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Walk, Don't Run (instrumental)

October 20, 2023

"Walk, Don't Run" is an instrumental composition written and originally recorded by jazz guitarist Johnny Smith in 1954.[1]

It was adapted and re-recorded by Chet Atkins in 1956, and was a track on the LP Hi-Fi In Focus. This arrangement was the inspiration for the version by The Ventures in 1960 (though the Ventures' arrangement is recognizably different from Atkins' finger-picked style) and achieved world-wide recognition, being regarded by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.

The Ventures recording Edit

"Walk, Don't Run"
Single by The Ventures
from the album Walk, Don't Run
B-side
  • "Home" (Blue Horizon & first Dolton (No. 25) pressings, British pressing)
  • "The McCoy" (later Dolton (No. 25-X) pressings)
ReleasedJune 1960
GenreInstrumental rock, surf rock
Length2:00
LabelBlue Horizon (USA)
Dolton (USA), Reo (Canada), Top Rank (UK)
Songwriter(s)Johnny Smith
The Ventures singles chronology
"The Real McCoy"
(1959) 		"Walk, Don't Run"
(1960) 		"Perfidia"
(1960)

After hearing a Chet Atkins recording of "Walk, Don't Run", the Tacoma-based instrumental rock band The Ventures released their version of the tune as a single in spring 1960 on Dolton Records. This version made the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 2 and kept out of the number 1 spot by "It's Now or Never" by Elvis Presley.[2] "Walk, Don't Run" also made the US Hot R&B Sides chart, where it went to number 13.[3] The instrumental reached number 3 on the Cash Box magazine chart for five weeks in August and September 1960.[4] In Canada, the song reached #1 on August 29, 1960.[5] The Dolton release of this record had two backing sides, the first release (Dolton 25) had "Home", and after initial sales were so great, the B-side was replaced with a Bogle–Wilson original composition, "The McCoy" (Dolton 25-X), to gain royalties.

Personnel on this record were Bob Bogle – lead guitar, Don Wilson – rhythm guitar, Nokie Edwards – bass, and Skip Moore – drums. It was recorded and engineered by Joe Boles, who had a basement studio in his home in Seattle, Washington. He also engineered the band's first two albums. This version of the song follows the musical structure known as the Andalusian cadence, which originated from Flamenco, although the Ventures' version replaces the vi chord (relative to C major) with a VI chord, A major.[6]

This single, the Ventures' first national release, became a huge hit and vaulted the group to stardom. The song was recorded before the band officially had a drummer. The Ventures' website lists the drummer on "Walk, Don't Run" as Skip Moore. Moore was not interested in touring and never was a full-time member of the band. As payment for his session work, Moore was given the choice of $25 or 25% of any royalties from sales of the single. He took the $25.[7] Bob Bogle played the lead guitar part on this first Ventures recording of the song. The band later rerecorded the song in 1964 (see below), and became the first band to score two top ten hits with two versions of the same tune.

"Walk, Don't Run" was included on the compilation album 15 Hits: The Original Recordings released by Liberty Records in 1962. And in 1991 the song was included on the compilation CD 24 Greatest Hits of All Time in the EMI Legends of Rock n' Roll Series.

In the UK, the tune was covered by the John Barry Seven, whose version, while only peaking at number 11 on the Record Retailer chart, compared to the Ventures' number 8, outcharted them by reaching the Top 10 on other UK charts, such as that of the NME.

In July 2003, the tune was recorded by Ventures guitarist Nokie Edwards and the Light Crust Doughboys for the album Guitars Over Texas. This version is known for its jazz-inflected second verse and the use of keyboards in place of rhythm guitar.[8]

Critical reception Edit

Rolling Stone magazine rated the Ventures' version of "Walk, Don't Run" as number 82 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.

