# Best instrumentals of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043 "2002-11-03T00:46:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Boob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Crazy\_Boob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Boob)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/1 "2002-11-03T00:46:29Z")
Im curious what you think some of the best instrumentals are (of any music style). Lets hear what they are šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/2 "2002-11-03T01:30:32Z")
I think this belongs in **Cafe Society** , so hopefully a mod will move it soon. That being said, the alltime greatest ever best instrumental is _Classical Gas_ by **Mason Williams.** ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/3 "2002-11-03T01:55:58Z")
In the rock idiom, side 1 of ā€˜Ommadawnā€™ by Mike Oldfield gets my vote. In jazz, it would be The Koln Concert by Keith Jarrett or Stanley Jordanā€™s version of Eleanor Rigby. To see Jordan play this live is to know what genius actually looks like. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/4 "2002-11-03T01:59:09Z")
There are too many to choose just one, but Iā€™ll toss in the Allman Brothersā€™ _In Memory of Elizabeth Reed_. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/5 "2002-11-03T04:26:38Z")
I hear that Mozart weenie did some good instrumentalsā€¦ šŸ˜ƒ If it doesnā€™t have to be purely instrumental: _Layla_ ā€“ Clapton ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/6 "2002-11-03T04:28:17Z")
_In the Hall of the Mountain King_ ā€“ Wagner and a crazed chopper pilot šŸ˜‰ _Fifth Symphony_ ā€“ Beethoven _Fur Elise_ ā€“ Mozart ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/7 "2002-11-03T04:28:55Z")
Rock genre: Albatross: Peter Greenā€™s Fleetwood Mac Jazz: A Few Of My Favorite Things: John Coltrane ---
**Author:** ![MoeGreenSpecial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@MoeGreenSpecial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoeGreenSpecial)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/8 "2002-11-03T04:42:50Z")
Funny youā€™ve heard of Stanley Jordan, **ianzin**. When I first saw this thread he was what came to mind. For those of you who havenā€™t heard him, he uses a guitar technique called _tapping_. Brilliant guy. Also, John Coltraneā€™s CD _A Love Supreme_ probably ranks up there with my favorite jazz instrumental CDs (though there are many). I canā€™t leave out Phishā€™s _You Enjoy Myself_ and _All Things Reconsidered_, and many of Bucketheadā€™s instrumentals, uncluding but not limited to _Night of the Slunk_, _Nun Chaka Kata_ and his _Colma_ CD. Again,I just touched Jazz and didnā€™t even mention Classical. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/9 "2002-11-03T06:30:33Z")
Classical Gas (me too!) Walk, Donā€™t Run Pipeline Apache Hawaii Five-0 Telstar Wipeout (Most of these are Originals/Covers by ā€œThe Venturesā€ Love Is Blue Pink Panther Theme Midnight In Moscow Iā€™ll think of more later! ---
**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/10 "2002-11-03T06:57:18Z")
Thereā€™s at least six albums worth by **The Dirty Three** , and here are some of my favourites: Sueā€™s Last Ride I Remember A Time When Once You Used To Love Me The Last Night Deep Waters I Really Shouldā€™ve Gone Out Last Night ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/11 "2002-11-03T07:18:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Fur Elise ā€“ Mozart _Fur Elise_ would be Beethoven. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/12 "2002-11-03T07:27:51Z")
MaCathur Park - Stan Kenton, yup the instrumentl version! Miserlou - Dick Dale Take 5 - Dave Brubeck Hocus Pocus - Focus Frankenstein - Edgar Winter Group Equinoxe - Jean Michel Jarre Samba pa ti - Santana Walk donā€™t run - Ventures ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/13 "2002-11-03T08:03:47Z")
**Peaches en Regalia** and **Filthy Habits** by Frank Zappa **Momma Miss America** by Paul McCartney **Moonlight Sonata** Beethoven **Thing** by Jefferson Airplane **Sandalaphon** by Jefferson Starship **Ameriques** by Edgar VarĆØse **Samba Pa Ti** by Santana **Agro Arena** by Cake ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/14 "2002-11-03T11:27:21Z")
John Coltrane is indeed wonderful but since heā€™s already been mentioned I shall instead plump for ā€œPeaceā€ by Ornette Coleman ( from the album _The Shape of Jazz to Come_). In the pop line, Iā€™ve been listening to a lot of electronic music recently and so shall suggest the album _Geogaddi_ by The Boards of Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Homer\_J](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c37758/32.png) [@Homer\_J](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer_J)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/15 "2002-11-03T12:05:38Z")
lincoln highway dub - sublime mr green genes - frank zappa ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/16 "2002-11-03T12:20:05Z")
Pretty much anything on the _Coltrane Jazz_ album. _Bolero_ - Ravel _Mars: Bringer of War_ - Gustav Holst _Inhumanity_ - Trevor Duncan _Hammer_ - Brian Bennets (This was the 80s theme music for the Discovery Channelā€™s _Wings_ series) _Telstar_ _Rhapsody in Blue_ - George Gershwin _The Liberty Bell March_ - Souzaā€™s only redeeming creation. _Yog-Sothoth Does the Ring Cycle_ - OK, I made this one up. ---
**Author:** ![riserius1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@riserius1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/riserius1)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/17 "2002-11-03T12:34:11Z")
The Ocean Is The Ultimate Solution by Zappa YYZ by Rush Steamer Lane Breakdown by The Doobie Brothers Hoedown By Emerson Lake and Palmer Chris W ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/18 "2002-11-03T12:35:02Z")
Sleepwalk by Santo and Johnny Stratosphere Boogie by Speedy West and Jimmy Bryant Flying in a Blue Dream by Joe Satriani The Mystical Potatohead Groove Thing by Joe Satriani ---
**Author:** ![micki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@micki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micki)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/19 "2002-11-03T13:27:23Z")
Though this song isnā€™t entirely an instrumentalā€¦the second half of Cinema Show by Genesis is absolute brilliance. Gabriel himself has said (paraphrased) that sometimes you have to shut up and let the music do the talking. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2002, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/20 "2002-11-03T13:53:19Z")
Marcus Robertsā€™s version of ā€œRhapsody in Blueā€ " 'Cause Weā€™ve Ended as Lovers" ā€“ Jeff Beck dittos on ā€œTake Fiveā€ and ā€œIn Memory of Elizabeth Reedā€ ā€œSing Sing Singā€ ā€“ Benny Goodman, the Carnegie Hall version with the totally kickass drumming by Gene Krupa ā€œSoul Sacrificeā€ ā€“ Santana, Woodstock version [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043.md?page=2)