Post #533538 by molo on Tue, Jun 1, 2010 5:43 PM

On 2010-05-18 20:28, aquarj wrote:
The Five-O theme is not a Ventures' original. The original score used in the show is composed by Morton Stevens and played by the CBS orchestra. The Ventures made a record covering the song, which sold very well. (That's NOT a criticism. They did an outstanding cover - so much that it's more often associated with them than the real original.)

The Ventures cover, which followed on the heels of the Mort Stevens' original, also played a big part in the early success of the show. It was their recording that caught the attention of the public at large when it hit the airwaves, which helped increase awareness of the new series (which was having trouble competing head to head with the popular comedy show 'Rowin & Martin's Laugh-In' at that time). So it could be stated that both helped each other instrumentally.

On 2010-05-20 14:52, Thortiki wrote:
The VENTURES recording of Mort Stevens Theme from Hawaii Five O was a big factor in pushing up the ratings for the TV show & was a 2nd coming for the group in record sales/interest. It remains along with Walk Don't Run their two most famous single recordings. At the time the group was Don Wilson, Bob Bogle, Jerry McGee & Mel Taylor (Nokie Edwards had left the group for a period)

Exactly right, with one exception. When the Ventures recorded their take of 'Hawaii Five-O' in the spring of 1968, Gerry McGee had yet to join the band. So the debate rages on: Either sessions ace Tommy Tedesco performed the lead lick, or Nokie Edwards - or both (via overdub)! As things stand, both have laid their claims. The group's record label didn't release this single until after the TV series had launched later in the year, which came in September of '68. For that reason, it didn't peak on the charts until roughly a year after it was recorded.

Now if you can come up with a definitive source that pinpoints without question who the true lead axe was for that single, I'd love to see it. As it is, much of the confusion stems from the fact that Nokie Edwards departed the band shortly after the song was recorded. By then the Ventures were on a long but steady decline in popularity in the States. It doesn't help matters that their Hawaii Five-O LP, which the band recorded more than a half year later and released in the spring of 1969, featured Gerry McGee on lead guitar on all but the title tack (the hit single, as recorded the previous spring but currently riding on the charts).

In any case, I don't believe you will find GM claiming to have played on the Venture's HF-O hit (studio) single anywhere, the same track that reprises on their subsequent HF-O album.

[ Edited by: molo 2010-06-01 18:20 ]