Walk, Don't Run '64 Edit

"Walk, Don't Run '64"
Single by The Ventures
from the album Walk, Don't Run, Vol. 2
B-side"The Cruel Sea"
Released1964
Length2:23
LabelDolton (USA)
Songwriter(s)Johnny Smith
The Ventures singles chronology
"Fugitive"
(1963) 		"Walk, Don't Run '64"
(1964) 		"Memphis"
(1964)

"Walk, Don't Run '64" is an updated The Ventures recording that features a guitar style more similar to that of "Misirlou", and is notable for starting with a "fade-in" (as opposed to many songs of the era that ended with a "fade out"). In this version, the lead guitarist and bass player from the original switched roles, with Edwards handling the lead parts and Bogle the bass. It reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart,[9] and number 9 on the Cash Box chart in 1964.[citation needed] In Canada, the song reached #24.[10]

The B-side, "The Cruel Sea", was a version of the Dakotas' 1963 single. Both recordings featured Nokie Edwards playing the lead guitar part.

The recording was used in 2000 for the dancing scene in the Australian movie The Goddess of 1967 by Clara Law.

Johnny Smith Edit

"Walk, Don't Run" was written by Smith in 1954, who was inspired by the song "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" by Romberg and Hammerstein.[11] Smith, a jazz musician who had backed singers such as Patrice Munsel performing the song, composed "Walk, Don't Run" as a contrafact, using the chord progression from "Softly..." as the basis for his melody, which he keyed in D minor.[1] Smith included the piece on his 1954 album In A Sentimental Mood using a title chosen by his producer, Teddy Reig. It was also on Smith's 1956 album, Moods.[1]

In 1967, Johnny Smith recorded a new and more up-tempo arrangement with Hank Jones, George Duvivier, and Don Lamond on his album Johnny Smith's Kaleidoscope.[12]

In 1998 Smith was awarded the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal for his contribution to music; the citation singled out “the genesis of 'Walk, Don't Run',” as well as “his manifold accomplishments” and their “profound and pervasive influence on the role of the guitar in contemporary popular culture.”[11]

Chet Atkins Edit

In 1957 Chet Atkins recorded a popular rendition of the song for his album Hi-Fi in Focus. He did so after discussing the matter with Smith, who was pleased with the arrangement.[1] Atkins played his arrangement in A minor, using fingerstyle and including the bass notes A,G,F, and E. This later became the basis for the Ventures' arrangement. Other cover versions include those by the Shadows, Agent Orange, Zapatón, Steve Howe, Glen Campbell, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Tommy Leonetti, and the Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

Selected recorded versions Edit

Appearances in feature length films Edit

See also Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c d Stringham, Bart (November 2005). . Just Jazz Guitar (45): 42. Archived from the original on 2017-07-01. Retrieved 2013-11-14.
  2. ^ "Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 602.
  4. ^ "Cash Box Top Singles – 1960". Cashbox. Retrieved 2014-10-15.
  5. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - August 29, 1960".
  6. ^ "The Ventures "Walk, don't run"". Musicnotes.com. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 2015-12-13.
  7. ^ "Artist Biography by Eugene Chadbourne". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-04-03.
  8. ^ a b "Art Greenhaw Music CD's & Cassettes". The Connextion. Retrieved 2014-10-15.
  9. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 884.
  10. ^ "RPM Magazine - September 21, 1964 - page 7" (PDF).
  11. ^ a b Campbell, Bob (March 15, 2001). . Colorado Springs Independent. Colorado Springs, Colorado. Archived from the original on August 24, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2011.
  12. ^ Flanagan, Lin (2015). Moonlight in Vermont: The Official Biography of Johnny Smith. Anaheim Hills: Centerstream Publishing. p. 220. ISBN 978-1-57424-322-2.

