Dick Dale (born Richard Anthony Monsour on 4 May 1937 in Boston, Massachuse… Read Full Bio ↴Dick Dale (born Richard Anthony Monsour on 4 May 1937 in Boston, Massachusetts; died 16 March 2019) was an American rock guitarist, known as The King of the Surf Guitar.
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
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
Surfing Drums
Dick Dale Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Dick Dale:
(Ghost) Riders in the Sky An old cowboy went riding out one dark and windy…
01 Pumpkin & Honey Bunny Desert shadows creep across purple sands. Natives kneel in …
California Sun Well I'm going out west where I belong Where the days…
Caravan Night and stars above that shine so bright The myst'ry…
Ghost Riders In The Sky An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy…
Hava Nagila *Instrumental*…
Jessie Pearl Well, I gotta girl and her name is Jessie Pearl Come…
King Of The Surf Guitar Listen to the king of the surf guitar Listen to the…
Let's Go Trippin' Let's go trippin' …
Misirlou Desert shadows creep across purple sands. Natives kneel in p…
Mr. Peppermint Man Mister Peppermint Man (Peppermint Man) Was his name (Was his…
Ooh-Whee Marie I want to hug you every morning I want to hug…
Peppermint Man Mr. Peppermint Man, oh yeah (Peppermint Man) It was his nam…
Pumpkin & Honey Bunny Desert shadows creep across purple sands. Natives kneel in …
Ramblin' Man I can settle right down I can be doing just fine When…
Riders in the Sky An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy…
Ring of Fire Love Is A Burning Thing And It Makes A Fiery…
Secret Surfin' Spot Well, along the coast past Malibu I make it everyday after…
Smoke on The Water We all came out to Montreux On the Lake Geneva shoreline To…
Stop Teasing 'Cause I love to hold you in my arms Tell you…
Take It Off Take it off Take it off Take it off Get it off…
Third Stone From The Sun {intro slowed down talking begins} Star fleet to scout ship…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
TheKromusDevice
I'm really starting to dig this 60's surf rock. The guitars are just so damn cool!
Russell Teapot
oooh, it's a woodwind instrument because the element that makes the sound it's a wood reed, I thought it was a brass one, because it's made out of brass. Thank you for lettiing me search about that
David Lilly
Surf music never died. it just left the mainstream. There are countless surf rock bands all over the world.
Quincee 33
Heck ya! Dick Dale (RIP) , The Ventures, The Beach Boys.
Lawrence O'Boyle
My sisters and her friends would go dance to him live at the Golden Bear and the retail clerk's union: amazing it was so normal to be there live.
CrampCrafter
Dick Dales music is right between 50's rockabilly and the psychedelic rock wave of the later 60's and i love itđ
CrampCrafter
So much going on musically in this decade, 70's-90's own their justifications but the 60's were essential!
Some wont like my point, probably given they were young at another time. I look at the musical development in the 20th century from afar because i wasnt born in it, but i understand close emotions to things that connect us to our teen years.
For me i have to search good music in the past, cause most modern music smells 10 miles headwind like đ¤
Ross
I think this is his best song. Great sax, great beat, speedy playing, just enough vocals not over the top, and the drums are solid. You can't ask for anything better!
Griff Redux
Rest in peace, Dick Dale. One of the greats.
Ronald Marquez
Your style in guitar is truly a gift that im glad to hear, I showed my dad this song and he was like ayyy busting out those bo diddly lyrics, but the best are this song the way he sings and the sax. Mr. Eliminator and Firing up best songs from him me personally, I hope your surfing and playing at the same time up there, R.I.P. King of surf guitar