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Dick Dale was becoming one of the biggest rock & roll acts in California's history in 1962 when he was signed to Capitol Records, who reissued his album Surfer's Choice (which had already moved close to 90,000 copies on Dale's own Deltone label) and put him into the studio to cut some fresh material for his new sponsors. Overall, King of the Surf Guitar was probably Dale's best album for Capitol, but it also suggested a fundamental misunderstanding of Dale and his music by the label. King of the Surf Guitar begins with the title tune, in which female vocal group the Blossoms (featuring Darlene Love) urge us to "Listen! Listen to the King!" as Dale reels off trademark riffs, as if anyone who bought the record would be likely to do otherwise, and the curious opener pointed to the album's flaw. Capitol seemingly wanted an album that would have something for everyone, so along with Dale's ripsaw surf guitar vehicles it includes folk tunes ("Greenback Dollar"), rock & roll oldies ("Kansas City"), country standards ("You Are My Sunshine"), lovelorn ballads ("If I Never Get to Heaven"), and plenty of vocal numbers, though Dale goes out of his way to inject his forceful personality into every tune and his singing, while not as impressive as his guitar work, was nothing to complain about. Still, this album truly shines on tunes when Dale gets to play guitar at full force, and "Hava Nagila," "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky," and "Mexico" are as fiery as anything he would cut for the label. If King of the Surf Guitar isn't a Dick Dale album for purists, at the very least it leaves no doubt that he came by the title accolade honestly.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
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Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - LYNNE GREEN-MELINCOFF, MusicPublisher - WILLIS ALONZO BENTON, Composer
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 LYNNE GREEN-MELINCOFF
Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - Nathaniel Shilkret, Gene Austin, Composer - NATHANIEL SHIKRET MUSIC, PARAMOUNT MUSIC CORP., MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 NATHANIEL SHIKRET MUSIC, PARAMOUNT MUSIC CORP.
Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Composer - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - Sony Atv Tunes, MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 SONY ATV TUNES
Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, Composer, MainArtist - Monsour Publishing, MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 MONSOUR PUBLISHING
Ray Charles, Composer - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - Unichappell Music, MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 UNICHAPPELL MUSIC
Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - Irving Music, MusicPublisher - H Axton, K Ramsey, Composer
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 IRVING MUSIC
Dick Dale, Composer - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - Monsour Publishing, MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 MONSOUR PUBLISHING
Jimmie Davis, Composer - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - Peer International, MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 PEER INTERNATIONAL
Boudleaux Bryant, Composer - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - House Of Bryant Publications, MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 HOUSE OF BRYANT PUBLICATIONS
Dick Dale, Composer - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - Monsour Publishing, MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 MONSOUR PUBLISHING
Dick Dale, Composer - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - MPL Music Publishing, MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 MPL MUSIC PUBLISHING
Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - Unichappell Music, MusicPublisher - Roy Botkin, Jenny Carson, Composer
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 UNICHAPPELL MUSIC
Dick Dale, Composer - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - Monsour Publishing, MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 MONSOUR PUBLISHING
Dick Dale, Composer - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones, MainArtist - Monsour Publishing, MusicPublisher
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 MONSOUR PUBLISHING
Album review
Dick Dale was becoming one of the biggest rock & roll acts in California's history in 1962 when he was signed to Capitol Records, who reissued his album Surfer's Choice (which had already moved close to 90,000 copies on Dale's own Deltone label) and put him into the studio to cut some fresh material for his new sponsors. Overall, King of the Surf Guitar was probably Dale's best album for Capitol, but it also suggested a fundamental misunderstanding of Dale and his music by the label. King of the Surf Guitar begins with the title tune, in which female vocal group the Blossoms (featuring Darlene Love) urge us to "Listen! Listen to the King!" as Dale reels off trademark riffs, as if anyone who bought the record would be likely to do otherwise, and the curious opener pointed to the album's flaw. Capitol seemingly wanted an album that would have something for everyone, so along with Dale's ripsaw surf guitar vehicles it includes folk tunes ("Greenback Dollar"), rock & roll oldies ("Kansas City"), country standards ("You Are My Sunshine"), lovelorn ballads ("If I Never Get to Heaven"), and plenty of vocal numbers, though Dale goes out of his way to inject his forceful personality into every tune and his singing, while not as impressive as his guitar work, was nothing to complain about. Still, this album truly shines on tunes when Dale gets to play guitar at full force, and "Hava Nagila," "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky," and "Mexico" are as fiery as anything he would cut for the label. If King of the Surf Guitar isn't a Dick Dale album for purists, at the very least it leaves no doubt that he came by the title accolade honestly.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 14 track(s)
- Total length: 00:36:10
- Main artists: Dick Dale & His Del-Tones
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Sundazed Music, Inc.
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
2007 Sundazed Music 2007 LYNNE GREEN-MELINCOFF
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