"Theme for Young Lovers" is an

instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to inst ...

by British group

the Shadows The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) 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 ...

, released as a single in February 1964. It peaked at number 12 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

Release and reception

Despeite being written by the Shadows'

Bruce Welch Bruce Welch (born 2 November 1941 as Bruce Cripps) is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, singer and businessman best known as a founding member of the Shadows. Biography Welch's parents (Stan Cripps and Grace Welch) moved him to 15 B ...

, he does not actually feature on the recording as he was not in the studio during the recording session. Instead, his part, the acoustic rhythm guitar, was played by

Hank Marvin Hank Brian Marvin (born Brian Robson Rankin, 28 October 1941) is an English multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and songwriter. He is widely known as the lead guitarist for The Shadows, a group which primarily performed instrumentals and was the ba ...

. It was also the last Shadows recording to feature bassist

Brian Locking Brian Locking (22 December 1938 – 8 October 2020) was an English musician and songwriter known for his brief tenure as bassist with '' The Wildcats'' in 1956 and The Shadows, between 1962 and 1963. During his time with the Shadows he appeare ...

, who left the group before the release of their previous single "

Geronimo Geronimo ( apm, Goyaałé, , ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache b ...

", being replaced by John Rostill. It was the lead single from the film '' Wonderful Life'', featuring

Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million ...

, and was included on the soundtrack album by Richard and the Shadows. The B-side "This Hammer" is a traditional song, originally titled "

Take This Hammer "Take This Hammer" ( Roud 4299, AFS 745B1) is a prison, logging, and railroad work song, which has the same Roud number as another song, "Nine Pound Hammer", with which it shares verses. " Swannanoa Tunnel" and "Asheville Junction" are similar. T ...

" and was arranged by the Shadows. Reviewed in ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the '' NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in '' ...

'', "Theme for Young Lovers" was described as an "easy on the ear treatment of a number from the film "Wonderful Life". It's a delicate sounding slower-than-usual number which should give them a pretty big hit once more". For '' Disc'', Don Nicholl wrote that "at first hearing, the line appears simple enough with roots, perhaps, in an old Scottish folk item. But I find it takes a few spins before you're able to remember it properly. It's a soothing guitar special".

Track listing

7": Columbia / DB 7231 # "Theme for Young Lovers" – 2:38 # " This Hammer" – 2:68 7": Atlantic / 45-2235 (US) # "Theme for Young Lovers" – 2:41 # "

The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt "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. Release and reception "The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt" was written by all members of the Shadows. Flingel Bun ...

" – 2:42

Personnel

– electric lead guitar, acoustic rhythm guitar * Brian "Licorice" Locking – electric bass guitar *

Brian Bennett Brian Laurence Bennett, (born 9 February 1940) is an English drummer, pianist, composer and producer of popular music. He is best known as the drummer of the UK rock and roll group the Shadows. He is the father of musician and Shadows band me ...

– drums,

tom-toms A tom drum is a cylindrical drum with no snares, named from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala language. It was added to the drum kit in the early part of the 20th century. Most toms range in size between in diameter, though floor toms can go as la ...

Charts

References

{{Authority control 1964 singles 1964 songs The Shadows songs Columbia Graphophone Company singles Rock instrumentals Songs written by Bruce Welch 1960s instrumentals Percy Faith songs