Apache (instrumental)

Composition and original recording

English songwriter and composer Jerry Lordan came up with the tune in the late 1950s. Lordan was inspired to write the song after watching the 1954 American western film Apache, saying that he "wanted something noble and dramatic, reflecting the courage and savagery of the Indian Apache warrior Massai, played by Burt Lancaster.

It was originally recorded by British guitarist Bert Weedon in early 1960, but remained unreleased for several months due to promotion and release problems. However, Lordan did not like Weedon's version of the song, as he thought it was too jaunty. For this reason, whilst on tour with Cliff Richard and the Shadows, Lordan played the song on his ukulele to the Shadows, who liked the song and recorded it in June, quickly releasing it in July 1960.

Around the same time as the Shadows' release of "Apache", Weedon's record label Top Rank finally released his version. Reviewing for Disc, Don Nicholl wrote that Weedon "gets the right mood and atmosphere as he works with drums on this Indian item. There's a flute in the background, too – to give the idea for the raiding party's whoops maybe. A dark noise". The single peaked at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart. After the success of the Shadows' version, Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch wrote "Mr. Guitar" for Weedon as a recompense for overshadowing his version of the song.

Track listing

• 7": Top Rank / JAR-415

1. "Apache" – 2:37
2. "Lonely Guitar" – 2:10

Charts

The Shadows version

| B-side = "Quatermasster's Stores"

Recording

The recording was done at the EMI Abbey Road Studios in London. Singer-guitarist Joe Brown had bought an Italian-built tape echo unit that he did not like and gave it to The Shadows' guitarist Hank Marvin, who developed a distinctive sound using it and the whammy bar of his Fender Stratocaster. Bruce Welch borrowed an acoustic Gibson J-200 guitar from Cliff Richard, the heavy melodic bass was performed by Jet Harris, and drums by Tony Meehan. Richard himself played a Chinese drum at the beginning and end to provide an atmosphere of stereotypically Native American music.

Release and reception

"Apache" was released with the B-side being an instrumental version of the traditional army song "The Quartermaster's Store". The band humorously renamed the song "Quatermasster’s Stores" in reference to the television serial Quatermass and it was arranged by Bill Shepherd.

Record producer and A&R man Norrie Paramor preferred "Quatermasster’s Stores" over "Apache" and wanted it to be released as the A-side. However, he changed his mind after his daughter preferred "Apache".

By 1963 Apache had sold over a million copies in the UK.

It has been cited by a generation of guitarists as inspirational and is considered one of the most influential British rock 45s of the pre-Beatles era. In a 1963 NME article, The Shadows said, "What's the most distinctive sound of our group? We often wondered what it is ourselves. Really, it is the sound we had when we recorded 'Apache' – that kind of Hawaiian sounding lead guitar ... plus the beat".{{cite book

In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Apache" by the Shadows at number 96 on its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.

The Shadows' version of "Apache" was issued as a single in the US in August 1960, but -- as was the case with all Shadows singles -- received minimal attention and did not chart in the US at all. Jorgen Ingmann's version of "Apache" (see below), issued a few months later in both the US and Canada, became the hit version of "Apache" in North America.

UK chart history

The Shadows' "Apache" entered the UK top 40 on 21 July 1960 at number 35, climbing into the top 20 the following week. A fortnight later, the song rose twelve places to number 3 and, on 25 August, deposed "Please Don't Tease" – on which The Shadows backed Cliff Richard – to begin a five-week run at number 1.

On 29 September, "Apache" dropped to number 2, replaced by "Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ricky Valance. The Shadows version proved to be an enduring hit, enjoying a 19-week run in the top 40 which concluded on 24 November, reappearing for one more week on 8 December. During this run, the group's follow-up single "Man of Mystery"/"The Stranger" peaked at number 5, alongside the number 3 success of "Nine Times Out of Ten" (backing Cliff Richard).

According to the UK Official Charts Company, "Apache" was the 28th best-selling single of the 1960s.

