GENTLE INTRODUCTION:
I would like to state my expertise as a leading authority on the most memorable instrumentals in the history of modern, popular music. Have a browse through the list below and discover some terrific tunes and by all means suggest any omissions.
xo, Gary Watton; highly successful loser
CLASSIC INSTRUMENTALS SINCE 1950 [compiled by Gary Watton]
The 1950s:
Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White – Perez Prado*
Moulin Rouge – Mantovani*
Oh Mein Papa – Eddie Calvert
Poor People Of Paris – Winifred Atwell*
Red River Rock – Johnny and the Hurricanes
Peter Gunn – Duane Eddy
Roulette – Russ Conway* [or Side Saddle – Russ Conway*]
The 1960s:
Theme From A Summer Place – Percy Faith
“ Only a heart of stone could disdain this offering.”
Kon Tiki – the Shadows* [ or Dance On – the Shadows*]
“We should all be grateful for the authors of …’Kon-Tiki’, ‘Dance On’…”
Nut Rocker – B Bumble and the Stingers*
On The Rebound – Floyd Cramer*
Stranger On The Shore – Acker Bilk
“…one ought not to overlook the fine strings that accompany him.”
Green Onions – Booker T and the MGs
“Rarely has an organ, drums, and rhythm guitar functioned in such perfect harmony.”
Telstar – the Tornados
“…stunning instrumental…formidable museum artefact of the 1960s.”
Diamonds – Jet Harris and Tony Meehan*
“Almost exclusively a duel between the drums and Harris’s bass guitar…”
Spanish Flea – Herb Alpert
“…this musical item is just so pleasing to the ears.”
Captain Soul – the Byrds
“…the guitar interplay and harmonica contrive to produce an outstanding tune.”
Let’s Go Away For A While – the Beach Boys
Beck’s Bolero – the Jeff Beck Group
“This three-minute wonder boasted five of the top performers in the trade…”
Flying – the Beatles
Pow R Toc H – Pink Floyd
Classical Gas – Mason Williams
“The listener is treated to some fine picking by Mr Williams on his acoustic guitar…”
Jill’s America – Ennio Morricone
“Alas this piece was never issued as a single…”
Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake – the Small Faces
Albatross – Fleetwood Mac*
“…Peter Green…responsible for the guitar treat that was ‘Albatross’…”
Black Mountain Side – Led Zeppelin [or Moby Dick – Led Zeppelin]
“…Jimmy Page…made a massive contribution to… ‘Moby Dick’ recording.”
Dollar In The Teeth – the Upsetters [or Return Of Django – the Upsetters]
“…the house band of renowned Jamaican producer, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry…”
Liquidator – Harry J. All Stars
The 1970s:
Elizabethan Reggae – Boris Gardner
Samba Pa Ti – Santana
Whole Lotta Love – CCS
Hot Butter – Popcorn
Amazing Grace – the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards*
Eye Level – the Simon Park Orchestra*
Mouldy Old Dough – Lieutenant Pigeon*
Obscured By Clouds – Pink Floyd [or Mudmen – Pink Floyd]
Also Sprach Zarathustra – Deodato
Dance With The Devil – Cozy Powell
The Entertainer – Marvin Hamlisch
Chase Side Shoot Up – Brian Bennett
Pick Up The Pieces – the Average White Band
The Shuffle – Van McCoy [or The Hustle – Van McCoy]
Oxygene, Part IV – Jean-Michel Jarre
“…Oxygene (Part IV) is overflowing with stunning synthesizer sounds.”
AP Special – Augustus Pablo
Arrival – Abba
Portsmouth – Mike Oldfield
Fanfare For The Common Man – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Listen – the Clash
Magic Fly – Space
Song For Guy – Elton John [or Funeral For A Friend – Elton John]
“mouthwatering…owes its existence to the tragic end…of Guy Burchett.”
Cavatina – the Shadows
Swan Lake – Madness [or Tarzan's Nuts - Madness]
The Selecter – The Selecter
Rockestra Theme – Rockestra
The 1980s:
Space Invaders – the Pretenders
Adella – UB40 [or Signing Off – UB40 or Neon Haze – UB40]
Another Journey By Train – the Cure [or Descent – the Cure]
Mantovani – the Swinging Cats
The Teams That Meet In Caffs – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Time Is Tight – the Clash
Europa – Blondie
Holiday Fortnight – the Specials
Chi Mai – Ennio Morricone
Droned – Phil Collins
Go For It – Stiff Little Fingers
The Opium Eaters – Madness
Bonzo’s Montreux – Led Zeppelin
“…in which John Bonham showed off his drumming skills.”
Chariots Of Fire – Vangelis
Easter Island – Rico Rodriguez [or That Man Is Forward - Rico Rodriguez]
“…the hugely danceable rhythm of ‘That Man Is Forward’.”
Exodus – Bad Manners [or King Ska Fa – Bad Manners]
Somebody Up There Likes You – Simple Minds
Circus – The Jam
Close To The Edit – the Art Of Noise
4th of July – U2
Love On A Real Train – Tangerine Dream
Elegia – New Order
“…deserves to be ranked as one of the ten best instrumentals of all time.”
Oscillate Wildly – the Smiths
The Wild Cats Of Kilkenny – the Pogues
Axel F – Harold Faltermeyer
Riot City – Jerry Dammers
The Mighty Ship – the Housemartins
Va Va Voom – Gil Evans
Crockett’s Theme – Jan Hammer
Jimmy Hickey’s Waltz – the Waterboys
The Sun In The Stream – Enya [or The Longships – Enya]
Zaar – Peter Gabriel [or Of These, Hope – Peter Gabriel]
“…jaw-dropping instrumental…Here is music that is intense, with an eastern sound…”
The 1990s:
Endgame – REM [or New Orleans Instrumental No.1 – REM]
Inner Flight – Primal Scream
Shepherd Moons – Enya [or The Memory Of Trees – Enya]
Surfin USM – Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine
Bentley’s Gonna Sort You Out – Bentley Rhythm Ace
“I first encountered this top tune on the excellent radio station called Chill.”
Children – Robert Miles
Everloving – Moby [or Now I Let It Go – Moby or Porcelain – Moby]
The 21st century:
Eple – Royksopp
Ghostwriter – RJD2
Give It Away – the Zero 7
I Can Almost See You – Hammock
In All The Wrong Places – Ulrich Schnauss
Monika’s Summer – Future Loop Foundation
Pacific Memories – Fenomenon
Slip Into Something More Comfortable – Kinobe
Sunset Glow – 808Funk
Yachts – Coco Steel & Lovebomb
Any Other Name – Thomas Newman
*denotes UK Number One hit singles.
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