50 Golden Greats [IMPORT]

The Shadows

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 7, 2000)
• Original Release Date: February 25, 2003
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Europe Generic
• ASIN: B00004U9MR
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #77,301 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
UK collection of all the great's from one of the world's foremost insrumental groups. Released to commemorate the 40th anniversary of their hit, 'Apache'. This compilation features all their chart successes including their instrumental interpretaions of 'Nights In White Satin', 'Whiter Shade Of Pale', 'Thunderbirds Theme' and 'God Only Knows'. 2000 release. Double slimline jewel case.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All the classic instrumentals, February 7, 2004

By	Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In the early sixties, instrumental hits were a regular feature of the pop charts in Britain and America. There were several great instrumental artists around. America had Duane Eddy, Floyd Cramer, B Bumble and the Stingers and the Ventures, to name a few. Britain had the Shadows and the Tornados. While the Tornados were very successful at the time, most notably with Telstar, the Shadows remained successful for the rest of the century.

The Shadows were also Cliff Richard's backing band and played on most of his hits in the fifties and sixties. Like Cliff, they made little impact in America but any Americans who enjoy the Ventures and Duane Eddy ought to give the Shadows a listen.

This compilation has all their big UK instrumental hits of the sixties and seventies including Apache, Man of mystery, FBI, Wonderful land, Dance on, Foot tapper and Don't cry for me Argentina. They also experimenting by doing a few vocal tracks and some of those are included here, among them being Mary Anne (a UK top ten hit), Don't make my blue, I met a girl, Dreams I dream and Let me be the one (their 1975 Eurovision song - like so many other Brits, they came second). The vocal tracks are good but it is their instrumental skills on which their reputation is built.

Most of their big hits came early in their career. In the eighties and nineties, they gave up worrying about hits and contented themselves with making albums of cover versions. A few covers selected from these albums round off this excellent collection. Among them is Albatross, an early Fleetwood Mac tune that always sounded very like a Shadows track, so it was an obvious tune for them to cover.

The Shadows, like most pop groups, has had its share of line-up changes. Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch , two of the original members, remained with the group throughout. The other two original members, Jet Harris and Tony Meehan, left early on, They teamed up as a duo and had some UK hits of their own including Diamonds. Of the other members that came and went, John Farrar is perhaps the most famous. He joined in 1970 but eventually had to leave because of other commitments - he became producer and songwriter for Olivia Newton John.

If you enjoy guitar instrumental music of the sixties, you'll love the Shadows. This compilation contains all the essentials, though a lot of Shadows music is available on CD for those who wish to explore further.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brings back great memories, October 6, 2000

By	James Bass "Jim Bass" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In 1962, I was an Air Force brat (actually, we were all pretty well behaved) teen living in Germany and developing my musical tastes. The Ventures were popular in the States and my brother I owned all their albums. What our stateside friends never knew was the Shadows and their clean, cool guitar sound. Instrumental music is never huge, and the British Shadows never made it across the pond. Too bad. Their music is fine.

Funny thing is that same year some group calling themselves the Beatles had a song called "Love Me Do" on Armed Forces Radio. I liked it. Two years later, they did make it across the pond. And how.

I had forgotten about the Shadows until today, when I read an interview with Peter Frampton in the LA Times. He mentioned his high regard for Hank Marvin of the Shadows, and that sent me to Amazon to see if their music was available on CD. Good news for me. Good news for anyone who likes straight ahead, pure rock guitar.

One more tidbit: that year Priscilla (Beaulieu) Presley rode the same school bus as me. And yes, she was as beautiful then, too.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars But there's so much more!, May 9, 2005

By	David A. Snook - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A great compilation...but there's so much more! (that's
why I only gave four stars). Both the original Shadows' stuff and their masterful covers never fail to please. These CDs are a teriffic addition to any collection...even if you've heard most of them before.

(By the way, the cover of Mark Knopfler's marvellous 'Going Home' is in and of itself worth the price of the album. Enjoy.)