It’s Only Love

“It’s Only Love” was written as an album track for the movie “Help”. It was not released as a single. Paul McCartney has said that the Beatles knew the lyrics weren’t all that good, but didn’t care because it was a “filler” track. However, the music is really pretty cool and since I do instrumentals, it all works out.

Hernando’s Hideaway

“Hernando’s Hideaway” is the most famous song from the mid-1950’s Broadway Musical, “The Pajama Game”. It is something of a novelty number, with the feel of a Tango. The Ventures covered it on their 1962 album “Mashed Potatoes and Gravy” — this is the inspiration for my version.

Scratch

“Scratch” is a track from the Ventures 1962 album “Mashed Potatoes and Gravy”. My version largely follows the original. I think it’s pretty catchy.

When You Walk in the Room

“When You Walk in the Room” was written by Jackie DeShannon and her recording barely cracked the hot 100 in 1963. The Searchers version did a bit better, but was still only a minor hit. The Ventures recorded an instrumental cover on their 1965 album “Knock Me Out”. I guess if you don’t remember this one, it’s understandable…although the style is certainly familiar. My version attempts to blend the style of both the Ventures and the Shadows.

Black is Black

“Black is Black” was a #4 hit in the USA for the Spanish rock group “Los Bravos”. My arrangement is instrumental and mainly sticks the the feel of the original recording, except I turned the bridge into a shuffle.

 

Norwegian Wood

“Norwegian Wood” is one of the more compelling tracks from the Beatles’ “Rubber Soul”. As always, it is the combination of words and music that together make the original so great, but the melody, harmony and rhythm allow the music to stand alone very well — also typical of the Beatles work.

For No One

“For No One”, from the Beatles “Revolver” album, is an amazingly haunting song about an independent woman — sung to her confused ex. My version is, of course, instrumental, but the music alone retains much of the emotional content — at least partially because of our familiarity with the original.