Marvin uses a clean guitar sound with a Vox amplifier and often uses an echo, also known as delay, for songs like "Apache" and "Wonderful Land". He also developed a distinctive way of using the guitar's vibrato to give a "dreamy feel" to his playing.
He chose the name Hank Marvin while launching his career.
His name is an amalgamation of his childhood nickname, Hank, which he used to differentiate himself from friends also named Brian, and Marvin Rainwater, a country and western singer.
Sixteen-year-old Marvin and his Rutherford Grammar School friend, Bruce Welch, met Johnny Foster, Cliff Richard's manager, at The 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho London. Foster was looking for a guitarist for Cliff Richard's UK tour and was considering Tony Sheridan. Instead he offered Marvin the position. Marvin joined The Drifters, as Cliff Richard's group was then known, provided there was a place for Welch.
Marvin met Richard for the first time at a nearby Soho tailor's shop, where Richard was having a fitting for a pink stage jacket. The Drifters had their first rehearsal with Richard at the Webb family home (Cliff's parents) in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire.
Marvin influenced many British rock guitarists, including George Harrison, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Brian May, Mark Knopfler, Peter Frampton, Steve Howe, Roy Wood, Tony Iommi, Pete Townshend, Ritchie Blackmore and Jeff Beck.
In Canada, Cliff Richard and the Shadows had top 10 hits, especially from 1961 to 1965. Canadian guitarists Randy Bachman and Neil Young credit Marvin as influential.
Marvin also had a solo career. His first critically lauded, self-titled solo album of instrumentals, which featured guitar set to orchestrated backing, was released in 1969, following the first disbanding of The Shadows, in late 1968. The single, 'Sacha', from the album, topped the singles chart in New South Wales, Australia, having been 'discovered' by two DJs at 2WG Wagga Wagga. [15] Marvin's solo career was then suspended due to Shadows reunions, first for a Far East tour and 'live' album in 1969, then a studio album in 1970 ("Shades of Rock") and again in the early seventies. He has experimented with styles and material, doing some purely instrumental albums, some with mostly vocals (e.g. "Words and Music", "All Alone With Friends"), one with only acoustic guitars and one with a guitar orchestra ("The Hank Marvin Guitar Syndicate").
In 1970, Marvin and Welch formed Marvin, Welch & Farrar, a vocal-harmony trio which failed to appeal to Shadows fans or to contemporary music fans. They became 'Marvin & Farrar' for a vocal album in 1973 and then reverted to The Shadows in late 1973, for the instrumental Rockin' with Curly Leads album. The Shadows came second for the United Kingdom in the 1975 Eurovision song contest.
Marvin wrote "Driftin'", "Geronimo", "Spider Juice" (his daughter's name for orange juice), "I Want You to Want Me" for The Shadows, and "The Day I Met Marie". He co-wrote Richard's 1960 hit; 'Gee Whizz It's You' with Ian Samwell. With Welch, Brian Bennett, and John Rostill, he wrote hits for Cliff Richard, including; "On The Beach", "I Could Easily Fall in Love with You", "Time Drags By", and "In the Country".
In 1969 and 1970, he teamed with Richard for: two 'Cliff & Hank' hit singles, his own song; 'Throw Down A Line' (also recorded by Marvin, Welch & Farrar), and 'The Joy of Living', while Richard also had a hit with his ecology song, 'Silvery Rain'.
In 1977, Marvin played lead guitar on Roger Daltrey's third solo album, One of the Boys, on the tracks Parade and Leon. He co-wrote Olivia Newton-John's 1977 hit 'Sam' with John Farrar and Don Black, and produced albums for the British showman Des O'Connor.
In 1988, Marvin collaborated with French keyboardist and composer Jean Michel Jarre on the track "London Kid", on Jarre's Revolutions album and was a guest in the Jarre's Destination Docklands concert at London's Royal Victoria Dock. Jarre said The Shadows' success had influenced him and led to his decision to devote his career to instrumental music.
In 1992, Duane Eddy guested on Marvin's album Into the Light on the track "Pipeline".
Marvin and The Shadows reformed for a 2004 Final Tour, and a 2005 European tour was also organised.
Marvin dueted twice with French guitarist Jean-Pierre Danel – on his 2007 and 2010 albums, both top-ten hits and certified gold. Their two singles hit the iTunes charts in France, Norway, Finland and Germany, and later (when released as an EP from Danel's compilation The Hit List) in Ireland, United Kingdom, Poland, United States, South Africa and Thailand. Marvin also participated on one of his DVDs and wrote the foreword for Danel's book about the Fender Stratocaster.
While Welch and Bennett became the Officers of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to music, Marvin declined for "personal reasons".
Hank is presently living in Perth, Australia and is now semi retired.
