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The Lonely Bull
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “The Lonely Bull (El Toro Solitario)” | |
|---|---|
| |
| Single by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass | |
| from the album The Lonely Bull | |
| B-side | “Acapulco 1922” |
| Released | August 1962 |
| Recorded | August 1962 |
| Genre | easy listening, pop |
| Length | 2:15 |
| Label | A&M |
| Songwriter(s) | Sol Lake |
| Producer(s) | Herb Alpert, Jerry Moss |
| Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass singles chronology | |
| “The Lonely Bull (El Toro Solitario)“ (1962)”Let It Be Me“ (1962) | |
| Alternative release | |
| |
| One of side-A labels of UK single | |
“The Lonely Bull (El Solo Toro)” is a song by Sol Lake recorded by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass among others. The song was the title track to the album The Lonely Bull, released in December 1962. The Herb Alpert single represents the first release on A&M Records. Its original title was “Twinkle Star”.
Spanish title
“El Solo Toro” is given on the album as the Spanish translation of “The Lonely Bull”, but the words el solo toro directly translate as “the bull lonely” or “the only bull”. The translator evidently was not aware that in Spanish the adjective “solo” should have come after the noun “toro”. “Solo” means “alone”, rather than “lonely”; the proper translation of “lonely” is “solitario”. In English, the adjective “lonely” precedes the noun “bull”. In Spanish, the noun “toro” (the bull) comes before the adjective, “solitario”. Thus, the correct translation of “The Lonely Bull” is “El Toro Solitario”, as noted above.
Background
While experimenting with the sound of an overdubbed trumpet, Herb Alpert recorded this song in his garage. The single and album recordings of the song were recorded at Conway Recorders in Hollywood by members of The Wrecking Crew, and featured the sounds of a crowd cheering “Olé” inside a bullfight arena in Mexico, as well as the sounds of the trumpets announcing the matador before he enters the bullring. The song features a mandolin, a bass guitar, drums, and a wordless chorus, featuring a solo soprano. A video for the song was filmed in 1967 inside the Toreo de Tijuana bullring.
Chart history
In the US, “The Lonely Bull” was a hit, peaking at #6 on the Hot 100.
| Chart (1962) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 6 |
Other recorded versions
- The Ventures recorded a version for their 1963 Dolton album, The Ventures Play Telstar and the Lonely Bull, BST 8019.
- The Shadows recorded a cover version in 1964 on the album Dance with The Shadows.
- The Untouchables released a cover version on their 1985 album Wild Child.
- Harry James recorded a version in 1965 on the album Harry James Plays Green Onions & Other Great Hits. (Dot DLP 3634 and DLP 25634).
- James Last – The Lonely Bull (1970)
- The Lonely Bull – steel guitar
- The London Pops Orchestra – The Lonely Bull
- Billy Vaughn – The Lonely Bull (1963)
- The Challengers – Lonely Bull
- The 50 Guitars of Tommy Garrett – The Lonely Bull
- Los Norte Americanos – The Lonely Bull
- Huevos Rancheros – The Lonely Bull
- Carlos Gonzales & The Mexican Brass – The Lonely Bull (Instrumental)
Samples
- This song is sampled in the song “Tres Delinquentes” by Delinquent Habits.
- This song is sampled in the song “All Night” by The Trash Can Sinatras on their 2016 album Wild Pendulum.
Popular culture
- The chorus of the song is briefly quoted in the song “This Town” on the 1977 album Now by The Tubes.
- The song is featured during a montage sequence in Cameron Crowe’s film Jerry Maguire. It also appears in the Nicolas Cage film Matchstick Men, along with other jazz songs.
- On the inner sleeve of the Morrissey single “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris“, his guitarist Boz Boorer can be seen holding “The Lonely Bull.”
