I think DD's version of "Misirlou" is a pretty strong argument 'for.'

-Warren

That was excessively violent and completely unnecessary. I loved it.

Danny...
Let's say as an example. My band really likes a song you wrote. We decide we like it so much that we will sort of use it as a song we will play at every gig. Sort of like a trademark, I guess, to close down our last set of the night, or to open the first set of the night. Something like that.
Even though the song has been written by you , we are using it regulary.
Would this action be considered inapproate?
Joel

Joelman
Danny...
Let's say as an example. My band really likes a song you wrote. We decide we like it so much that we will sort of use it as a song we will play at every gig. Sort of like a trademark, I guess, to close down our last set of the night, or to open the first set of the night. Something like that.
Even though the song has been written by you , we are using it regulary.
Would this action be considered inapproate?
Joel

I don't think so. It's flattery. It's showing your stripes and influences. When the Nebulas play a Satan's Pilgrim tune (for example) they do it to show their respect to a band they really dig. I just made that up, but that is what it appears to me.

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Joelman
What are the points for and against covering someone elses song, and making it your own, as in making it the one song that your band plays every time on stage?

Totally giving due credit to the original composer and band of course.
Joel

I don't think there is anything against it. Look at some of the original surf bands like Eddie and the Showmen, they were doing Squad Car, Scratch, and Movin'. All of which were done by contemporary bands of the time. We've always done 1 or 2 songs by the Treblemakers. Maybe more in the near future...

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Joelman
Danny...
Let's say as an example. My band really likes a song you wrote. We decide we like it so much that we will sort of use it as a song we will play at every gig. Sort of like a trademark, I guess, to close down our last set of the night, or to open the first set of the night. Something like that.
Even though the song has been written by you , we are using it regulary.
Would this action be considered inapproate?
Joel

I have this situation in fact. We usually open up with the Nebulas' Cosmos 954. As surf musicians are by far the nicest and most supportive group of musicians out there , I just emailed them, as well as all the other bands we cover, and outright asked them if they had any issues. As expected, none did, and I think they're flattered for the asking, which they should be, because I wouldn't play the song if I didn't think it totally kicked tuchus.

We'll probably be phasing out the covers as time goes by, but it's a huge help when first getting started. Reality is that 90% of the audience will have no idea it's a cover if it was recorded originally after 1965.

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

I had to think about this question for a while. I don't think a song can be your signature song unless you wrote it, someone wrote it for you or if you took a song that is not a standard, and made your own arrangement of it.

Obviously if you wrote the song, there is no question about it being your own. As to whether it becomes your signature song is really up to the audience. I think there are lots of current surf bands that have written their signature songs.

If someone wrote the song for you, like say Bacharach for Dionne Warwick, it really is more her song than his, and anybody else who does it will get compared to her rather than him. "Cum on Feel the Noize" may be Twisted Sister's biggest hit, but to me it will always be a Slade cover.

(I am curious to know if anyone can name a surf band with a cover song as their "signature" tune. What band, what song?)

And lastly, as to what DD did with Miserlou, he went to the original folk song for inspiration and made it in his image. Slacktone et al do brilliant versions of Miserlou, but no matter how much they add to it, it is still an homage to Dick's arrangement.

BUT there are plenty of great songs out there-- so whip up your own arrangement and tattoo it with your name.

--Ferenc

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dp
"walk, don't run" seems to be a Ventures signature tune...but, I believe it's a cover tune (Johnny Smith, Chet Atkins)...or rather a "re-arranged" tune.

-dp

Yes, but that is the very rare anomoly of an top 40 instrumental song. Exception, not rule.

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

We normally open with Misirlou to let the audience know what we are about. We don't really like playing surf covers. We prefer vocal covers like That Thing You Do and Don't Worry Baby. And in general our set is 90% originals. We have too many songs now so covers are going to be scarce as people start bitching as to why their favorite song is in the set.

PolloGuitar
I don't think a song can be your signature song unless you wrote it, someone wrote it for you or if you took a song that is not a standard, and made your own arrangement of it.

I think it's kinda unfair to try and make a surf cover your own signature song, but I don't think I've seen that happen. Leaning too heavily on someone else's song can have a similar effect, but I'm okay with it, like Ferenc said, if it's a big time rearrangement and surf-ification of a song previously unrelated to the genre. That can be just as original as an original composition, and shows that you still put thought and effort into reaching the song's "surf potential" as you've interpreted it. I don't see that so much with covering other surf songs. It seems more just like an homage, which is cool.

DannySnyder
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Mmmm. . . Saul's.
(Sorry, couldn't help it.)

Within the listening area of the local radio station, it'd probably be cool to use a guitar instrumental arrangement of Bert Kaempfert's "A Swingin' Safari." Back in the '70s, when it was a Top 40 rock station, they had a weekly call-in radio classifieds show called The Sell & Swap Shop that used the song as the show theme song. At some point last year, I found out that the song was the original theme for the TV game show, Match Game. So, locally, folks will get a dose of nostalgia connected to the radio show, while anywhere else, folks that remember the original Match Game, and/or dig Bert Kaempfert and His Orchestra will get that dose of nostalgia. Besides, "A Swingin' Safari" is one that should get folks dancing.

Matt

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