Timeless Instrumentals that are Still Great to Hear Today!

[Darth_vader]

"Our Winter Love" Bill Pursell
"Disadvantages of You" Brass Ring
"Walk, Don't Run" Ventures
The instrumental version of the love theme from "St. Elmo's Fire"
"Crusoe" Art of Noise (not to be confused with their later cut "Robinson Crusoe", which sucked)
And of course, practically anything by Mantovani or Enoch Light...

 

[Silkie]

Ahhh, the instrumentals of the early sixties, driving along Biscayne Blvd. with my father, headed for the drive-in to get a milkshake, top down on the '57 T-Bird - which he never took away, btw.

Alley Cat - Bent Fabric
Last Date - Floyd Cramer
Washington Square - The Village Stompers

 

[Les Stock]

From the early '70s:

Also Sprach Zarathustra - Deodato
Scorpio - Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band
Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group (which I believe was #1 on Billboard)
Theme from Love Story - Roger Williams, I think
Theme from The Rockford Files - Mike Post
Theme from The Men - Isaac Hayes
Paul Anka composed one of the most memorable instrumentals of all time, yet it had zero chart action: Johnny's Theme (from The Tonight Show)

 

[landtuna]

Most anything by Al Ciola (lots of western TV themes and MOR hits).

 

[howardm]

Anybody mention yet Nelson Riddle - Lisbon Antigua

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Last Dance - Floyd Cramer

That should be "Last Date." And it has lyrics; Emmylou Harris recorded a great version of it.

I believe most would claim Conway Twitty's version as the most memorable lyrical recording.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Young-Holt Unlimited also did a great cover version of "Hard Day's Night" by the Beatles, apparently recorded live, because the audience started singing along with it, effectively making it a vocal, not an instrumental. ;D

I just had a listen to "Wack Wack" on YouTube and noticed that the group actually sings "Wack Wack" during the song's opening bars, so I guess that one's disqualified, too.

That depends on how rigidly you set the rules-- background "vocals" accompany many classic instrumentals, i.e. Happy Feeling (Bert Kaempfert) and The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (artist ?). Both are still remembered as great instrumentals.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Has anyone mentioned Born Free ??

 

[cd637299]

Re "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (by Hugo Montenegro)---

What ARE they chanting??

I've been curious.

cd

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Re "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (by Hugo Montenegro)---
What ARE they chanting?? I've been curious.

cd

Thanks for filling in the blank on Hugo M. I just couldn't remember, so I checked it out on YouTube, and surprisingly found credit given to a couple other orhestras. My gut told me neither was the name I needed.

To answer your question, "What were they chanting?", Here's your answer: "HOO HAH HOOPA..." (guitar bridge) "HOO HAH HOOPA..." (more guitar) "AAHHH, AAHH, AAHH, AAHH..."

Really, listen on YouTube. You'll see...

 

[hornet61]

Last Dance - Floyd Cramer

That should be "Last Date." And it has lyrics; Emmylou Harris recorded a great version of it.

I believe most would claim Conway Twitty's version as the most memorable lyrical recording.

Skeeter Davis did the answer , If I am not mistaken before Conway, she had sveral answer songs to her credit.......http://youtu.be/-BLR5R8b-Ao

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Appearantly nobody has mentioned the instrumental version of Grazin' in the Grass by Hugh Masekela. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this charted before the vocal arraingment by Friends of Distinction.

 

[firepoint525]

Probably already mentioned, but "Hocus Pocus" by Focus.

And whistling does NOT make an instrumental a "vocal," so I vote for the Andy Griffith Show theme music.

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

The theme song from The Godfather

 

[cd637299]

Appearantly nobody has mentioned the instrumental version of Grazin' in the Grass by Hugh Masekela. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this charted before the vocal arraingment by Friends of Distinction.

Not sure if this was mentioned, but....

"Soulful Strut" by Young-Holt Unlimited, as an instrumental, was the only version that was a big hit....however, both Barbara Acklin & Swing Out Sister had the melody as "Am I the Same Girl," and Acklin's record came out 1 year prior to Y-H.

cd

 

[hornet61]

Appearantly nobody has mentioned the instrumental version of Grazin' in the Grass by Hugh Masekela. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this charted before the vocal arraingment by Friends of Distinction.

Not sure if this was mentioned, but....

"Soulful Strut" by Young-Holt Unlimited, as an instrumental, was the only version that was a big hit....however, both Barbara Acklin & Swing Out Sister had the melody as "Am I the Same Girl," and Acklin's record came out 1 year prior to Y-H.

cd

young and Holt 2/3 of the Ramsey Lewis Trio...

 

[jfrancispastirchak]

Appearantly nobody has mentioned the instrumental version of Grazin' in the Grass by Hugh Masekela. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this charted before the vocal arraingment by Friends of Distinction.

Not sure if this was mentioned, but....

"Soulful Strut" by Young-Holt Unlimited, as an instrumental, was the only version that was a big hit....however, both Barbara Acklin & Swing Out Sister had the melody as "Am I the Same Girl," and Acklin's record came out 1 year prior to Y-H.

cd

young and Holt 2/3 of the Ramsey Lewis Trio...

Wow, never knew that.

 

[firepoint525]

"Soulful Strut" by Young-Holt Unlimited, as an instrumental, was the only version that was a big hit....however, both Barbara Acklin & Swing Out Sister had the melody as "Am I the Same Girl," and Acklin's record came out 1 year prior to Y-H.

Didn't the Swing Out Sister version (the only one that I remember) actually sample "Soulful Strut"? At least, "sampling" is what we would probably call it now. Their version came out around 1992-93.

 

[cd637299]

Both Acklin & S.O.S. are the same tune....should be, anyway. Check YouTube (I cannot, from the PC I am using).

cd

 

[Les Stock]

Probably already mentioned, but "Hocus Pocus" by Focus.

And whistling does NOT make an instrumental a "vocal," so I vote for the Andy Griffith Show theme music.

"Sylvia" by Focus didn't chart nearly as high as "Hocus Pocus," but has a special place in my heart and on my mp3 player.