It was 60 years ago today (January 31st, 1963), that the Beach Boys completed recording their first Top 10 hit, "Surfin' U.S.A." The group's Brian Wilson lifted the tune from Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen," and once again was inspired by his younger brother Dennis Wilson's "live every moment as though it's your last" philosophy. Brian, who vicariously used many of Dennis' life experiences to help craft the Beach Boys' sound, wrote the words around Southern California's hippest pastime.
Wilson recalled after the single's release that, "My brother Dennis came home from school one day and said, 'Listen you guys, it looks like surfing's gonna be the next big craze.' He said that I should write a song about it. So I wrote a song just due to Dennis' suggestion." The song was polished off on January 31st, 1963 between 8 and 11 p.m. at Hollywood's Western Recorders. The track features the searing guitar work by Carl Wilson and David Marks, Brian Wilson on bass, piano and organ, Mike Love on lead vocals, and, despite speculation that he didn't actually play on the track, Dennis Wilson on drums. All five are featured on the song's famous "Inside -- Outside -- U.S.A." backing vocals.
(from pulseofradio.com)