Misirlou by the Bobby Fuller Four

[NucularTheArtist]

This is great and I love bobby fuller four, but i still think Dick Dale's version is the best. Dick is a true underappreciated guitar god.

Although, at least this version never had to suffer through getting mangled by the black eyed peas.

[rossmethven2]

Wow. This is immense!

[ZACKnirvana]

bobby fuller! you were an absolute genious! why did you have to die so young?

[cotmo115]

this song kills me!!! i like Bobby Fuller Four but didn't know they also had songs like this. thank you so much

[deborahbarry]

I ONLY know this as folk-dance music).

I became curious, and got this from Wiki:

In 1945, Brunhilde Dorsch organized an international dance group to honor America's World War II allies. M Nesotas knew several Greek dances (Kritikos) but they had no music. P Mandros Kazalas suggested the tune Misirlou might fit the dance. The dance was first performed on March 6, 1945.

[deborahbarry]

Thereafter, this new dance, which had been created by putting the Syrtos Kritikos to the slower Misirlou music, was known as "Misirlou" and spread among the Greek-American community, as well as among non-Greek U.S. folk-dance enthusiasts.

[Goldmasterx]

I love Dick's more, there is more momentum in his version, a LOT more

[SlashManEXE]

@Goldmasterx This is live, mind you, he also wanted to put his own spin on it, that's what he did with all covers. For more BF4 surf gold, look up their version of Thunder Reef and Our Favorite Martian.

[TheJoshuamooney]

First heard the Fuller Four version yesterday, courtesy WRCT-Pittsburgh. It hit me HARD! Took me 30 seconds to find in on YouTube. Thanks, pal. I've heard many versions of this classic---this IS the best I've heard.

[Fyawnym]

A few years ago I bought the Cowabunga 4-CD box. Among the vast array of great surf bands, Bobby Fuller Four (whom I would hardly regard surfers) stand out from the lot with this version of miserlou. The guitar sound is just unique and I'd love to know how to reproduce it. Never heard anything like it.

[261longstroke]

I totally agree that it is the best version. Even though the Surf coasters out of Japan is very impressive. A great tune that will live forever. Hopefully the murderer is rotting in hell.

[marisilence]

i love more this version than original.

[bffour]

This was recorded live a year or two before Bobby passed away. You should have heard have great they played it live at "Ondine's Night Club" in New York April 1966....by then Bobby was mixing it into a medley of 3-5 songs including "Pipeline" and "Havon Aguila" (-10 4 sp) it was incredible, far better than what you are hearing. The harshest music critics wrote rave reviews about BF4 & "Miserlou" in "The New York Times" . When they played it no one would dance just listen, Jill Ireland,Rascals...

[theflyintheointment]

Loud and agressive as fuck ie what surf guitar is when it's at it's best.

[internationalicon]

I love Dick Dale's versions of Misirlou, of course. But this version is so totally great. Kinetic!

[Scotseasy]

Didn't know that this was in the Bobby Fuller Four's repertoire : did they ever record it ?

A superb Texan band, from El Paso, then moving to Los Angeles. Can't understand why they were struggling for success, after their No.1 hit in the US, "I Fought The Law" - it seems their manager erred badly by having them record a Brill Building song (Bobby chose "The Magic Touch") instead of releasing one of the many great recordings they had already made of their own material - such as "Pamela".

[fiendwithoutaface66]

No they never recorded this in the studio. They were building up their success but Bobby died just as the band was starting to build a following. Yes he detested recording the Magic Touch but I still think he made it a classic, anything he touched he still put his own spin on it.

[eggplantland]

this is a picture of the bass player Randy Fuller

[arnaki416]

sorry -they did not play in mannhatten. they were from massachussettes & later moved to california - either way there were greek clubs that catered to this music and eastern people all over these places & especially mannhatten. (my great uncle used to own a major one back in the day) - anyway - i love the original versions and the surf rock versions are killer :)

[arnaki416]

it's on old greek folk song first recorded in 1927 - dick dale's father & uncle played this song often (they were lebanese & played at greek night clubs in mannhatten that catered to people that part of the world). he was dared by a fan to play a song on one string only on his guitar & remembered that his uncle has played this song that way on his oud.... so he made it rock n roll :) in greece it is still performed slow, as it is a belly dance.

