One of the most popular instrumentals of all-time on 45s, it was the only hit for the band that first recorded it…and the signature song of the band that rode it off to stardom. For a good summer listen, you remember ‘Pipeline’?
If you read the most recent FAQs from Press Pros readers, someone wrote to ask, “Why do you post music stories on a sports site. Not my thing.”
Well, we do it because we can. We do it because it’s fun. And we do it because a lot of people tell us they enjoy their nostalgic music from the past…more than you might believe. They’re out there, they send us song requests, and complain because we don’t do it more.
Someone who grew up in the 60s wrote asking for the story behind their favorite childhood song, Pipeline, which they erroneously attributed to guitarist Duane Eddy. Eddy, indeed, did record the song in 1992, but that was thirty years after Pipeline became the one, and only, hit for a group of boys out of California who called themselves the Chantays. Written for them by an obscure song writer name Robert Burns, they recorded it in 1962 on an even more obscure record label called Downy Records.
People loved it as an AM radio instrumental, one of a string of surfing songs coming out of California at the time by bands like the Beach Boys (Surfin’ USA), and Jan and Dean (Surf City).
But Pipeline was different because it was a cleverly put together guitar ensemble featuring the bass guitar, accompanied by the rhythm and lead guitar. People who understood what they were hearing called it an ‘upside down’ mix of instruments. And it was different enough to boom on local radio stations around the country, and was eventually picked up for nationwide distribution by Dot Records. It’s defining feature was a descending chord opening called an Arberti bass arpeggio. And no one knew what that was, they just liked the sound which was repeated between choruses throughout the tune.
While the Chantays would record a myriad of surfing tunes, Pipeline was their only hit, and often covered by other guitarists and bands. None better, however, than a group called the Ventures, who presented their own version in 1963 on their album, ‘Surfing’. Featuring drummer Mel Taylor, and guitarists Bob Bogle, Nokie Edwards, and Gerry McGee…if you’re not familiar with the Ventures you might remember their litany of instrumental hits, including Walk, Don’t Run, Wipeout, and the theme for the TV show, Hawaii Five-O, which became another instrumental mega hit, released in 1969.
61 years later, Pipeline is still regarded as the most popular surfing song of all time, and the Ventures, with over 100 million records sold, are the biggest selling instrumental band of all time, inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame in 2008.
If you’re at least 70 years old you’re going to remember what was then regarded as one of the top ten instrumentals of the 20th century, and the fun times that it accompanied growing up in the 60s.
If you were born in the 21st century, you’re going to recognize the tune because of its quality, the instrumentation, and the fact that it’s been recorded and played a billion times.
It’s one for summer listening, and a lot of people’s “thing” once upon a time.
Just because we can…Pipeline!
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