You may not know it, but surf rock music and weddings go together like peanut butter and jelly. You might think that rock music, soul songs, or hip-hop tracks are the bread and butter to your wedding playlist. But, nope.
It’s surf rock all the way! Here below, we wanted to highlight three surf rock tracks from back in the day that will elevate your next wedding soundtrack. Indeed, these are three surf rock classics from the 1960s that are perfect for your next wedding playlist.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Miserlou” by Dick Dale from ‘Surfers’ Choice’ (1962)
There is just something about the energy that Dick Dale put into his guitar on this song that gets people going. It gets people hyped. They want to jump out of their shoes and hit the dance floor to cut a rug like John Travolta underneath 1,000 palm trees. Dick Dale simply nailed it with this tune. He became a legend with the recording, and the track lives on today. Maybe you didn’t know this instrumental would be fundamental to your wedding playlist, but consider yourself educated now!
“Fun, Fun, Fun” by The Beach Boys from ‘Shut Down Volume 2’ (1964)
You can simply never go wrong with The Beach Boys. The Southern California-born band’s brand of glorious, sun-driven harmonies can put a smile on anyone’s face. Indeed, you can dip into just about any song from their catalog, and it will be a hit for your next wedding playlist. But we suggest the surf rock tune “Fun, Fun, Fun”. Because that’s just what people want at weddings. There is nothing like some early 1960s rock. But when you add a surfboard to the mix, it’s that much better.
“Pipeline” by Chantay’s from ‘Pipeline’ (1963)
If Dick Dale’s instrumental tune wasn’t enough for you, we wanted to suggest “Pipeline” by Chantay’s. The 1963 instrumental is fabulous. Whether you know it or not, you’ve heard it about 10,000 times. It’s in your bones. And it will get you (and your hundreds of guests) out dancing on the wedding dance floor. That’s what happens when you hear a familiar surf rock track. You want to dance as the sun sets and just keep going.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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