Help me identify this pop instrumental please

[Nobody]

I'm not exactly sure when it came out. I'm thinking early to mid 80's, but it could be from the late 70's.

It sounds to me that it's mostly a xylophone and synthesizer.

This will be silly, but I'll try to give you an idea of what it sounds like. The first part will be what I think is the xylophone part, medium high tone, and then the part in bold will be the synth, which is a much deeper tone.

Doooo doooo do do do do doooo doooo do do do
DUM DUM DUMDUMDUM DUM DUM, DUM DUM DUMDUMDUM DUDUDUM DUDUDUM DUM DUM DUMDUMDUM...

[installLSC]

Any chance it's Music Box Dancer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N_tmH6y7ng) from 1979? Although the high part isn't a xylophone, it's an electric piano.

[Nobody]

Nope, sorry. That's a great instrumental, but that's not it. Thank you for the guess though.

[Jeff Lichtman]

Could it be Popcorn (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK3ZP6frAMc) by Hot Butter? It was a minor hit in 1972.

[Nobody]

No, but that gave me a smile. I've heard that plenty of times before, but never knew what it was called. Thank you.

[Troppus]

Can you remember whether the singer is male or female? All YouTube links below.

Gone Daddy Gone- Violent Femmes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_5Ai6SRxtI)

Rock Lobster- B-52's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDZy6-fMCw4)

Cruel Summer- BANANARAMA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gixcVIFOyE&feature=fvst)

Change- Tears for Fears (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL5wE9jky8o)

Clues-Robert Palmer (http://youtu.be/5dNRNjDhFqk?t=2m20s)

[Nobody]

It's an instrumental, so there is no singer.

[Troppus]

Crap, now I'm stuck with all these earworms. I thought you meant the xylophone kicked in during an insturmental part.

Yadig by the James Gang (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dCEzC-vuis)?

I got nuthin'.

[GuanoLad]

Alan Parsons Project, Sirius (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCR85u9QngQ)

[GuanoLad]

Or perhaps Jean Michel Jarre, Oxygene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek5u5jl7Ads)

[GuanoLad]

Aha! This might be it.

Mike Oldfield, Tubular Bells (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=V8l5fthffiE#t=193s).

[Nobody]

Yadig by the James Gang (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dCEzC-vuis)?

I got nuthin'.
Sorry.
Alan Parsons Project, Sirius (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCR85u9QngQ)
Sorry.
Or perhaps Jean Michel Jarre, Oxygene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek5u5jl7Ads)
Sorry.
Aha! This might be it.

Mike Oldfield, Tubular Bells (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=V8l5fthffiE#t=193s).
Sorry.

I'm beginning to wonder if there is no xylophone and maybe it's a xylophone like sound made on a synthesizer.

[initech]

Abandoning the xylophone, perhaps the Axel F Theme?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dASqLXiuomY

[Jonathan Chance]

This is REALLY reaching and I doubt you'd have heard it...

Pieces of Eight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdIyv8swK9k) by Neil Peart.

It was released on, god help me, a flexidisc single in a copy of Modern Drummer magazine back in 1987. I've got it around here somewhere. It does focus a lot on xylophone (and similar) with a lot of synthesizers.

But likely not.

[CaveMike]

Fire on High by ELO?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxbFmfDcuVg check out the 2:55 mark.

[Joey P]

It's older then the 80's, there's no xylophone and I've never been good at reading 'do do dos' so it probably doesn't match that...but I thought I'd toss Take Five (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwNrmYRiX_o) in the ring anyways.

[lieu]

It's not Booker T and the MG's Green Onions (www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-7QSMyz5rg), is it?

[Alka Seltzer]

It doesn't have a xylophone, it's from the wrong century, and it goes "me me me" instead of "do do do", but could it be Beaker from the Muppets performing the Ode to Joy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnT7pT6zCcA&feature=relmfu)?

Seriously, I think we need a bit of help if we are going to pin this down. Where did you hear it? TV? Radio? A film? Is there anything you associate with it that might help us pin down the time period? How old were you when you heard it? Is it a long piece? Is there percussion? Any sound effects?

[Bumbershoot]

Edgar Winter's Frankenstein (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfQbkFp16cw), perhaps?

[Nobody]

These are all great instrumentals, but none of them are what I'm thinking of.

[Quimby]

Is it Joy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S8jd8WhxoI)?