[nomiclas]

@arnaki416 nice informational.this makes a lot of sence.i can hear the greek influence.who would have thunk that the rock of our country has so many ethnic beginnings.one thing for sure,rock is a universal language.another ass kicker of this is done by the surf coasters.very kool!

[2whlgeezer]

Glad to see others appreciate this outstanding version. Very, very few can do justice to Miserlou.

[6749er]

What a talent-I grew up with the 60's Ca. Surf Sound when everybody did Misirlou.

I don't have to take anything away from Dick Dale-The Beach Boys anybody to say I think this is Great-Hot Licks! &

a Epic Jam for the times.

As we know Bobby Fuller 4 wasn't a surf band-He could do it all-What a rock'in talented cat.-What a band-Mid 60's he was tearing it up on The Sunset Strip.

One of LA Finest for sure..then gone.

Thanks so much for the song & reminding

me how good they were-This Rocks!

[theonlytruepunk]

I am intrigued by all the Bobby Fuller material I have found on Youtube. So many different styles of music, yet none of it lame. This band sure did kick up a racket...

[pantherpawed]

Unusually long for a record from that period.

[fiendwithoutaface66]

that's because it's from a live recording

[guitarman2009]

I believe the song is from a Greek traditional folk tune of the same name if I ma not mistaken, either way this is a very long jam over the song and he seems to add to it and go outside a bit. I like the way he does the trumpet parts, two guitar players in the band, I wonder if he was playing 50's strats or 60's?

Incredible version. They need to find those guys...God bless Bobby Fuller

[vincenz55]

theres more than misirlou on here..dick dales is better cause he stuck to one song not 3...the beach boys misrlou have the best version ive ever heard clean detailed and crisp

[ragdollfan]

What does sticking with one song have to do with anything? Bobby Fuller was a gifted all around Musician who left us before we ever got to know how awesome he could have been. And he didn't need only one song to make his reputation, he had many songs which showcased his skills as songwriter, arranger, guitarist, and singer. When George Harrison was hanging out in Southern Ca in the 60's he mentioned one stood out above all the rest, none other than Bobby Fuller. Had to be a reason...

[internationalicon]

This totally kicks! There's Dick Dale's versions of this Arabian-folk-tune-turned-Rock-­n-Roll-classic, but this is pure madness!

I keep wondering if there aren't any other old Middle Eastern tunes out there, waiting for a minor key and surf beat, to be turned into gold?

[tatethompson1234]

its not arabian its a old jewish song

[rockabillyguitarking]

Absolutely amazing! Thanks for posting this!

[KingofCzars1]

This is the definitive version, like dedebelle says, "hottest, cleanest" guitar, indeed....damn.

[ragdollfan]

I'm glad someone else realizes that this version is the best! I've heard lots of others on and have to agree. I saw one of those Rhino record compilations a few years ago dedicated to surk rock, and if there was any place Dick Dale's signature version would be heard, seems that would have been it.. but no, BB4's was included instead and I'm sure with very good reason.

Why did Jim refuse to play the surf numbers?

[dedebelle]

In Kicks magazine #6 (issued in 1988), in the Miriam Linna article, Jim said he was totally unimpressed with surf music and would decline to play those numbers, and that the surf instrumental leads are Bobby's, who loved surf. When I hear this, I'm so grateful to Jim for leaving it to Bobby.

[ragdollfan]

Thanks dedebelle, I have this song by BB4 on a CD (forget which one) and I thinkit was recorded in a club or other live setting instead of a studio. Bobby is cutting up with stuff like "Don't be true to Miserlou" right before charging into the song.

I am in a BB4 yahoo group and they show an old concert schedule where they appeared with Dick Dale. I have to wonder if the two ever discussed their renditions of the song.

[capratube]

"Miserlou" is on EL PASO ROCK Vol 2. All selections on EPR2 were recorded live 1962-64, according to the liner notes.

EPR 1&2 are very fine compilations of early work. Their combined 50+ pages of notes, including biography (magnifying glass not included), are a BF4-lover's dream.

[ragdollfan]

I have both CD's and they are KILLER for a BF4 fan. We'll never know how awesome he would have turned out later on.

[capratube]

I see references in the EL PASO ROCK Vol 2 liner notes to EPR Vol 3, but I can't find it. Was Vol 3 ever compiled and released, or was that just hopeful thinking?

[dedebelle]

this is some of the hottest, cleanest guitar ever played. And it's Bobby playing lead too, because Jim Reese said he refused to play on the surf numbers.