# How many instumental Oldies can you name? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 4, 2001, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733 "2001-03-04T18:19:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/41 "2001-03-07T17:50:50Z")
I think the **Theme from “The Rockford Files”** also made the charts. Also the **Allman Brothers Band** had an instrumental hit with **“Jessica”**. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2001, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/42 "2001-03-07T18:02:46Z")
**Dueling Banjos** ---
**Author:** ![tshirts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2001, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/43 "2001-03-08T04:58:13Z")
One of his that I love is **Casino Royale**. It was in the opening credits, and that scene where David Niven (and Woody Allen?) are dressed in kilts and dueling with bowling balls. Absurdism at its best. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2001, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/44 "2001-03-08T05:06:16Z")
How can I forget “Love Story” and “Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet” (with and without lyrics)? Robin ---
**Author:** ![Hometownboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5e9695/32.png) [@Hometownboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hometownboy)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2001, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/45 "2001-03-08T15:00:49Z")
De nada, **screech-owl**. Happy to put my fading memory and my small but significant collection of reference books at your service. Speaking of memory, how could I forget those last gasps of the big band era on the pop charts, Jimmy Dorsey’s **So Rare** a #2 song in 1957, whose only lyrics are those of the title. AND Tommy Dorsey’s #7 hit from 1958 **Tea for Two Cha-Cha** Neither of them show up very often on oldies collections, though I have seen the occasional So Rare. For some reason, the words “cha-cha” and “collection of hits” just seem to fight in people’s minds. ---
**Author:** ![BigStar303](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@BigStar303](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigStar303)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2001, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/46 "2001-03-08T15:39:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BigStar303 \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Nocturne \* > > \*\*“Grazin’ in the Grass” > > “Last Date” > > > > I realize that those two had versions that had words, but I’ve heard the instrumentals. There’s also another one I can’t think of, that features piano prominently. I think a Motown group did the version with words. \*\* > > Not sure if this is what you have in mind, but there’s also “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” by Cannonball Adderly, later made a vocal hit by The Buckinghams (who, of course, were white guys, not Motown artists). > > This brings up one of my favorite trivia questions: > > _The songs “Grazing in the Grass” and “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” have TWO very specific things in common. What are they?_ > > One is obvious from this thread…they both were hits first in instrumental versions and later as vocals, reversing the more common trend of a vocal hit later being covered in an instrumental version. (In the case of “Grazin’ in the Grass,” Hugh Masekela did the instrumental, The Friends of Distinction the later vocal.) > > But can anyone guess the second thing they have in common? I’ll give it a day or two and come back with the answer if no one has got it. \*\* Well, I guess it’s time to repsond to the tremendous outpouring of interest my little trivia question has generated. (Ahem!) For the record, the TWO things the songs “Grazing in the Grass” and “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” have in common are: 1. As mentioned, both were first Top 40 hits as instrumentals, then later became hits again in vocal versions. 2. The lyrics of both songs contain the phrase “Sure is mellow.” a) “Sure is mellow grazin’ in the grass” b) “Sure is mellow, glad that I’m her fellow” ---
**Author:** ![tshirts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2001, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/47 "2001-03-11T06:10:10Z")
**Washington Square** by the Village Stompers was one I would play by the hour, putting the 45 record player in repeat mode. ---
**Author:** ![wolfseyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/97f17d/32.png) [@wolfseyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfseyn)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/48 "2001-03-12T02:00:46Z")
Here’s a couple: Red River Rock and Teen Beat ---
**Author:** ![dr\_hermes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@dr\_hermes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dr_hermes)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2001, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/49 "2001-03-12T07:35:54Z")
Man, you could assemble a couple of great CDs with the songs mentioned here. How about “Glad” by Traffic, off **John bArleycorn Must Die**? DJs loved using that a background while making announcements and going to the next show. ---
**Author:** ![BarnStormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f8ce5/32.png) [@BarnStormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnStormer)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/50 "2001-03-14T05:39:37Z")
You said rag, so I thought of “Tiger Rag”, “The Maple Leaf Rag”, and “12th Street Rag”. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2001, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/51 "2001-03-14T13:03:29Z")
I can’t believe no-one has mentioned Samba pa ti by Santana. By far the most beautiful instrumental of all time, imho. Second place for me would go to the dreamy Albatross by Fleetwood Mac. And probably third place to Theme from the Deerhunter (cavatina) by the Shadows. ---
**Author:** ![tshirts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2001, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733/52 "2001-03-15T02:15:37Z")
One that played on TV a lot in the 60’s but didn’t reach my collection until the 90’s is the “Mission Impossible Theme”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-instumental-oldies-can-you-name/56733.md?page=2)