Hurricane Season – It’s Baaack!

Hurricane season just got goin’ and I know you folks on the East Coast of the United States are paying close attention this summer. As well you should: Hurricane Irene’s rains devastated a pretty good chunk of the Northeast last year.

Down here in Texas, they like to scare us with stories about what could happen if a monster storm rolled in off the Gulf of Mexico. And I suppose if one of those nasty Cat 5s paid a visit to Texas the result would be less like Irene and more like Hiroshima (or Hurricane Camille). But what good is it to worry – you just stock up on batteries and peanut butter and hope for the best.

And you get your rock and roll tunes ready for the next Hurricane Warning.

MP3: “Change In The Weather” by John Fogerty

MP3: “Blowin’ Like A Bandit” by Asleep at the Wheel

MP3: “Hurricane” by Levon Helm

MP3: “Surfing In A Hurricane” by Jimmy Buffett

MP3: “Hurricane Party” by James McMurtry

MP3: “Mighty Storm” by the Duhks

MP3: “High Water (For Charley Patton)” (live) by Bob Dylan

MP3: “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today” by Peter Gabriel

MP3: “Lost and Found” by the Kinks

MP3: “In From The Storm” by Jimi Hendrix

MP3: “Thunder Island” by Jay Ferguson

MP3: “Walking In A Hurricane” by John Fogerty

MP3: “Like A Hurricane” by Nils Lofgren

MP3: “Here Comes The Rain” by Jan & Dean

MP3: “Riders On The Storm” by the Doors

MP3: “The Rains Came” by Big Sambo

MP3: “Wild Is The Wind” by David Bowie

MP3: “Rock You Like A Hurricane” by the Scorpions

MP3: “Down In The Flood” (live) by the Derek Trucks Band

MP3: “Like A Hurricane” (live) by Neil Young & Crazy Horse

Summertime! (And it’s time for surfin’)

When it gets warm here along the Texas gulf coast, it’s time to hit the water. Myself, I tend to stick poolside but many of my Lone Star brethren (and sister-en) like to head for the beach, were there is plenty of surfing to be done.

I can’t tell you for certain if the waves off the Texas coast are good enough for surfing, but I am fairly certain they are nothing like California or Hawaii. My surfing interest faded when I was about 12, when I took a sharp smack on the forehead from a beginner board at McFaddin Beach – I decided to become a ho-dad for life.

The closest I came to surfing after that was when I cued up a surf tune on the turntable. So, here are some surfin’ (and car ridin’ down to the beach) tunes.  The final song is a Beach Boys ringer from their final (terrible) album, tossed in here just as a goofy foot kinda thing.  Or something. (Those last two sentences recycled from last year, kinda like using the remnants of a 2010 bottle of suntan lotion.)

MP3: “Surfin’ Bird” by the Trashmen

MP3: “Devil Surf” by Chiyo and the Crescents

MP3: “Surf Beat” by Dick Dale & the Del-Tones

MP3: “Dr. Who Goes Surfing” by the Surfin’ Guitarist

MP3: “Muscle Beach Party” by Annette Funicello

MP3: “Malibu” by Bruce Johnston (pre-Beach Boys)

MP3: “I’m Surfing” by George Husak

MP3: “Bird Dance Beat” by the Trashmen

MP3: “Moment Of Truth” by the Surf Teens

MP3: “Tell ‘Em I’m Surfin’ ” by Jan & Dean

MP3: “Secret Surfing Spot” by Dick Dale & the Del-Tones

MP3: “Stoked” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “California Street” by the Jalopy Five

MP3: “Surfer’s Stomp” by the Mar-Kets

MP3: “The Hearse” by the Astronauts

MP3: “Theme from Endless Summer” by the Sandals

MP3: “Jersey Channel Islands Part 7” by Bruce Johnston (still pre-Beach Boys)

MP3: “Surfin’ (1992 version)” by the Beach Boys

Surf’s Up?

The other day I heard someone say that late March-early April is a prime time for surfin’ off the Texas coast.  Didn’t know the Gulf of Mexico had any decent waves to speak of, in fact although I grew up along the upper Gulf Coast I don’t know a thing about surfing.  Would that make me a ho-dad?

Well, I do know this: the best surf music came out in the early 1960s.  So while our wave-riding bros are down in Galveston and Corpus waiting to hang ten on the right wave, here are some surfin’ (and car ridin’ down to the beach) tunes.  The final song is a Beach Boys ringer from their final (terrible) album, tossed in here just as a goofy foot kinda thing.  Or something.

MP3: “Devil Surf” by Chiyo and the Crescents

MP3: “Surf Beat” by Dick Dale & the Del-Tones

MP3: “Dr. Who Goes Surfing” by the Surfin’ Guitarist

MP3: “Malibu” by Bruce Johnston (pre-Beach Boys)

MP3: “Bird Dance Beat” by the Trashmen

MP3: “Moment Of Truth” by the Surf Teens

MP3: “Tell ‘Em I’m Surfin’ ” by Jan & Dean

MP3: “Stoked” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “California Street” by the Jalopy Five

MP3: “The Hearse” by the Astronauts

MP3: “Jersey Channel Islands Part 7” by Bruce Johnston (still pre-Beach Boys)

MP3: “Surfin’ (1992 version)” by the Beach Boys

Happy Birthday, Brian!

Today (June 20) is the birthday of genius songwriter, singer and producer Brian Wilson.  It’s completely appropriate that tomorrow is the first day of summer.  Because more than anyone, Brian Wilson created the image of this hot season through his songs.   He celebrates the lifestyle of Southern California: the beaches, the girls, the cars and of course surfing, and with the Beach Boys he gave summer a soundtrack.   No matter where you are or what time it may be, whenever you play Wilson’s music the sun is suddenly out and surf’s up.  It’s the sound of fun and freedom.  So today we celebrate the sounds of summer – as written, sung and produced by the great Brian Wilson.

MP3: “Surfin’ U.S.A.” (demo)

MP3: “Help Me, Rhonda” (LP version) by the Beach Boys

MP3: “Pamela Jean” by the Survivors

MP3: “Summer Means New Love” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “Pray For Surf” by the Honeys

MP3: “Summertime” by Sharon Marie

MP3: “Surfin'” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “Ride The Wild Surf”  by Jan and Dean

MP3: “Girls On The Beach” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “Diamond Head” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “I’m Waiting For The Day” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “Fallin’ In Love” by American Spring

MP3: “Cool, Cool Water” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “Wonderful” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “The Nearest Faraway Place” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “Surf City” by Jan and Dean

MP3: “Little Honda” (alternate take) by the Beach Boys

MP3: “California Girls” (live) by Brian Wilson

MP3: “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys

MP3: “Forever She’ll Be My Surfer Girl” by Brian Wilson

MP3: “Beach Boys Medley” (single) by the Beach Boys