The use of the

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in 19th-century India. Khusrau K ...

in Western popular music arose in the 1960s due to experimentation by various rock bands such as The Beatles, The Kinks, and The Rolling Stones, While the sitar had earlier been used in

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

and Indian film music, it was from the 1960s onwards that various pop artists in the

Western world The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to various nations and state (polity), states in Western Europe, Northern America, and Australasia; with some debate as to whether those in Eastern Europe and Latin America also const ...

began to experiment with incorporating the sitar, a classical Indian

stringed instrument In musical instrument classification, string instruments, or chordophones, are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer strums, plucks, strikes or sounds the strings in varying manners. Musicians play so ...

, within their compositions. The introduction of the sitar into popular music exposed many Westerners to Indian musical traditions.

Early uses in Western pop music

The use of sitar in popular music started amongst British invasion rock bands in the 1960s. Cultural exchange between India and Britain was common due to the

British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...

and subsequent Indian immigration, making Indian music more familiar to British artists and culture. Before the

was first used on a Western pop recording, the instrument's drone had been imitated on electric guitar by the

Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies, and Pete Quaife. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm ...

on their 1965 single " See My Friends". Another English band,

the Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page (1966–1968), all of whom ...

, hired a sitar player to play the main

riff A riff is a short, repeated motif or figure in the melody or accompaniment of a musical composition. Riffs are most often found in rock music, punk, heavy metal music, Latin, funk, and jazz, although classical music is also sometimes based ...

on their song " Heart Full of Soul", but the group subsequently re-recorded the track without a sitar part. The first pop release to feature sitar was instead " Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)", issued on

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

' ''

Rubber Soul ''Rubber Soul'' is the sixth studio album by the English Rock music, rock band the Beatles. It was released on 3 December 1965 in the United Kingdom on EMI's Parlophone label, accompanied by the non-album double A-side single "We Can Work It Ou ...

'' album in December 1965. With this sitar part,

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

became the first Western musician to play an Indian instrument on a commercial recording. Harrison is recognized as having introduced the sitar to pop music due to the Beatles' popularity and cultural influence. He claims to have first picked up a sitar on the set of the Beatles' 1965 film Help!, though this fact is disputed. Harrison went on to write and record "Love You To" for the Beatles' 1966 album ''

Revolver A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...

,'' which was Harrison's first song entirely composed on Sitar. He went on to compose a number of songs using the sitar including the Indian-Style song "Within You Without You" which features other Indian instruments such as

tabla A ''tabla'' is a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, it has been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music, where it may be played solo, as an accompaniment with other instruments a ...

, svarmandal, tanpura, and dilruba. Following the disbandment of the Beatles, Harrison continued to work with the sitar and remained in touch with Shankar, with Shankar joining Harrison on stage at his 1971 Concert for Bangladesh. In August 1966,

Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter and record producer. He emerged from the British folk scene in early 1965 and subsequently scored multiple international hit singles ...

, a Scottish folk singer, released his sitar-centered album Sunshine Superman, featuring

Shawn Phillips Shawn Phillips (born February 3, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter and musician, primarily influential in the 1960s and 1970s. His work is rooted in folk rock but straddles other genres, including jazz fusion and funk. Phillips has reco ...

on sitar. In early 1966,

Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

guitarist

Brian Jones Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones (28 February 1942 – 3 July 1969) was an English musician and founder of the Rolling Stones. Initially a slide guitarist, he went on to sing backing vocals and played a wide variety of instruments on Rolling Stones r ...

played sitar on " Paint It Black", having received tuition from another protégé of Shankar, Harihar Rao. Jones also used sitar on some tracks on the Rolling Stones' 1967 album '' Their Satanic Majesties Request''. He again played the instrument on "My Little One" in an October 1967 recording session with

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...

, as well as tambura on the Stones' 1968 single " Street Fighting Man".

