The Trashmen's tune was frequently played on Detroit radio and TV stations over the summer of 1976 during segments featuring the Tigers' 21-year old rookie sensation Mark Fidrych. 'Surfin' Bird' is one of the playable songs on the 2009 Wii video game, Just Dance. Ī cover of 'Surfin' Bird' was also the theme song of the 1998 animated series Birdz.

'Surfin' Bird' has since become a recurring gag on the show. He proceeds to annoy his family by taking the record from the diner and playing the song virtually nonstop for the rest of the episode. The song is also featured in the ' I Dream of Jesus' episode of Family Guy, in which Peter Griffin overhears the song at a diner and it turns out to be his favorite childhood song. the Extraterrestrial (1982), Back to the Beach (1987), Full Metal Jacket (1987), Fred Claus (2007), The Villain, and The Big Year (2011). The song has been used in various films, including Pink Flamingos (1972), E.T.

'Surfin' Bird' was covered by Teutonic thrash metal band Sodom on their tenth studio album, M-16.

'Surfin' Bird' was covered by Ramones on their Rocket to Russia album, released on November 4, 1977.The Cramps often ended their concerts with the song. 'Surfin' Bird' was covered by the Cramps as their 1978 debut single on Vengeance Records it also appeared on their 1979 album Gravest Hits and on their 1983 compilation album Off the Bone.Wahrer was originally credited as the song's writer, but that was changed to The Rivingtons (Al Frazier, Carl White, Sonny Harris, and Turner Wilson Jr.) after the group threatened to sue The Trashmen for plagiarism. It reportedly sold 30,000 copies in its first weekend before going on to national success, reaching No. This led to the group being signed to Garrett Records with the single being quickly released. It was then sent to a battle of the bands competition in Chicago where it also won. Diehl entered it into a local battle of the bands competition and it won. It was recorded at Kay Bank Studios in Minneapolis. Despite not knowing 'The Bird's the Word' was a Rivingtons song, the similarity to 'Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow' was obvious and the Trashmen added the chorus to the end of their new track.Ī local disc jockey, Bill Diehl, was at the gig and convinced the band to record the track. During this first performance, drummer and vocalist Steve Wahrer stopped playing and ad-libbed the 'Surfin' Bird' middle section. They decided to play the song that night at their own gig. The Trashmen had not heard this version but saw a band called the Sorensen Brothers playing it. The Rivingtons followed up their 1963 Billboard Hot 100 hit ' Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow' with the similar 'The Bird's the Word' in 1963.

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