Surf's Up (song)

Surf 's up! is a song by The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson. The song was written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks. Surf 's up! was the first song written Wilson and parks together for the Smile album and that should be a focal point for this concept album.

Recordings 1966

Surf 's up! was written during a single night in 1966. Wilson composed the piece on his piano, which he had set up for better inspiration in his sandbox.

Wilson presented the piece alone with piano accompaniment for a CBS special on pop music, which was moderated by Leonard Bernstein. This solo version he took later on in his living room. The first part of the song was recorded in November 1966 at the studio, but without vocals. These recordings were postponed to a later date, however, no longer complete.

Recording 1971

In 1971, the recordings were driven to this piece under the direction of Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys again. Carl grabbed this for the first part on the existing backin track from 1966 back to these to be backed by further exploitation and to contribute vocals. For the second part, he took the existing demo by Brian Wilson from his living room recording from 1966. Though Brian did not have much to do with the shooting, he put another fragment from the Smile album are available to complete this song. Based on the play " Child is father of the man" he concluded the song " Surf 's up! " From by letting the Beach Boys sing with their harmonies over the existing piano demo. Al sang the melody that was based on " Father of the Man". Another line of text "As life is done, all the children carry on " this was removed by Brian.

The song was released in the final version in 1971 as a single.

Analysis 2004

When Brian Wilson finally completed it in 2004, Smile, he also took surf 's up! scratch. The package from 2004 is the version very close to 1971. The song was, however, taken half an octave lower and added the melody an octave down.

Meaning of the text

The song is basically about a man, who through an opera-glass to observe the audience at a concert, which plays its roles. He recognizes that livelihoods, institutions and kingdoms collapse like dominoes. Then the music is over and turns into a trumpeting swan. The man has lost his vision and sets out on a journey. The reality is far away, he creates even in a dream. He visits the old Europe of the Middle Ages, where he meets poor people in cellar taverns that are trying their luck in the singing. He sees the celebrations, the carousing, the attempts of the people to forget the war, the battles at sea. Then the man feels depressed because he does not even have tears for the suffering of the world and his own suffering.

But he can feel the hope. Back to the tide, to the beach, childhood, and he hears the word - the word of God, which therefore places him in a children's song and he listens to know that the children know the way.

Cover versions

In 2001, the song by Vince Gill, Jimmy Webb and David Crosby was recorded for the "All Star Tribute to Brian Wilson ."