Jan Berry and Brian Wilson collaborated on roughly a dozen hits and album cuts for Jan & Dean, including the number one national hit, "Surf City" (1963). Subsequent Top-10 hits for Jan & Dean included "Honolulu Lulu," "Drag City," "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena," and "Dead Man's Curve" -- which became eerily portentous when Berry received severe head injuries in an automobile accident just a short distance from Dead Man's Curve in April 1966.
This accident marked the end of their commercial peak, during which they'd scored an impressive total of 26 chart hits over eight years. The group finally stopped performing after Jan Berry died in March 2004.
Surf City
Jan & Dean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I bought a '30 Ford wagon and we call it a woodie
(Surf City, here we come)
You know it's not very cherry, it's an oldie but a goodie
(Surf City, here we come)
Well, it ain't got a back set or a rear window
But it still gets me where I wanna go
And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy
They say they never roll the streets up 'cause there's always somethin' goin'
(Surf City, here we come)
You know they're either out surfin' or they got a party growin'
(Surf City, here we come)
Yeah, and there's two swingin' honeys for every guy
And all you gotta do is just wink your eye
And we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one, now
Two girls for every boy
And if my woody breaks down on me somewhere on the surf route
(Surf City, here we come)
I'll strap my board to my back and hitch a ride in my wetsuit
(Surf City, here we come)
And when I get to Surf City I'll be shootin' the curl
And checkin' out the parties for a surfer girl
And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every
Two girls for every boy
The song “Surf City” by Jan & Dean is a classic surf rock song that tells the story of a group of friends heading to the beach with the intention of having a good time with the girls. In the first verse, the singer talks about his old car, and how even though it’s not perfect, it still gets him where he wants to go. He then sings about heading to Surf City where there are always parties, and the ratio of girls to boys is two to one. The chorus repeats the sentiment of the abundance of girls in Surf City: “Two girls for every boy.” The song talks about how easy it is to pick up girls in Surf City, just a quick wink is all it takes.
The second verse tells us that there is never a dull moment in Surf City – there are always new things to do or see. It also reinforces the idea that there are plenty of girls to go around and that all the boys have to do to get their attention is show up. The bridge talks about the possibility of a broken down car on the way to the beach, but even that isn’t a problem because the singer will hitch a ride with his surfboard and wetsuit. This verse also includes the surf term “shootin’ the curl,” which means surfing a big wave.
Overall, “Surf City” is a fun song about the carefree days of youth and the endless possibilities of summer fun. The song has an upbeat tempo and feel-good lyrics that make it a classic summer anthem.
Line by Line Meaning
Two girls for every boy
The ratio of girls to boys in Surf City is 2:1
I bought a '30 Ford wagon and we call it a woodie
I purchased a 1930 Ford Station Wagon made with wooden panels that has been nicknamed a 'woodie'
(Surf City, here we come)
We are headed to Surf City
You know it's not very cherry, it's an oldie but a goodie
My 'woodie' is not in great condition, but it has stood the test of time and is still running well
Well, it ain't got a back set or a rear window
My car does not have a back seat or a rear window
But it still gets me where I wanna go
Despite its shortcomings, my car is still functional and able to take me where I need to be
They say they never roll the streets up 'cause there's always somethin' goin'
The town of Surf City is always lively, and there is always something happening
You know they're either out surfin' or they got a party growin'
The people of Surf City are either surfing or throwing a party
Yeah, and there's two swingin' honeys for every guy
There are two attractive girls for every guy in Surf City
And all you gotta do is just wink your eye
Attracting the attention of these girls is as easy as a simple wink
And if my woody breaks down on me somewhere on the surf route
If my car breaks down somewhere along the way to Surf City
I'll strap my board to my back and hitch a ride in my wetsuit
I will attach my surfboard to my back and hitchhike while wearing my wetsuit
And when I get to Surf City I'll be shootin' the curl
Once I arrive in Surf City, I will be surfing the waves with skill
And checkin' out the parties for a surfer girl
I will also be on the lookout for an attractive surfer girl to potentially spend time with
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON, JAN BERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Tarantulisimo
Jan Berry - vocals
Dean Torrence - vocals
Hal Blaine - drums, percussion
Ray Pohlman - bass
Bill Pitman - guitar
Glen Campbell - guitar
Billy Strange - guitar, arranger
Earl Palmer - drums
Brian Wilson, Jan Berry - songwriters
Jan Berry - producer
Papa Murry Wilson was pissed off that Brian had given away what could've/should've/would've been a number one record for the Beach Boys. Brian later said, "I was proud of the fact that another group had had a number 1 track with a song I had written.....But dad would hear none of it. ...He called Jan a 'record pirate'..."
@dasvogel788
Lyrics:
Two girls for every boy
I bought a '30 Ford wagon and we call it a woodie
(Surf City, here we come)
You know it's not very cherry, it's an oldie but a goodie
(Surf City, here we come)
Well, it ain't got a back set or a rear window
But it still gets me where I wanna go
And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy
You know they never roll the streets
Up 'cause there's always somethin' goin'
(Surf City, here we come)
You know they're either out surfin' or they got a party growin'
(Surf City, here we come)
Yeah, and there's two swingin' honeys for every guy
And all you gotta do is just wink your eye
And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy
And if my woody breaks down on me somewhere on the surf route
(Surf City, here we come)
I'll strap my board to my back and hitch a ride in my wetsuit
(Surf City, here we come)
And when I get to Surf City I'll be shootin' the curl
And checkin' out the parties for a surfer girl
And we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun
You know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to one
You know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Two girls for every boy
@user-ej5ye9cf7m
This is real classic. For me it is the best surf-song. 2023, and still listening this.
@davidderitis9068
Agree !
@DexterHaven
Brian Wilson wrote this and gave it to Dean. When Brian heard the demo from the studio musicians called the wrecking crew, the studio pros, he was amazed how good it was. That act of generosity by Brian helped him discover he could do "Good Vibrations" with the wrecking crew himself and get it top quality. So it came back to him that way.
@commanderstraker1082
Brian is on the recording singing falsetto.
@garytheroux9526
Brian wrote this with Jan Berry, not Dean -- and Jan recorded it without even telling Dean about the song! Dean is NOT on Jan & Dean's biggest hit!
@speakertreatz
it wasn't an act of generosity, he just wasn't interested in having the Beach Boys record it. Jan and Dean wanted Surfin' USA in the beginning but Brian wasn't feeling generous about that, he refused. He was in the same situation as The Beatles in 1963, writing so many songs of such high quality it made sense to have other people record the ones he didn't want for The Beach Boys, he'd get his share of the publishing royalties if they were hits. He wanted to write for other people outside of the rigid formula and 'brand' of The Beach Boys, which wasn't even his idea, it was Dennis who suggested he write songs to exploit the surfing craze.
@speakertreatz
@Allan Charles here's a full list of Jan Berry's collaborative songwriting credits, listed by the names of the co-writer(s). Surf City is not on the Dean Torrence list. Surf City is on the Brian Wilson list. These are the credits as per Jan's original publishing deal with Screen Gems.
https://jananddean-janberry.com/jan-berry-at-a-glance/jan-berrys-songwriting-collaborators/
@billferron6473
Jan sang this with Brian Wilson.
@johnbatch9276
Pure joy from a golden age doesn't get any better than this
@rebeccalane3039
Love these surf songs - sunny and happy - we need more of it !