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"Apache" was a popular instrumental song written by Jerry Lordan and recorded by British group The Shadows in June 1960. It was released two months later. The song topped the UK singles chart for five weeks. It has since been covered many times. The record is considered influential, both in its time and in following years.
In March 2005, ''Q'' magazine placed "Apache" at number 96 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.
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Recording
The recording was done live at the famous EMI Abbey Road Studio in London. Hank Marvin was just developing the "Shadows's sound." Singer/guitarist Joe Brown had just bought an Italian-built guitar echo chamber. He didn't like it and gave it to Marvin. Marvin then developed a new sound using the echo chamber coupled with heavy vibrato using the tremolo arm of his Fender Stratocaster. Bruce Welch borrowed an acoustic Martin guitar from Cliff Richard, which in itself was a revolutionary step for a rock and roll band. These sounds, together with a heavy melodic bass line by Jet Harris, created a revolutionary sound. Percussion was provided by Tony Meehan (drums) and Cliff Richard, who plays a Japanese drum at the beginning and at the end to provide a "Red Indian" atmosphere. The record producer was Norrie Paramor. He preferred the flip side of "Apache", an instrumental version of the old army song "The Quartermaster's Stores", now called "The Quatermasster's Stores" after the TV series Quatermass. Paramor wanted to make that the A-side, but changed his mind after his daughter preferred "Apache".
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Nomenclature
The name reflects the source of Lordan's inspiration for the song: the 1954 American western film Apache.
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Musical style
The original Shadows version was considered to be revolutionary at the time for its twangy use of guitar and its innovative tribal rhythms. It has been cited by a generation of guitarists as inspirational and is widely considered one of the most influential 45s of the pre-Beatles era. The song has also been cited by Afrika Bambaataa as an important early element of hip hop music with the record being sampled and scratched by many DJs.
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Cover versions
Early British guitarist Bert Weedon also recorded "Apache" in 1960; it made it to number 24 on the charts.
Jørgen Ingmann, originally a jazz guitarist from Denmark, also produced a cover version of Apache that, billed to Jørgen Ingmann & His Guitar, made it to number 2 on the US pop chart in 1961, thereby preventing the Shadows' original from charting there.
In 1972 the Moog-based band of session musicians called Hot Butter released a cover version of "Apache" as follow-up to their hit "Popcorn".
In 1973, the song was covered by the Incredible Bongo Band, who added the distinctive bongo drum intro and added more percussion throughout the song. Though not a huge success, the song drove the album Bongo Rock to
In 1976 the electro-rock French band Rockets, in their first eponymous album, released a version featuring synthesizers, disco-rock drumming, and heavily treated guitars.
In 1977 a disco-styled music video of Apache featured The Tommy Seebach Band. Set on a rocky hillside, it featured scantily-clad dancers adoring a grinning keyboard player. This version was recognized for its kitsch value and made the rounds of the Internet in early 2005. Watch the video online.
In 1981, the rap group Sugarhill Gang heavily sampled the Incredible Bongo Band version of the song in their rap song, also called "Apache", on their second album 8th Wonder. In addition to using the distinctive beat and bongo drums, the Sugarhill Gang added rap lyrics on top, with some of their signature references, including:
The Lone Ranger is referenced exstensively in this song. One memorable lyric states, "Tonto, jump on it! Jump on it! Jump on it!" One of the rap segments is from the perspective of the Lone Ranger himself; the phrase, "Hi-yo Silver (is what I say)" ends this segment.
The Popcorn song by Hot Butter is referenced via this lyric: "What's that? Hot butter popcorn!"
In 1996, Sir Mix-A-Lot played off of the lyrics to Sugarhill Gang's "Apache" in his hit version of "Jump on It".
Fatboy Slim recorded a remix song that mostly interpolated the Incredible Bongo Band version of "Apache" which was also used for the Snatch movie soundtrack.
Wyclef Jean's "Masquerade" includes the melodic hook played on violin as the song closes.
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"Apache" in popular culture
The Shadows' version was featured in the British feature film Scandal.
In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air sixth-season episode "Viva Lost Wages", Will and Carlton dance to the Sugarhill Gang's version of this song in the talent contest.
In the movie Drumline, the Morris Brown marching band plays Sugarhill Gang's "Apache" while in the stadium stands. Several of the drum majors also dance to the music.
"We Run This" (which samples Apache) was played in the trailer for the movie Stick It.
A form of The Sugarhill Gang's "Apache" is played every time an Atlanta Braves player hits a home run at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia.
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