External links Edit

  • Walk, Don't Run Documentary produced by Full Focus

October 20, 2023
walk, instrumental, walk, instrumental, composition, written, originally, recorded, jazz, guitarist, johnny, smith, 1954, adapted, recorded, chet, atkins, 1956, track, focus, this, arrangement, inspiration, version, ventures, 1960, though, ventures, arrangemen. Walk Don t Run is an instrumental composition written and originally recorded by jazz guitarist Johnny Smith in 1954 1 It was adapted and re recorded by Chet Atkins in 1956 and was a track on the LP Hi Fi In Focus This arrangement was the inspiration for the version by The Ventures in 1960 though the Ventures arrangement is recognizably different from Atkins finger picked style and achieved world wide recognition being regarded by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time Contents 1 The Ventures recording 1 1 Critical reception 1 2 Walk Don t Run 64 2 Johnny Smith 3 Chet Atkins 4 Selected recorded versions 5 Appearances in feature length films 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksThe Ventures recording Edit Walk Don t Run Single by The Venturesfrom the album Walk Don t RunB side Home Blue Horizon amp first Dolton No 25 pressings British pressing The McCoy later Dolton No 25 X pressings ReleasedJune 1960GenreInstrumental rock surf rockLength2 00LabelBlue Horizon USA Dolton USA Reo Canada Top Rank UK Songwriter s Johnny SmithThe Ventures singles chronology The Real McCoy 1959 Walk Don t Run 1960 Perfidia 1960 After hearing a Chet Atkins recording of Walk Don t Run the Tacoma based instrumental rock band The Ventures released their version of the tune as a single in spring 1960 on Dolton Records This version made the Billboard Hot 100 chart peaking at number 2 and kept out of the number 1 spot by It s Now or Never by Elvis Presley 2 Walk Don t Run also made the US Hot R amp B Sides chart where it went to number 13 3 The instrumental reached number 3 on the Cash Box magazine chart for five weeks in August and September 1960 4 In Canada the song reached 1 on August 29 1960 5 The Dolton release of this record had two backing sides the first release Dolton 25 had Home and after initial sales were so great the B side was replaced with a Bogle Wilson original composition The McCoy Dolton 25 X to gain royalties Personnel on this record were Bob Bogle lead guitar Don Wilson rhythm guitar Nokie Edwards bass and Skip Moore drums It was recorded and engineered by Joe Boles who had a basement studio in his home in Seattle Washington He also engineered the band s first two albums This version of the song follows the musical structure known as the Andalusian cadence which originated from Flamenco although the Ventures version replaces the vi chord relative to C major with a VI chord A major 6 This single the Ventures first national release became a huge hit and vaulted the group to stardom The song was recorded before the band officially had a drummer The Ventures website lists the drummer on Walk Don t Run as Skip Moore Moore was not interested in touring and never was a full time member of the band As payment for his session work Moore was given the choice of 25 or 25 of any royalties from sales of the single He took the 25 7 Bob Bogle played the lead guitar part on this first Ventures recording of the song The band later rerecorded the song in 1964 see below and became the first band to score two top ten hits with two versions of the same tune Walk Don t Run was included on the compilation album 15 Hits The Original Recordings released by Liberty Records in 1962 And in 1991 the song was included on the compilation CD 24 Greatest Hits of All Time in the EMI Legends of Rock n Roll Series In the UK the tune was covered by the John Barry Seven whose version while only peaking at number 11 on the Record Retailer chart compared to the Ventures number 8 outcharted them by reaching the Top 10 on other UK charts such as that of the NME In July 2003 the tune was recorded by Ventures guitarist Nokie Edwards and the Light Crust Doughboys for the album Guitars Over Texas This version is known for its jazz inflected second verse and the use of keyboards in place of rhythm guitar 8 Critical reception Edit Rolling Stone magazine rated the Ventures version of Walk Don t Run as number 82 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time Walk Don t Run 64 Edit Walk Don t Run 64 Single by The Venturesfrom the album Walk Don t Run Vol 2B side The Cruel Sea Released1964Length2 23LabelDolton USA Songwriter s Johnny SmithThe Ventures singles chronology Fugitive 1963 Walk Don t Run 64 1964 Memphis 1964 Walk Don t Run 64 is an updated The Ventures recording that features a guitar style more similar to that of Misirlou and is notable for