Don't Cry For Me Argentina
Hank Marvin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I try to explain how I feel
That I still need your love after all I've done
You won't believe me
All you will see is a girl you once knew
Although she's dressed up to the nines
At sixes and sevens with you
I had to let it happen, I had to change
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
So I chose freedom
Running around trying ev'rything new
But nothing impressed me at all
I never expected it to
[Chorus]
Don't cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days my mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
And as for fortune, and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world
They were all I desired
They are illusions
They're not the solutions they promised to be,
The answer was here all the time
I love you and hope you love me
[Chorus]
Have I said too much?
There's nothing more
I can think of to say to you
But all you have to do is look at me
To know that every word is true
[Chorus]
Don't cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days my mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep my distance
The lyrics to "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" by Hank Marvin seem to convey a message of remorse and realization. The first verse implies that the singer has changed and needs the love of someone they hurt before, but they doubt they will be believed. The line "although she's dressed up to the nines" suggests that the person has changed their appearance, but the relationship is now uncertain, with them being "at sixes and sevens" with the other person. The next line reveals that the singer has decided to change their life by seeking freedom, trying everything new, and leaving behind a difficult past.
The chorus appears to be the crux of the song, with the message clearly stating that the singer never meant to leave the person, and despite the wild and mad existence they led, they kept their promise. They implore the person not to keep their distance and "don't cry for [them], Argentina," essentially saying that their choices had nothing to do with their love for the other person. The song's closing verse is a plea for forgiveness and acceptance, with the singer admitting they may have already said too much, but their words are true, and all the other person has to do is look at them.
Line by Line Meaning
It won't be easy, you'll think it strange
I know it may be challenging for you to understand my feelings and actions
When I try to explain how I feel
I'll attempt to express my emotions to you
That I still need your love after all I've done
Despite my past mistakes, I still require your love and support
You won't believe me
You may not trust me
All you will see is a girl you once knew
You'll only recognize the person I used to be
Although she's dressed up to the nines
Despite my current appearance and status
At sixes and sevens with you
I'm still confused and unsure about our relationship
I had to let it happen, I had to change
I needed to let go of the past and transform
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
I couldn't remain in a state of poverty or discomfort forever
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
I was living a sheltered life, avoiding the harsh realities of the world
So I chose freedom
I decided to pursue freedom and independence
Running around trying everything new
I explored new experiences and opportunities
But nothing impressed me at all
However, I didn't find anything particularly satisfying or meaningful
I never expected it to
I didn't have any high expectations
Don't cry for me Argentina
Please don't feel sorry for me, Argentina
The truth is I never left you
Despite my changes and experiences, my heart never left you
All through my wild days my mad existence
Throughout my chaotic and unpredictable life
I kept my promise
I remained committed to you
Don't keep your distance
Please don't distance yourself from me
And as for fortune, and as for fame
Regarding wealth and popularity
I never invited them in
I didn't actively seek them out
Though it seemed to the world, They were all I desired
Despite how it may have appeared to others, I had different desires
They are illusions
Wealth and fame are temporary and fleeting
They're not the solutions they promised to be
They don't provide the answers or solutions that they claim to offer
The answer was here all the time
The answer was always in my heart and in our relationship
I love you and hope you love me
I love you and desire your love in return
Have I said too much?
I hope I haven't shared too much information
There's nothing more I can think of to say to you
I have expressed everything that I needed to
But all you have to do is look at me
Just by looking at me, you can see the truth
To know that every word is true
To understand that everything I've said is genuine and sincere
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, TIM RICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@annakingdon2007
Definitely the best guitarist in the world he makes his guitar speak to me what an amazing talent gives me goosebumps listening to him play especially this beautiful song
@papprajoosachanarayana2834
Total agree The best I followed his career since the late 1950s together with Brian Bruce jet Tony John Licorice they were the very best of British Music
Thanks Guys
@davethompson7601
O
@davethompson7601
Anybody can play this tune, but hey not like Hank, his feeling expressed expressed on every note, each note and intonation is purposely played, he still plays Apache with the same emotion, this guy is my all time favourite guitarist
@leonardoramello6275
Literalmente hace hablar a la guitarra. Y la canción para nuestra amada Evita. Gracias genio. Desde Argentina.
@jean-marielejal2594
j'ai toujours considéré ce groupe parmi les meilleurs
@IvoryDream
Wow. This is fantastic. I never heard Hank Marvin before. So glad you did, @Chris Salmon. So much feeling in this.
@georgesheffield1580
Now you have ,you probably have heard him many times but didn't know it . Enjoy !
@jamesfitzsimmons7715
What sets Hank Marvin apart is he's more interested in the tune than in hearing himself play, which I admire.
@Dontrindade
Hank Marvin é genial!