One-Hit Wonder: The Safaris

The drums, the laugh, the sound ... "Wipe Out" by The Safaris.

From songfacts.com, The Safaris were California teenagers in a band. The members included:

• Lead guitar: Jim Fuller
• Rhythm guitar: Robert Berryhill
• Drums: Ron Wilson
• Bass: Pat Connolly
• Saxophone: Jim Pash

The famous drum solo by Wilson was actually the drum cadence that his high school marching band would use at halftime to enter the football field. Wilson set a world record by playing the drums solo for more than 100 hours. In 1989, he died of a brain aneurysm.

After gathering money from family and meeting Dale Smallin -- who would become their manager -- they recorded "Surfer Joe" as Side A and on Side B "Wipe Out."

As the record was sent around to different labels, the songs were reversed. Side A was "Wipe Out" and was a smash hit. It was re-released in 1966, that was a No. 16 hit, then not charting as it was released again in 1970.

Side B "Surfer Joe" charted at No. 61.

Just a little trivia about "Wipe Out".

• A 2X4 was half cracked over the microphone.
• The witch laugh was by their producer/manager Smallin, who was just having some fun.
• The song has been in movies such as "Back To The Beach," "Meet the Parents," "Runaway Bride" and "Wayne's World." Other movies include "Herbie Fully Loaded," "The Sandlot" and "Surf's Up," according to The Safaris Biography imdb.com.

They did some touring and eventually went their separate ways, according to thesafaris.com/history.