[1] The A-side of Big Wave is composed of the songs Tatsuro Yamashita wrote, and the rest of the album consists mostly of cover versions of compositions of the Beach Boys' frontman Brian Wilson.

The song "The Theme from Big Wave" was first aired on the NHK-FM radio program hosted by Yamashita in January 1983 as "Mahou wo Oshiete" (魔法を教えて, "Teach Me Magic").

Except instrumental version of "I Love You" and "Girls on the Beach", most songs included on the B-Side of the soundtrack were previously issued on his albums or flip side for singles, although some of them remixed or additionally recorded.

Big Wave peaked at #2 on the Japanese Oricon and sold over 450,000 copies while it was staying on the chart, becoming one of the most commercially successful soundtrack albums in Japan at the time.

Seven additional tracks were added: On August 20, 2014, the 30th Anniversary Limited Edition of Big Wave was released by Warner Music Japan on 180g LP (analog) (ASIN: B00L6RRX2E EAN： 4943674181353).