The Lonely Bull (album)
| The Lonely Bull | |
|---|---|
| |
| Studio album by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass | |
| Released | December 1962 |
| Recorded | Conway Recorders, Hollywood, CA |
| Genre | Pop, easy listening |
| Length | 30:07 |
| Label | A&M |
| Producer | Herb Alpert Jerry Moss |
| Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass chronology | |
| The Lonely Bull (1962)Volume 2 (1963) | |
| Singles from The Lonely Bull | |
| “The Lonely Bull“ Released: August 1962 | |
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
The Lonely Bull, released in 1962, is the debut album by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.
Most of the tracks on the album were geared toward the TJB’s Mariachi sound. There were also a few cover versions of popular songs, a trend which would grow in their next two albums, Volume 2 and South of the Border.
“Limbo Rock” covered a novelty dance song that had been a calypso-style hit by Chubby Checker. “Struttin’ With Maria” was later used as the theme for a TV game show called Personality, hosted by Larry Blyden. The tune “Acapulco 1922” uses the old song “Oh, You Beautiful Doll” (by Seymour Brown and Nat D. Ayer, 1911) as a starting point, with a mariachi spin.
Track listing
Side 1
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “The Lonely Bull (El Solo Toro)” | Sol Lake | 2:29 |
| 2. | “El Lobo” (The Wolf)” | Harry Green, Sol Lake | 3:00 |
|---|
| 3. | “Tijuana Sauerkraut” | Herb Alpert, Jerry Moss | 2:44 |
|---|
| 5. | “Mexico“ | Boudleaux Bryant | 2:36 |
|---|
| 6. | “Never On Sunday“ | Manos Hadjidakis, Billy Towne | 2:38 |
|---|
Side 2
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “Struttin’ With Maria” | Herb Alpert | 2:10 |
| 3. | “Acapulco 1922” | Dave Alpert (as Eldon Allan) | 2:38 |
|---|
| 4. | “Limbo Rock“ | Billy Strange | 2:05 |
|---|
| 5. | “Crawfish” | Sol Lake, Elsa Doran | 2:20 |
|---|
| 6. | “A Quiet Tear (Lágrima Quieta)” | Herb Alpert | 2:23 |
|---|
Reception
The album was originally issued in both mono and stereo versions, though the stereo version essentially had the mono version on the right channel with a separate solo trumpet track on the left. Because of this, critics have noted that when listened on headphones, the stereo album sounds excessively “heavy” on one side. This led many later fans to prefer the mono version.
The original stereo version of the album has since been reissued on the Shout! Factory music label.
The mono version of the title track, “The Lonely Bull,” can be found on the Herb Alpert compilation Definitive Hits.
Review on the Album “The Lonely Bull”
The Lonely Bull is the debut album by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, released in 1962. The album was a commercial success, reaching number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart and spawning the hit title track.
The album’s sound is a unique blend of mariachi music, jazz, and Latin American rhythms. The title track, “The Lonely Bull,” is a haunting and evocative instrumental that tells the story of a bullfighter who is killed in the arena. The song is a highlight of the album and features Alpert’s soaring trumpet playing.
Other notable tracks on the album include “Desafinado,” a bossa nova classic, and “Struttin’ With Maria,” a catchy and upbeat number. The album also features Alpert’s own compositions, such as “Crawfish” and “Never on Sunday.”
Overall, The Lonely Bull is a well-crafted and enjoyable album that showcases Herb Alpert’s talents as a trumpet player and arranger. The album’s unique sound helped to make it a commercial success and helped to launch Alpert’s career as a solo artist.
Here are some pros and cons of the album:
Pros:
- The title track, “The Lonely Bull,” is a haunting and evocative instrumental.
- The album features a unique blend of mariachi music, jazz, and Latin American rhythms.
- Other notable tracks include “Desafinado,” “Struttin’ With Maria,” and “Crawfish.”
- The album is a well-crafted and enjoyable listen.
Cons:
- The album can be a bit uneven at times.
- Some of the tracks are more forgettable than others.
- The album’s unique sound may not appeal to everyone.
Overall, The Lonely Bull is a solid album that is worth a listen for fans of Herb Alpert and mariachi music. The album’s unique sound and haunting melodies make it a standout in Alpert’s discography.
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