# Help me choose Instrumentals for a playlist **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056 "2009-03-02T20:33:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/1 "2009-03-02T20:33:46Z")
I love good instrumentals, especially for late night listening when I’m not in the mood for jazz. I prefer music from the heavier end of the spectrum but anything’s cool. Some songs I’ve selected so far: **Metallica** - _Orion_ **Agent Orange** - _Miserlou_ **Fugazi** - _Sweet and Low_ **Funkadelic** - _Maggot Brain_ **Iron Maiden** - _Genghis Khan_ **Ministry** - _Corrosion_ **Red Hot Chili Peppers** - _Pretty Little Ditty_ I can’t decide what to select from **Don Caballero, Mogwai, Russian Circles, Battles** but I feel they each need to be on the list. So any recommendations for them would be great too. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/2 "2009-03-02T20:42:45Z")
Beck’s Bolero - Jeff Beck Group (feat. Jimmy Page, John Entwhistle and Keith Moon) Hideaway - either the Freddie King or John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers feat. Eric Clapton Scuttlebuttin’ - Stevie Ray Vaughn Surfing with the Alien - Joe Satriani Eruption? Cliffs of Dover?? Plenty of Others…but the ones listed above are more bluesy-rocky vs. heavy… ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/3 "2009-03-02T20:49:56Z")
Röyksopp Nobukazu Takemura DJ Krush Nightmares on Wax Pigbag Rinocérôse Kinky Beastie Boys ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/4 "2009-03-02T20:58:52Z")
Hideaway (really Stepping Out, also on the Blues Breakers album) also appears at excessive length on Live Cream Vol… 2. The first Santana album has lots of instrumentals. Most of Mike Oldfield’s best stuff counts, including Tubular Bells, TB2 and most of TB3. Ommadawn Hergest Ridge Almost all of Incantations Platinum - first four tracks. QE2 Most of Five Miles Out The Songs of Distant Earth (based on the Arthur C. Clarke book) and the amazing Amarok. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/5 "2009-03-02T21:00:23Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Plenty of Others…but the ones listed above are more bluesy-rocky vs. heavy… Variety’s the spice of life, heavy’s just the end of the spectrum I prefer. I’m not familiar with _Becks Bolero_ but, damn, that’s some kind of lineup! It goes to the top of my itunes shopping list based on that alone. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/6 "2009-03-02T21:06:13Z")
> [@HongKongFooey](#): > > Variety’s the spice of life, heavy’s just the end of the spectrum I prefer. I’m not familiar with _Becks Bolero_ but, damn, that’s some kind of lineup! It goes to the top of my itunes shopping list based on that alone. …that’s why I listed the line up. 😉 I strongly recommend John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers feat. Peter Green on guitar and their instrumental The Supernatural (aka The Super-Natural) if you like Santana-type lead work (Santana worships Peter Green). Brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/7 "2009-03-03T01:48:22Z")
_bump for the night crew_ ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/8 "2009-03-03T02:32:00Z")
Frankenstein/Edgar Winter Group Space Race/Billy Preston Sleep Walk/Santo and Johnny Bumble Boogie/B Bumble and the Stingers Ramblin’ Man from Grambling/Sam Spence (Don’t recognize it by name? [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho5t2SyKdUQ&feature=PlayList&p=A4F8A9D18FB81AD6&index=0&playnext=1](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho5t2SyKdUQ&feature=PlayList&p=A4F8A9D18FB81AD6&index=0&playnext=1)) Round Up/Sam Spence [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkZKeSvrjTE&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkZKeSvrjTE&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Gregor\_Samsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@Gregor\_Samsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gregor_Samsa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/9 "2009-03-03T04:23:12Z")
How about Hendrix - Third Stone From the Sun? ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/10 "2009-03-03T08:48:23Z")
**Camel** - [Ice](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLarYtjkPRA) ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/11 "2009-03-03T16:11:26Z")
Moby Dick by Zeppelin Hocus Pocus by Focus Anything from the Zappa albums “Guitar,” “Shut Up and Play Your Guitar,” and “Shut Up and Play Your Guitar Some More.” Check out the band Man… Or Astro-Man Joe ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/12 "2009-03-03T16:15:08Z")
