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THE VENTURES & THE SHADOWS:
WALK, DON'T RUN, APACHE AND BEYOND

[51] BLACK IS BLACK



BLACK IS BLACK
(Steve Wadey/ Tony Hayes/ Michelle Grainger)
Shadows: 1980 A-Single (Finland)
~ July 1980 LP (UK etc.) Another String Of Hot Hits (UK No.16)
Ventures: May 1999 CD (Japan) Walk Don’t Run 2000

This number, an international hit for Los Bravos notable for the dynamism of the accompaniment as well as the effectively overwrought vocalising of Michael Kogel, is ideally suited to instrumental treatment. The Shadows recorded a rousing, pulsating version, guitar-led but with powerful input from Dave Lawson on synths, which was scheduled for the chart-topping album String Of Hits but dropped and first released as a single in Finland where the group performed it on tour.

If the less thrusting lead guitar and generally more muted approach are to your taste, you will find nothing to complain about with The Ventures’ outing a couple of decades further on, though there are far more incisive tracks on the WDR 2000 album. The backing-track seems to have been used also for a version with words on the June 1999 CD (Japan) Runaway: Don Wilson’s Favourite Vocals.



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