# Surf guitar version of the Grinch theme?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-guitar-version-of-the-grinch-theme/773307>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 28, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-guitar-version-of-the-grinch-theme/773307 "2016-11-28T19:02:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-guitar-version-of-the-grinch-theme/773307/1 "2016-11-28T19:02:02Z")

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A co-worker was telling me about a surf-style guitar instrumental version of “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” that he thought was really cool. He thought it might be Dick Dale, but I’ve been unable to confirm that. Googling “Surf guitar grinch” was unhelpful.  
Does this ring a bell with anyone?

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**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-guitar-version-of-the-grinch-theme/773307/2 "2016-11-28T20:22:08Z")

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Gary Hoey? Not sure I’d call it surf, but it’s the only fairly well-known instrumental guitar version I know.

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**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-guitar-version-of-the-grinch-theme/773307/3 "2016-11-28T20:23:50Z")

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Gary Hoey’s “[Grinch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHhm_aMP5Ps)” is hard rock, not surf.

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**Author:** ![troub](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troub/32/14802_2.png) [@troub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/troub)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-guitar-version-of-the-grinch-theme/773307/4 "2016-11-28T20:30:45Z")

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Obviously. Almost an hour and a half had gone by with no replies so I went ahead and left one, in case his co-worker, like many co-workers, has questionable taste or ability to differentiate genres. I said I wouldn’t call it surf, but maybe someone would because the scale sounds sorta like it to them. You never know. I’m a librarian and deal with the “I’m looking for this book, all I remember is that the cover was blue” sort of stuff a lot, and when you find it for them wouldn’t you know the damn thing is red.

I did a search and still haven’t found a “surf-style” instrumental version of it myself. Maybe the coworker just ran across some rando on YouTube playing a cover in his bedroom and thought it was cool.

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**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surf-guitar-version-of-the-grinch-theme/773307/5 "2016-11-28T21:03:45Z")

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I just listened to the Gary Hoey track. I wouldn’t call it “surf” either, but I’m betting it’s the one he was talking about. A couple passages kind of fall into a register that some might consider surfy, I suppose. Plus he was remembering it from a few years back and it probably transformed in his head over time. I’ll check with him next time I see him.

Anyway, I enjoyed it, but I think a Dick Dale version would be even cooler!