THE LONELY BULL
(Sol Lake)
Ventures: January 1963 LP
The Ventures Play Telstar ~ The Lonely Bull (US No.8)
Shadows: May 1964 LP Dance With The Shadows (UK No.2)
Herb Alpert’s 1962 mega-hit was seized upon by the enterprising Ventures. They quickly latched on to the principle of reaping substantial financial rewards by serving up a generous helping of cover versions of recent or relatively recent chart hits with this album, which also sported the title of another sensationally successful instrumental. Their approach is much like that of the original, plenty of brassy sounds and bustle, giving voice to the noisy crowds that frequent such events. The trappings are naturally dispensed with on the bouncy live version of 1965 issued in Japan on the March 1966 LP All About The Ventures. For The Shadows it is a more sober affair, dignified rather than rowdy, with a sparer production, spotlighting the straight 3+1 combo spearheaded by that wonderfully full-bodied lead guitar and wafted along by magisterial rhythm accompaniment.
Live version 1965:
March 1966 LP (Japan) All About The Ventures
This version is conveniently available on:
1995 CD (US) The Ventures Live In Japan '65
