1963 — Drag City

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1963

DRAG CITY — LIBERTY LRP-3339 (M); LST-7339 (S) (November)


• Drag City
(Jan Berry - Roger Christian - Brian Wilson)

• I Gotta Drive
(Roger Christian - Barry Mann)

• Drag Strip Girl
(Jan Berry - Artie Kornfeld)

• Surfin' Hearse
(Jan Berry - Roger Christian)

• Dead Man's Curve
(Jan Berry - Roger Christian - Artie Kornfeld - Brian Wilson)

• Schlock Rod (Part 1)
(Jan Berry - Roger Christian - Dean Torrence - Don Altfeld)

• Schlock Rod (Part 2)
(Jan Berry - Roger Christian - Dean Torrence)

• Popsicle Truck
(Cason - Russell)

• Surf Route 101
(Jan Berry - Brian Wilson - Roger Christian)

• Sting Ray {I}
(Howe - Sharp)

• Little Deuce Coupe
(Brian Wilson - Roger Christian)

• Hot Stocker
(Jan Berry - Roger Christian - Artie Kornfeld)
__________________________

Arranged and Produced by Jan Berry for Screen Gems, Inc.

Supervision: Don Kirshner and Lou Adler

Engineers: Bones Howe and Lanky Linstrot

BACKING HARMONIES: THE MATADORS (and Jan & Dean)

{I} = Instrumental Cut

Liner Notes: Roger Christian, KFWB Hollywood

Cover Design and Photography: Studio Five

CHARTS: BILLBOARD #22 — CASH BOX #17

[Moon Dawg]

 Jan & Dean's DRAG CITY and The Beach Boys' LITTLE DEUCE COUPE were both released November 1963. The first Rock & Roll concept albums? "Dead Man's Curve" is, IMO, the first rock opera! (Forget TOMMY) DRAG is in some respects a more varied and imaginative LP than COUPE. The Beach Boys never got into humor quite like Jan & Dean did on "Schlock Rod"! ****

[jdman]

Moon Dawg, I think Drag City was miles ahead of Coupe! Jan was way ahead of Brian at this point. It took Brian another year or so to get to Jan's level as a producer and arranger.Brian certainly caught and surpassed Jan eventually to become the legend that he is. But in late 1963, Jan was doing much fuller arrangements as is evident with this album.

[Moon Dawg]

Moon Dawg, I think Drag City was miles ahead of Coupe! Jan was way ahead of Brian at this point. It took Brian another year or so to get to Jan's level as a producer and arranger.Brian certainly caught and surpassed Jan eventually to become the legend that he is. But in late 1963, Jan was doing much fuller arrangements as is evident with this album.

 I'll have to listen to back to back and compare. Would not have agreed in days gone by, but you may be on to something...

[Moon Dawg]

Moon Dawg, I think Drag City was miles ahead of Coupe! Jan was way ahead of Brian at this point. It took Brian another year or so to get to Jan's level as a producer and arranger.Brian certainly caught and surpassed Jan eventually to become the legend that he is. But in late 1963, Jan was doing much fuller arrangements as is evident with this album.

 Agreed, DRAG CITY wins the race. COUPE did contain 4 cuts taken from previous Beach Boys albums.

[Kentucky Surfer]

I think my favorite cut on the album is "Surfin' Hearse".  This combines Jan & Dean's California Doo-Wop with  surf-style background vocals.  In addition, the Jan & Dean sense of humor is evident in the lyrics.

[joshthekook]

Little deuce coupe is killer, very underrated. Two thirds of new material but still great great cuts. J&d made four solid albums in 63/4 that sum up their output but w the BBs outta their two dozen albums half of em are phenomenal and NO other group in history had more than a few substantial albums.

[Surf Route 101]

Little deuce coupe is killer, very underrated. Two thirds of new material but still great great cuts. J&d made four solid albums in 63/4 that sum up their output but w the BBs outta their two dozen albums half of em are phenomenal and NO other group in history had more than a few substantial albums.

  What about The Rolling Stones? They made more than "a few" substantial albums too. The Beatles??