The War Lord (instrumental)
| "The War Lord" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Shadows | ||||
| B-side | "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Arthur" | |||
| Released | 19 November 1965 | |||
| Recorded | 9 October 1965[1] | |||
| Studio | EMI Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Instrumental rock | |||
| Length | 2:16 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Jerome Moross | |||
| The Shadows singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"The War Lord" is an instrumental by British group the Shadows, released as a single in November 1965. It peaked at number 18 on the UK Singles Chart.[2]
Release and reception[edit]
"The War Lord" was written by American Jerome Moross and is the theme tune to Franklin J. Schaffner's 1965 film The War Lord, starring Charlton Heston and Richard Boone.[3] It was recorded by the Shadows in October 1965, a month before the American premiere of the film, although their version was not included on Moross' soundtrack album.[4]
The Shadows' version was released as a single with the B-side "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Arthur", written by their bassist John Rostill.[5] It spent nine weeks in the UK Top 40, peaking at number 18 for two weeks over the 1965–66 Christmas and New Year period.[2]
Reviewing for New Musical Express, Derek Johnson wrote that "rasping, reverberating, low-register Hank Marvin guitar permeates this item, with pounding drums and tambourine added to accentuate the heavy beat" and that "it's a simple melody, insidious in its nagging repetition. The performance is as polished as ever, and it's the most with-it sound the boys have waxed for some time".[6] In Record Mirror, it was described as "a persuasive sort of theme, hall-marked by Shadow professionalism. You'll soon be whistling along with this one. It's compact musicianly – but all with a beat".[7]
"The War Lord" later appeared as the first B-side track on the EP Those Talented Shadows, released in September 1966.[8]
Track listing[edit]
7": Columbia / DB 7769
- "The War Lord" – 2:16
- "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Arthur" – 2:30
Personnel[edit]
- Hank Marvin – electric lead guitar
- Bruce Welch – rhythm guitar, multi-tracked electric rhythm guitar
- John Rostill – electric bass guitar
- Brian Bennett – drums, tambourine, tom-toms, sistrum
Charts[edit]
| Chart (1965–66) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] | 30 |
| Singapore[10] | 5 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[2] | 18 |
References[edit]
- ^ Koers, Ivo. "Instrumentation On Shadows Recordings II: The Primary Singles" (PDF). malcolmcampbell.me.uk. p. 26. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ a b c "Shadows: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ The Story of the Shadows by Mike Read. 1983. Elm Tree books. ISBN 0-241-10861-6
- ^ "Jerome Moross - The War Lord (The Original Sound Track Album)". Discogs. 1965. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
- ^ "The Shadows - The War Lord". 45cat. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
- ^ "Derek Johnson on singles" (PDF). New Musical Express. 19 November 1965. p. 4. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror. 20 November 1965. p. 9. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "The Shadows - A Place In The Sun". 45cat. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
- ^ Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
- ^ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 29 January 1966. p. 32. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
