# Your favorite instrumental music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 21, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-instrumental-music/460862 "2008-08-21T22:29:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-instrumental-music/460862/41 "2008-08-23T12:56:13Z")
Another one that just popped into my mind is “Albatross” by Fleetwood Mac. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-instrumental-music/460862/42 "2008-08-23T17:44:43Z")
I’ll go for: **Santana** : Every Step of the Way (from either \*Caravanserai \*or live on _Lotus_) **Pink Floyd** : A Saucerful of Secrets (the track) **Allman Brothers** : Whipping Post (why has no-one mentioned this yet?) (from _The Fillmore Concerts_) **Brian Eno** : Sparrowfall (all three) (from _Music For Films_) **George Harrison** : Wonderwall To Be Here (from _Wonderwall_) **Hawkwind** : Wind of Change (from _The Hall of the Mountain Grill_) **John Cale** : The Academy In Peril **Klaus Schulze** : Floating (from _Moondawn_) **Quicksilver Messenger Service** : Calvary (apart from the cry “Who did he think he was?”) (from _Happy Trails_) and dozens of obscure 60s/70s progressive instrumentals! ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-instrumental-music/460862/43 "2008-08-23T17:56:48Z")
[QUOTE=NineToTheSky] **Allman Brothers** : Whipping Post (why has no-one mentioned this yet?) [/QUOTE] Because for all it’s jammy goodness, it’s not an instrumental. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-instrumental-music/460862/44 "2008-08-23T18:05:26Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] Because for all it’s jammy goodness, it’s not an instrumental. [/QUOTE] Oh yes - you’re right. But it’s only the music in that track that makes it what it is. That’s my excuse - and I’m sticking to it! Actually, thinking about the OP’s question, I realised that a lot of what I thought of as instrumentals do actually have vocals. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-instrumental-music/460862/45 "2008-08-23T22:25:47Z")
I did forget Mountain Jam, which might be the Allmans’ opus. And Incident at Neshabur and Soul Sacrifice by Carlos Santana. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-instrumental-music/460862/46 "2008-08-24T02:54:52Z")
[QUOTE=Snarky\_Kong] I’m partial to SRV’s Little Wing. [/QUOTE] Frankly, I’ve always thought that if Jimi Hendrix had lived to hear Stevie Ray’s version, Jimi would’ve been embarrassed. It really is that much better than the original. Personal favs (limiting myself to one song per band): \*\*YYZ – Rush Stream of Consciousness – Dream Theater Transylvania – Iron Maiden The Call of Ktulu – Metallica Bodhran – The Young Dubliners Super Taranta! – Gogol Bordello \*\* Also, a couple great entirely instrumental albums: **Merry Axemas** (instrumental Christmas songs by Guitar Gods like **Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Alex Lifeson, Hotei, Steve Vai, Steve Morse, Joe Satriani** and more) **Liquid Tension Experiment** (2 albums) - I liked the first album more, but the 2nd starts off with my pick for the best instrumental song ever, **Acid Rain**. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2008, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-instrumental-music/460862/47 "2008-08-24T03:12:09Z")
I’ll give a nod to **Ivan Astikov** for Gabriel Yared – although I only know him for his music from _Betty Blue_. I had to get that soundtrack after seeing the film. I really like surf music. It’s hard to pick a fave. I like Dick Dale, and I like The Mermen. The Ventures, and even The Surfaris have good songs. Beethoven’s 5th Symphony is great. There are just too many instrumental pieces from too many genres to pick one favourite. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-instrumental-music/460862.md?page=2)