APACHE
(Jerry Lordan)
by The Shadows
Pro: Norrie Paramor
(ABC-Paramount: 1960)
https://youtu.be/QhIs1k8yuPU
The Shadows backed up Cliff Richard’s early UK hits
and this was the first of a string of their own local instrumental
smash hits featuring their guitarists Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch
& Jet Harrisalong with drummer Tony Meehan. Issued on EMI’s
UK Columbia label,
APACHE exploded in the summer of 1960 and spent five weeks
there at #1,turning lead guitarist Hank Marvin into a household name.
Tune was successfully covered on the Billboard chart
by Danish guitarist Jorgen Ingmann.
BECAUSE THEY’RE YOUNG
(Wally Gold/Don Costa/Aaron Schroeder)
by Duane Eddy & The Rebels
Pro: Lester Sill & Lee Hazlewood
(Jamie: 1960)
https://youtu.be/bKm2_67xtVs
A version of the Theme from the 1960 of the same name
starring Dick Clark, Michael Callan and Tuesday Weld. Duane
was the American guitar hero who perfected his echo-laden
thunderous sound with the bass strings of his Gretsch guitar.
BULLDOG
(George Tomsco)
by The Fireballs
Pro: Norman Petty
(Top Rank International: 1959)
https://youtu.be/Icj7xQnNfscv
This and its predecessor TORQUAY were first-rate instrumentals
both written by the group’s lead guitarist George Tomsco. They were
recorded in Norman Petty’s Clovis, New Mexico, studio. Later in ’63,
singer Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs hit #1 on the Hot 100
with SUGAR SHACK.
DIAMONDS
(Jerry Lordan)
by Jet Harris & Tony Meehan
Pro: Dick Rowe
(London: 1963)
https://youtu.be/j0XWlVLTEys
Bass player Jet Harris and drummer Tony Meehan had left
the Shadows and hit #1 in the UK with this tune in January ’63.
Jimmy Page played acoustic rhythm guitar. DIAMONDS was
covered here by drummer Buddy Harman.
FORTY MILES OF BAD ROAD
(Duane Eddy/Al Casey)
by Duane Eddy, His ‘Twangy’ Guitar & The Rebels
Pro: Lester Sill & Lee Hazlewood
(Jamie: 1959) https://youtu.be/OE5PcKFHw-M
Co-authored by fellow guitarist Al Casey.
(GHOST) RIDERS IN THE SKY
(Stan Jones)
by The Ramrods
(Amy: 1960)
https://youtu.be/5pKGw47QkMg
An instrumental version of the 1940’s cowboy song
RIDERS IN THE SKY written by Stan Jones.
The Ramrods’ single reached the UK Top 10 in February ’61.
GUITAR BOOGIE SHUFFLE
(Arthur Smith)
by Bert Weedon
Pro: Dick Rowe
(UK Top Rank: 1959)
https://youtu.be/E0F42laslesThis
was admired UK guitarist Bert Weedon’s biggest seller – a
cover of American group The Virtues’ 1959 update of Arthur Smith’s
1948 Hit Parade favorite GUITARBOOGIE. Arthur also wrote
FEUDIN’ BANJOS which years later was adapted by Eric Weissberg
as DUELING BANJOS.
LET’S GO TRIPPIN’
(Dick Dale)
by Dick Dale & The Del-Tones
Pro: Jim Monsour
(Deltone: 1961)
https://youtu.be/M6mMNzUSJzc
Dick was the king of the surf rock guitar.
MEMPHIS
(Chuck Berry)
by Lonnie Mack
Pro: Carl Edmondson
(Fraternity: 1963)
https://youtu.be/mrUvUFKTWzA
Lonnie Mack’s own brand of twangy guitar injected into this version
of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis, Tennessee” which hit the Top 5 here in July ’63.
MISIRLOU
(Nicholas Roubanis/Fred Wise/Milton Leeds/Jose Pina/Sidney Russell)
by Dick Dale & His Del-Tones
Pro: Jim Monsour
(Deltone: 1962)
https://youtu.be/V4eEqN4HY7Q
Dick’s surf rock revival of the 1940’s Egyptian melody
was significantly used by Quentin Tarantino in the opening of his
1994 movie “Pulp Fiction”.
OUT OF LIMITS
(Michael Z. Gordon)
the Marketts
Pro: Joe Saraceno
Arr: Ray Pohlman
(Warner Bros: 1963)
https://youtu.be/AhUxaSvZp8s
Became a Top 3 single here in February ’64
after title was changed from OUTER LIMITS
following a dispute with TV’s “Twilight Zone”
creator Rod Serling over the use of a four-note motif.
PENETRATION
(Steve Leonard)
by The Pyramids
Pro: John Hodge
(Best: 1963)
https://youtu.be/i7gC5-82Cl8
A California band known for their bald heads
and this 1964 Top 20 track loosely based on
The Chantay’s PIPELINE.
PERFIDIA
(Alberto Dominguez/Milton Leeds)
by The Ventures
Pro: Bob Reisdorff & Josie Wilson
A Blue Horizon Prod.
(Dolton: 1960)
https://youtu.be/pyUcnoracMM
A Mexican melody which, with an added English lyric,
was initially a 1941 hit parade seller by
Glenn Miller & His Orchestra with vocals by
Dorothy Claire & The Modernaires.
This version by The Ventures reached #15 here
on the Hot 100 but was even bigger in the UK
where it hit #4.
PIPELINE
(Bob Spickard/Brian Carman)
by The Chantay’s
Pro: Downey Records
(Dot: 1963)
https://youtu.be/4fc57tYou4U
Another surf rock classic,
this one by the California group featuring
three guitarists of whom Bob Spickard played lead.
Produced by Bill & Jack Wenzel’s indie label Downey.
RAM-BUNK-SHUSH
(Lucky Millinder/Henry Glover/Jim Mundy)
by The Ventures
Pro: Bob Reisdorff & Josie Wilson
A Blue Horizon Prod.
(Dolton: 1960)
https://youtu.be/MtJxAmXwn-A
A 1952 instrumental by bandleader
Lucky Millinder, the tune became a
1957 chart success for organist Bill Doggett.
REBEL-‘ROUSER
(Duane Eddy/Lee Hazlewood)
by Duane Eddy & His ‘Twangy’ Guitar
Pro: Lester Sill & Lee Hazlewood
(Jamie: 1958)
https://youtu.be/xskC4E2jmss
Duane’s very first smash hit,
reaching #6 on Billboard’s Hot 100
in July ’58.
RUMBLE
(Milt Grant/Link Wray)
by Link Wray & His Ray Men
(Cadence: 1958)
https://youtu.be/wvxFOQqLzw4
Standout pulsating fuzztone guitar blast!
STICK SHIFT
(Henry Bellinger)
by The Duals
Pro: H.B. Barnum
(Star Revue/Sue: 1961)
https://youtu.be/9CNcehcJayc
Also remembered for its effective use
of an auto sound effect.
THE STINGER
(Al Casey/Lee Hazlewood)
by Al Casey
Pro: Lester Sill & Lee Hazlewood
(United Artists: 1959)
https://youtu.be/f2rhT2o08kQ
Later Al Casey 45’s included
JIVIN’ AROUND and SURFIN’ HOOTENANNY.
