Surf City
Jan Dean Lyrics
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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 and Dean is a classic surf-rock tune that captures the carefree spirit of summer and the thrill of riding waves. The catchy chorus of "Two girls for every boy" is a nod to the abundance of female surf enthusiasts in California during the 1960s, and serves as a focal point for the song's overall message.
The lyrics describe the singer's journey to Surf City, a mythical paradise where the waves are perfect and the parties never end. The iconic chorus stands out, repeating the ratio of two girls for every boy in a playful, lighthearted manner.
The '30 Ford wagon mentioned in the song is an old and perhaps unreliable vehicle, but the singer loves it just the same. It may not have a back seat or rear window, but as long as it can take them to Surf City, he's happy.
Overall, "Surf City" is a love letter to the surfing culture of the 1960s and a celebration of the laid-back lifestyle that came with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Two girls for every boy
Surf City is a place where the gender ratio favors men, with 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
The singer has purchased a classic car, a 1930 Ford wagon, which he and his friends refer to as a 'woodie'. Despite its age and lack of certain features, the car is still functional and able to take them to their destination, which is Surf City.
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
The singer and his group of friends are excited to head to Surf City because of the favorable gender ratio. They anticipate having a good time with the abundance of women.
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
The residents of Surf City are known for their active lifestyle and propensity for fun. They are either out surfing or partying, and the singer notes that there are two women for every man in the city.
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
If the singer's car breaks down on the way to Surf City, he is prepared to continue on foot with his surfboard and wetsuit. Once in Surf City, he plans to focus on surfing and meeting women at the various parties.
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 !