Jan Berry died this past weekend.
He was one half of the group Jan and Dean. Jan and Dean rode the crest of the surf music sensation in the 1960s along with the Beach Boys. The Beach Boys had more lasting fame partly because Jan Berry's career was cut short when he crashed his corvette into a parked truck in 1966. It took him years to recover enough to perform again and by then the surf craze was over. But Jan and Dean were popular and their hits, Surf City, Sidewalk Surfing, Honolulu Lulu, Dead Man's Curve and The Little Old Lady from Pasadena got a lot of play time. One song that I had completely forgotten about was "The Anaheim, Azusa & Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review and Timing Association." I couldn't find a download of it to let you listen. But I did find the complete official Jan and Dean site.
Living in California, residing near the beach and loving the ocean I was definitely a surf music fan. Surf music is best listened to driving down Pacific Coast Highway, preferably in a convertible, with the music blaring. Sitting on a beach is okay too but then you have to take a transistor radio with you and hope for good reception. We didn't have mp3 players or even boom boxes. In my idea of heaven I'll be sitting on the beach with my friends, listening to the waves crash, blond from the sun, wearing my lime green bikini which contrasts perfectly with my baby-oil tan. I'll be eating seedless grapes and a tuna fish sandwich and drinking lemonade while I watch the surfers. Then I'll spend some time swimming in the ocean water, crashing through or ducking under waves before I get back out of the water to take a peaceful nap. When I wake up I'll watch the sunset over the ocean and because it's heaven I'll get to do it all over again.
Posted by susan at March 30, 2004 07:24 AMI liked Jan and Dean. I enjoyed sidewalk surfing on my skateboard. As the song decribes, you would wipe out everytime you hit a crack in the sidewalk. Wiping out on crack has a whole new meaning today.
I wore t-shirts with wide horizontal stripes, alternating white and blue, just like you can see Jan and Dean wear on the paper sleeve of their 45's. Chris Gibson and I were going to lip-sync a J&D song at the Highland Elementary School talent show one year, but I chickened out.
PS I'm happy that Susan and I will be in the same heaven. I'll take a grilled cheese from the Sorento Beach Grill and I'll be body surfing in the waves.
Posted by: John at March 30, 2004 07:39 AMWith a title like that, I just have to hear that song!
Posted by: Stephanie at March 30, 2004 08:57 AMI think it's the B side to LOL from Pasadena. Come over to my house and I'll find it
Posted by: john at March 30, 2004 09:13 AMThe Anaheim, Azusa, And Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review, And Timing Association
(Jan Berry/Roger Christian/D. Altfield)
For the Anaheim, Azusa, & Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review, & Timing Association
They wear organdy dresses & high-button shoes
They read Playboy magazine & Hot-Rod News
There's Patience Proper & Prudence Prim
You oughta see 'em do the spin
CHORUS:
They come from Anaheim, Azusa, & Cucamonga too
Sewing circle & book review
The little old ladies wait in wild anticipation
For the meetings of the double-A-C A-S-S-N
For the Anaheim, Azusa, & Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review, & Timing Association
They toot around town in their big Grand Prixes
Sittin' in their bucket seats, shootin' the breeze
You know that all week long they put up jammin' preserves
But on the weekend they negotiate curves
(chorus)
The meeting breaks up with a thunderous roar
Then there's a mad mad rush for the big old door
They run to their cars like the start at LeMond's
They make the spin donuts in their lawns
(chorus)
For the Anaheim, Azusa, & Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review, & Timing Association
(repeat & fade):
Posted by: Jan at March 30, 2004 09:19 AMI would also LOVE to hear the recorded version of that song! My dad really likes Jan & Dean (he's also into the surf music scene) and I like them too (although I can have my fill, of which my dad cannot).
John, your comment about sidewalk surfing on your skateboard reminds me of this movie called Dogtown & Z-Boys, a documentary about the rise of skateboarding in America, particularly focusing on Santa Monica and Venice. It was a very good documentary--maybe you should check it out!
Posted by: JennySmith at March 30, 2004 09:43 AMdo you have any pictures of serentgo beach and info because im doing a project on it
Posted by: ash at July 15, 2004 07:06 PM