Track listing

• 7": Columbia / DB 4484

1. "Apache" – 2:56
2. "Quatermasster's Stores" – 2:20

Personnel

• Hank Marvin – lead guitar
• Bruce Welch – acoustic guitar
• Jet Harris – bass guitar
• Tony Meehan – percussion
• Cliff Richard – Chinese drum

Charts

Jørgen Ingmann version

| B-side = Echo Boogie

• Instrumental rock
• Space age pop
• Metronome B 1445
• ATCO 6184

Danish guitarist Jørgen Ingmann recorded a cover of "Apache" in October 1960 after hearing the Shadows' version, which had recently been released in Denmark. Ingmann had been looking for a B-side to his self-penned song "Echo Boogie" and decided that "Apache" would work. He played all instruments on both tracks, as well as mixing and producing them.

Release and reception

Released in Denmark at the beginning of November by Metronome Records, it was quickly released in the US by ATCO along with a big advertising campaign, where the single was credited as 'Jorgen Ingmann and His Guitar'.

The single entered the US Billboard Hot 100 in the final week of January 1961 and peaked at number two ten weeks later at the beginning of April for two weeks behind "Blue Moon" by the Marcels.

Cliff Richard has said that "Ingmann put in a few tricky bits, but essentially it was a cover job. If the Shads had made the charts there [in the US] with 'Apache', things might have been very different for us".

Track listing

• 7": ATCO / 6184 (US and Canada)

1. "Apache" – 3:00
2. "Echo Boogie" – 3:13

Charts

Incredible Bongo Band version

• Michael Viner
• Perry Botkin Jr. A 1973 version by Michael Viner and a funk group called the Incredible Bongo Band added a bongo drum introduction and included more percussion. The drum break was played by Jim Gordon. Although this version was not a hit on its initial release, it became heavily sampled in early hip hop music, including by Afrika Bambaataa, who cited its influence. It has been sampled by hip hop performers such as The Sugarhill Gang, L.L. Cool J, The Roots and Nas, techno performers The Future Sound of London and Moby, and drum and bass acts J Majik and Goldie.

The 2013 documentary Sample This, directed by Dan Forrer and narrated by Gene Simmons, recounts the story of The Incredible Bongo Band and its recording of "Apache". In 2022, Rolling Stone ranked Incredible Bongo Band's version of the song number 31 in their list of the "200 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time".

The Sugarhill Gang version

| B-side = Rapper's Delight

• Old-school hip hop
• electro
• 3:57 (single)
• 6:09 (album)
• Jerry Lordan
• Sylvia Robinson
• Cheryl Cook
• Michael Wright In 1981, the American rap group known as the Sugarhill Gang covered the Incredible Bongo Band's version of the song on its second album, 8th Wonder (1981). In 1982, this version peaked at No. 53 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No. 51 on the Billboard Dance chart, and No. 13 on the US R&B chart. In 1995, this version was featured in "Viva Lost Wages", a sixth-season episode of an American sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,{{cite episode |series-link=The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air |series-link=The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
• The Lone Ranger (a.k.a. "kemosabe") is mentioned extensively, as well as his sidekick ("Tonto, jump on it! Jump on it! Jump on it!") and his horse (Hi-yo, Silver!' is what I say").
• The lyric "Now what you hear is not a test" recalls the Sugarhill Gang's earlier hit, "Rapper's Delight".
• The instrumental "Popcorn" by Hot Butter (who had released a version of "Apache" as a follow-up to "Popcorn") is referenced via the lyric "(What's that?) Hot buttered popcorn!"
  • The recording engineer for Sugar Hill Records, Steve Jerome, was also a member and engineer for "Popcorn" by Hot Butter.
  • The popcorn and its butter are referenced in lyrics right beforehand, recalling a 1976 Mazola margarine commercial "We Call It Maize" featuring a Native American woman.
  • The "Monster Mash" is mentioned in this song, as well as the Jerk.

A reworked version of this song for children titled simply "Jump on It!" is featured as the title track on the Sugarhill Gang's album Jump On It!. This song differs from the original version with the signature "Jump on it" line being replaced by "Jump up", lyrics encouraging children to learn science, mathematics, and English, and a stronger funk influence.

