Dale is revered as one of the pioneers of surf rock and one of the most influential guitarists of the early 1960s. His technique influenced future guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen. He experimented with reverberation and made use of custom-made Fender amplifiers. Among Dale's most well-known songs are "Misirlou", "Surf Beat", and "Let's Go Trippin'". He also released music under Dick Dale & His Del-Tones.
Born Richard Anthony Mansour to a Lebanese father and a Polish mother, he soon learned to play the drums, the ukulele, and finally the guitar. Among his early musical influences was his uncle, an oud player performing belly dance music. A plethora of Dale's early material contains middle eastern musical influences. Dale's professional career began in 1959, playing with his band The Del-Tones for surfers at the Rendezvous Ballroom in Balboa, California. With authorities concerned about the mix of young people and guitars, one of the requirements at the Ballroom was that every male patron wear a tie, so the audience was often made up of barefooted guys in surfer garb wearing ties that were handed out at the door.
Dale is often credited as one of the first electric guitarist to employ exotic scales in his playing. When Dale started surfing he became so fascinated that he began seeking ways of channeling the energy and power of the sport through his guitar playing. While he is primarily known for introducing the use of guitar reverberation, which has since become a staple of the surf sound, it was Dale's fast staccato picking that was his trademark. Due to his left-handedness, Dale was initially forced to play a right-handed model. However, he did so without restringing the guitar, leading him to effectively play the guitar upside-down (while Hendrix would restring his guitar). Even after he acquired a proper left-handed guitar, Dale continued to use his reverse stringing.
Discography:
Albums:
1962 - Surfer's Choice (Deltone)
1963 - King of the Surf Guitar (Capitol)
1963 - Checkered Flag (Capitol)
1964 - Mr. Eliminator (Capitol)
1964 - Summer Surf (Capitol)
1965 - Rock Out With Dick Dale & His DelTones: Live At Ciro's (Capitol)
1983 - The Tigers Loose (Balboa)
1993 - Tribal Thunder (HighTone)
1994 - Unknown Territory
1996 - Calling Up Spirits (Beggars Banquet)
2001 - Spacial Disorientation
Mag Wheels
Dick Dale Lyrics
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Instrumental Mag wheels
Shift down
Deuce coupe
Mag wheels
[?]
Power shift
The Dick Dale song "Mag Wheels" is an instrumental track that is full of energy and power. The song starts with a repeated riff on the guitar, which sets the tone for the rest of the track. As the song progresses, the guitar becomes more intense, and the drums and bass provide a solid foundation for the guitar to build upon.
The title of the song, "Mag Wheels," refers to the popular aftermarket wheels that were common on hot rods and muscle cars during the time the song was written. The sound of the guitar in the song is meant to evoke the feeling of acceleration and speed, which is a common theme in rock music but is particularly fitting for a song about cars.
Line by Line Meaning
Mag wheels
A reference to the popular aftermarket car wheels that were made from magnesium in the 1960s.
Mag wheels
Repeating the title line to emphasize its significance.
Shift down
Advice to shift gears in a manual transmission car to increase acceleration.
Deuce coupe
A classic hot rod car made by Ford that was popular in the 1930s.
Mag wheels
Repeating the title line to link the image of the wheels with the car.
[?]
Unintelligible word or phrase that may represent the sound of driving or revving an engine.
Power shift
A technique used in car racing to quickly shift gears without losing speed or acceleration.
Contributed by Alyssa F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.