Les Surfs


Les Surfs were a yé-yé-style sibling pop group from Madagascar, that existed from 1963 until 1971.

History

Coco, Pat, Rocky, Dave, Monikya, and Nicole Rabaraona were the eldest six of twelve children. Born in Madagascar, the four brothers and two sisters performed as the vocal group "Les Surfs" from 1963 to 1971.
On October 14, 1958, they entered a singing competition held by Radio Tananarive under the name "Rabaraona Brothers and Sisters" performing two songs by the Platters, "Only You" and "The Great Pretender". They were awarded with first prize and then began performing under the new name "the Beryl". They toured Madagascar with Henry Ratsimbazafy and the CCC guitars, and it was at this time they recorded their first 45's, "Little Flower", "Marin", and "The Three Bells".
On September 8, 1963, they appeared during the grand opening of the second television station in France. Their performance endeared them to the French public, so Jean-Louis Rafidy, who was chaperone to the Rabaraonas while in Paris, urged them to sign a contract with Festival Records and release a single as soon as possible. With the release of "Reviens Vite Et Oublie", a cover of "Be My Baby", the group who were now named "Les Surfs" were at the top of the charts for three months in France and in Spain and Mexico with a Spanish version. They toured with Frank Alamo and Sheila and in 1964 they performed at the Olympia in Paris. It was here they were proclaimed the "Newcomers of the Year".
They recorded and toured throughout the 1960s in languages and countries across the world. Performances at San Remo secured them as a popular act in Italy, Spain, and Germany. With further television appearances in France, Italy, England and the United States, they garnered an international audience of millions. The group secured many original compositions and some covers of English-language songs.
During a career spanning from 1958 to 1971, they also performed for royalty. By the late 1960s they had their own young families and so in 1971, at the end of a very long tour, Les Surfs decided to break up.
The following years would see Monique and Rocky reunite for a couple of years but this did not last. The male group members settled in Canada and started their own families. Monique lived in Canada for a while but eventually returned to live in France. Nicole immigrated to the United States. Monique died suddenly on November 15, 1993, at the age of 48. She is survived by her two sons Lawrence and Nicolas. Nicole died on May 5, 2000, and was laid to rest with her sister in the Rabaraona family tomb in Fiakarana, Madagascar.
In 2008, Dave Rabaraona started a new group called Les Surfs 2008 which participated in the French tour Âge tendre et tête de bois 2008 during the 2008–2009 season. The line up of Les Surfs 2008 included Dave, Isa Rabaraona, Jackya Rabaraona, his cousin Bruno, and Mahenintsoa Fidy. Dave died in February 2025.

Members

  • Monique, born May 8, 1945, died November 15, 1993
  • Nicole born July 21, 1946, died May 5, 2000
  • Coco born June 19, 1939
  • Pat born April 13, 1941
  • Rocky born May 7, 1942
  • Dave born December 4, 1943, died February 26, 2025

    Filmography

Television

  • Tête de Bois et Tendres Années, French TV
  • Tête de Bois et Tendres Années, French TV
  • La Rose d'or de Montreux, appearing with the Rolling Stones, Swiss TV
  • Ready Steady Go!, with Petula Clark, London TV
  • Petula Clark Show, London TV
  • Rundherum die welt, Hamburg TV
  • La Rose d'or de Montreux, Swiss TV
  • The Hollywood Palace, American TV
  • Ready Steady Go!, appearing with the Rolling Stones, London TV
  • This Is Tom Jones, London TV
  • Petula Clark Show, London TV
  • Cravate Noir, French TV
  • Les Palmarès des Chansons, French TV
  • The Talk of the Town, London TV
  • The Jack Benny Show, London TV

    Film

  • Cherchez l'idole, French film

    Discography

Albums

  • Go Your Way , RCA 1461
;33 RPM LPs France
  • Les Surfs à l'Olympia, Festival FLD 330 S
  • Les Surfs, Festival FLD 337 S
  • Les Surfs, Festival FLD 340 S
  • Les Surfs, Festival FLD 345 S
  • Les Surfs, Festival FLD 375 S
;33 RPM LPs Spain
  • 16 Grandes Éxitos De Les Surfs, Hispavox-Festival HF 31-02
  • Les Surfs 16 Grandes Exitos, Hispavox-Festival HF 31-03

