The Beach Boys – Surfer Girl

About the song

Background of “Surfer Girl” (the song)

• Possible First Song: Brian Wilson claimed “Surfer Girl” was his first original composition, but some classmates say otherwise.
• Inspiration: The melody was inspired by “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinocchio [Walt Disney classic], while the lyrics might have been influenced by Brian’s girlfriend at the time, Judy Bowles.
• Production Debut: This was the first Beach Boys song with Brian Wilson officially credited as producer.
• Release: Released as a single in July 1963, backed with “Little Deuce Coupe”. It became their first Top 10 hit.

Themes of “Surfer Girl” (the song)

• Teenage Romance: A sweet and innocent love song for a girl, capturing the early days of a relationship.
• California Dreamin’: Evokes the Southern California surf culture, a theme that would become synonymous with the Beach Boys.

Background of “Surfer Girl” (the album)

• Third Beach Boys Album: Released in September 1963.
• Surf & Beyond: Mostly a collection of surf songs, but also showcases early experimentation with strings and session musicians.
• Production Milestones: First album credited to Brian Wilson as producer and the first to use a string section (“The Surfer Moon”).

Video

Lyrics