[Baal Houtham]

Can you offer any other info?
Was it a hit? Was it happy or sad or mysterious? Was it fast, slow or mid-tempo? Was it in any particular genre? Disco, rock, pop, light jazz, easy listening?

[Nobody]

Was it a hit?
I think so. Or a frequently played single.

Was it happy or sad or mysterious?
Makes me happy.

Was it fast, slow or mid-tempo?
Mid-tempo, closer to slow than fast.

Was it in any particular genre? Disco, rock, pop, light jazz, easy listening?
I tend to think of it as both pop and easy listening.

[blondebear]

Not an instrumental, but my guess is Cool Cool Summer by Bananarama (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGYNvx9lqDQ#t=04s)

[Sam A. Robrin]

"No Matter What Shape Your Stomach's In"?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP1dYj2hGss

[SeaDragonTattoo]

Well, I found this list from "Ask Billboard" Instrumentals, part 2 (http://www.billboard.com/column-chartbeat/ask-billboard-instrumentals-part-2-1003999115.story#/column-chartbeat/ask-billboard-instrumentals-part-2-1003999115.story) you might wish to peruse, seems like you might find what you're looking for in there somewhere. I'm not about to listen to all of them and try to guess which is what you're looking for without a lot more information to go on.

[Nobody]

Well, I found this list from "Ask Billboard" Instrumentals, part 2 (http://www.billboard.com/column-chartbeat/ask-billboard-instrumentals-part-2-1003999115.story#/column-chartbeat/ask-billboard-instrumentals-part-2-1003999115.story) you might wish to peruse, seems like you might find what you're looking for in there somewhere. I'm not about to listen to all of them and try to guess which is what you're looking for without a lot more information to go on.
I'd be shocked if you, or anybody went through all of them. I'm going to try something that might make it easier to figure out. I'll post back later on it.

[Alice The Goon]

It's not Chariots of Fire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls6IwEG0FYM), is it?

[Nobody]

It's not Chariots of Fire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls6IwEG0FYM), is it?
Nope, sure isn't.

OK, not that this might be much help, but I tapped out part of the instrumental. If any of you have 16 seconds to spare take a listen (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2181972994232). If that doesn't help then don't worry about it.

Keep in mind that the part I'm tapping out is done with a synthesizer/keyboard in the song.

[Face Intentionally Left Blank]

Rise, by Herb Alpert?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ennMD1fPtXA

Morning Dance, by Spiro Gyra?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6IUUWzI7vg

[SeaDragonTattoo]

OK, I'll take one stab at it. There are a zillion versions of this out there, the original is over 10 minutes long. Can't find the radio edit on YouTube. "Moments of Love" by Art of Noise. Here's a 7-something-minute remix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7k4dHhwwX4&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLF79F44894D4D13B8) with footage that shows the xylophone live, along with all the other instruments that were synthed.

[Hippy Hollow]

Nope, sure isn't.

OK, not that this might be much help, but I tapped out part of the instrumental. If any of you have 16 seconds to spare take a listen (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2181972994232). If that doesn't help then don't worry about it.

Keep in mind that the part I'm tapping out is done with a synthesizer/keyboard in the song.

Jeez man, this is not that helpful. :)

Can you hum the melody or something?

[pulykamell]

Nope, sure isn't.

OK, not that this might be much help, but I tapped out part of the instrumental. If any of you have 16 seconds to spare take a listen (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=2181972994232). If that doesn't help then don't worry about it.

Keep in mind that the part I'm tapping out is done with a synthesizer/keyboard in the song.

If you're going through that trouble, can't you at least hum it for us?

Anyhow, you can try tapping it with http://www.songtapper.com and see if comes up with anything. I tried the first two or three bars and couldn't find a hit that was relevant.

[Nobody]

I tried humming and felt embarrassed with the results.

OK, I have some things I need to do, but I'll try humming it later and posting the update for you.

[Kilvert's Pagan]

the 16 seconds of tapping reminded me of that terrible S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y thing by the Bay City Rollers, which of course is (a) not an instrumental and (b) too shitty for anyone to want to remember.

[MACRO86]

Alan Tew, The Fence.
Your welcome :D

[Ponch8]

the 16 seconds of tapping reminded me of that terrible S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y thing by the Bay City Rollers, which of course is (a) not an instrumental and (b) too shitty for anyone to want to remember.

It took me a lot of effort not to burst out in laughter and bother the guy sitting next to me when I read this.

[lieu]

Have you got Shazam on your iPhone... Phone... hone... one... ne... e?