Apache (instrumental)

"Jump On It" redirects here. For the Sir Mix-a-Lot song, see Jump On It.

“Apache”
single cover
Single by The Shadows
B-side	"Quartermaster's Stores" (Trad: arr Bill Shepherd)
Released	July 1960 United Kingdom
Recorded	17 June 1960, Abbey Road Studios, London
Genre	Rock, Instrumental
Label	Columbia DB4484
Writer(s)	Jerry Lordan
Producer	Norrie Paramor
The Shadows singles chronology
"Saturday Dance" 1959 "Apache" 1960 "Man of Mystery" 1960
Cliff Richard and the Shadows chronology
"Please Don't Tease" (6/1960) "Nine Times Out of Ten" (9/1960)

"Apache" is an instrumental song written by Jerry Lordan. It has been recorded by many artists, but the first released version was recorded by British group The Shadows in June 1960 and released the following month. The song topped the UK singles chart for five weeks. In March 2005, Q magazine placed "Apache" at number 96 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.

In North America, The Shadows' original version of the tune is almost unknown, and the song is identified with Jørgen Ingmann, originally a jazz guitarist from Denmark. In 1961, Ingmann produced a cover version of "Apache" that, billed to "Jørgen Ingmann and His Guitar," made it to number two on the US pop chart in the United States, and hit number one on Canada's CHUM Chart.

A third version of the tune is also of note. A 1973 version by the Incredible Bongo Band, has been called "hip-hop’s national anthem".^[1] Although this version of the song was not a hit upon its initial release, the long percussion break in the middle of the recording has been sampled countless times on numerous best-selling hip-hop, rap and dance tracks from the 1980s onward.

Composition and original recording

Songwriter Jerry Lordan came up with the tune. The name "Apache" reflects the source of Lordan's inspiration for the song: the 1954 American western film Apache.

The original recording of "Apache" was made by British guitarist Bert Weedon in early 1960. However it remained unreleased for several months. In the interim, in mid-1960 The Shadows happened to be on tour, with Lordan as a supporting act. The band discovered "Apache" when Lordan played it to them, reportedly on a ukelele. Lordan figured the tune would fit well with The Shadows style; the band agreed, immediately deciding to record the tune.

Shadows version

The Shadows' recording was done at the EMI Abbey Road Studio in London. Hank Marvin was developing the "Shadows 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 developed a new sound using the chamber coupled with heavy vibrato using the tremolo arm of his Fender Stratocaster. Bruce Welch borrowed an acoustic Gibson J200 guitar from Cliff Richard, which was a revolutionary step for a rock and roll band. These sounds, 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 Chinese drum at the beginning and at the end to provide an atmosphere evocative of stereotypically Native American music.

Record producer Norrie Paramor actually preferred the flip side of "Apache", an instrumental 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".

The Shadows version of "Apache" was considered revolutionary in the UK for its twangy use of guitar and its innovative tribal rhythms. 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.

Later 1960s versions

After the Shadows version began its rise up the UK charts, Bert Weedon's original recording was quickly taken out of the vault and issued. It climbed to #24 in the UK.

However, neither The Shadows nor Weedon's versions had any impact on the North American record charts. Then in 1961, Jørgen Ingmann produced his own 'twangy' multi-tracked cover version of "Apache" that was a huge hit in the US and Canada. From this point on, the song became a staple of instrumental combos on both sides of the Atlantic. Amongst the many recordings of the song, Spanish rock band Los Pekenikes covered "Apache" in 1961; The Ventures in 1962; and Davie Allan and The Arrows in 1965. As well, Sonny James recorded a vocal version in 1962.^[1]

Incredible Bongo Band version (1973)

"Apache" has been cited by Afrika Bambaataa as an important early element of hip hop music with the record being sampled and scratched by many DJs. But it wasn't the hit versions by The Shadows, Ingmann or Weedon that Bambaataa, Kool Herc and the like turned into "hip-hop’s national anthem": it was the 1973 version by Michael Viner and an ad hoc group called the Incredible Bongo Band. They added a distinctive bongo drum intro to the tune, and added more percussion throughout the song.

