Bossa Roo

“Bossa Roo” was a track on the Shadows 1964 album “Sound of the Shadows”. My recording is pretty much a straight cover, right down to Hank Marvin’s solo break. This is a nostalgic tune even for 1964, so I gave it a Fred Astaire video setting.

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Big Boy

“Big Boy” was the final track on the Shadows 1961 debut album. It’s something of a foot-stomper/hoedown/rockabilly number. It’s interesting how American music was such a big influence on British bands in the 1950’s and 60’s.

My arrangement stays pretty close to the original with the exception of using one verse for a country style solo.

 

Little Child

“Little Child” was on side two of “Meet the Beatles”, the Capital Records album that introduced he Fab Four to most of us here in the USA. It was a “filler” track — never released as a single here — but it’s pretty good, old-fashioned rock’n’roll.

My instrumental version has a feel similar to the original, and an extended middle section with a touch of Ventures style.

Blue Sky, Blue Sea, Blue Me

“Blue Sky, Blue Sea, Blue Me” is a track from the Shadows 1964 album “Sound of the Shadows”. It was never released as a single. The quality of the Shadows album “filler” tracks is quite remarkable. This is a lovely tune, written by rhythm guitarist Bruce Welch and bassist John Rostill.

Normally I do not bother shooting a video of me playing my arrangements live. It’s quite time-consuming, and I prefer to focus my attention on the arranging and recording processes. However, this song is one of my most favorite of the tunes I’ve done recently, and I also thought I could capture a nice rendition on the 1st take.

1861

This was originally a track on the Shadows 2nd album, “Out of the Shadows”, released in 1962. The track was also used as the “B” side to their #1 UK hit “Foot Tapper”. I could find no documentation about the tune, but the military march feel to the drum part — combined with fact that the title is also the date of the start of the US Civil war — could indicate the track is about that conflict.

Blue Bari Hill

This is my instrumental take on the classic “Blueberry Hill”, retitled because I play the melody on my Baritone guitar.

Spring is Nearly Here

“Spring is Nearly Here” was originally the 3rd track on side 2 of the Shadows 1962 album “Out of the Shadows”. It was written by rhythm guitarist Bruce Welch and drummer Brian Bennett. My arrangement is heavily based on the original, adds an additional guitar part while shortening it overall.