Hite Morgan
    'Surfin' Safari' & '409' produced by Murry Wilson
    Recorded October 3rd, 1961, April 19th, August 8 & September 5-6, 1962
    Original album released on Capitol Records (DT 1808) Stereo
    
    Includes Bonus Edition 7'' Promo Of Beach Boys' First Single 'Surfin'/Luau'
  • Surfin' Safari - The Definitive Remastered Edition (Mono/Stereo)

    • June 18, 2013
    • Hoodoo
    • UK/EU
    • CD
    Bonus Tracks:
    
    Luau (B.Morgan)
  • Surfin' Safari Dig-A-Log Vinyl+CD

    • March 26, 2013
    • Doxy
    • EU
    • LP/CD
  • Surfin' Safari Mono / Stereo (2LP Gatefold 180g Vinyl)

    • January 22, 2013
    • Not Now
    • EU
    • LP
  • Surfin' Safari Mono-Stereo

    • January 22, 2013
    • Not Now
    • EU
    • CD
    Bonus Tracks:
    
    Luau (B.Morgan)
  • Surfin' Safari / Surfin' U.S.A.

    • March 13, 2001
    • Capitol
    • US
    • CD
    Bonus Tracks:
    
    Cindy, Oh Cindy (Barons/Long)
    Land Ahoy (B.Wilson)