Writer of Pop Culture

1963: ‘Surf City’ Becomes First Surf Song to Reach #1

The story goes like this: Jan Berry and Dean Torrence, better known together as Jan and Dean, were at a party with fellow surfer, Brian Wilson where Wilson played for them his new song, “Surfin’ U.S.A.” The duo suggested that they all record the song, but Wilson said no, since he had intended it to for The Beach Boys.

However, he also shared with them Surf City and suggested that Jan and Dean record that instead since he himself had lost interest in the song. Berry and Torrence added to the lyrics, recorded the song, released it in May of ’63 and on this day, it became the first “surf” song to make it to #1 on national record charts.

While Wilson’s father, who was the manager of The Beach Boys, was upset that Brian “wasted” a song that should have been The Beach Boys, Wilson said that he was happy that another group had a hit song and that he was a part of it.

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It’s strange to think, but nobody really knows who invented ice cream. Look up the origins of ice cream and you’ll find that it has a complicated history that goes back as far as 500 BC. When Quaker colonists moved to America in the 1650’s, they brought over their ice cream recipes and the first ice cream shops appeared in the New York City, among others, during the colonial era.

Some of the earliest partakers of the treat include Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. In fact, records have been found that showed that Washington spent about $200 on the treat during the summer of 1790. Dolley Madison, wife of President James Madison, served ice cream at her husband’s Inaugural Ball in 1813. The first small hand-cranked ice cream makers were invented during the 1840’s.

In 1984, President Ronald Regan proclaimed the month of July as National Ice Cream Month and established the third Sunday in July as National Ice Cream Day. (Image: Silvaiarita/Pixabay)

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