Their first wide-release single, "Walk, Don't Run" (1960), brought international fame to the group, and is often cited as one of the top songs ever recorded for guitar. In the 1960s and early 1970s, 38 of the band's albums charted in the US, ranking them as the 6th best album chart performer during the 1960s, and the band had 14 singles in the Billboard Hot 100. With over 100 million records sold, the Ventures are the best-selling instrumental band of all time.
The Ventures have had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. The band was among the first to employ and popularize fuzz and flanging guitar effects, concept albums, and twelve-string guitars in rock music. Their instrumental virtuosity, innovation, and unique sound influenced many musicians and bands, earning the group the moniker "The Band that Launched a Thousand Bands". Their recording of "Walk, Don't Run" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its lasting impact, and in 2008 the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Don Wilson and Bob Bogle first met in 1958, when Bogle was looking to buy a car from a used car dealership in Seattle owned by Wilson's father. Finding a common interest in guitars, the two decided to play together, while Wilson joined Bogle performing masonry work. They bought two used guitars in a pawn shop for about $10 each. Initially calling themselves the Versatones, the duo played small clubs, beer bars, and private parties throughout the Pacific Northwest. Wilson played rhythm guitar, Bogle lead. When they went to register the band name, they found that it was already taken. Disappointed, they cast about for an appropriate name. Wilson's mother suggested the name "The Ventures", upon which they eventually agreed in 1959.
During their first years (1958–1961), the Ventures played Fender guitars (a Jazzmaster, a Stratocaster and a Precision Bass) for both their live performances and their recording sessions. These instruments are prominently visible on the covers of two early albums: The Ventures and The Colorful Ventures. From 1962 to 1963 they used two Jazzmasters with a Precision Bass, shown on the album cover of "Bobby Vee meets The Ventures". Then in early 1963, California guitar manufacturer Mosrite re-branded their uniquely styled, futuristic-looking Mark 1 electric guitar model for the Ventures by applying decals that stated "The Ventures Model" on the headstock. The band adopted these guitars (which included a bass model) and first used them on The Ventures in Space (1963), one of their most influential albums because of the unique, otherworldly guitar sounds it contained. From 1963 through 1968, a statement on their album covers announced that the Ventures used Mosrite guitars "exclusively" (the Ventures and designer Semie Moseley were partners in the distribution of these instruments). After the expiration of their contract with Moseley, the Ventures returned to playing mainly Fender guitars. Only rarely have they used Mosrite guitars since that contract ended.
In the mid-1990s, Fender issued a limited edition Ventures Signature Series of guitars consisting of a Jazzmaster, a Stratocaster, and a Fender Jazz Bass, all with specifications determined by the band.
Aria Guitars and Wilson Brothers Guitars have subsequently issued Ventures Signature Model instruments. The Wilson Brothers guitar, in particular, is closely modeled physically on the original Mosrite design.
The Ventures pioneered the use of special effects on such songs as "The 2000 Pound Bee", recorded in late 1962, in which lead guitarist Nokie Edwards employed a fuzz pedal. Edwards' use of "fuzz tone" predated the "King of Fuzz Guitar", Davie Allan of The Arrows, by at least three years. In addition, Edwards was among the first to use the twelve-string guitar in rock. The 1964 The Ventures In Space album was a primer in the use of special guitar effects, and made pioneering use of 'reverse-tracking'. The Ventures In Space, because of its ethereal space-like effects, was deemed an influence on the later 1960s San Francisco psychedelic generation, as well as being cited as a favorite by Keith Moon of the Who.
The band's cover of the Tornados' "Telstar" (released in January 1963) featured one of the first instances of flanging on a pop record. The song "Silver Bells" on The Ventures' Christmas Album, released in November 1965, has one of the first recorded uses of a talk box as a musical effect, voiced by Red Rhodes.