You gotta have some Rush in there. YYZ, La Villa Strangiato, The Main Monkey Business, Malignant Narcissism, and Leave That Thing Alone all kick ass. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/13 "2009-03-03T16:30:26Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > Moby Dick by Zeppelin > Anything from the Zappa albums “Guitar,” “Shut Up and Play Your Guitar,” and “Shut Up and Play Your Guitar Some More.” Or Hot Rats. Or Sleep Dirt. But especially Hot Rats. Peaches en Regalia is great, as is Sofa #2. \*EDIT: Sofa #2 isn’t on Hot Rats, it’s on One Size Fits All. \* ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/14 "2009-03-03T16:44:20Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > Ramblin’ Man from Grambling/Sam Spence > (Don’t recognize it by name? [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho5t2SyKdUQ&feature=PlayList&p=A4F8A9D18FB81AD6&index=0&playnext=1](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho5t2SyKdUQ&feature=PlayList&p=A4F8A9D18FB81AD6&index=0&playnext=1)) > Round Up/Sam Spence > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkZKeSvrjTE&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkZKeSvrjTE&feature=related) Another NFL Films piece is one of my very favorites: Heroes of War / David Robidoux ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/15 "2009-03-03T16:53:46Z")
A few rock ones that I like: Fire on High / Electric Light Orcehstra Cinema / Yes The Clap / Yes (technically a Steve Howe acoustic piece) I Robot / Alan Parsons Project ---
**Author:** ![HumanMonkeyGod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c67d28/32.png) [@HumanMonkeyGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HumanMonkeyGod)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/16 "2009-03-03T18:50:49Z")
Do you like wheedley-whee guitar playing? There’s a world of Vai and Satch waiting to please you if you do. Dream Theater have some great ones too (Dance of eternity, Hell’s kitchen and Erotomania are musts). Otherwise… Futterman’s rule - Beastie Boys Vox stellarum by Arch Enemy The number song - DJ Shadow 😉 Lastly I’ll suggest Textures by Cynic. If you like jazz and metal I fail to see how this will not beckon your ears over and over and over and over… ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/17 "2009-03-03T19:00:20Z")
I see someone else has already recommended **YYZ** , so I’ll second it and add a YouTube link: [YYZ as the soundtrack to a computer-animation of the drummer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHYt0BqSwno) Fun facts: YYZ is the luggage code for Rush’s home airport of Toronto, Canada; the staccato guitar part at the beginning is “Y-Y-Z” in Morse Code. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/18 "2009-03-03T20:17:40Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > and the amazing Amarok. That’s a playlist all by itself! ---
**Author:** ![tds1273](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tds1273](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tds1273)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/19 "2009-03-03T20:20:08Z")
A Silver Mount Zion - “Sit in the Middle of Three Galloping Dogs” Buckethead - “Binge and Grab”, “Want Some Slaw?” Dungen - “Det Du Tanker Idag Ar Du Imorn”, “Lejonet & Kulan” Explosions In The Sky - “Welcome, Ghosts” Electrelane - “Film Music”, “Gabriel” Faith No More - “Woodpecker From Mars” Incubus - ‘2nd and 4th Movements of the Odyssey’(off of Halo2 soundtrack) Let’s Go Bowling - “Grover’s Reprise” Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quintet - “Spookrijden Op Het Fietspad” ~~ From a slightly more hiphop/jazzy angle, but still instrumentals… Avalanches, The - “Electricity”, “Since I Left You” Amon Tobin - “Nightlife”, “Sordid” Blockhead - “Insomniac Olympics” Free the Robots - “Jazzhole”, “Yoga Fire” Madlib - “Movie Finale” Nujabes - “Horn in the Middle” Sebutones - “Whiteys on the Moon” Stereolab w/Nurse With Wound - “Simple Headphone Mind” …also maybe try Sole and the Skyrider Band; underground hiphop + post-rock, live instrumental backing ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056/20 "2009-03-03T20:20:33Z")
Zepplin - Bonzo’s Montreaux ZZ Top - Asleep in the Desert [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-choose-instrumentals-for-a-playlist/488056.md?page=2)