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.
Up Up And Away
The Ventures Lyrics
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Would you like to glide in my beautiful balloon?
We could float among the stars together, you and I
For we can fly, we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky
For we can fly, we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
Suspended under a twilight canopy
We'll search the clouds for a star to guide us
If by some chance you find yourself loving me
We'll find a cloud to hid us, keep the moon beside us
Love is waiting there in my beautiful balloon
Way up in the air in my beautiful balloon
If you'll hold my hand we'll chase your dream across the sky
For we can fly, we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
The song "Up-Up And Away" by The Ventures talks about the beautiful experience of riding in a hot air balloon. The singer invites someone to join them on this adventure, where they can float among the stars together. The lyrics suggest that the world seems nicer when viewed from up above, and the duo could sing songs and sail along the silver sky. In the middle section, the song describes the beautiful experience of being under a twilight canopy, searching for stars to guide them, and possibly finding love in the process. In the end, the singer encourages their partner to hold their hand and chase their dreams across the sky.
The song paints a beautiful picture of the freedom and joy of flying in a hot air balloon. Riding in a hot air balloon is a unique experience where one can view the world from a different perspective; it's a calm and peaceful journey that brings a newfound appreciation for the beauty of the world. The lyrics of the song call for reminiscing about life's simpler pleasures, such as the warmth of someone's hand and chasing one's dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon?
Would you be interested in sharing a journey with me in my gorgeous inflated object?
Would you like to glide in my beautiful balloon?
Would you be willing to slide effortlessly through the air in my fantastic contraption?
We could float among the stars together, you and I
We can have a Heavenly experience together, like nothing else could ever provide.
For we can fly, we can fly
We possess the ability to travel up into the air, as high as we choose to go.
Up, up and away
Let's ascend higher and higher into the skies together!
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
The object we are traveling in is a stunning, wondrous creation that provides a remarkable adventure.
The world's a nicer place in my beautiful balloon
The world appears to be a more beautiful, pleasant environment when viewed from up above in our vehicle.
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
When we see the world while flying up high in our fantastic balloon, it presents itself in a more appealing fashion.
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky
We can enjoy a melody while we glide through the sky's glittering atmosphere.
Suspended under a twilight canopy
We will be suspended beneath an ethereal covering of darkness, at a peaceful and relaxed pace.
We'll search the clouds for a star to guide us
We'll peer upwards into the firmament, searching for one of the celestial bodies to use as a guide through the skies.
If by some chance you find yourself loving me
Should you find yourself developing feelings of fondness towards me,
We'll find a cloud to hid us, keep the moon beside us
We'll find a spot amongst the mass of cloud formations to remain hidden and secure, with the added benefit of having the moon stay near us.
Love is waiting there in my beautiful balloon
Love is present in the atmosphere we're journeying through in this majestic aerial vessel.
Way up in the air in my beautiful balloon
We are traveling high above the planet Earth, views it from an entirely distinct perspective.
If you'll hold my hand we'll chase your dream across the sky
If you decide to take my hand, we can work together to pursue your aspirations while in the midst of an unforgettable experience.
For we can fly, we can fly
We possess the ability to soar through the air above the world, experiencing a unique and breathtaking adventure.
Up, up and away
Let's continually ascend and enjoy this ride to the fullest, taking in all its splendor and wonder!
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
The object that's carrying us is a truly extraordinary, marvelous object that has made this incredible journey possible.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jimmy Webb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind