Catch a Wave
 |
| "Catch a Wave" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Beach Boys | |
| from the album Surfer Girl | |
| Released | September 16, 1963 |
| Recorded | July 14 / 16, 1963 Western Studios |
| Genre | Surf rock |
| Length | 2:11 |
| Label | Capitol |
| Songwriter(s) | Brian Wilson Mike Love |
| Producer(s) | Brian Wilson |
"Catch a Wave" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for American rock band, The Beach Boys, released on their 1963 album Surfer Girl. In 1990, Wilson wrote of the song: "[It] was more rhythmic. The guitars were more clean and driving as if to say they didn't wanna stop. The piano was played by me and it was perfectly synchronized with the guitars. The 3 different sounds combined to make one unique sound. I was ecstatic about this."[citation needed]
In 1964, a rewritten version of the song was recorded by Jan and Dean as "Sidewalk Surfin'". It was released as a single and charted at #25 in Billboard.
Recording
As Al Jardine performs on bass and sings on the track, "Catch a Wave" is an example of the six-man lineup the band had at times in the summer and fall of 1963, prior to Marks' quitting the Beach Boys late in the year.[citation needed]
Personnel
- Al Jardine – bass guitar, vocals
- Maureen Love – harp
- Mike Love – lead vocal
- David Marks – rhythm guitar
- Brian Wilson – organ, piano, lead vocal
- Carl Wilson – lead guitar, vocals
- Dennis Wilson – drums, vocals
Variations
The album version was re-released in 1968, but without vocals, for the sing-along Stack-O-Tracks album, which features all-instrumental versions of original Beach Boys recordings.[citation needed]
Even though "Catch a Wave" was never actually released as a single, the track was included on the greatest-hits 1974 Endless Summer album that revived the commercial sales of the band. The selection is also featured in the 1993 box set Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys, in a version that is approximately 11 seconds longer due to the 'fade' coming after the refrain is sung four times, not twice as is the case with the original releases.[citation needed]
Other recordings
The Kidsongs Kids released their version of "Catch a Wave" on their The Wonderful World of Sports video.
Beach Boys member Al Jardine released a live version of "Catch a Wave" on his Live in Las Vegas album.[citation needed]
The Rock-afire Explosion covered the song on their first showtape.
