I just had my mind blown learning that one of my all time favorites , Surf Rider by the Lively Ones was originally written by Nokie Edwards for The Ventures !
Orginally called “Sputnik”
DIG!
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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Music General Discussion »
Surf Rider by the Lively Ones , originally written by The Ventures?!
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Joined: May 24, 2023 Posts: 207 |
Posted on Aug 03 2023 01:48 AM
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Joined: Mar 17, 2019 Posts: 162 Central PA 
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Posted on Aug 03 2023 03:11 AM
Yes, Surf Rider was written by The Ventures off an earlier Ventures song, Spudnik, on the album Mashed Potatoes and Gravy in 1962 - https://www.discogs.com/release/2102006-The-Ventures-Mashed-Potatoes-And-Gravy So much for all the blather about the Ventures not writing much of anything. "Sputnik" is a song by R.S. Field and Bill Lloyd, performed by Webb Wilder - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMKQxUaZles - there are other songs named Sputnik, but for the purposes of this forum, that is probably the relevant one. —The Delverados - surf, punk, trash, twang - Facebook |
Joined: Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 1506 Redlands, CA
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Posted on Aug 06 2023 05:04 PM
And here it is. Just for you. Last edited: Aug 06, 2023 17:05:51 |
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Joined: May 24, 2023 Posts: 207 |
Posted on Aug 09 2023 09:14 AM
Joelman wrote:
that’s for the link my friend!
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Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19342 Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Aug 09 2023 09:43 AM
Here's the version from Mashed Potatoes & Gravy. —Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
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Joined: Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 1506 Redlands, CA
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Posted on Aug 09 2023 02:45 PM
It’s amazing how the song has two names by the same group. But no notes were changed, to confuse the masses further. |
Joined: Jun 24, 2021 Posts: 135 South Bay, CA
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Posted on Aug 09 2023 02:46 PM
I think it is interesting that The Ventures released Spudnik in 1962. In '63, The Lively Ones released the song (on both a 7" and LP) with the title changed to Surf Rider. Anyone know what or who prompted the title change? I think Surf Rider is definitely the better title. Also interesting is that the Ventures Mashed Potatoes album (1962) was simultaneously released under the title Beach Party with a completely different cover. The Ventures Beach Party —-John "...enjoy every sandwich." -Warren Zevon Fender Stratocaster American Pro II |
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Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19342 Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Aug 09 2023 03:29 PM
The Ventures were really astute to current trends so they likely changed their own song title based on the Lively Ones success when they jumped on the surfing craze. —Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
Joined: Feb 06, 2018 Posts: 61 Birmingham 
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Posted on Aug 09 2023 03:49 PM
jtrollmann wrote:
Record labels trying to cash in on various trends of the time, you'd imagine. Half the songs on The Lively Ones' "Surf Drums" album had their titles changed to sound more "surfy", e.g. "Shootin' The Pier" is a cover of Freddie King's "San-Ho-Zay". I mention that one specifically because the album it originally appeared on - "Let's Hide Away And Dance Away With Freddy King" (1961) was later re-released as "Freddy King Goes Surfin'"! The Miramars (2017-2022) https://www.facebook.com/themiramars / https://soundcloud.com/themiramars |
Joined: Sep 16, 2013 Posts: 259
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Posted on Aug 09 2023 03:51 PM
The Ventures release of "Mashed Potatoes and Gravy" coincided with the popularity of the Dee Dee Sharp 1962 hit release of "Mashed Potato Time", and the related dance craze. Using spud (potato) as part of the song title fits in with the theme of the album. When The Ventures released "Surfing" in 1963, they changed the song title to fit in with that theme. |
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Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19342 Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on Aug 09 2023 03:52 PM
As to why The Lively Ones changed the name, that's a good question, I've never heard that story. The Lively Ones also released a revved up version of Apache titled "Goofy Foot". —Site dude - S3 Agent #202 "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea |
Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4555 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Aug 10 2023 12:22 AM
I like that original Ventures version. There’s a different, less Surfy character, but it’s still über cool. The Ventures were their own little universe; not quite Surf, but with some definite Surf chops. I was listening to a Ventures album of Surf tunes a while back, and there was some great material with effective arrangements. —The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. |
Joined: Nov 08, 2006 Posts: 650 Leesburg, VA
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Posted on Aug 10 2023 05:36 AM
What I’ve always found amusing is that people often think of the Ventures as the primary players, perhaps even creators, of songs like Pipeline and Wipe Out given their close association with instrumental or surf music, and yet the most popular “surf song” actually written by the band is associated with a different group. —Sean |
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Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4555 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
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Posted on Aug 10 2023 07:48 AM
CaptainSensible wrote:
You make an interesting point. I would venture (pun highly intended) that casual listeners at the time probably did not realize that all of the Surf they heard wasn’t from The Ventures. I remember hearing the songs, as a child, and never gave much thought to who was playing them. I just knew that I wanted to hear Pipeline and Wipe Out, plus a handful of other Surf tunes that got airplay. I know that I was aware of The Ventures in tne same time frame, so if you had asked me where Pipeline and Wipe Out came from, my first guess would have been The Ventures. —The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. |
Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25686 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
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Posted on Aug 10 2023 03:14 PM
Luckily my dad had 3 surf instro 45s by the bands that wrote them. Jeff(bigtikidude) |
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