The Ventures have had an influence on many musicians, both professional and amateur. Their instructional album, Play Guitar with the Ventures, was the first such record to chart on the Billboard Top LPs list, peaking at No. 96, and taught thousands of budding guitarists how to play the guitar. George Harrison stated in a Guitar Player interview that he preferred the American guitar sound of the Ventures to British contemporaries. When asked to name the most influential rock guitar solos, Joe Walsh said he would have to include the entire song "Walk, Don't Run" because it changed so many guitar players' lives. John Fogerty, during his introduction of the Ventures at their Hall of Fame induction, said that it "kicked open a whole movement in rock and roll... The sound of it became 'surf music' and the audacity of it empowered guitarists everywhere." Stephen Stills told Ventures guitarist Don Wilson that he learned to play on Ventures records. Jeff Baxter and Gene Simmons were early members of the Ventures Fan Club. Carl Wilson called the Ventures a major influence on his early guitar playing, stating that the Beach Boys had learned to play all of their songs by ear.
Bob Bogle lived in Vancouver, Washington, for years and died there on June 14, 2009, of non-Hodgkin lymphoma; he was 75.
Nokie Edwards died on March 12, 2018, due to complications after hip surgery. He was 82.
Gerry McGee died on October 12, 2019, after having a heart attack and collapsing onstage four days earlier in Japan. He was 81.
Don Wilson continued to record with the band, but retired from touring at the end of 2015. He died of natural causes on January 22, 2022, at the age of 88.
Mel Taylor died on August 11, 1996, of cancer, at the age of 62. He was diagnosed two weeks before his death.
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
The Ventures Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I'll take your part, oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all, is all around
Just like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
I will lay me down
Sail on, silver girl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All of your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
Oh, if you ever need a friend
Look around I'm sailing right behind
Just like a bridge over troubled water
I'll be there to lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
The song "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by The Ventures describes the unconditional support given by a friend to someone in distress. The lyrics convey that the singer will be there for the person in need, even in their darkest moments. The opening lines, "When you're down and out, when you're on the street. When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you," emphasize the singer's willingness to help out in any situation. The following lines, "I'll take your part, oh when darkness comes. And pain is all, is all around," demonstrate that the singer is ready to defend the other person when they are feeling most vulnerable.
The chorus of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" contains the main message of the song, "Just like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down." A bridge is a structure that spans over obstacles and helps people cross them with ease. The analogy represents the singer willing to be a constant support for the other person, like a bridge to help them maneuver through their problems. They reassure the other person that they will be there to help them in any way possible.
Overall, the song conveys a message of friendship and love that transcends any hardships that come our way. It reminds us that we need to be there for each other in times of need.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're down and out
When you're in a difficult situation and feeling lost or defeated
When you're on the street
When you're homeless and have nowhere to go or call your own
When evening falls so hard
When the darkness of each day's end seems too much to bear
I will comfort you
I will be there to offer you solace and support
I'll take your part, oh, when darkness comes
I'll stand by you and protect you when things get tough
And pain is all, is all around
When it feels like everything is hurting and there's suffering everywhere
Just like a bridge over troubled water
I'll be a stable source of support, helping you cross over these difficult times
I will lay me down
I'll lower myself to the ground to make it easier for you to cross over me like a bridge
Sail on, silver girl
Keep going, keep moving forwards, keep shining brightly
Sail on by
Keep moving onwards, keep progressing in your journey
Your time has come to shine
You've finally reached a point in your life where you can start to really succeed and flourish
All of your dreams are on their way
Everything you've ever wanted is right around the corner
See how they shine
Look at your dreams coming true and how radiant they are
Oh, if you ever need a friend
If you ever feel alone or like you have no one to turn to
Look around I'm sailing right behind
Remember that I'm always here for you, just a step or two away, ready to help whenever you need it
Just like a bridge over troubled water
Like a bridge, I'll be there to help you through the hard times
I'll be there to lay me down
I'll always be ready to offer support in any way I can, even if it means lowering myself down to your level
Like a bridge over troubled water
I'll continue to offer myself as a stable source of support for you
I will lay me down
Again, I'm willing to let you cross over me like a bridge, no matter what the situation
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind