What are the best cover songs in all of surfdom? Divided into two subcategories: Best cover of another surf original, and Best surfification of a previously un-surfy song.

One of my fave surfed-up non-surf songs is the Nebulas' take on Swan Lake.
Wish I would have thought of that!

The Volcanos

RickVolcano_
One of my fave surfed-up non-surf songs is the Nebulas' take on Swan Lake.
Wish I would have thought of that!

that one 's great, there's another (awesome) version by the Sunlights (france) from '63 (wonder if the nebulas know that one?) ... euro-instro rather then surf, a bit spotnicks-like, but very cool. their title is "Saterday Night (Le chant du cygne)". the translation of that french title is "the song of the swan", so how they came up with the rather ungenius "saturday night" is a complete mystery. I always thought that that particular piece was called "the dying swan" rather then swan song, but really, I know zilch about ballet. anyone? Madness also played it as "swan lake", btw.

WR

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

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I'm probably Mr. Obvious, but Dick Dale's cover of Miserlou is probably the defining surf cover of a non-surf song. Defining as in genre-defining.

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WR

RickVolcano_
One of my fave surfed-up non-surf songs is the Nebulas' take on Swan Lake. Wish I would have thought of that!

that one 's great, there's another (awesome) version by the Sunlights (france) from '63 (wonder if the nebulas know that one?) ... euro-instro rather then surf, a bit spotnicks-like, but very cool. their title is "Saterday Night (Le chant du cygne)". the translation of that french title is "the song of the swan", so how they came up with the rather ungenius "saturday night" is a complete mystery. I always thought that that particular piece was called "the dying swan" rather then swan song, but really, I know zilch about ballet. anyone? Madness also played it as "swan lake", btw.

Hey, Wannes and Rick, you guys don't know your instrumental rock history very well! British instro band the Cougars released this first, under the whimsical title "Saturday Night At the Duckpond," back in January of '63. Though it wasn't a huge hit, since then it's become a minor instro classic, especially in the Euro-instro style. Many Euro bands have covered this one, and currently it's the fabulous Rapiers that are keeping it alive, having become as well known for it as the Cougars. Anyway, the Nebulas didn't really 'think of it', it's been played a lot before...

Ivan

Ivan
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I like Jake's ideas for potential covers. Yeah, maybe hard to pull off but I'm sure they'd sound really cool if done right.

Now to answer my own question (which always seems weird), my favorite surf covers are also the Bambi Molesters' version of The Breeze and I, as well as their take on High Wall, the Mermen's haunted house version of Casbah, and just about anything on the Bitch Boys' "Ride the First Wave" album.
Non surf my favorite covers are Johnny Fortune's Siboney, Surf Coasters' Bumble Bee, the Trashmen's Malaguena, and the Madeira's version of Almoraima as a recent fave.
And, uh...Miserlou, which is in a whole different league of covers. Brian Obvious is right about it being a defining song. It's a big deal when you define a genre with a song external to that genre.

IvanP

WR

RickVolcano_
One of my fave surfed-up non-surf songs is the Nebulas' take on Swan Lake. Wish I would have thought of that!

that one 's great, there's another (awesome) version by the Sunlights (france) from '63 (wonder if the nebulas know that one?) ... euro-instro rather then surf, a bit spotnicks-like, but very cool. their title is "Saterday Night (Le chant du cygne)". the translation of that french title is "the song of the swan", so how they came up with the rather ungenius "saturday night" is a complete mystery. I always thought that that particular piece was called "the dying swan" rather then swan song, but really, I know zilch about ballet. anyone? Madness also played it as "swan lake", btw.

Hey, Wannes and Rick, you guys don't know your instrumental rock history very well! British instro band the Cougars released this first, under the whimsical title "Saturday Night At the Duckpond," back in January of '63. Though it wasn't a huge hit, since then it's become a minor instro classic, especially in the Euro-instro style. Many Euro bands have covered this one, and currently it's the fabulous Rapiers that are keeping it alive, having become as well known for it as the Cougars. Anyway, the Nebulas didn't really 'think of it', it's been played a lot before...

Ivan

Oops. Thanks for the music history lesson, professor.

The Volcanos

RickVolcano_
Oops. Thanks for the music history lesson, professor.

Hey, I was gonna say that!

Ivan, your a euro-instro encyclopedia!

WR

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/

Wooza !! and the rest... THANK YOU.,

Slowly i am getting in to forum kind of conversation..and realised ther's a lot to be answered

This is the cover toppic, so maybe you can check this one as well.. am sure you'll recognised it The picture is very dark, however the soudn is pretty cool for a photo camera :))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGbMFdlN9XI

But at the time, we're slowly preparing originals for (hopefully) next year..we could already release it, but we made a promise, we would't put less than 20 songs on album...and they had to be perfect

bye

Yeah, The Trashmen did a great Maleguena, as did the Bambi Molesters, but has there ever been a more beautiful surf version than The Boss Martians' rendition?

Other 'best covers':
The Cruel Sea (Beat Tornadoes)
Miserlou (Bobby Fuller Four. Because it is, as Brian said, so genre-defining, I'm treating DD's version as the original rather than a cover. If it wasn't for Bobby, MBP or Slacktone would top my list here)
Walk Don't Run (Tom & Jerry -- maybe not precisely surf, but close enough)
Jezebel (The Illusions. This surf treatment holds its own with any vocal version)
Jack The Ripper (Gus, the ukulele guy on YouTube. Honorable mention to The Raybeats)
Ghost Riders (Dick Dale. Who else is gonna simultaneously connote galloping and thundering like DD?)
Journey to the Stars (Space Cossacks -- lots of competition, but everything else comes in second to this one. The tone! The power!)
Warm California Sun (Yeah, I know, there's singing. Anyway -- The Ramones)
Banzai Washout (Jon & the Nightriders. All the elements come together in this one)
Hava Nagila (Infrareds. The battlecruiser of surf: faster than anything more powerful; more powerful than anything faster. But what could be faster?)
Mr. Moto (Agent Orange. Somebody finally bolted a blower onto this tune!)
Pipeline (The Lively Ones. The glissando alone is enough)
Lullaby of the Leaves (Davie Allen -- partly because the fuzz works so well here, and partly because The Ventures always seem to be holding back. The Arrows don't.)
As an afterthought... Skullbucket (SCOTS. Best cover of a song that Link Wray never did.)