Most people celebrate Surfing Day by riding the waves or talking about boards, beaches, and surf culture.
But surfing also left something else behind: music.
Back in the 1960s, surfing became so popular that musicians started creating songs inspired by it. They used electric guitars with lots of reverb, making notes ring out like waves rolling toward the shore.
One of the pioneers was Dick Dale. Unlike many surf musicians who came later, he was actually a surfer. He wanted his guitar to capture the energy and power of the ocean.
The funny thing is that some of the most famous surf music was not made by surfers.
The Beach Boys helped popularize surfing culture through music, yet key songwriter Brian Wilson was not known as a surfer. He was better at riding melodies.
Surf music is no longer as popular as it once was, but it never completely disappeared. New bands still record it. Old fans still listen to it. And every time a guitar drenched in reverb appears in a song, a little piece of surf music comes back to life.
Not bad for a music genre inspired by people trying not to fall off a board.
Some people ride the waves. Others turn them into songs.
Even if you have never heard of Dick Dale, there is a good chance you have heard this song somewhere before.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ
