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.
Lolita Ya Ya
The Ventures Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where it may rain or storm
Yet I'm safe and warm
For within that summer place
Your arms reach out to me
And my heart is free from all care
For it knows
When seen through the eyes
Of those who are blessed with love
And the sweet secret of
A summer place
Is that it's anywhere
When two people share
All their hopes
All their dreams
All their love
There's a summer place
Where it may rain or storm
Yet I'm safe and warm
In your arms, in your arms
In your arms, in your arms
In your arms, in your arms
The lyrics to The Ventures' song Lolita Ya-Ya depict a summer place that serves as a sanctuary for the singer, regardless of the weather outside. The place is described as safe and warm, and the singer finds comfort in the knowledge that, as long as they are in the arms of their beloved, they are free from all cares. The song suggests that love transforms the way we see the world around us, and even in the midst of a storm, there are no gloomy skies when we are blessed with the love of another.
The sweet secret of a summer place, according to the song, is that it can be anywhere when two people share all their hopes, all their dreams, and all their love. The singer's emphasis on the importance of sharing all of oneself with another suggests that the summer place is a metaphor for a deep, loving relationship where two people can find comfort and happiness in each other's company. The gentle melody and romantic lyrics of the song create a dreamy atmosphere, transporting listeners to their own imagined summer place with someone they love.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a summer place
In this world, there is a perfect place for love - a place that embodies the carefree spirit of summertime happiness.
Where it may rain or storm
Life may be tumultuous, and change can come suddenly despite our ideals or desires.
Yet I'm safe and warm
Despite the chaos that may swirl around us, holding onto someone we love can give us a sense of security that transcends all these concerns.
For within that summer place
Although the beauty of summer places may seem elusive, it is always accessible to those who are open to experiencing it.
Your arms reach out to me
The warmth and security of the embrace from one's beloved can be a haven in even the most turbulent of experiences.
And my heart is free from all care
Love can lift us up above our concerns, allowing us to enjoy the present moment without fear or anxiety for the future.
For it knows
Within the embrace of true love, our hearts can become attuned to a sense of harmony and goodness that transcends everyday concerns.
There are no gloomy skies
Even when life seems bleak and rainy, we can choose to maintain a positive outlook through the power of love.
When seen through the eyes
A perspective shaped by love may offer a more beautiful and profound perception of the world around us.
Of those who are blessed with love
People who experience love may be regarded as having a special gift, one that opens their eyes to the beauty of the world around them.
And the sweet secret of
The truth about love is that it cannot be contained in simple words, as it is a force that requires experience and reflection to truly understand.
A summer place
This perfect, idyllic location is symbolic of the paradise that can be created through the power of love.
Is that it's anywhere
This paradise can be created anywhere one chooses to focus on love, regardless of their physical location or current circumstances.
When two people share
The true beauty of this paradise lies in the fact that it can only be reached through the connection between two people.
All their hopes
Through love, the most distant hopes and dreams can be made tangible and real, creating a sense of possibility and wonder.
All their dreams
The power of love lies in its ability to allow one to imagine the most wondrous and impossible of dreams, and know they are possible.
All their love
Ultimately, love is the most important and powerful tool in our arsenal, one that can transform the world and offer us true happiness and fulfillment.
In your arms, in your arms
In the end, true love can only be experienced when we are safe and secure within the embrace of our beloved, and we must cherish these moments.
In your arms, in your arms
We must hold onto these moments tightly, knowing that they are fleeting, and that love is a precious gift that must be treasured.
In your arms, in your arms
For within this embrace, nothing else matters but the beauty of the present moment.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J. ROBERT (BOB) HARRIS, NELSON RIDDLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ismael Arrioja
Muy bonita cancion, por fin la encontre despues de varios años sin escucharla.
felixbautista
Muchas gracias Ismael.
Kiki Velez
I love hula hooping to this ! currently 17 and living the dream
felixbautista
Thank you so much.
Francisco Yañez Ferzuli
MARAVILLOSO RECUERDOS DE MÍ INFANCIA ME LLEGAN A LA MENTE!!!
felixbautista
MIles de gracias por vuestro buena atencion.
ธนภัทร ธัชสัมฤททธิ์
This song so popular in the early 60'....
David Sutton
I have a funny feeling that the lead was done by another studio musician for some reason. I think I read it somewhere. Love the sound nevertheless. Very clean and neat--a perfect instrumental.
felixbautista
Thank you so much for your kind attention David.
tsukasa
I've been searching this song after several try
Thanks you tube.