Atlantis (instrumental)

"Atlantis" is a rock music instrumental by British group the Shadows, released as a single in May 1963. It spent 17 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number two for two weeks.^[2]

"Atlantis"
Single by The Shadows
B-side	"I Want You to Want Me"
Released	31 May 1963 (1963-05-31)
Recorded	13 December 1962[1]
Studio	EMI Studios, London
Genre	Instrumental rock
Length	2:47
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Jerry Lordan
Producer(s)	Norrie Paramor
The Shadows singles chronology
"Foot Tapper" (1963) "Atlantis" (1963) "Shindig" (1963)

Background and reception

"Atlantis" was written by Jerry Lordan, who had previously written two chart-topping songs for the Shadows, "Apache" and "Wonderful Land". It was released with the B-side "I Want You to Want Me", written by Hank Marvin. Whilst the Shadows had included vocals on some of their album tracks, "I Want You to Want Me" was the first single by the Shadows to feature vocals since "Saturday Dance", released as the B-side to "Lonesome Fella" in 1959.^[3] "Atlantis" was recorded on 13 December 1962 at EMI Studios in London; "I Want You to Want Me", on the other hand, was recorded on 1 May 1963 whilst the group were in Barcelona.^[1] The Shadows came up with the title "Atlantis" whilst on a bus in Barcelona, saying it was "a follow-on to the Telstar, Polaris idea".^[3]

Reviewed in New Record Mirror, "Atlantis" was described as having "a medium tempo beat with some strings in the background. Rather like all the rest of their stuff but still with a lot of commercial appeal. There's also a femme chorus on the backing. Nice stuff for the younger teens".^[3] Reviewing for Disc, Don Nicholl described it as an "attractive Latin beat instrumental" and "a deceptive little item – by no means so simple as it sounds".^[4]

Track listing

7": Columbia / DB 7047

1. "Atlantis" – 2:47
2. "I Want You to Want Me" – 2:34

Personnel

• Hank Marvin – electric lead guitar
• Bruce Welch – acoustic rhythm guitar
• Brian "Licorice" Locking – electric bass guitar
• Brian Bennett – drums, triangle
• Norrie Paramor Strings – all other instrumentation

Charts

Chart (1963)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5]	3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6]	11
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[7]	15
Denmark (Danmarks Radio)[8]	7
Germany (GfK)[9]	23
Hong Kong[10]	2
Ireland (IRMA)[11]	3
Israel (Kol Israel)[12]	5
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13]	6
New Zealand (Lever Hit Parade)[14]	4
Norway (VG-lista)[15]	5
South Africa (SARMDA)[16]	3
Spain (Promusicae)[17]	18
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[18]	4
UK Singles (OCC)[2]	2

References

1. Koers, Ivo. "Instrumentation On Shadows Recordings II: The Primary Singles" (PDF). malcolmcampbell.me.uk. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 August 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
2. "Shadows: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
3. "New Record Mirror" (PDF). New Record Mirror. 1 June 1963. pp. 5, 8. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
4. "Disc Date" (PDF). Disc. 1 June 1963. p. 8. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
5. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book 1940–1969. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
6. "The Shadows – Atlantis" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
7. "The Shadows – Atlantis" (in French). Ultratop 50.
8. "danskehitlister.dk". 13 March 2016. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
9. "The Shadows – Atlantis" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
10. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 24 August 1963. p. 42. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Atlantis". Irish Singles Chart.
12. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 7 September 1963. p. 32. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
13. "The Shadows – Atlantis" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
14. "Lever Hit Parade". flavourofnz.co.nz. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
15. "The Shadows – Foot Tapper". VG-lista.
16. "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 14 September 1963. p. 24. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
17. Salaverri, Fernando (September 1971). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
18. "Shadows". NostalgiListan (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 November 2021.