This instrumental is the only Beatles track to be credited to John Lennon and George Harrison alone (who play rhythm and lead respectively). It was intended as a parody of British rock band The Shadows, whose instrumental music was enjoying unprecedented success. Whilst Harrison imitates Shadow's guitarist Hank Marvin's signature lead sound, McCartney can be heard replicating the trademark yelp of bassist Jet Harris.
In a 1987 interview with Guitar Player magazine, George Harrison said: "In Hamburg we had to play so long, we actually used to play 'Apache'... But John and I were just bulls--tting one day, and he had this new little Rickenbacker with with a funny kind of wobble bar on it. And he started playing that off, and I just came in, and we made it up right on the spot."
This track features the original Beatles drummer Pete Best, who received some royalties from the song when it was included on the 1995 Anthology collection.
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