“Apache” is an instrumental written by Jerry Lordan. It has been recorded by many people, but the first released version was recorded by British group The Shadows in June 1960 and released the following month. The song topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks. In March 2005, Q magazine placed “Apache” at #96 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks.

In North America, the song is identified with Jørgen Ingmann, a jazz guitarist from Denmark. In 1961, Ingmann produced a cover version that, billed to “Jørgen Ingmann and His Guitar,” made #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 on the US R&B chart. The song reached #1 on Canada’s CHUM Chart.
A 1973 version by the Incredible Bongo Band has been called “hip-hop’s national anthem”. Although this version was not a hit on release, the long percussion break in the middle has been sampled countless times on hip-hop, rap and dance tracks from the 1980s.
English songwriter and composer Jerry Lordan came up with the tune. The title “Apache” reflects the source of Lordan’s inspiration: the 1954 American western film Apache.
The original recording was by British guitarist Bert Weedon in early 1960. It remained unreleased for several months. In mid-1960 the Shadows were on tour with Lordan as a supporting act. The band discovered “Apache” when Lordan played it on a ukelele. Lordan figured the tune would fit the Shadows; the band agreed.
The recording was done at the EMI Abbey Road Studio in London. Singer-guitarist Joe Brown had bought an Italian-built guitar echo chamber that he didn’t like and gave it to Hank Marvin who developed a distinctive sound using it and the tremolo arm of his Fender Stratocaster. Bruce Welch borrowed an acoustic Gibson J200 guitar from Cliff Richard, the heavy melodic bass was by Jet Harris, percussion was by Tony Meehan and Cliff Richard, who played a Chinese drum at the beginning and end to provide an atmosphere of stereotypically Native American music.
Record producer Norrie Paramor preferred the flip side, an instrumental of the army song “The Quartermaster’s Stores”, now called “The Quatermasster’s Stores” after the TV series Quatermass. Paramor changed his mind after his daughter preferred “Apache”. It has been cited by a generation of guitarists as inspirational and is considered one of the most influential British rock 45s of the pre-Beatles era. The Shadows stated –
“ What’s the most distinctive sound of our group ? We often wondered what it is ourselves. Really, it is the sound we had when we recorded “Apache” – that kind of Hawaiian sounding lead guitar… plus the beat.

Apache 1964 by The Shadows

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLocafpLMi0