Surfin' Bird

The Trashmen - Surfin' Bird - SUNDAZED Records SC 6064
Originally released 1963 on GARRETT Records

Tracks:
01 - Surfin' Bird
02 - King Of The Surf
03 - Henrietta
04 - Miserlou
05 - Malaguena
06 - It's So Easy
07 - Tube City
08 - My Woodie
09 - Bird Bath
10 - Kuk
11 - Money
12 - Sleeper
Bonus Tracks:
13 - Surfin' Bird (demo version)
14 - Bird Dance Beat (demo version)
15 - Walkin' My Baby (single)
16 - Dancin' With Santa (single)

Every body knows about the bird! This 1963 novelty/surf record has become such a part of popular culture that there can't be many people who don't know that the bird is the word, and that can only be a good thing. 'Surfin' Bird' was a huge US hit in 1963, allegedly selling 30,000 copies in the first weekend before eventually going to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite being made up of 'The Bird's The Word' and 'Papa Oom Mow Mow' by the Rivingtons (a post about them soon), initially the drummer/singer Steve Wahrer was credited with writing the song. This was corrected after a successful law suit on behalf of the Rivingtons. There was even an urban myth that the song was written by Leonard Bernstein to prove that any song could become a hit.
The success of the single allowed "the best land-locked surf band in the country" to record this their only album. The rest of the album is pretty standard surf/hot rod rock 'n' roll, not that that's a bad thing all the music is excellent, especially their version of 'Miserlou', but none of it matches the intensity/insanity of 'Surfin' Bird'.

There will be more about the Trashmen another time, but in the meantime relive the madness of 'Surfin' Bird' and enjoy their version of 'Miserlou' and a song that highlights the problems of being a surfer from Minnesota, 'Kuk'......