It’s summertime, dude. Another Friday after another long, hard work week. It doesn’t matter what line of work you’re in, how old you are, or what your actual plans are for the weekend. Somewhere in the back of your mind the teenager in you longs for simpler times, when life was all about having the coolest car, or cruisin’ the beach to check out the scene, or hoping that that girl (or guy) in your tenth grade History class would someday succumb to your charms – if only you were given the chance or had the nerve to ask her (or him) out. No matter, you’re cruising in your car, the radio or CD player is cranked, the wind is blowing through your hair, and even that idiot that just cut you off is gonna be cut some slack because the weather is too fine, the air is too clean, and you’re goin’ to the beach and feeling free of every constraint life can throw at you.

To me, that’s what surf music is all about – freedom, the celebration of God’s creation, and sun, sand, surf, and chicks. Is there any better (or healthier) exposition of the American Dream for a teenager’s mind? Never mind that it’s all (and always was) just a pipe dream. But it oughta be OK to dream – after all, life’s gotta be more than just working your ass off and paying the bills, right? And to me there’s no greater song that exemplifies this surfer dream world than Jan & Dean’s “Surf City” – written by The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson. no less!

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!

Call me outdated. Call me a relic. Call me washed up. Hell, you can even call me a dreamer. But I’ll tell you this – I wouldn’t trade the Southern California Pastoral as promoted by the surf bands of the early ’60s and Brian Wilson – no matter how much of an idealized figment of a teenager’s imagination it might have been – for anything in the world. In the angry and cynical times we live in, everyone oughta have a fantasy they can conjure up as a harmless means of escapism. In that way, everyone needs a “Surf City” – even if it only lives within the confines of one’s imagination or audio system.

Don’t worry dude, it’s OK to fantasize. The music will always be there, calling you back to Surf City, where there’s two girls for every boy (or vice versa!).

BTW, here’s a very cool website. No matter where you are, it’s always nice to know the surf is rolling in somewhere.

And this is a cool site too. I may not agree with Domenic Priore’s politics, but I sure like where his heart is.