Foot Tapper
{{short description|1963 single by the Shadows}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Foot Tapper
| cover = The Shadows Foot Tapper.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = The Shadows
| album = Summer Holiday
| B-side = The Breeze and I
| released = {{start date|1963|2|22|df=yes}}
| studio = EMI Studios, London
| venue =
| genre = Instrumental rock
| length = 2:34
| label = Columbia
| writer =
- Hank Marvin
- Bruce Welch{{cite book| first= Jo| last= Rice| year= 1982| title= The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits| edition= 1st| publisher= Guinness Superlatives Ltd | location= Enfield, Middlesex| page= 70| isbn= 0-85112-250-7}}
| producer = Norrie Paramor
| prev_title = Dance On!
| prev_year = 1962
| next_title = Atlantis
| next_year = 1963
}}
"Foot Tapper" is an instrumental by British guitar group the Shadows, released as a single in February 1963. It went to number one in the UK Singles Chart, and was the Shadows' last UK number-one hit (not including those where they performed as Cliff Richard's backing group).{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| page= 148}}
Background and reception
Filmmaker Jacques Tati went to see the Shadows at the Olympia in Paris in 1961 and asked them to write a song for his next film. So, Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch wrote "Foot Tapper". However, Tati had funding difficulties and his next film, Playtime, did not appear until 1967. Instead, in 1963, the Shadows had a small role in the film Summer Holiday and its producer Peter Yates needed some music for the radio in the bus scene, so they offered up "Foot Tapper".{{Cite book|last1=Kutner|first1=Jon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BwwLBaH9488C&pg=PT232|title=1,000 UK Number One Hits|last2=Leigh|first2=Spencer|date=2010-05-26|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=978-0-85712-360-2|pages=232|language=en}} It was released in February as a re-recorded double A-sided single with the pop standard "The Breeze and I" a week earlier than planned.
Reviewed in New Record Mirror, it was described as "a beautifully balanced bit of recording with a compelling theme. Hank, Licorice and Bruce are in precise, driving form – but the side showcases Brian's forceful but controlled drumming, notably on cymbals. Just try and stop your foot tapping. It'll fair hurtle into the charts – and is probably even better than "Dance On".{{cite magazine|date=23 February 1963|title=The Shadows – two top sides|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/60s/63/Record-Mirror-1963-02-23-S-OCR.pdf|magazine=New Record Mirror|page=8|access-date=27 November 2021}} Reviewing for Disc, Don Nicholl described "Foot Tapper" as a "light-hearted modern dancer which will pull in as many customers as the other side – maybe more".{{cite magazine|date=23 February 1963|title=Disc Date|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Disc/1963/DISC-1963-02-23.pdf|magazine=Disc|page=8|access-date=27 November 2021}}
It is also known for being the signature tune and closing theme for the BBC Radio 2 programme Sounds of the 60s, from when it started in 1983 until Brian Matthew left the show in 2017.
Track listing
7": Columbia / DB 4984
- "Foot Tapper" – 2:34
- "The Breeze and I" – 2:47
Personnel
- Hank Marvin – electric lead guitar
- Bruce Welch – acoustic rhythm guitar
- Brian "Licorice" Locking – electric bass guitar
- Brian Bennett – drums, sistrum
Charts
References
{{Reflist}}
{{The Shadows}}
{{authority control}}
Category:UK singles chart number-one singles
Category:Songs written by Bruce Welch
Category:Songs written by Hank Marvin
Category:Columbia Graphophone Company singles