The Rip Chords were formed in 1962 as a duo consisting of Phil Stewart and Ernie Bringas. After auditioning for producer Terry Melcher they released their first single, 'Here I Stand' b/w 'Karen' in March of 1963. By the time Hey Little Cobra (and Other Hot Rod Hits) hit the shelves, however, the Rip Chords had evolved from a duo into a quartet, with Melcher and future Beach Boy Bruce Johnston taking on much of the vocal duties. What ensued was one of the cleanest and most highly-produced hot rod albums of the 1960s.

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The album begins with the eponymous track - a smart Carol Conners composition - with excellent hot rod jargon and an infectious chorus, all atop a choir of crystal clear vocals courtesy of Bruce and Terry. An updated arrangement of Wade Flemons’ rhythm and blues song, ‘Here I Stand’ is lifted directly from their first single, followed by a falsetto-laden Melcher-Johnston tune 'The Queen.' A spirited and heavily overdubbed cover of the Beach Boys' '409' makes the original seem quaint. At 1:44, Rip Chords' original, ‘Trophy Machine,’ is a brief piece of auto memorabilia, a little reminiscent of the Beach Boys' 'Custom Machine. energetic cover while versions of such Beach Boys tunes as ‘409,’ ‘Little Deuce Coupe,’ and ‘Shut Down.’ While these are sung with much vigor (and with an edgier sound than the originals), they tend to lack the charm of their predecessors. Clocking in at 1:44, Rip Chords' original, ‘Trophy Machine,’ is a short but sweet piece of auto memorabilia, a little reminiscent of the Beach Boys‘ 'Custom Machine.' ‘Gone’ is excellently recorded and performed and is lifted from another previous single. Both 'Little Deuce Coupe' and '40 Ford Time' are essentially the same composition (the latter being a piano-driven instrumental). ‘She Thinks I Still Care' boasts an early fuzzed-up guitar courtesy of Glenn Campbell. The final Beach Boys cover on the album is a capable version of 'Shut Down.' One of the more interesting songs on the album is a rendition of Jan and Dean’s ‘Drag City’, which lacks any of the signature harmony overdubs found on virtually every other track in the group's catalog. The album’s closing song, ‘Ding Dong,’ is also an oddity among its auto-themed neighbors.​

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Hey Little Cobra (and Other Hot Rod Hits) is one of the classic hot rod albums of the decade that helped to define the California Sound. I bought my copy on eBay for $2.99 back in 2009 when I was 14, and it kicked off this whole record collection of mine.