    Extended plays

;45 RPM EPs France
  • "Reviens vite et oublie / Ce garçon / Dum Dum Dee Dum / Pas si simple que ça"
  • "Si j'avais un marteau / Écoute cet air-là / T'en va pas comme ça / Uh Uh"
  • "À présent tu peux t'en aller / Je sais qu'un jour / Je te pardonne / Ça n'a pas d'importance from the film Cherchez L'Idole"
  • "Shoop Shoop... Va l'embrasser / Je ne suis pas trop jeune / Adieu chagrin / Avec toi je ne sais plus"
  • "Chaque nuit / Tu n'iras pas au ciel / Un toit ne suffit pas / Sacré Josh"
  • "Le Printemps sur la colline / Tu Verras / Café, Vanille ou Chocolat / Pour une rose"
  • "Tant que tu seras / Clac tape / Pour une pomme / Partager tous tes rêves"
  • "Scandale dans la famille / Défense de toucher à mon amour / Ton souvenir / Stop"
  • "Reviens Sloopy / Les hommes n'auront plus de peurs / If You Please / Pourquoi pas moi"
  • "Par amour pour toi / Les Mouches au plafond / Va où tu veux / Sur tous les murs"
  • "Alors / Mon chat qui s'appelle Médor / Longtemps / Pulchérie chérie"
  • "Une rose de Vienne / Si loin d'Angleterre / Les Troubadours de notre temps / Un jour se lève"
  • "Mon pays est bien loin / Drôle de fille / C'est grâce à toi / J'ai tant de joie"
  • "Les Noces d'argent / Toi seul / Une tête dure / Aime-moi comme je t'aime"
;45 RPM EPs Spain
  • "Tu Serás Mi Baby / Mi Mejor Amigo / Dum-dum-dee-dum / Es Más Fácil Decirlo Que Hacerlo"
  • "Si Tuviera Un Martillo / Crossfire / Cuándo Lleguen Los Santos / No, No Me Dejes"
  • "Ciribiribín / Uh Huh / 100.000 Chicas / No Quieras A Un Extraño"
  • "Tu Serás Mi Baby / Ciribiribín / No, No Te Yayas / El Crossfire"
  • "Ahora Te Puedes Marchar / En Un Salón Del Siglo XVIII / No Tiene Importancia / Baby, Te Quiero"
  • "Su Forma De Besar / Nos Ven Muy Jóvenes / Hay Un Lugar / Hago Mal En Quererte"
  • De Mi Mejor Amigo
  • "Cada Noche / Nunca Alcanzarás El Cielo / Querido Guillermo / Una Casa No Es Un Hogar"
  • "Su Forma De Besar / Ahora Te Puedes Marchar / Ya Verás / Por Una Rosa"
  • "Stop / La Gente Dice / Tus Sueños / Café, Vainilla O Chocolate"
  • "Por Una Rosa / Clac Tape / Ya Verás / El Juego Del Amor"
  • "Stop / El Juego Del Amor / El Mundo Necesita Amor / Escándalo En La Familia"
  • "Prohibido Acercarse A Mi Chica / ¿Por Qué No Yo? / Hang On, Sloopy / If You Please"
  • "En Una Flor / La Vida Es Así / Concierto Para Enamorados / Café, Vainilla O Chocolate"
  • "Flores En La Pared / Cosi' Come' Viene / In Un Fiore / En Las Paredes"
;45 RPM EPs Italy
  • "Ce Garçon / Reviens Vite Et Oublie "
  • "Si J'avais Un Marteau / Uh Huh"
  • "Quando Balli Il Surf / E Adesso Te Ne Puoi Andare"
  • "T'en Va Pas Comme Ça / Ça N'a Pas D'Importance"
  • "Quando Balli Il Surf / Spegnete Quella Luce"
  • "Si vedrà / Piu' Si Che No"
  • "Stop / Per Una Rosa"
  • "Clap Tap / Quando Tu Vorrai"
  • "Un Grosso Scandalo / Spiegami Come Mai"
  • "Così Come Viene / In Un Fiore"
  • "Molto Di Piu' / Va Dove Vuoi"
  • "L'Amore Verra' / AlloraLaLaLa"
  • "Quando Dico Che Ti Amo / L'Importante E Essere Liberi"