Pipeline

It's impossible to get past the 3rd note of this opener without thinking about Tarantino. I'm not going to say anything more because this guy says it all. Be sure to check out the video. (Why do I think about Devo?)

Pipeline (Spotify)

1963 Playlist (Spotify)

Surfin' U.S.A.

The Beach Boys second single. Wow, what a sound. Not much to say although by the time I finally got to southern California in the 2000's on a business trip I knew the name of every beach up and down highway 5. California was in the air all through the 60s and 70s, literally. TV, radio whatever. Hey, a CLE guy can dream, right? (But California Dreamin' is still a couple years out.)

The song is set to Chuck Berry's Sweet Little Sixteen and Berry's publishing company has owned the rights to the song (including lyrics that Brian Wilson wrote) for a long time. Five days before Surfin' U.S.A. was released Wilson produced his song Surf City for Jan & Dean which became a #1 hit. So in mid '63, Wilson was all over the charts but not getting much credit yet.

Surfin' U.S.A. mono mix (Spotify)

Mike Love and Brian Wilson keeping the sound alive in 2012

The 1963 Playlist so far on Spotify

Let's Go!

Here's a cool find. While it was released in '62 and peaked in December on the charts it was released on the album Let's Go! With the Routers in '63. The hand claps will be very familiar and it looks like this is the record that started it all although it isn't entirely clear if the record or the cheer came first. Let's just say from here it became a cheerleading favorite and was eventually used in The Cars Let's Go and John Fogerty's Centerfield. Fogerty also strongly echoed the guitar lick.

Anyway, it's a fun way to kick off the effort here at Fifty Years Ago, a reprise on the music of my life. Here's the track on Spotify.

The Routers – Let's Go - Pony Album Version

The Cars – Let's Go
John Fogerty – Centerfield