More fantastic footage from the 1960s: the über-cool Herb Alpert plays his first big hit, “The Lonely Bull,” in a Tijuana bullring. The story goes that he was inspired by a mariachi band revving up the crowd at a bullfight in Tijuana and adapted his trumpet playing to a tune written by collaborator Sol Lake. He called the song “The Lonely Bull” and the single became a Top Ten hit in 1962. Shortly afterwards “The Lonely Bull” became the first album ever released on A&M Records (the label he co-founded). Mix mandolin, trumpet, maracas and a surf beat, and you get pure magic!
By the way, the song has been covered many times in the last 50 years. I think one of the best covers is by the ska group The Untouchables. Listen to it here: