MUSC 2019 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Sweet Little Sixteen, Greek Folk Music, Surf Music
Lecture 5 - Surf Music, Urban Folk
January 26, 2018
12:23 PM
Surf music: the first subgenre of rock n' roll, it is a guitar-based music
Dick Dale
• Was the "father of surf guitar"
• He learned how to play a guitar on his own, but "didn't know what he was doing" while playing a
guitar
o He played it backwards (upside-down)
o Plucked strings instead of strummed
• He was an immigrant from Lebanon
o Influence from the Middle East is demonstrated in his music
• Tried to mimic the power of surfing into a guitar
• Became a guitar pioneer
• Worked for Leo Fender
o Founder of Fender factory that produced guitars, amps, etc.
• Created reverbs in his music - produced a sound like an echo with his guitar
• Song: "Miserlou" (1962)
o Based on Greek folk music
o Fast picking on one string
o Echoing reverb sound
o Oceanic sound catches on later by other groups
Song: "Wipe Out" by Surfaris
• Based on 12 bar blues
• Many westerners and white people incorporated this 12 bar blues into the surf music
• Heavy cymbals - mimics aquatic sounds
The Beach Boys
• A lot of success based on their leader, Brian Wilson (he is the main song writer, and later the
producer)
• Father of the 4 boys were abusive
o Music for Brian was his method of escape
• Brian Wilson:
o Didn't like to be on the road, or to perform in front of others
o Bed ridden for a few years due to depression
o Wrote harmonic singing
• Harmonic singing is their trademark
• Song: "Surfin USA"
o Very similar to "Sweet Little Sixteen" by Chuck Berry, and the Beach Boys ended up giving
Chuck Berry song credits to prevent themselves being sued
• Brian hired "Wrecking Crew" band to record music with - that band also played on girl group hits
as well
• Song: "Don't worry baby"
o A love song
o Harmonic singing
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