# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mr\_Mxyzptlk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@Mr\_Mxyzptlk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Mxyzptlk)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/61 "2002-11-06T01:44:45Z")
An old fart speaks up: Glenn Miller- “In The Mood” and “Moonlight Serenade” ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/62 "2002-11-06T02:13:56Z")
Lemme get all 70s and **funkay**! **Soul Bossanova** - Quincy Jones (better known now as the theme from the Austin Powers movies). **The Sound of Philadelphia (TSOP)** - MFSB. And even though only the first half is instrumental, **Theme from _Shaft_** - Isaac Hayes. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/63 "2002-11-06T02:22:30Z")
**Tank** by Emerson, Lake and Palmer **Toccatta and Fugue in D Minor** , J.S. Bach Most of the pieces from **Time Out** , Dave Brubeck **Whamma Jamma** , J. Geils Band Most Scott Joplin pieces, particularly **The Entertainer** and **Maple Leaf Rag** ---
**Author:** ![ForgingAnchors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b5e925/32.png) [@ForgingAnchors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForgingAnchors)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/64 "2002-11-06T07:56:18Z")
I have been reading and thouroughly enjoying the straight dope since my freshman year of high, now, several years later, i finally feel compelled to register and levy an opinion. “Calculating Infinity” by the Dillinger Escape Plan is a trip into the most intense mathcore one could imagine. Instead of relying on the random and improvised nature of jazz instrumentals, or the multi-powered orchestretal arrangments, the Dillinger Escape Plan is 5 amazing musicians who take spit in the face of time signatures and have the most striking patterns of time. “Woodwell” by Saetia is a powerfully emotional instrumental held in the highest regards by only the most devoted fans of the hardcore/emo scene and the thickest glassed of record store geeks. This song smoothes me through life. I hope the straight dope treats me “oh so kind.” love-hope-revolution, josh ---
**Author:** ![The\_Waz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@The\_Waz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Waz)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/65 "2002-11-06T16:14:04Z")
The greatest instrumental of all time that was performed by Richard Wagner is, IMHO, the introduction to Sweet Jane on Lou Reed’s “Rock N Roll Animal”. That’s Richard Wagner of Saginaw, Michigan, of course. ---
**Author:** ![micki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@micki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/micki)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/66 "2002-11-07T00:51:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bomzaway \* > \*\* > But that’s just my opinion…as are these: > **Bron-Yr-Aur** by Led Zeppelin > **Eruption** by Van Halen \*\* I have to agree with Bomzaway…both on his choices and to exclude most classical and jazz. 🙂 Bron-Yr-Aur is beautiful, yet if I had to choose an Eddie ditty it would have to be Spanish Fly. ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/67 "2002-11-07T14:36:38Z")
Okay, this one is guaranteed to make you cry, but I can’t for the life of me think of the name of it. It is the theme from “The Deerhunter”. It is a guitar piece and it is truly beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![ravage2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@ravage2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ravage2)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2002, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/68 "2002-11-07T16:15:26Z")
‘The call of Ktulu’ by Metallica for a heavy metal instumental with heavy riffs and brilliant solos. They did a version with the San Francisco symphony orchestra that won a Grammy. ---
**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 8, 2002, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/69 "2002-11-08T05:13:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by EchoKitty \* > \*\*Okay, this one is guaranteed to make you cry, but I can’t for the life of me think of the name of it. It is the theme from “The Deerhunter”. It is a guitar piece and it is truly beautiful. \*\* Yes, very sad and beautiful. It’s called **“Cavatina”** by Stanley Myers ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2002, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/70 "2002-11-09T08:14:24Z")
R.E.M.'s done some good ones–“Endgame” on Out of Time, “Zither” on New Adventures in Hi-Fi (which was recorded in the bathroom at the First Union Center in Philadelphia), and “New Orleans Instrumental No. 1” on Automatic For The People. ---
**Author:** ![Narile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@Narile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Narile)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/71 "2002-11-10T06:00:41Z")
Modern: The Brazillian - About the only song by Collins Genesis I can stand. Frankenstein - EWG. Classical Gas - Yeap. Chronologie - Jarre. Magnetic Storms - Jarre. Pink Panther theme. The Fish - Yes (I think it is the Fish, sometimes its hard to remember names.) Older The song I always think of when I think of Glen Miller, though I don’t know its name. Music Box Dancer - It’s part of my childhood. Classical Hall of the Mountain King Fur Elise Beethovens 5th Toccata in Fugue - or is that And? ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2002, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043/72 "2002-11-10T21:59:09Z")
Gotta go with **sublight** on **j geils** , but I think the formal name of the smokin’ tune was **Whammer Jammer** from the Full House Live album. For Northwest fans of the burgeoning 60s I suggest **Bent Scepter** by the Kingsmen, from the album that featured Louie, Louie. It has that same loose, frat-house party feel. Bluegrass fans might enjoy **Sapporo** from New Grass Revival, an amazing blend of bluegrass with oriental sensibilities. Either the 8 minute version on their Commonwealth album or the 18 minute version on Live is worth your time. **Vaseline Machine Gun** from Leo Kottke’s first album on Takoma records, the one where the liner notes point out that he doesn’t sing because his voice sounds like “geese farts on a soggy day.” **Jessica** by the Allman Brothers always makes me smile. It’s a great feel-good road song. **Pipeline** – not only the Chantays original, but the nifty joint performance by Dick Dale and Stevie Ray Vaughn on Dale’s Better Shred than Dead CD And, of all things **The Great Manolete** from the Tijuana Brass’ second album. Not among their mariachi-lite hits, but a compelling trumpet piece nonetheless [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-instrumentals-of-all-time/135043.md?page=3)