“Wipe Out” is a surf rock instrumental composed by Bob Berryhill, Pat Connolly, Jim Fuller and Ron Wilson. It is a twelve-bar blues first performed and recorded by The Surfaris, who became known worldwide with the release of the “Surfer Joe”/”Wipe Out” single in 1963.
The single was first issued on the independent labels DFS (#11/12) in January 1963 and Princess (#50) in February and finally picked up for national distribution on Dot as 45-16479 in April. Dot reissued the single in April 1965 as 45-144.
The song—both the Surfaris’ version as well as cover versions—has been featured in over 20 films and television series since 1964, appearing at least once a decade.