Widespread popularity, 1966–1968

Shankar credited Harrison with inspiring "the great sitar explosion" in the West, as many rock guitarists similarly adopted the instrument. A fad for sitars in pop songs soon developed, facilitated by the Danelectro Company's 1967 introduction of the first " electric sitar", known as the "Coral Electric Sitar". This instrument was an electric guitar with a distinctive sitar-like sound, rather than an acoustic sitar of the type traditionally made in India. As the electric sitar was much easier to play than the traditional version, it quickly became the preferred choice of many rock musicians. Guitarists such as Harrison, Jones, Phillips, and

Big Jim Sullivan James George Tomkins (14 February 1941 – 2 October 2012), known professionally as Big Jim Sullivan, was an English guitarist. Best known as a session guitarist, he was one of the most in-demand studio musicians in the UK in the 1960s ...

were more dedicated in their approach as sitarists, however. Author Peter Lavezzoli also highlights

Traffic Traffic is the movement of vehicles and pedestrians along land routes. Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic laws and informal rules that may have developed over time to facilitate the orderly an ...

's Dave Mason as a guitarist who displayed an obvious skill as a sitar player. From 1966 onwards, hundreds of songs by pop artists featured sitar. The late 1960s saw the release of songs featuring the sitar that included

Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician and actor. From age eight, he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he began a ...

's "Marshmallow Skies", Scott McKenzie's "

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

The Cyrkle The Cyrkle is an American rock band active from the early to late-1960s, and since 2016. The group has charted two Top 40 hits, "Red Rubber Ball" and "Turn-Down Day". Career The band was formed by guitarists and lead singers Don Dannemann and T ...

's " Turn-Down Day",

The Cowsills The Cowsills are an American singing group from Newport, Rhode Island, six siblings noted for performing professionally and singing harmonies at an early age, later with their mother. The band was formed in early 1965 by brothers Bill Cowsill, B ...

' "The Rain, the Park, and Other Things", John Fred and His Playboy Band's " Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)",

The Turtles The Turtles are an America, American Band (rock and pop), rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The band achieved several Top 40 hits throughout the latter half of the 1960s, including "It Ain't Me Babe" (1965), "You Baby (song), ...

"Sound Asleep", The Stone Poneys "Evergreen", First Edition "

Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) "Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Was In" is a psychedelic rock song written by Mickey Newbury and best known from a version by the First Edition, recorded in 1967 and released to popular success in 1968. Said to reflect the LS ...

", The Chocolate Watch Band's "In the Past", The Box Tops' " Cry Like a Baby" (electric sitar), The Lemon Pipers' "

Green Tambourine "Green Tambourine" is a song written and composed by Paul Leka (who also produced it) and Shelley Pinz. It was the biggest hit by the 1960s Ohio-based rock group the Lemon Pipers, as well as the title track of their debut album, '' Green Tambo ...

" (electric sitar),

's " Paper Sun" and " Hole In My Shoe", Tomorrow's "Real Life Permanent Dream" and

July July is the seventh month of the year in the Julian calendar, Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. It was named by the Roman Senate in honour of Roman general Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., being the month of his birth. Before the ...

's "The Way".

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

had several recordings that feature the electric sitar. These include a 1967 cover of Tommy Tucker's R&B classic " Hi-Heel Sneakers",

Mort Shuman Mortimer Shuman (12 November 1938 – 2 November 1991) was an American singer, pianist and songwriter, best known as co-writer of many 1960s rock and roll hits, including " Viva Las Vegas". He also wrote and sang many songs in French, such as ...

's "You'll Think of Me" (1969), Percy Mayfield's "Stranger in My Own Home Town" (1969) and a cover of the

Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian country, pop and adult contemporary music singer who has sold over 55 million album copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray has won four Grammys including the Grammy ...

country song " Snowbird" (1970). On "Hi-Heel Sneakers" and "Snowbird", the parts were played by session guitarist Harold Bradley, while Reggie Young played the instrument on "You'll Think of Me" and "Stranger in My Own Home Town". The Mamas & The Papas included the sitar on tracks such as "People Like Us", "Snowqueen Of Texas', "Lady Genevieve", "I Wanna Be a Star" and "Grasshopper", and Sergio Mendes & Brazil '66 used it on “Chove Chuva”. Eric Burdon and the Animals played the instrument in the songs "Winds of Change", "No Self Pity", "Orange and Red Beams", "All Is One", "We Love You Lil" and "Monterey". The Strawberry Alarm Clock use the sitar in songs such as "An Angry Young Man", "Black Butter-Present" and " Sit with the Guru". Although often overlooked, some of the most extensive users of the instrument in contemporary music were Mike Heron and Robin Williamson of The Incredible String Band, combining folk, psychedelia with eastern influences in the songs "The Song Has No Ending Parts 1–9", "The Mad Hatter's Song" and "The Iron Stone". Steve Miller Band used sitar in their song "Wild Mountain Honey". Art-rock bands such as

