| "F.B.I." | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Shadows | ||||
| B-side | "Midnight" | |||
| Released | 3 February 1961 | |||
| Recorded | 13 September 1960 [1] | |||
| Studio | EMI Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Instrumental rock | |||
| Length | 2:18 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Composer(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Norrie Paramor | |||
| The Shadows singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"F.B.I." is an instrumental rock tune recorded by the British group the Shadows and released as a single in February 1961. It spent 19 weeks in the UK Singles Chart reaching number 6 in mid-February and mid-March 1961. [2]
"F.B.I." was written by the Shadows' Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch and Jet Harris, but due to complicated publishing contracts it was credited to their manager Peter Gormley. [3] The actual composers' names never appeared on the credits. It was released as a single by EMI on the Columbia label, with the B-side "Midnight", written by Marvin and Welch. [4] It was released in the United States and Canada in July 1961 on Atlantic Records with "The Frightened City", written by Norrie Paramor, as the B-side. [5]
Reviewing for Disc , Don Nicholl described "F.B.I." as "a quick moving melody that may not quite live up to the implications of the title – but which is a very contagious thing all the same". He also wrote the "Midnight" "seems pretty obviously to have been inspired (consciously or not) by "Sleep Walker". The same sliding electric guitar technique is used for a similarly lazy melody". [6]
7": Columbia / DB 4580
7": Atlantic / 2111 (US and Canada)
| Chart (1961) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report) [7] | 60 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [8] | 18 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [9] | 16 |
| Canada (Vancouver CFUN) [10] | 24 |
| France [11] | 3 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) [12] | 18 |
| New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade) [13] | 3 |
| UK Singles (OCC) [2] | 6 |
Hank Brian Marvin is an English multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is known as the lead guitarist for the Shadows.
Herbert Maurice William Weedon, OBE was an English guitarist whose style of playing was popular and influential during the 1950s and 1960s. He was the first British guitarist to have a hit record in the UK Singles Chart, in 1959, and his best-selling tutorial, Play in a Day, was a major influence on many leading British musicians, such as Eric Clapton, Brian May and Paul McCartney. He was awarded an OBE in 2001 for his "services to music".
The Shadows were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the late 1950s and early 1960s, in the pre-Beatles era. They served as the backing band for Cliff Richard from 1958 to 1968, and have joined him for several reunion tours.
Bruce Welch is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, singer and businessman best known as a founding member of the Shadows.
"The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt" is an instrumental by British group the Shadows. It peaked at number 5 in the UK Singles Chart.
"Dance On!" is an instrumental by British group the Shadows, released as a single in December 1962. It went to number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and the Irish Singles Chart. A vocal version, with lyrics by Marcel Stellman, was recorded by British female vocalist Kathy Kirby, whose version reached number 11 on the UK chart in September 1963.
"I Love You" is the fourth UK number-one hit single by Cliff Richard and the Shadows. It was written by the Shadows' rhythm guitarist Bruce Welch. Released in November 1960, it was a Christmas No. 1 and stayed at the chart summit for two weeks, although it did not carry a traditional holiday theme. The song also reached No. 1 in New Zealand. and also India.
"Wonderful Land" is an instrumental piece written by Jerry Lordan and first recorded and released as a single by The Shadows in February 1962. It stayed at number one for eight weeks on the UK Singles Chart, a feat only Elvis Presley, the Shadows and the Archies managed in the whole of the 1960s.
The solo discography of British rock group the Shadows consists of 21 studio albums, five live albums, 25 EPs and 67 singles. They are known for having been the backing group for Cliff Richard in the 1950s and 1960s; however, they were also extremely successful without Richard, and had several number-one hits, notably their first "Apache" in 1960.
The Shadows to the Fore was an EP by The Shadows, released in May 1961. The EP was released as a 7-inch vinyl record in mono with the catalogue number Columbia SEG 8094. The Shadows to the Fore was the UK number-one EP for 28 weeks, having three separate stints at the top of the chart from June 1961 until May 1962.
The Shadows is an EP by The Shadows, released in January 1961. The EP is a 7-inch vinyl record and released in mono with the catalogue number Columbia SEG 8061 and in stereo with the catalogue number Columbia ESG 7834. The Shadows was the UK number-one EP for 20 weeks, having two separate stints at the top of the chart from January to June 1961. The cover photograph was taken by Angus McBean. The original picture showed Cliff together with the Shadows, however the layout for the EP was adapted and Cliff was replaced by yellow triangles.
"Apache" is a song written by Jerry Lordan and first recorded by Bert Weedon. Lordan played the song on ukulele to the Shadows while on tour and, liking the song, the group released their own version which topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks in mid-1960. The Shadows' guitarist Hank Marvin developed the song's distinctive echo and vibrato sound. After hearing the Shadows' version, Danish guitarist Jørgen Ingmann released a cover of the song in November 1960 which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US.
"A Voice in the Wilderness" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in January 1960. It peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and also received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.
"Fall in Love with You" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in March 1960. It peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart and also received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.
"Maria Ninguém" is a song written by Carlos Lyra and first released by Brazilian bossa nova singer João Gilberto on his album Chega de Saudade in April 1959. It has been covered by numerous artists, most notably by Cliff Richard, who sang a Spanish-language version titled "Maria No Mas".
"I Could Easily Fall (In Love with You)" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in November 1964 from their album Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp. It peaked at number 6 on the UK Singles Chart and received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.
"Man of Mystery" is an instrumental rock piece by the Shadows, released as a single in November 1960. It peaked at number 5 on the UK Singles Chart.
"The Frightened City" is a song by British group the Shadows, released as a single in April 1961. It peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Lessons in Love" is a song written by Sy Soloway and Shirley Wolfe and was first recorded by American teenage singer Jeri Lynne Fraser and released as a single in May 1961. The song has had chart success with covers by Cliff Richard and the Shadows and the Allisons.
"Don't Make My Baby Blue" is a song by Frankie Laine, released as a single in March 1963. It peaked at number 51 on Billboard Hot 100. It was later covered by the Shadows, who had a hit with it in the UK. Laine also recorded the song in Spanish, Italian and German.
