Wonderful Land (minus strings)

[Didier]

The studio version (take 13) without the orchestral accompaniment was first issued on the 1993 UK compilation CD "Everything Of Value - Rarities 2". The earlier take 8 was released (also without the orchestral accompaniment) on the 1997 UK compilation CD "The Shadows At Abbey Road".

I have "The Shadows at Abbey Road" CD. As everyone knows, the strings and french horns were added by Norrie Paramor while the Shadows were on tour. A successful idea !

Didier

[Dekker9]

I love to listen to The Shadows at Abbey Road. No Orchestra to cover the sound of the original recordings. Bare and unadulterated pure magic,especially "Atlantis" and "The savage" originally known as "witch doctor"

[tolo]

I do think that the strings and horns suit Wonderful Land. They lift it somehow and make it sound more.... wonderful. On the other hand, I don't think that the synth strings added to Apache when played live helped it. I do agree about the 'strings' on Theme For Young Lovers, again, they suit it perfectly.

+1

[Pinner Fan]

The Young Ones without strings (first avialable on The Young Ones EP - by mistake was that ?)) is also far better without the strings.
.

[StuartD]

I always wondered about the Young Ones from the EP. Must have been a mistake!!

[Tigerdaisy]

I don't notice too much the 'missing' strings as the melody is strong enough. I do think Cliff Hall was an excellent addition to the line up though.

[Monty]

I disagree 'The Young Ones' sounds far better WITH strings - as did 'Wonderful Land' with strings and horns added

they don't 'clutter' at all they lift the pieces

on the other hand 'Theme For Young Lovers' sounds great as it is to me - just a pity Bruce forgot to plug in his guitar on the Polydor re-cut later...!

Cliff Hall was talented of course and a good addition on stage, but his keyboards for me DID too often needlessly 'clutter up' their sound on recordings later - and his poppy 'special arrangements' were dreadful !

[iefje]

The basic version of "The Young Ones" was first featured on the mono and stereo issues of the album "The Young Ones", which wasn't a mistake. Norrie Paramor later decided to add strings to the recording for release as a single.
I think Cliff Hall was a good addition to the line-up of the group.

[JimN]

This clip comes from the Dutch TV programme "Rudi Carell Show", which was broadcasted on 8. April 1962.
Hope this helps.
Ulrich

The 8th April?

That was a Sunday, exactly one week before the NMW Pollwinner's Concert at which Jet left The Shadows.

[JimN]

The basic version of "The Young Ones" was first featured on the mono and stereo issues of the album "The Young Ones", which wasn't a mistake. Norrie Paramor later decided to add strings to the recording for release as a single.
I think Cliff Hall was a good addition to the line-up of the group.

A similar string arrangement was added to the variant recording of the song used in the movie (and was very noticeable, particularly during the water-skiing scenes).

Since the film was released on 13th December 1961, clearly, the string arrangement must have been added to the film version quite some time earlier, in order to allow for the (cinematic) soundtrack to be assembled and copied for the dozens and dozens of cinemas up and down the country which would have been ready to play it that week.

The LP was actually released two days later than the film, so the distinction between the orchestral and non-orchestral versions was there right from the very start.

The single was released on Friday 11th January 1962 (most UK records were released on Fridays in those days) and featured the string arrangement (which, like Wonderful Land, only exists in its full form in mono and the later attempts at mock-stereo). The single's label bore the correct copyright date: "RECORDING FIRST PUBLISHED 1962". Although the track was on the LP, it was a different version, so "1962" was right.



Although I no longer have it in my possession, the EP "Hits From The Young Ones" also featured the no-overdub version of The Young Ones and became a noted "want" for many completists in later years when that fact was better known.