Working on "Walk Don't Run"...

[the mojo hobo]

Woah! Back in the day when "Walk don't Run" was on the radio (radios being what they were then) I never heard the bass line accurately, and I played it in the wrong octave too. The dude in the original post is playing the correct octave, but the original bass line is much more interesting. (And a P-Bass sounding like it should)

[Denis]

As usual, I'm discovering with surf, it's difficult to hear the bass.

I did find this kid's video. Pretty good, I think.

[Stjofön Big]

Walk don't run is an interesting tune. As some of us might remember it was a hit for The Ventures in the fall of 1960. The band took it from a record by jazz guitarist Johnny Smith, who composed it in - I believe - 1954-55, while fooling around with the old tune Softly, as in a morning sunrise.
Here is Johnny with his version of the tune:

And here's the maginicient Nelson Eddy with his version of Softly... from the movie version of the operett The new moon. Recognize the similarities?

Lyrics for Softly... was written by Oscar Hammerstein II. He also wrote lyrics for one of my favourite movies, Show boat. Plus a lot, lot more of musicals. Great talent!
But we're not through yet! Here's the rest: In January 1961 Del Shannon - almost singlehandedly - wrote his breakthrough hit Runaway. In an interview he said, that he had written the tune in late fall of 1960, while fooling around with the guitar. He had, he said, never heard that chord progression before (the A-minor-G-F-E).
Well, Del Shannon was a hero of mine. He had a fantastic voice. He could play the guitar. Good, too! And he always choose great guitars. Martin? Yep! Telecaster? Oh, yes! Gibson Firebird? He had it! Epiphone Batwings? He had these, too. And a few of them!
But would he exaggerate? In public? I guess he did. At least concerning that chord progress...

But I guess that's what you call Show Business!

[Stjofön Big]

I might add that I found the link between Softly... and Runaway, while preparing for a lecture on Del Shannon. I hade to find out from where he got that clever chord change for Runaway. It was then I realized that the tune I'd been playing for years, Walk.., must be the ground for Del's hit.
There must be thousands of patterns for tunes we take for granted. Has anyone got another example? Anyone got any info on Farmer John? Donna?

[Pilgrim]

As usual, I'm discovering with surf, it's difficult to hear the bass.

I did find this kid's video. Pretty good, I think.

That is good.  I start it on the open A, as I like the "balls" the music gains from being an octave lower.  Sue me.

I realize that a lot of surf was played up an octave, but I like the foundation that playing it lower gives us.

This is an old recording but it's all ours...audio is from a stereo Digital 8 camcorder on a tripod shooting the video.  (Plenty of mistakes in this one, but I'll still claim it.)