ROCK Sex: "Misirlou!" -The Deep History of Dick Dale's Surf Classic

ROCK Sex pulps fiction for facts.

Today's culture relay is about the classic Surf rocker "Misirlou".

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The song originates from Greece in the 1920s as "Misirlou", first performed by MICHALIS PATRINOS' band and then recorded in 1930. He then did a New York recording the next year. It quickly became a standard within the Greek, Turkish, and Arabic immigrant communities in America.

Wikipedia informs us that "the Greek word Misirlou refers specifically to a Muslim Egyptian woman (as opposed to a Christian Egyptiotissa); thus this song refers to a cross-faith, cross-race, relationship, a risqué subject at its time." That makes the song even better.

MIKE PATRINOS -"Misirlou" (1930)



Here's a terrific overview of ensuing versions compiled by Joe Graziosi on YouTube:
Includes:
• TETOS DEMITRIADIS (1940)
• MARIA KARELLA-ROUMEL ('41)
• DIMITRIS 'BEBIS' STERGIOU ('62)
• DEMETRIOS PAPPAS & The Amphion Choir ('60)
• GUS VALI ('60)
• HRACH YACOUBIAN ('61) -"Misirlou"



KORLA PANDIT, the organ maestro and early television pioneer, did an amazing version. Watch him give Grandmaster Flash and Jimmy Smith a run for their money with his deft moves at 1:14:

KORLA PANDIT -"Misirlou" (1951)



And then of course there is the champion. DICK DALE was familiar with "Misirlou" from his Lebanese family members, and when a fan dared him to play a song on one string, Dick unleashed this tsunami:

DICK DALE & The Del Tones -"Miserlou" (1962)



Catching the wave, The Beach Boys released a Dale-inspired cover. The session work is by 'Wrecking Crew' stalwarts, an informal gathering of the L.A. studio sessionists that at times included guitarist Glen Cambell, pianist Leon Russell, bassist Carol Kaye, and drummer Hal Blaine:

THE BEACH BOYS -"Misirlou" (1963)



Most know Bobby Fuller from his Buddy Holly style and hit cover of The Crickets' "I Fought the Law".

But Surf fans love his ferocious live take on "Misirlou", especially the freeform climax.

BOBBY FULLER FOUR -"Misirlou" (1964)



If you want to sing along, here's a really fun vocal version by Connie Francis!

CONNIE FRANCIS --"Misirlou" (1965)



Surf ferocity energized much of Punk, particularly in Los Angeles, as proven by this cover version.

AGENT ORANGE -"Misirlou" (1982)



And of course the song was catapulted to world fame by its use in the opening credits of Quentin Tarantino's film PULP FICTION.

Tarantino equated the mediterranean melody and stinging Surf of Dale's version with the Spaghetti Western soundtracks of Ennio Morricone, such as THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY. In truth, the Surf songs with international riffs had inspired Ennio's approach to Westerns in the first place.

Opening Scene: PULP FICTION (1994)



A sample of this rode another wave in HipHop Pop.

BLACK EYE PEAS -"Pump It" (2006)




"My Miserlou, has lit a flame in my heart,
Your two lips are dripping honey, ah!"



© Tym Stevens

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See Also:

• Shock Waves: How SURF MUSIC Saved Rock'n'Roll!, with 2 Music Players

• How SPAGHETTI WESTERNS Revolutionized Rock Music! , with 3 Music Players


• "Pastures Of Plenty" - Woody Guthrie > Ennio Morricone > A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS

• "Hawaii 5-O" - The Ventures > Radio Birdman

• LADIES FIRST: "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood!" - Nina Simone > The Animals > KILL BILL


• The Real History of Rock and Soul!: The Music Player Checklist

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ROCK Sex: "I Fought the Law and I Won!" - The Crickets > Bobby Fuller > The Clash > Metric

ROCK Sex joins in fighting the power.

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Today's musical relay is all about the pinball journey of "I Fought the Law".

It was triggered by Buddy Holly, with his zigzag guitar rhythms and galloping delivery, as heard in songs like this one.

BUDDY HOLLY -"Rave On" (1958)



In the wake of Buddy's tragic death, his band The Crickets carried on the legacy with this very Holly-esque raver, the original verison of "I Fought the Law". It was written by member Sonny Curtis, who also wrote perennials like "Walk Right Back" (Everly Brothers, Anne Murray), "More Than I Can Say" (Leo Sayer), and "Love Is All Around" (The Mary Tyler Moore Show theme, Bob Mould, Joan Jett):

THE CRICKETS -"I Fought the Law" (1959)


But it was The Bobby Fuller Four who made it a smash hit. Tragically, Bobby Fuller died soon after in strange circumstances. While many people believe it was a murder, the legal verdict that it was a suicide despite clearly botched evidence lent a deeper resonance to the lyrics of the song.

BOBBY FULLER FOUR -"I Fought the Law" (1965)



Soon after, the all-female rockers THE SHE TRINITY put another slant on it.

THE SHE TRINITY -"He Fought the Law" (1966)



For many people the definitive version is by The Clash. They were recording their second album in San Francisco when they heard Fuller's single on a local jukebox. In some ways this song sums up their whole rebel stance and puckish humor more than their own.

THE CLASH -"I Fought the Law" (1978)



Meanwhile the San Francisco Punks DEAD KENNEDYS had their own take on it, recorded in the wake of the brutal murders of Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. Singer Jello Biafra defiantly changes the chorus to "I fought the law and I won!":

DEAD KENNEDYS -"I Fought the Law" (1978)



Because of The Clash many current punk bands like Green Day have covered it.

But Canada's Metric brought another new dimension to it. In the wake of the massive public outcry and bitter frustration against Bush's engineering of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, they summed it up with "I fought the war but the war won't stop, for the love of god/ I fought the war but the war won."

They also allude to the symbolic death of Bobby Fuller: "Daddy Warbucks up against Bobby Fuller/ and it beat him hands down..."

METRIC -"Monster Hospital" (2005)



Bite the hand that beats you!


© Tym Stevens

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See Also:

• BUDDY HOLLY: Rock's Everyman and His Disciples, with 2 Music Players!

• "That'll Be The Day" - John Wayne > Buddy Holly > The Beatles > David Essex

• "Police and Thieves" - Junior Murvin > The Clash

• "Straight To Hell" - The Clash > Alex Cox > Lilly Allen > MIA


• REVOLUTION! - A 'Fight The Power' Music Player


• The Real History of Rock and Soul!: The Music Player Checklist

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