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In 1963, The Beach Boys made “Surfin’ U.S.A.” a surf-rock classic. Fourteen years later, a teen idol revived the hit and gave it a second life on the charts.
Leif Garrett recorded a cover of “Surfin’ U.S.A.” for his 1977 debut album and turned it into a hit again for the second time in 14 years.
“Surfin’ USA” was one of several cover songs Garrett recorded on his self-titled album. The young star was just 15 when he recorded his version of the Beach Boys hit as well as the tracks “California Girls,” “Runaround Sue,” “Put Your Head on My Shoulder” and more.
Garrett’s “Surfin’ U.S.A.” reworked the surf-rock classic with a polished pop sound, trading the Beach Boys' signature layered harmonies for a smoother style that introduced the song to a new generation of fans.
While the Beach Boys’ original was a bigger hit, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963, Garrett made the song a teenybopper favorite when it went to No. 20 on Billboard in the fall of 1977.
“Surfin’ U.S.A.'s" melody is credited to Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen,” while Beach Boys band member Brian Wilson penned new lyrics celebrating surf culture.
Wilson once told The Guardian that he considered the song to be the Beach Boys’ breakthrough. “It came out on a Los Angeles label and was a hit straight away,” he said.
Garrett's path to the song was completely different from the Beach Boys’. The young singer was told by his management which songs to record and had little say creatively.
In an interview with Icon vs. Icon, Garrett admitted, “Musically, I wasn’t so much of a trendsetter, but that was only because management didn’t allow me to have much say in the song choices. ... I think that if I would have had a little more control, my career may have had a little more longevity.”
Garrett certainly had the image for a song like “Surfin’ U.S.A.” He once told The Washington Post that he was marketed as a California heartthrob at the height of his teen stardom.
“I was the full California image of blond, somewhat androgynous looking pretty boy, full-on skateboarder and surfer actually living that lifestyle,” he shared.
More than 60 years after its original release, “Surfin’ U.S.A.” remains a timeless summertime anthem that celebrates carefree days on the beach for generations of fans.
Related: '70s Superstar Scored His Biggest Hit With 1978 Song He Never Wanted to Record
