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This month marks the 60th anniversary of the release of probably The Shadows' biggest hit single in the UK: "Wonderful Land". Recorded by Hank, Bruce, Jet and Tony on Friday, May the 12th, 1961, overdubbed on Thursday, July the 6th, 1961 by Tony (tom-tom overdub and extra drumming) and completed by Norrie Paramor on Thursday, January the 18th, 1962 with strings and brass. The completed track gave The Shadows their third number 1 hit single in the UK.

It was the first record I ever bought, I saved my paper round money and purchased it for 6s 8p from the Pinxton Co-op electrical shop in South Normanton when I was 14 years old. It will also be last tune played at my funeral

The first record I bought without hearing it first - a committed fan by then and it needed a 6 mile round cycle ride to boot.

Not impressed at first but then it became the pinnacle somehow, and still growing after all these years. Also a funeral choice!

Something magic about that recording - never quite recaptured.

It's my father's all time favourite Shadows track. He bought it too in 1962 and still has that same copy of the record. I absolutely agree that it has something magical about it. The title is definitive too.

It was a bright idea from Norrie Paramor to add strings and horns. It stayed 8 weeks #1 in the charts whch I believe is unmatched.

Didier

I first heard it on Juke Box Jury and I can still remember the shiver it sent down my spine. It was voted a hit, of course.

Didier wrote:It was a bright idea from Norrie Paramor to add strings and horns. It stayed 8 weeks #1 in the charts whch I believe is unmatched.

Didier

This magical tune is also my favourite performance by the band and Norrie - and also a funeral choice. It has been eclipsed several times though as far as a #1 run is concerned - by some margin...

Interesting that nothing in the last 25 years has has a long stay in the No1 slot. Does that say something about modern music or the short attention span of folk these days before moving on the the next "Thing"

artyman wrote:Interesting that nothing in the last 25 years has has a long stay in the No1 slot. Does that say something about modern music or the short attention span of folk these days before moving on the the next "Thing"

I think it’s more to do with the collapse of singles sale

tolo wrote:

Didier wrote:It was a bright idea from Norrie Paramor to add strings and horns. It stayed 8 weeks #1 in the charts whch I believe is unmatched.

Didier

This magical tune is also my favourite performance by the band and Norrie - and also a funeral choice. It has been eclipsed several times though as far as a #1 run is concerned - by some margin...

Re. the table in Tony's post...these were all vocals, though. I think Wonderful Land has still had the longest run at No. 1 for an instrumental. Although other instrumentals (Stranger on the Shore, Albatross...etc.) may have sold more. Jerry Lordan certainly had a unique talent for composing melodies. And coupled with the talents of Hank, Bruce, Jet, Tony and Norrie...

I've requested Atlantis at my funeral, though. Along with Is That All There Is? by Peggy Lee.