An old fart speaks up:
Glenn Miller- “In The Mood” and “Moonlight Serenade”
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
‘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.
Yes, very sad and beautiful.
It’s called “Cavatina” by Stanley Myers
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.
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?
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