Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - King of the Surf Guitar '1963/2007

Tracks list

       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.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - King of the Surf Guitar (2:07)
1.02 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - The Lonesome Road (3:17)
1.03 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Kansas City (2:46)
1.04 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Dick Dale Stomp (2:14)
1.05 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - What'd I Say (3:27)
1.06 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Greenback Dollar (2:55)
1.07 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Hava Nagila (2:07)
1.08 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - You Are My Sunshine (2:00)
1.09 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Mexico (2:13)
1.10 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Break Time (2:48)
1.11 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Riders In the Sky (2:20)
1.12 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - If I Never Get to Heaven (3:01)
1.13 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Lobo (3:09)
1.14 - Dick Dale & His Del-Tones - Cotton Picking (1:51) 

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