# Please help me identify this instrumental **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 17, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317 "2016-03-17T20:19:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/1 "2016-03-17T20:19:57Z")
I am trying to identify this guitar instrumental from the sixties, I think. You’ll probably need to copy the link into your browser to hear my inartful playing: [http://joker49.tripod.com/unknown\_instrumental.mp3](http://joker49.tripod.com/unknown_instrumental.mp3) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/2 "2016-03-17T20:55:33Z")
You have to copy the link, open new window, paste link to get it to load (won’t work from clicking link at least not on my browser). Sorry, don’t recognize it. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/3 "2016-03-17T21:05:03Z")
I did the cut and paste thing, but sorry, don’t recognize it - sounds fun! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/4 "2016-03-17T21:14:45Z")
Well, it kind of sounds Ventures-y or Dick Dale-y, but that’s all I’ve got. Where did you hear this? What’s the backing instrumentation sound like? Is the part you’re playing actually played on a reverby guitar in the actual tune? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/5 "2016-03-17T21:19:25Z")
Unknown to me, but I buy into **pulykamell** ’s take on it. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/6 "2016-03-17T21:32:55Z")
I’m almost certain it’s from the era of surf instrumentals. I’ve been dinking around playing it since I started figuring out how to play the Chantays and Walk Don’t Run back in the day, so it must have been on the radio about the same time. My first instinct is to say it might have been the B side of one of the 45’s from that era, but of course I’m not sure. I even went through about 100 guitar instrumentals on youtube, but couldn’t find it. I just know someone will pop in and remember what it is. You guys haven’t failed me yet! ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/7 "2016-03-18T01:19:16Z")
Could it be [Surf Rider from Pulp Fiction?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXi3mCfv15k) Maybe mixed in with a bit of [Misirlou](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hLIXrlpRe8) from the same movie? ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/8 "2016-03-18T01:21:47Z")
> [@Linty\_Fresh](#): > > Could it be [Surf Rider from Pulp Fiction?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXi3mCfv15k) Maybe mixed in with a bit of [Misirlou](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hLIXrlpRe8) from the same movie? No. It was the same melody that I posted, exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/9 "2016-03-18T02:56:13Z")
I think that’s “Mr. Moto” by The Belairs: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvY9akXFUko) ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/10 "2016-03-18T03:02:15Z")
[quote=“Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr, post:9, topic:749317”] I think that’s “Mr. Moto” by The Belairs: [/QUOTE] That’s it! I’ll check further now that I have a name, but that doesn’t sound like precisely the version I remember. But thanks! I knew somebody would come through! ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/11 "2016-03-18T03:08:13Z")
[This one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg0yqMt70mA) by the Challengers is more like the one I remember, but it’s not quite it either. The search goes on. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/12 "2016-03-18T03:09:01Z")
The Ventures did it too ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/13 "2016-03-18T03:11:33Z")
Closest yet: [The Sabres.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5sEGdP4sZ0) ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/14 "2016-03-18T03:12:33Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > The Ventures did it too Indeed. It appears every surf band did it! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/15 "2016-03-18T07:33:08Z")
I knew that I knew this song when I listened earlier, but couldn’t put a name to it either. My surf band covered The Belairs’ “Squad Car” in the past, and almost certainly will again. Oddly, the posted versions don’t sound like the one I had in my mind either, and it’s not the Agent Orange version either. I’ve been browsing the versions I can find, and it doesn’t appear that the Centurions or the mighty Man or Astro-Man? did it. I think the one I hear in my head is [The Lively Ones’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJl8uMguLGQ) version. Oh, that muffled surf bass is sexy. It’s probably the one that I was subconsciously trying to match in my head when mixing our record. Thank you for asking this question, **pohjonen** , and thank you for answering it, **Ellis Aponte Jr.** ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/16 "2016-03-18T18:41:27Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > I knew that I knew this song when I listened earlier, but couldn’t put a name to it either. My surf band covered The Belairs’ “Squad Car” in the past, and almost certainly will again. Oddly, the posted versions don’t sound like the one I had in my mind either, and it’s not the Agent Orange version either. I’ve been browsing the versions I can find, and it doesn’t appear that the Centurions or the mighty Man or Astro-Man? did it. > > I think the one I hear in my head is [The Lively Ones’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJl8uMguLGQ) version. Oh, that muffled surf bass is sexy. It’s probably the one that I was subconsciously trying to match in my head when mixing our record. > > Thank you for asking this question, **pohjonen** , and thank you for answering it, **Ellis Aponte Jr.** HA. That doesn’t quite match the one in my head either. I can’t remember the movie I saw last month, but I can recall pretty vividly the nuances of a song I haven’t heard in fifty years. That’s the brain for ya. I’m glad my long wondering about the song has finally been answered, however. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2016, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-help-me-identify-this-instrumental/749317/17 "2016-03-18T19:42:18Z")
[Thom Starr and the Galaxies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg40HTVgRK8). It’s the most familiar to me, so far.