Surf City was written by Brian Wilson
and Jan Berry, recorded by Jan and Dean, and was a #1 hit record in July 1963 for two weeks.
The first draft of the song, with the working title "Goody Connie Won't You Come Back Home", was written by Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. He gave it to Jan Berry and Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean who finished writing and recording it with Wilson in the early 1960s. Torrence
contributed several phrases to the song, which became the first surf song to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1963.
The song also crossed to #3 on Billboard's R&B charts.
SURF CITY by Jan & Dean
Two girls for every boy
I got a '34 wagon
And we call it a Woody
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 seat
Or a rear window
But it still gets me
Where I want to go
Well, I'm going to Surf City
Where it's two to one
You know I'm gonna Surf City
Gonna have some fun
Well, I'm going to Surf City
Where it's two to one
You know I'm gonna Surf City
Gonna have some fun now
Two girls for every boy
They say they never roam the streets
'Cause there's always something goin'
Surf City here we come
You know they're either out surfin'
Or they got a party growin'
Surf City here we come
Well, there's two swingin'
Honeys for every guy
And all you gotta do
Is just wink your eye
{ From: http://www.elyrics.net }
Well, I'm going to Surf City
'Cause it's two to one
You know I'm gonna Surf City
Gonna have some fun
Well, I'm going to Surf City
'Cause it's two to one
You know I'm gonna 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 wet suit
Surf City here we come
And when I get to Surf City
I'll be shootin' the curl
And checkin' out the party'd
For a surfer girl
Well, I'm going to Surf City
'Cause it's two to one
You know I'm gonna Surf City
Gonna have some fun
Well, I'm going to Surf City
'Cause it's two to one
You know I'm gonna Surf City
Gonna have some fun now
Two girls for every
Two girls for every boy
According to Dean Torrence, Surf City represents "a state of mind." He said, "When we think of the song Surf City, it's a description of the California beach lifestyle and everything a seaside paradise stands for. Surfing is part of it, but it's much more than that. It's an emotional response on a very deep level, a yearning for freedom, eternal youth and sunshine... an endless summer."
According to Torrence's memoirs, after The Beach Boys performed on stage and the crowd went crazy it was time for Jan & Dean. They were approx. 10 minutes short of their 35 minutes allotment for stage time. The promoter told everybody to get back on stage and give him 10 minutes more. Jan & Dean thought it would be a blast to do The Beach Boys surf songs (already performed) again and the crowd went nuts. The Beach Boys were surprised but took it as a compliment as the two groups launched into Surfin' and Surfin' Safari. A lifelong friendship began at that moment on stage on a warm spring California night in 1963.
Because Brian Wilson's versions of the two songs had already "run their course", he gave his blessings to Jan & Dean adding them to their new album.
A week later Jan, and Beach Boys members Brian, Mike, Carl, Dennis and David got together at Western Recording Studios in Hollywood and the they recorded the two songs. Afterward Brian mentioned a new song he wrote and was getting ready to release, Surfin' USA. Jan tried to talk Brian into giving the song to Jan & Dean but no way! However, Brian had a similar, partially completed song, Surf City.
Jan & Dean snapped it up, spent a couple days finishing the
song and even got Brian Wilson into the studio to sing with the
duo. Jan & Brian sang the lead together (doubling). Brian & Dean
sang background falsetto parts, providing a unique sound that
everybody loved. Three months down the road Surf City rose to
Number One on the Billboard charts. The SoCal duo hit the big
time...but not without some friction.
Capitol Records, along with The Beach Boys' father, Murray
Wilson, looked at the success of the song as lost revenue and a
bad business deal on Brian's part. Brian justified the action as
giving away something that he was never going finish, anyway.
Note: Dean Torrence doesn't discuss any legal action or threats
from Capitol Records or The Beach Boys dad, except for Murray
Wilson telling Brian to never participate in a Jan & Dean
recording again. Murray went as far as to call Jan a "record
pirate", but the participants in the production of the Surf
City were undeterred. It was the start of something
bigger--yet to come!