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.
The Green Leaves Of Summer
The Ventures Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
'Twas so good to be young then, in a season of plenty,
When the catfish were jumpin' as high as the sky.
A time just for plantin', a time just for ploughin'.
A time to be courtin' a girl of your own.
'Twas so good to be young then, to be close to the earth,
A time to be reapin', a time to be sowin'.
The green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
'Twas so good to be young then, with the sweet smell of apples,
And the owl in the pine tree a-winkin' his eye.
A time just for plantin', a time just for ploughin'.
A time just for livin', a place for to die.
'Twas so good to be young then, to be close to the earth,
Now the green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
'Twas so good to be young then, to be close to the earth,
Now the green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
The lyrics of The Ventures’ song “The Green Leaves of Summer” paint a picture of a nostalgic longing for the past and a life close to the natural world. The first verse talks about the different seasons of life, metaphorically represented by the cycle of planting and harvesting. The green leaves of summer symbolize the warmth and abundance of a bountiful season, which reminds the singer of his youth. The second verse reveals that the singer fondly reminisces about courtship and the simple pleasures of being close to nature. Perhaps the most poignant part of the song is the last line of the verse, where the singer reflects on the sacredness of childbirth and the importance of being a supportive partner.
The chorus brings the song full-circle, as the green leaves of summer continue to call the singer home. The repetition of the seasons and planting metaphors reinforces the cyclical nature of life and its connection to the natural world. The final repetition of the second verse’s sentiment about being close to the earth serves as a reminder that despite the passage of time, our connection to nature remains a source of comfort and grounding.
Line by Line Meaning
A time to be reapin', a time to be sowin'.
There is a time for harvesting the crops that we have sown earlier, and there is a time for planting new seeds for the future.
The green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
The lush greenery of Summer is beckoning me to come back and reminisce about my childhood memories.
'Twas so good to be young then, in a season of plenty,
It was truly magnificent to be young and experience life in a time of abundance, where everything seemed feasible and within reach.
When the catfish were jumpin' as high as the sky.
During that time, the fish in rivers and ponds were so plentiful that even the catfish could jump up high in the air, making it seem as though the sky was theirs for the taking.
A time just for plantin', a time just for ploughin'.
There is a specific time for planting the crops that we want to grow, and a different time for cultivating the land to prepare it for sowing.
A time to be courtin' a girl of your own.
It is a period when young men would pursue a woman they fancy and try to woo her affection, leading to a romantic relationship.
'Twas so good to be young then, to be close to the earth,
It was a fantastic period to be young and connected to the ground, working with your hands, and being part of the environment.
And to stand by your wife at the moment of birth.
At that time, being present for your wife as she goes through the process of childbirth was a natural expectation, which was an intimate and profound experience.
With the sweet smell of apples,
The air would be filled with the enticing fragrance of apples, which were abundant during the Summer season, providing a sensory delight.
And the owl in the pine tree a-winkin' his eye.
The various creatures in the woods, including the owl, showed signs of life and activity, indicating that nature was alive and well during those times.
A time just for livin', a place for to die.
It was a phase when life was primarily about living and making the most of it, with little thought or worry about death, as it was considered to be a natural end to one's journey.
Now the green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
Even now, the remnants of Summer's lush and verdant foliage beckon me to return and relive the memories of my youth.
'Twas so good to be young then, to be close to the earth,
It was a tremendous joy to be young and in touch with the earth's elements, to connect and respect nature, and explore its wonders.
Now the green leaves of Summer are callin' me home.
The only alternative left to reminisce about those times is to return to the familiar and comforting embrace of the greenery of Summer.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, GUY WEBSTER/WEBSTER MUSIC
Written by: DIMITRI TIOMKIN, PAUL FRANCIS WEBSTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind