# What is the best rock instrumental of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 21, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198 "2012-08-21T19:41:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/121 "2012-08-24T21:04:08Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Not a rock band , but totally a rock instrumental: “[The Roots of Coincidence](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6KaUiqLZcs)” by the Pat Metheny Group. If you’re going to mention Pat Methany, then everything pales before [Last Train Home](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g6nPYyIS_I), which is on any short list for best song ever in any category. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/122 "2012-08-24T21:08:40Z")
The Electric Light Orchestra created a double album called ‘Out of the Blue’. It is a real treat with only a very few clunkers. One of the best songs on it is [The Whale](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzJqjkgUZeM). ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/123 "2012-08-24T21:12:59Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > If you’re going to mention Pat Methany, then everything pales before [Last Train Home](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g6nPYyIS_I), which is on any short list for best song ever in any category. Pat’s my favorite artist, but I never felt the love for LTH. It probably wouldn’t make my top 50 of his songs. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/124 "2012-08-25T00:00:08Z")
There have been an incredible amount of excellent musical selections in this thread and I agree with a great many of those. Being one of the elderly Dopers, let’s go back to 1963 when the Rockin’ Rebels did [Wild Weekend](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhJC2ao-3_o). Yes, in the 49 years that have intervened since that recording, rock and roll has undergone a great many changes. Musicianship has improved dramatically, and melodies have been composed with greater musical sophistication. Still, there is something about “Wild Weekend” that seems to proclaim “_ **THIS** _ is rock and roll”. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/125 "2012-08-25T02:07:39Z")
> [@Greekfreak](#): > > Do you have the one my people grew up with? > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BZ4mobFCgo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BZ4mobFCgo) Not that exact one, but close. I do have “traditional” versions with violins, accordions, mandolins, etc. I don’t even know what language they’re sun in. One of the cover artist bands uses the clever band name “The Jewrhythmics”. 😛 There’s even a version on Rhapsody crediting Dinah Shore as the artist, which is weird because I listened to most of it and there were no vocals at all. There is a Chubby Checker cover as well. ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/126 "2012-08-25T03:51:19Z")
Not sure but I am confident it came from Jeff Beck’s “Blow by Blow” or was done by the Dixie Dregs. Course you could argue neither is out and out “rock,” so… I dunno. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/127 "2012-08-25T04:53:40Z")
If you don’t get busted for speeding listening to [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ajfuf9W6B0) in your car, you need a faster car. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/128 "2012-08-25T18:34:12Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > If you’re going to mention Pat Methany, then everything pales before [Last Train Home](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g6nPYyIS_I), which is on any short list for best song ever in any category. Yeah. Generally Metheny rubs me wrong, but I love **Last Train Home** , and rank it even with **Jessica**. It’s nearly as much rock as the surf instrumentals. As soon as I saw the Metheny reference upthread I was ready to mention it, but you already had it covered. ---
**Author:** ![Katie\_Mae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/858c86/32.png) [@Katie\_Mae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katie_Mae)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/129 "2013-05-17T14:05:50Z")
Water Song (Hot Tuna) Hooray for Jorma!/Katie ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/130 "2013-05-17T14:36:08Z")
This is an admittedly liberal interpretation of the definition of instrumental, but I think the intro to [**Sweet Jane**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4VuHHqIBqI) from **Lou Reed** ’s Rock N Roll Animal deserves mention. mmm ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/131 "2013-05-17T14:40:20Z")
> [@OtisCampbellWasRight](#): > > Green Onions. > > Thread OVA! “Time is Tight” is better. Rush, “YYZ”. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/132 "2013-05-17T14:43:26Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Didn’t Zappa have an entire album of instrumentals, called “Shut Up And Play Your Guitar”??? > > edit: yes, he did: > > [Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shut_Up_%27n_Play_Yer_Guitar) Isn’t that the one that got a “Parental Advisory” sticker because it had a song called “G-Spot Tornado”? :rolleyes: “Sirius”, Alan Parson Project ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/133 "2013-05-17T15:05:16Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > I happen to have found the following list recently: > > [250 Greatest Rock Instrumentals](http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_rockinst.html) > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > That has got to be the weirdest list in the history of lists. On a long drive recently I played a compilation CD of late50s/early 60s instrumentals that had a lot of tracks that show up in that list. Those who brought up the Chantay’s “Pipeline” are absolutely correct. It’s 2:11 of perfection. Every note is distinct, necessary, and awesome and the production puts them together like a Pointilist masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/134 "2013-05-17T16:45:52Z")
[Theme from] _Midnight Cowboy_ by the horrifically underrated Faith No More. _Ides of March_ by Iron Maiden. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/135 "2013-05-17T17:24:07Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Isn’t that the one that got a “Parental Advisory” sticker because it had a song called “G-Spot Tornado”? :rolleyes: No, that was _Jazz from Hell_. And it’s tempting to think that the real reason it got stickered was as payback for Zappa’s campaign against just that sort of labelling. ---
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/136 "2013-05-17T18:12:21Z")
One of my faves: Beatles: Flying [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qFrpclWP3eQ/hqdefault.jpg "The Beatles - Flying (2009 Stereo Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFrpclWP3eQ) maybe it doesn’t count as instrumental because vocals at end? ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/137 "2013-05-17T21:03:17Z")
[Frank Zappa A Watermelon in Easter Hay](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9DqykUsqRY) ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/138 "2013-05-17T21:36:46Z")
[Jimi at Woodstock](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa_Rnwi-Gjo) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/139 "2013-05-17T22:48:09Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > No question that posting “Jessica” and “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” pretty much made the rest of the thread a posting of other favorites, since the candidates for the best were given right at the top. > > Which is better? “Jessica” is the purest example of American stomp and cheer guitar-based Southern cookin’ music. “Elizabeth Reed” might have an even better melody. But it has that drum solo. But that melodic line… > > Damn motorcycles. On the Fillmore East album the drum break in “Elizabeth Reed” is 16 seconds long. No matter how much you hate drum solos I hope that doesn’t ruin the song. (Live these days it’s usually much longer.) Anyway that would be my choice. ---
**Author:** ![the\_O](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@the\_O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198/140 "2013-05-18T03:12:55Z")
> [@oreally](#): > > Not sure but I am confident it came from Jeff Beck’s “Blow by Blow” or was done by the Dixie Dregs. Course you could argue neither is out and out “rock,” so… > > I dunno. 🙂 Do the Dregs count? If they do, then anything from the “Unsung Heroes” album would be my choice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-rock-instrumental-of-all-time/632198.md?page=8)