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.
Honky Tonk
The Ventures Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And mistletoe is hanging above the bar
I want to thank you for this broken heart that I got
But Merry Christmas, girl, wherever in the world you are
It's gonna be a honky tonk Christmas
For these silent nights at home are killing me
It's gonna be a honky tonk Christmas
But I'll be over you by New Year's Eve
So I can unwrap all the mem'ries in my mind
Hey Joe, pour me some Christmas spirit
If I make it through December, I'll be fine
It's gonna be a honky tonk Christmas
For these silent nights at home are killing me
It's gonna be a honky tonk Christmas
But I'll be over you by New Year's Eve
Yeah, I'll be over you by New Year's Eve
The lyrics of Honky Tonk Christmas by Alan Jackson tell the story of a man who is dealing with a broken heart during the holiday season. As he hears "Pretty Paper" playing on the jukebox and sees "mistletoe hanging above the bar," he reflects on his heartbreak and thanks the woman who caused it for teaching him a valuable lesson. He then turns to the comfort of the honky tonk, seeking solace in the music and the spirits provided by his friend Joe. As he faces the lonely nights of the holiday season, he acknowledges the pain of his heartbreak but resolves to move on by New Year's Eve.
The song reflects the deep emotional resonance of Christmas time for many people, especially those who have experienced heartbreak or loss. The lyrics capture the melancholic mood and the sense of isolation and loneliness that can accompany the holiday season. The honky tonk, with its lively music and warm spirits, becomes a refuge for the singer, a place where he can find some temporary escape from his troubles.
Line by Line Meaning
Pretty Paper is playing on the jukebox
The song Pretty Paper is currently being played on the jukebox.
And mistletoe is hanging above the bar
There is some mistletoe hanging above the bar.
I want to thank you for this broken heart that I got
The singer is thanking someone for breaking their heart.
But Merry Christmas, girl, wherever in the world you are
The singer is wishing a Merry Christmas to a girl who is somewhere in the world.
It's gonna be a honky tonk Christmas
The singer is looking forward to a honky tonk Christmas.
For these silent nights at home are killing me
The singer is feeling bored and/or lonely during the silent nights at home.
But I'll be over you by New Year's Eve
The singer is hoping to get over someone by New Year's Eve.
Blue Christmas, turn it up, I wanna hear it
The singer wants to listen to the song Blue Christmas and wishes to turn it up.
So I can unwrap all the mem'ries in my mind
The singer wants to reminisce about memories with the help of the song.
Hey Joe, pour me some Christmas spirit
The singer is asking someone named Joe to pour them some Christmas spirit (alcoholic drink).
If I make it through December, I'll be fine
The singer is hopeful that they'll be okay if they can make it through December.
Yeah, I'll be over you by New Year's Eve
The singer again expresses their hope of getting over someone by New Year's Eve.
Writer(s): Billy Butler, Clifford Scott, Berisford, Bill Doggett
Contributed by Madison V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
el bandido
I never heard this song before from the ventures truly another soothing rockin roll jam
George Matthews
Never have cared for many covers, but this is one of the best!!😊
David Sutton
I was fooled. I always thought Bob Bogle played this, but now am informed. Yes Nokie did a lot of the leads. In re-listening -- what you say in your post makes very good sense. Credit to Bob Bogle shuffling the talent deck to get the sound and give the V's "legs" to survive the "one hit wonder" stigma of many instrumental groups. (Bob sounds wonderful on the pieces he plays).
ha mg
Amazing Nokie Edwards R.I.P
T4TEXASTOM JOHNNYCAT
David Sutton
👍👍🎸
Jensen Bell
I respect your knowledge and will continue to research... I know one thing for sure... I love this 1960 disc with all my heart.
jason ooi
This is the version that I liked best , the original! Am also trying it out on my guitar. Tks .
guitar hillbilly
Most Folks play Honky Tonk in the Key of F Like the original version. Keyboard players like flats. This Ventures version is in the Key of E.
hidenseek
Actually, the original is played by Bill Doggett.
hidenseek
Great rock n roll.