starting with a fade in as opposed to many songs of the era that ended with a fade out In this version the lead guitarist and bass player from the original switched roles with Edwards handling the lead parts and Bogle the bass It reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart 9 and number 9 on the Cash Box chart in 1964 citation needed In Canada the song reached 24 10 The B side The Cruel Sea was a version of the Dakotas 1963 single Both recordings featured Nokie Edwards playing the lead guitar part The recording was used in 2000 for the dancing scene in the Australian movie The Goddess of 1967 by Clara Law Johnny Smith Edit Walk Don t Run was written by Smith in 1954 who was inspired by the song Softly as in a Morning Sunrise by Romberg and Hammerstein 11 Smith a jazz musician who had backed singers such as Patrice Munsel performing the song composed Walk Don t Run as a contrafact using the chord progression from Softly as the basis for his melody which he keyed in D minor 1 Smith included the piece on his 1954 album In A Sentimental Mood using a title chosen by his producer Teddy Reig It was also on Smith s 1956 album Moods 1 In 1967 Johnny Smith recorded a new and more up tempo arrangement with Hank Jones George Duvivier and Don Lamond on his album Johnny Smith s Kaleidoscope 12 In 1998 Smith was awarded the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal for his contribution to music the citation singled out the genesis of Walk Don t Run as well as his manifold accomplishments and their profound and pervasive influence on the role of the guitar in contemporary popular culture 11 Chet Atkins EditIn 1957 Chet Atkins recorded a popular rendition of the song for his album Hi Fi in Focus He did so after discussing the matter with Smith who was pleased with the arrangement 1 Atkins played his arrangement in A minor using fingerstyle and including the bass notes A G F and E This later became the basis for the Ventures arrangement Other cover versions include those by the Shadows Agent Orange Zapaton Steve Howe Glen Campbell Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Tommy Leonetti and the Penguin Cafe Orchestra Selected recorded versions Edit1954 Johnny Smith 1957 Chet Atkins 1960 The Ventures 1960 The John Barry Seven featuring Vic Flick on guitar 1960 Les Fantomes 1963 Bijele Strijele 1963 Count Basie arranged by Quincy Jones 1964 Tommy Leonetti with new lyrics written by Dottie Faye 1965 Glen Campbell 1965 Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass 1967 Johnny Smith 1971 Led Zeppelin Live in Los Angeles CA The Ventures version 1972 Pink Fairies 1973 Sha Na Na 1974 Mike Auldridge 1977 The Shadows 1981 The Penguin Cafe Orchestra 1983 JFA band Jodie Foster s Army 1984 Kazumi Watanabe 1992 Those Darn Accordions performed entirely on accordions 1993 California Guitar Trio 1994 Jeff Beck Little Big League soundtrack The Ventures version 1998 Steve Howe 1999 Johnny A 2003 Nokie Edwards and the Light Crust Doughboys 8 2004 Terrafolk as a medley featuring also Music for a Found Harmonium Appearances in feature length films Edit1988 Aloha Summer 1988 Crocodile Dundee II 1993 Wayne s World 2 1993 Matinee 1999 American Pie 2000 The Goddess of 1967 2010 Flipped 2014 Pawn SacrificeSee also EditList of jazz contrafactsReferences Edit a b c d Stringham Bart November 2005 The Song That Launched A Thousand Ships filled with guitar players Just Jazz Guitar 45 42 Archived from the original on 2017 07 01 Retrieved 2013 11 14 Top 100 Songs Billboard Hot 100 Chart Billboard com Retrieved February 12 2020 Whitburn Joel 2004 Top R amp B Hip Hop Singles 1942 2004 Record Research p 602 Cash Box Top Singles 1960 Cashbox Retrieved 2014 10 15 CHUM Hit Parade August 29 1960 The Ventures Walk don t run Musicnotes com 31 October 2006 Retrieved 2015 12 13 Artist Biography by Eugene Chadbourne AllMusic Retrieved 2018 04 03 a b Art Greenhaw Music CD s amp Cassettes The Connextion Retrieved 2014 10 15 Whitburn Joel 2013 Joel Whitburn s Top Pop Singles 14th Edition 1955 2012 Record Research p 884 RPM Magazine September 21 1964 page 7 PDF a b Campbell Bob March 15 2001 Guitar Legend Johnny Smith Alive and Well in Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Independent Colorado Springs Colorado Archived from the original on August 24 2010 Retrieved May 2 2011 Flanagan Lin 2015 Moonlight in Vermont The Official Biography of Johnny Smith Anaheim Hills Centerstream Publishing p 220 ISBN 978 1 57424 322 2 External links EditWalk Don t Run Documentary produced by Full Focus Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Walk Don 27t Run instrumental amp oldid 1173921948, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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