The Moody Blues The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in May 1964. The band initially consisted of Graeme Edge (drums), Denny Laine (guitar/vocals), Mike Pinder (keyboards/vocals), Ray Thomas (multi-instrumentalist/vocals) and Clint W ...

used the sitar on a few albums, particularly '' In Search of the Lost Chord''. The Pretty Things' album '' S.F. Sorrow'' also featured the instrument on a few tracks, as did

Procol Harum Procol Harum () were an English rock music, rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1967. Their best-known recording is the 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", one of the few singles to have sold more than List of best-selling si ...

's song "In Held 'Twas In I", on the segment "Glimpses of Nirvana". Jethro Tull used the sitar on "Fat Man" and "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day", and the Strawbs included the instrument on many of their recordings.

Family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

used sitar in the song "Face in the Cloud", released on the band's 1969 album '' Family Entertainment''.

's hit song " Hurdy Gurdy Man" used a tambura, which can also be heard on songs such as "Sunny South Kensington", "Breezes of Patchouli", "Celeste", "

Guinevere Guinevere ( ; ; , ), also often written in Modern English as Guenevere or Guenever, was, according to Arthurian legend, an early-medieval queen of Great Britain and the wife of King Arthur. First mentioned in literature in the early 12th cen ...

", "Three King Fishers", "Ferris Wheel" and "Fat Angel". Roy Wood from

The Move The Move were a British Rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1965. They scored nine Top 40, top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any real success in the United States. For most of ...

played sitar on " Night of Fear" using the same riffs as

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...

's "

1812 Overture ''The Year 1812, Solemn Overture'', Op. 49, popularly known as the ''1812 Overture'', is a concert overture in E major written in 1880 by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The piece commemorates Russia's successful defense against the ...

", as well as the electric sitar on "Open up said the world at the door". The Dutch band

Shocking Blue Shocking Blue was a Dutch rock band formed in The Hague in 1967. They were part of the Nederbeat movement in the Netherlands. The band had a string of hit songs during the Counterculture of the 1960s, counterculture movement of the 1960s and e ...

used the sitar in many of their songs, most prominently in " Love Buzz", "Acka Raga", "Water Boy", "Hot Sand" and "I'm A Woman".

Richie Havens Richard Pierce Havens (January 21, 1941 – April 22, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His music encompassed elements of folk music, folk, soul music, soul (both of which he frequently cover song, covered), and rhythm and b ...

made extensive use of the sitar in the title track of his second album, '' Something Else Again''. Blue Cheer used both sitar and tabla in their song "Babji (Twilight Raga)".

Subsequent usage

Although the sitar craze had died down by 1970, its distinctive sound had become an indelible part of pop music. Genesis used the electric sitar on " I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)", from their fifth album '' Selling England by the Pound''. Steve Howe of

Yes Yes or YES may refer to: * An affirmative particle in the English language; see yes and no Education * YES Prep Public Schools, Houston, Texas, US * Young Eisner Scholars, in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Appalachia, US * Young Ep ...

used an electric sitar on the band's album '' Close to the Edge''.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were an American rock band formed in Gainesville, Florida, in 1976. The band originally comprised lead singer and rhythm guitarist Tom Petty, lead guitarist Mike Campbell, keyboardist Benmont Tench, drummer ...

used a guitar fitted with a harpsichord-device to simulate a sitar for their 1985 hit " Don't Come Around Here No More". John Renbourn used the instrument prominently during his time with the folk band Pentangle, on songs such as "Once I Had a Sweetheart", "House Carpenter", "Cruel Sister", "Rain and Snow" and "The Snows".

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

used an electric sitar during the intro of their 1991 song "

Wherever I May Roam "Wherever I May Roam" is a song by American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Metallica. It was released in October 1992 as the fourth single from their eponymous fifth album, ''Metallica (album), Metallica''. It reached number 82 on the US ''Bi ...

