For The Love Of God by Steve Vai.
I think my all-time favorites have already been mentioned… “Underture”, “Sparks”, and “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”.
But I happen to like 1970s-era art rock. So there are a LOT of instrumentals that I personally love but probably feel they’re not “rock” enough to qualify. I’ll just mention a few by King Crimson: “The Sailor’s Tale”, “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic Pt. 1”, “Trio”, and “Fracture”.
Hocus Pocus by Focus.
A couple of mine may not count for instrumental purists, but “Hocus Pocus” by Focus and “Pick Up the Pieces” by Average White Band, along with the previously mentioned “Jessica.”
I was going to add Rush’s “YYZ” to the list, but I’m finding it hard to argue with Jessica and Frankenstein as choices.
ETA: If “Green Onions” actually counts as a rock song, then we’re at a three-way tie for me.
Yes, Green Onions is a rock song - a groovin’ one!! Youtube Link.
As for your Edit comment - here’s the wiki link; they provide a few explanations for the name…
No Led Zeppelin fans in the audience tonight?
How about Moby Dick?
Elton John - Funeral for a Friend
When I saw Crimso for the first time, I didn’t even know who they were (they were opening for Steve Miller). When they played LTIA my jaw dropped to the floor.
La Villa Strangiato - Rush
I nominate the second half of Layla. It really is a different song by a different author. If *Funeral for a Friend *counts, then so should this.
I love the idea for this thread and love even more how it started off with a wicked song.
This is a tough one… Some real contenders, beside The Who:
Pink Floyd (AKA: Syd Barrett; AKA: When Pink Floyd was good) - Interstellar Overdrive and Astronomy Domine… What an amazing record.
Link Wray’s Rumble (Coolest guy ever?)
Husker Du’s ending to Zen Arcade, Reoccurring Dreams
Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds
The Yardbirds White Summer
Wire’s The Commercial rules like the rest of Pink Flag and the band itself.
Minutemen also have a nice quick one with Sickle and Hammer and Cohesion on Double Nickles and Dimes (but I can’t find it).
Alright I need some more time to think about it. I’m getting stretched pretty thin.
I’ll add the Allmans’ “Little Martha.”
I’ve always found Uncle Tupelo’s “Sandusky” to be pleasantly mesmerizing.
Does Ry Cooder’s “The Dream” count? It is a cover of an old tune.
totally unpossible to answer. many good tunes given already and lots more.
while maybe not totally rock, Peaches en Regalia is a well known tune.
a group SRC did a rockin version of In the Hall of the Mountain King/Bolero.
“Lenny” Stevie Ray Vaughn
Ah remembered a couple…
Lovin Spoonful had some very nice ones at the end of their first two records: Night Owl Blues and Big Noise from Speonk.
Uh, take one million and 3… The Strawbs kicking WAY MORE ass as The Monks on Skylab
Rolling Stones’ Aftermath
“Music Box Dancer”
(runs away)
In the real world, a couple of my current favorites are Wade Cagle’s “Groovy Train” (part of a good collection of vintage rock instrumentals on an album called 706 Union Instrumentals, and Los Straitjackets’ “San Diego Shutdown”.
Lots of truly great picks so far, but we need some Santana in here.
There’s a whole compilation album of their instrumentals.
Samba Para Ti is a favorite and so is Europa. (Not to mention the second half of “Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana)” which is fantastic but doesn’t count here.) But I can only imagine what it must have been like to be at Woodstock and hear Soul Sacrifice without knowing anything about it earlier. There are heads still blown.
The criminally underrated and almost forgotten until a little while ago Sonic’s Rendezvous Band doing China Fields
This counts for sure, even if Greg Sage talks a bit. I won’t hear anything else, dammit.
The amazing, the masters of punk, The Wipers doing When It’s Over