William Tell Overture (Mike Oldfield single)

“William Tell Overture”
Single by Mike Oldfield
Released	February 11, 1977 (1977-02-11)
Format	7-inch vinyl
Genre	Folk
Label	Virgin Records
Writer(s)	Gioachino Rossini
Producer	Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield singles chronology
"Portsmouth" (1976) "William Tell Overture" (1977) "Cuckoo Song" (1977)

"William Tell Overture" is a single by musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1977. It is a rendition of the William Tell Overture. However this version of the William Tell Overture did not have much of an impact on the UK charts.^[1] It is the first of the two non-album singles released by Mike Oldfield in 1977.

B-sides

The UK B side was "Argiers", which had previously been the European b-side for an earlier Oldfield single "Portsmouth". "Argiers" had been recorded in January 1976 at Througham and features Leslie Penning on recorders. Some European versions included the track "First Excursion" as the b-side, however in Brazil the b-side was "Portsmouth".^[2] The B-sides were taken from Oldfield's Collaborative / Remix Box-set, Boxed.

Track listing

UK

VS 167

1. "William Tell Overture" (Gioachino Rossini) - (3:55)
2. "Argiers" - (3:59) (Traditional)

Europe

17 480 AT / VIN 45010

1. "William Tell Overture" (Gioachino Rossini) - (3:53)
2. "First Excursion" (David Bedford, Mike Oldfield) - (5:57)

Russia

6079 201

1. "William Tell Overture" (Gioachino Rossini)
2. "Portsmouth" (Traditional)

Promotional video clip

The music video for The William Tell Overture is comprised of multiple incarnations of Oldfield performing the song on different instruments. The effect is as if a room full of Oldfields were playing together.

Trivia

• When referring to his then most recent release, The William Tell Overture, Oldfield called "It a real rouser".^[3]

• In an advert for the single, the tagline "It'll shake you to the core" was used, referring to William Tell's apple incident.
  • The full advert reads: "The new single from the more whimsical side of Mike Oldfield. You clog-danced to 'In Dulci Jubilo'. You crashed through the ceiling to 'Portsmouth'. Now hear William Tell Overture by Mike Oldfield. It'll shake you to the core."

References