Other songs sampling the Incredible Bongo Band version

• DJ Grandmaster Flash interpolated parts of the Incredible Bongo Band song "Apache" in his song "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel".
• West Street Mob, a group on the Sugar Hill Records label, made a song which interpolated parts of the "Apache" song by the Incredible Bongo Band; this song was called "Break Dance (Electric Boogie)".
• Boogie Down Productions sampled the break in their 1992 track "Who Are The Pimps?"
• Young MC sampled the break in his 1988 rap "Know How", mixed with Isaac Hayes' "Theme From Shaft".
• MC Zappa sampled various portions of the Incredible Bongo Band version of "Apache" in his song "Supperhero" from his 2020 EP Hindsight.
• MC Hammer sampled the bongo loop in his track "Turn This Mutha Out", off the 1988 album Let's Get It Started.
• Vanilla Ice sampled "Apache" in his hit song "Ninja Rap". It was also sampled in the Ultimix version of "Ice Ice Baby".
• C + C Music Factory sample the start of "Apache" in the song "Things That Make You Go Hmmm..."
• In 1996, Sir Mix-A-Lot played off the lyrics to the Sugarhill Gang's version of "Apache" in his hit "Jump on It", released on the album Return of the Bumpasaurus. The lyrics contain the names of several cities in the United States.
• The British blues singer Amy Winehouse used a sample from "Apache" in her song "In My Bed" produced by Salaam Remi for her 2003 album Frank. Salaam Remi also utilized "Apache" for sampling when he produced NY Rapper Nas' hit single "Made You Look" from his 2002 release God's Son.

Other cover versions

• In February 1961, Sonny James released a vocal music version, which was produced in Nashville by Chet Atkins and was review-rated as a Spotlight Winner in Billboard. It peaked at number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 23 on the retrospective Australian Kent Music Report.
• Dave Allan and the Arrows released a cover as "Apache '65". It peaked at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• In November 1970, English rock group the Edgar Broughton Band released a single "Apache Drop Out", which combined "Apache" with a version of Captain Beefheart's "Drop Out Boogie". The highly unorthodox single reached number 33 on the UK Singles Chart and number 42 in Germany.
• In October 1972, the Moog-based band of session musicians Hot Butter released a cover version of "Apache" as follow-up to their hit "Popcorn". It peaked at number 51 on the UK Singles Chart and number 37 in Germany.
• Tommy Seebach covered the song on his 1979 album Disco Tango.
• In 1987, Dutch band Janse Bagge Bend released a version titled "Awpatsje (Apache)", which peaked at number 83 on the Dutch Single Top 100 chart.
• A cover version played by Ritchie Blackmore appeared on the 1996 compilation Twang! A Tribute To Hank Marvin & The Shadows.
• In 2005, the German band Scooter covered this song as an instrumental for the album Who's Got The Last Laugh Now? in a techno version. Later that year, a single was released which combined elements of "Apache" and "Rock Bottom" from the same album, known as "Apache Rocks the Bottom!". This later appeared on the second disc of the UK edition of its 2008 album Jumping All Over the World. The single was a top-five hit in Denmark and Finland and a top-thirty hit in Germany and Austria.

Interpolations

• Wyclef Jean's "Masquerade" includes the melodic hook played on violin as the song closes.
• "Symphony of the Nymph" (2012) by Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti features a melody from "Apache".
• David Bowie borrowed part of the melody of Apache for the chorus of the song "How Does the Grass Grow?" from his 2013 album The Next Day.

Soundtrack appearances

• An 80-second edit of The Shadows' version was used in the 1989 feature film Scandal about the Profumo affair. It appears as track A2 on the soundtrack album.
• A version of "Apache" was used as the theme to the long-running television show Wild Chicago, which aired in Chicago on PBS.
• Various versions are used in commercials for Jardiance.

Minnesota Lynx

The Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA adopted "Apache" as the unofficial team anthem in 2007. Following victories, the team would dance to the song at center court. For the first home game of the team's first WNBA Finals appearance, the team brought in the Sugarhill Gang to perform the song at halftime.

References

References

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