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.
Never On Sunday
The Ventures Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A Monday, a Monday is very, very good
Or you can kiss me on a Tuesday
A Tuesday, a Tuesday, in fact I wish you would
Or you can kiss me on a Wednesday
A Thursday, a Friday and Saturday is best
But never, never on a Sunday
A Sunday, a Sunday, 'cause that's my day of rest
Most any day you can be my guest
Any day you say, but my day of rest
Just name the day that you like the best
Only stay away on my day of rest
Oh, you can kiss me on a cool day, a hot day
A wet day, which everyone you choose
Or try to kiss me on a gray day, a May day
A pay day, and see if I refuse
And if you make it on a bleak day
A freak day, a week day, why you can be my guest
But never, never on a Sunday
The song "Never On Sunday" by The Ventures is a romantic tune with a twist - the singer is advising his love interest against kissing him on a Sunday, because it is his day of rest. The lyrics are a playful way of expressing affection and setting boundaries at the same time. The singer offers a range of other days where he would love to receive a kiss, but emphasizes the importance of his day of relaxation and spiritual observance.
The song is catchy and upbeat, with a classic rock and roll sound that is characteristic of The Ventures. The instrumentals are lively and the vocals are delivered with a charming sincerity. The playful nature of the lyrics contrasts with the seriousness of the singer's commitment to his day of rest, creating an interesting tension in the song.
Overall, "Never On Sunday" is a fun and quirky love song with a unique twist. It demonstrates a lighthearted approach to setting boundaries in a relationship while maintaining a sense of affection and appreciation for the other person.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, you can kiss me on a Monday
You can express your affection for me any day of the week, including Monday
A Monday, a Monday is very, very good
Monday is a perfectly suitable day for kissing and other displays of amorous behavior
Or you can kiss me on a Tuesday
You may also choose to express your love for me on a Tuesday
A Tuesday, a Tuesday, in fact I wish you would
In fact, I would prefer that you choose to express your affection towards me on a Tuesday
Or you can kiss me on a Wednesday
Wednesday is another day of the week that you may choose to kiss me
A Thursday, a Friday and Saturday is best
Although any day of the week is acceptable for receiving a kiss, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are considered to be ideal days
But never, never on a Sunday
However, expressing your love for me on a Sunday is not permitted
A Sunday, a Sunday, 'cause that's my day of rest
This is because Sunday is a day reserved for rest and relaxation, and not for romantic gestures
Most any day you can be my guest
You are welcome to express your affection for me on any day of the week
Any day you say, but my day of rest
Except for Sunday, which is a day reserved for rest and not romantic gestures
Just name the day that you like the best
Feel free to choose the day that works best for you to express your love for me
Only stay away on my day of rest
But please remember to avoid showing affection on Sundays, which is my day of rest
Oh, you can kiss me on a cool day, a hot day
I am open to receiving a kiss regardless of the weather or temperature for that day
A wet day, which everyone you choose
You may even choose to show affection towards me on a rainy day
Or try to kiss me on a gray day, a May day
You may also choose to express your love for me on a cloudy day, or even on a specific day such as May Day
A pay day, and see if I refuse
You may even try to kiss me on a day that is significant for you, such as payday
And if you make it on a bleak day
Even on a day when things are looking grim or when you are feeling down, you may choose to express your love for me
A freak day, a week day, why you can be my guest
In fact, any day of the week, even a day that seems unusual or unexpected, is perfectly acceptable for showing affection towards me
But never, never on a Sunday
The only day of the week that is off limits for romantic gestures is Sunday
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Sutton
The Ventures sound pretty sophisticated on their cover of "Never on Sunday"--which appeared on their best selling album--the "Telstar" album. To have your song "covered" by the Ventures was a mixed blessing: many people thought that the V's were the original artists. But it all works out in that the V's presented many tunes we would not normally hear--and the original artists probably recovered residuals by more mula in their pocket.
Cyprian Ferns
timeless instrumentalisation by the Ventures..a classic
Christine Kovic
Fantastic music! The Ventures ROCK!!!
Wizhka
Una canción que marcó mi infancia.
jarocho jarochito
Un excelente melodia, OMG I LOVE IT !
Josh Z
as a child I ADORED this song!!!
Anh Vi
Fantastic music!
DEE BOON CHUA
beautiful arrangement
CeeCeeable
Very nice for The Ventures to have a version of this lively tune..
crackerjacks46
Wow, I must have this somewhere as I have all the albums. I loved this show with melina mecurri in it. Awesome!