This version was not a hit upon its initial release, but later became the sampled foundation of several rap and hip-hop classics, being reworked by hip hop performers "ranging from the Sugarhill Gang and L.L. Cool J to The Roots and Nas," not to mention sampling by techno performers Future Sound of London and Moby and drum and bass acts J. Majik and Goldie.^[1]

Hit singles built on samples of The Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache"

Sugarhill Gang: "Apache" (1981)

In 1981, the rap group Sugarhill Gang covered the Incredible Bongo Band version of the song, 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 extensively 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-ho Silver (is what I say)" ends this segment.
• The lyric "What you hear is not a test" references the song "Rapper's Delight".
• The "Popcorn" song by Hot Butter is referenced via this lyric: "What's that? Hot butter popcorn!"
• The "Monster Mash" is mentioned in this song.

Sir Mix-A-Lot: "Jump on It" (1996)

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: "Apache" (1998)

• The Snatch movie soundtrack has an extract of a DJ mix CD (On The Floor At The Boutique) by Fatboy Slim, which contained the Incredible Bongo Band version of Apache.

Other songs that sample The Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache"

• 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 Dancin' (Electric Boogie)".
• Vanilla Ice sampled "Apache" in his hit song "Ninja Rap".
• It was used as the beat on the song "We Run This" on Missy Elliott's album The Cookbook.
• The Beastie Boys used a sample from the Incredible Bongo Band version of Apache in their live version of "Root Down" - most notably the version that appears on the Tibetan Freedom Concert live album.
• UK Songstress Amy Winehouse used a sample from "Apache" on her song "In My Bed" produced by Salaam Remi for her 2003 UK-only release "Frank", "Frank" was released in the US in 2007 after the tremendous success of her initial US release "Back To Black". 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.
• UK rapper M.I.A. made "Apache" the center of her 2005 Radio One B-side "Apache Riddim".
• Also in 2005, Switch[1] extensively sampled the covered version by Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band in A Bit Patchy (wordplay on Apache). It later received remixes by Eric Prydz and Todd Terry.
• Japanese beatbox trio Afra & Incredible Beatbox Band recorded a vocal-only, beatbox version on their 2006 album "I.B.B.".
• Nas sampled IBB's "Apache" in his 2003 single, Made You Look
• Also in 2006, The Federation sampled a piece of the song for their single "I Only Wear My White Tees Once".
• Sampled on the song "Funky" by DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist on their 2007 collaboration, "The Hard Sell".
• The Brixton Hip-Hop group Hijack used a sample in their single Doomsday of Rap.

Other versions

The following are different non-hit, but still notable recordings of "Apache" -- not songs that sample The Incredible Bongo Band's "Apache".

• In 1969, a band called 'The Imposters' released a version entitled Apache '69 on the Mercury label, MF1080. The B side was titled QIII. This was a slightly funky/psych version of the Shadows' original and didn't make a big impression on the charts. History on The Imposters is very scant (non-existent?) but odd copies of the record appear now and then.
• In 1970, The Edgar Broughton Band released "Apache Dropout", a pairing of Captain Beefheart's "Dropout Boogie" and "Apache".
• 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 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 the 1970's the Tennessee Farm Band did a version.
• 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.
• Ska-Dows recorded a ska version of "Apache", including some lyrics, mostly the word "Apache!" shouted repeatedly.
• Wyclef Jean's "Masquerade" includes the melodic hook played on violin as the song closes.
• In 2002 Portishead's Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley recorded a cover version which was released on limited white, green, pink and black vinyl 7" single under the name The Jimi Entley Sound.
• In 2005, the German music team Scooter covered this song in the album Who's Got The Last Laugh Now? in a dance music version. They also made a fusion with their another track "Rock Bottom" from the mentioned album.
• Angel Parra Trio, a Chilean Latin jazz band, covered this song on his 2005 album Playa Solitaria.
• In 2006, French award-winning guitarist Jean-Pierre Danel recorded a version of "Apache" very close to the original, for his album Guitar Connection. The album hit the French charts at #1 and received a double gold disc. The following Top 10 album "Guitar Connection 2" featured a duet by Danel and Shads guitarist Hank Marvin on The Shadows' standard "Nivram" (#14 in the French charts).
• On the 2006 album Hier is Normaal, the Dutch band Normaal made a compilation of instrumental songs of their own and other artists. Apache is also in it. The song, "Varkens Pesten", means literally "bullying pigs".
• On Missy Elliott's album "The Cookbook","We run This" uses Apache as background music.
• "Apache" was covered by the folk band 17 Hippies on their 2007 album Heimlich.
• Junior Brown regularly performs Apache in his live shows.
• Subfocus - A Bit Patchy (features samples of apache)

References

External links

• soul-sides.com: All Roads Lead to Apache (history of various versions of "Apache", including audio samples)