CLICK BELOW TO DISPLAY SECTIONS FOR
1963

The Beach Boys

Left to Right: Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Carl Wilson, David Marks, Dennis Wilson
David Marks replaced Al Jardine in 1962 but Jardine returned in 1963.
"The power of that music still, to this day, bypasses the brain and goes straight to the heart. You don't have to think about it; it's something that you feel."
-- John Stamos
The Beach Boys are clearly the closest thing we have to "America's Band." They began as a harmony vocal group with brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson singing for family gatherings and sounding like The Four Freshmen. But in 1961, joined by cousin Mike Love and neighbor Al Jardine, they had picked up guitars and formed "The Pendletones." At the suggestion of Dennis, an avid surfer, they recorded "Surfin'" (#74) which became a minor hit. They hit it big in 1962 when their father, Murry landed them a contract with Capitol records and they produced "Surfin Safari" (#14). When the record was pressed, the group was identified as "The Beach Boys" -- Capitol executives had changed their name to take advantage of the current surf music fad. In early 1963 they followed up with another surf sound, "Surfin' USA" in which Brian rewrote lyrics to a Chuck Berry record, "Sweet Little Sixteen" (Berry would later get song writing credit). It reached #2 and a career was launched. The Beach Boys' combination of tight vocal harmonies put to the driving beat of a rock band with lyrics tied to the magic of carefree summers at the beach was a clear recipe for success. In 1963 they produced three top ten singles -- eventually the Beach Boy catalogue would have 16 songs that reached the top ten, including four number ones, "I Get Around" (1964), "Help Me Rhonda" (1965), "Good Vibrations" (1968) and "Kokomo" (1986). They would have perhaps had another #1, but Brian Wilson collaborated with Jan Berry in producing "Surf City" for Jan & Dean who recorded for Liberty records. "Surf City" outdid "Surfin' USA" in 1963, making it to #1. The Beach Boys were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

 

title week debuted highest ranking weeks on chart
Surfin' Safari 9/15/1962 14 10
409 10/1/1962 76
Surfin' U.S.A. 4/13/1963 3 14
Shut Down 5/25/1963 23 8
Surfer Girl 8/17/1963 7 11
LIttle Deuce Coupe 9/7/1963 15 7
Be True To Your School 11/23/1963 6 8
In My Room 11/30/1963 23 6
Fun Fun Fun 2/22/1964 5 9
I Get Around 6/6/1964 1 13
Don't Worry Baby 6/27/1964 24 6
When I Grow Up (To Be a Man) 9/19/1964 9 8
Dance, Dance, Dance 11/21/1964 8 8
Do You Wanna Dance 3/13/1965 12 6
Help Me Rhonda 5/1/1965 1 11
California Girls 8/7/1965 3 9