Beck Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970), known mononymously as Beck, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi mus ...

also used a sitar on his 1993 hit ' Loser'. The sitar is not a regular staple in country music, but it can be heard in Hank Williams Jr.’s A Country Boy Can Survive off his 1981 studio album The Pressure Is On and was played by Reggie Young. Although his period of dedicated sitar study ended in 1968, Harrison continued to champion Indian classical music. In addition to producing recordings by Shankar, Harrison included sitar in " When We Was Fab" and other songs from his solo career, as well as in the

Traveling Wilburys The Traveling Wilburys were a British-American supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 1988, consisting of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. They were a roots rock band and described as "perhaps the biggest sup ...

' 1990 track " The Devil's Been Busy". From the 2010s on, there are still examples of pop artists using the sitar in their music. The sitar is featured prominently in the music of the 2010s Japanese neo-psychedelic band Kikagaku Moyo, played by Ryu Kurosawa. Stu Mackenzie of Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard played sitar on the band's 2013 album Float Along – Fill Your Lungs. Also in 2013,

Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists in hist ...

included the sitar on the track “Legendary Lovers” from the album '' Prism''''.'' The Jack Antanoff fronted band

Bleachers Bleachers (North American English), or stands, are raised, tiered rows of benches found at sports-fields and at other spectator events. Stairways provide access to the horizontal rows of seats, often with every other step enabling access to a ...

utilized an electric sitar on their 2017 single “ Don’t Take The Money” which features

Lorde Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known professionally as Lorde ( ), is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. She is known for her unconventional style of pop music and introspective songwriting, and has been referred to ...

on backup vocals. Pop/Rock artist St. Vincent used the Electric Sitar in “Down,” a single from her 2021 album '' Daddy’s Home'.''

Further Examples

* Behind the Sun -

Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...

* Runaway -

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...

* Colour My World -

Petula Clark Sally "Petula" Clark (born 15 November 1932) is a British singer, actress, and songwriter. She started her professional career as a child actor, child performer and has had the longest career of any British entertainer, spanning more than 85 y ...

*Can't Lose You – Type O Negative * Captain of Your Ship – Reparata and the Delrons (electric sitar) *Carpet Man –

The 5th Dimension The 5th Dimension is an American vocal group. Their music encompasses sunshine pop, pop soul, and psychedelic soul. They were an important crossover music act of the 1960s and 1970s, although both praised and derided for their particular music ...

*Chrome Sitar – T. Rex * " Come and Get Your Love" – Redbone * Do It Again – Denny Dias /

Steely Dan Steely Dan is an American rock band formed in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, in 1971 by Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). Originally having a traditional band lineup, Becker and Fagen cho ...

(electric sitar) * Every Time You Go Away – Paul Young *Greed – Tomi Koivusaari - Amorphis *

Holiday Inn Holiday Inn by IHG is a chain of hotels based in Atlanta, Georgia and a brand of IHG Hotels & Resorts. The chain was founded in 1952 by Kemmons Wilson (1913–2003), who opened the first location in Memphis, Tennessee. The chain was a division ...

–

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

*Hooked On a Feeling – B.J. Thomas * Living on the Ceiling - Blancmange (band) *Mausam and Escape – Asad Khan ( Slumdog Millionaire: Music from the Motion Picture) *Legendary Lovers –

* Metal Heart – AcceptPage about ''Metal Heart'' on Discogs
/ref> *Om – Moody Blues * Pretty Tied Up –

Izzy Stradlin Jeffrey Dean Isbell (born April 8, 1962), known professionally as Izzy Stradlin, is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He was a co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and backing vocalist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he re ...

Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...

* Rolling Home - John Martyn *Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours –

Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...

*The Devil's Been Busy -

*Transdermal Celebration and Tried and True – Ween (electric sitar) * When We Was Fab –

* Band of Gold – Freda Payne * Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) – The Delfonics * Cry Like a Baby – The Box Tops * Love Will Lead You Back – Taylor Dayne * Glass Hammer regularly uses electric sitar in their songs since the addition of guitarist and sitarist Kamran Alan Shikoh to their line-up in 2009 *Blackbird - Bosco and Peck - 2012 *Down – St. Vincent *Don’t Take The Money -

Notes

Sources