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.
Hey Jude
The Ventures Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better
Hey Jude, don't be afraid
You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder
Hey Jude, don't let me down
You have found her, now go and get her
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better
So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin
You're waiting for someone to perform with
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do
The movement you need is on your shoulder
Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her under your skin
Then you'll begin to make it
Better better better better better better, oh
Na na na nananana, nannana, hey Jude
The lyrics to The Ventures’ song Hey Jude are a message of hope and encouragement to someone who may be struggling in a relationship. The song starts with the words “Hey Jude, don’t make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better”. Here, the singer is urging the listener to take a difficult or sad situation and find a way to make it better. The next line, “Remember to let her into your heart” suggests that the problem at hand may be related to another person, perhaps a love interest.
The verse then goes on to say “Then you can start to make it better”. This line implies that the situation will improve once the person allows themselves to be vulnerable and open their heart to the other person. The second verse follows the same theme, urging Jude to go after the person he desires, even if it means taking a risk. The song takes a turn in the bridge with the lyrics “And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain. Don’t carry the world upon your shoulders”. This verse serves as a reminder to not let oneself become weighed down by the problems of the world and to take a step back when things become overwhelming.
The chorus repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the message of taking a negative situation and making it better. The final na na na chorus is a singalong, repeating the encouraging message of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Hey Jude, please don't worsen the situation
Take a sad song and make it better
Try turning a sad song into a happy one
Remember to let her into your heart
Remember to open your heart and allow her in
Then you can start to make it better
Only then can you start to make things better
Hey Jude, don't be afraid
Hey Jude, don't be scared
You were made to go out and get her
You were destined to go and catch her
The minute you let her under your skin
The moment you fully accept her into your life
Then you begin to make it better
At that point, you can start to improve things
And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain
Whenever you're in pain, hey Jude, hold off
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
Don't try to bear the burden of the entire world alone
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
Because you know that pretending to be unaffected is foolish
By making his world a little colder
And trying to act tough only serves to make your world harder
Hey Jude, don't let me down
Hey Jude, please don't disappoint me
You have found her, now go and get her
You've located her, so now take action to get her
Remember to let her into your heart
Remember to allow her into your life and your heart
Then you can start to make it better
Only then can you start to make things better
So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin
Let out your feelings and let her in, hey Jude, start now
You're waiting for someone to perform with
You're waiting for someone to share your life with
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, only you can do it
The movement you need is on your shoulder
You have the power to make this situation better on your own
Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Hey Jude, please don't worsen the situation
Take a sad song and make it better
Try turning a sad song into a happy one
Remember to let her under your skin
Remember to fully accept her into your life
Then you'll begin to make it
Only then can you start to make things
Better better better better better better, oh
Better and better and better and better and better, oh
Na na na nananana, nannana, hey Jude
Non-lexical vocables that express feelings of joy and excitement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind