Beach Boys ( The ) - Surfin' USA

First performance: 01/07/2015

Coverinfo

Bruce performed the song only once and once as a snippet:
 
 
Bruce joins Brian Wilson and his Band on stage during the encore of Wilson's set at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. Apparently keen to remain in the background and keep the focus on Brian Wilson, Springsteen (wearing a grey baseball cap) sings harmonies on "Barbara Ann" before picking up a guitar and playing backup on "Surfin' U.S.A.". Before the song fun fun fun begins, Bruce leaves the stage.
 
 
 
  • Snippet
 
during LIGHT OF DAY
 
1999-10-21 Staples Center, Los Angeles
Surfin’ USA was used as a snippet during 'Light of day' , complete with Bruce forgetting part of the lyrics, along with "I've Been Everywhere".
  

Songinfo

"Surfin' U.S.A." is a song with lyrics by Brian Wilson set to the music of "Sweet Little Sixteen", written by Chuck Berry. It was first recorded by Wilson's band the Beach Boys and released as a single on March 4, 1963, then appearing as the title track to their album Surfin' U.S.A. Also produced by Wilson.
 
 
 

Other cover versions

Bruce on the artist

The 2019 studio album "Western Stars", released on June 14, 2019 is stated by Bruce as heavily influenced by "Southern California pop music" of the 1970s, including artists such as Glen Campbell and Burt Bacharach.
 
 
 
1973-04-07 Norfolk Scope, Norfolk, VA 
Bruce and band are opening for headliner The Beach Boys (minus Brian Wilson, who wasn’t touring with the group at the time).
 
 
 
1963-07-00 Springsteen Residence, Freehold, NJ 
The surf music craze, which had been largely confined to California during the previous year, finally explodes nationally in the U.S.A. during the summer of 1963, with four huge-selling singles released (and all charting top five or better) in rapid succession: "Pipeline" (May 1963 - The Chantays), "Surfin' U.S.A." (June 1963 - The Beach Boys), "Surf City" (July 1963 - Jan and Dean) and "Wipe Out" (August 1963 - The Surfaris). Springsteen is heavily influenced by these four singles, particularly over the course of the next twelve months.
 
  

Lyrics

If everybody had an ocean
Across the U. S. A.
Then everybody'd be surfin'
Like Californi-a
You'd seem 'em wearing their baggies
Huarache sandals too
A bushy bushy blonde hairdo
Surfin' U. S. A.

You'd catch 'em surfin' at Del Mar
Ventura County line
Santa Cruz and Trestle
Australia's Narrabeen
All over Manhattan
And down Doheny Way

Everybody's gone surfin'
Surfin' U.S.A.

We'll all be planning that route
We're gonna take real soon
We're waxing down our surfboards
We can't wait for June
We'll all be gone for the summer
We're on surfari to stay
Tell the teacher we're surfin'
Surfin' U. S. A.

Haggerties and Swamies
Pacific Palisades
San Onofre and Sunset
Redondo Beach L. A.
All over La Jolla
At Wa'imea Bay

Everybody's gone surfin'
Surfin' U.S. A.

Everybody's gone surfin'
Surfin' U.S. A.

Everybody's gone surfin'
Surfin' U.S. A.