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.
Sleigh Ride
The Ventures Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "Yoo hoo"
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go,
Let's look at the show.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, it's grand
Just holding your hand.
We're gliding along with a song of a wintery fairy land.
Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we,
We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be.
Let's take that road before us and sing a chorus or two
Come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
The Ventures' song "Sleigh Ride" has become a classic holiday song that is enjoyed by many. The song is filled with festive elements that evoke feelings of warmth and coziness during the winter season. The lyrics describe the perfect winter day for a sleigh ride with a loved one. The song begins with the sound of sleigh bells ringing, which sets the mood for the rest of the song. The lyrics also describe the snow falling and friends calling out, creating a sense of a cheerful and lively atmosphere.
The lyrics capture the excitement of being on a sleigh ride, with the repeated "giddy yap, giddy yap" adding to that sense of exhilaration. The joy of being together with a special someone during the holiday season is evident throughout the song, with the line "just holding your hand" emphasizing the closeness between the two people on the sleigh. The imagery in the song paints a picture of a winter wonderland, with the line "we're riding in a wonderland of snow" taking the listeners on a journey through the snow-covered landscape.
Line by Line Meaning
Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing, ring-ting tingle-ing, too,
Listen to the sound of the sleigh bells ringing and jingling, creating a festive atmosphere.
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Let's take advantage of the beautiful snowy weather and go on a romantic sleigh ride together.
Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling "Yoo hoo"
The snow is falling and our friends are calling for us to join them outside.
Come on, it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Once again, let's take advantage of the weather and go on a magical sleigh ride together.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, let's go,
Encouragement to the horses to start moving and take us on our adventure.
Let's look at the show.
Let's take in the beautiful scenery as we ride along.
We're riding in a wonderland of snow.
We are riding through a magical snow-covered world.
Giddy yap, giddy yap, giddy yap, it's grand
The joy and excitement of the ride is expressed through the encouragement to the horses.
Just holding your hand.
Sharing this experience with a loved one makes it even more special.
We're gliding along with a song of a wintery fairy land.
As we glide through the snow, we feel like we are in a magical, fairy tale world.
Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy cozy are we,
The cold weather is making our cheeks red, but we are still warm and comfortable snuggled up together.
We're snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be.
We are close together like two birds of the same species, sharing the warmth of the moment.
Let's take that road before us and sing a chorus or two
Let's continue our journey together and sing some songs along the way.
Come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.
Once again, let's enjoy the beautiful weather and wonderful experience of a sleigh ride together.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind