Instrumentals

[Dad3353]

Then there are the instrumentals that attracted lyricists. One striking example might be Mozart's Fourth Horn Concerto, adroitly adapted by Flanders and Swann to become 'Ill Wind' ...

 

 

 

 

[Leonard Smalls]

43 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Then there are the instrumentals that attracted lyricists.

Conversely, there's the songs that inspired instrumentals!

I won't link for obvious reasons, but Chopin borrowed heavily for his Prelude in C minor from Barry Manilow's "Could it be Magic"...

[Barking Spiders]

Trance and drum n 'bass were praps the most instrumental of the dance/electronic genres in the 90s-early 00s as House and techno mostly had vocals. But, trance only crossed over into the singles charts once producers got in female models to warble some bland lyrics over the tunes. For me lot of good tunes were ruined by pointless vocals.

[leftybassman392]

Surprised nobody's posted this yet:

 

 

 

[Doctor J]

17 hours ago, Nail Soup said:

This one made a big impression on me when it was in a film (can't remember which one - Steven King maybe?) - Santo and Johnny  - Sleepwalk.

 

It featured in La Bamba, if I recall correctly.

[Grahambythesea]

If you listen to JazzFM there are a lot of players, many of them very young, playing great instrumental music and not just saxophones! George Benson’s daughter plays jazz harp. 
Then there are the Surfajettes, admittedly very Ventures influenced, but often playing songs which are not usually instrumentals. 

 

[James Nada]

I'm in a 100% instrumental band - we don't even do instrumental versions of "vocal" songs.  

It's tough at times, but if punters go with the concept the gigs can be marvelous.

Shameless plug ..

 

 

https://youtu.be/ZqDNmTUaiQc

 

Edited May 26, 2022 by James Nada
Typo

[James Nada]

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Edited May 26, 2022 by James Nada

[miles'tone]

When I accidentally turn on the radio these days, I often wish a lot of the modern pop I hear was instrumental! 

[Storky]

 

[Storky]

 

[Storky]

 

[davepb24]

Don't know if he still does things like that but Gary Numan turned the odd one out in the early days, I particularly liked this:

 

Asylum - YouTube

 

oh well don't seem able to get the link to work... nice spooky tune anyway

Edited May 27, 2022 by davepb24
Wrong link

[MacDaddy]

 

An eclectic collection:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[drTStingray]

I’m surprised no one’s posted one of the classic earlier 60s ones.

 

or maybe a 70s one

 

 

[Nail Soup]

1 hour ago, MacDaddy said:

 

An eclectic collection:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used to think "A Song For Guy" was about Guy the Gorilla (due to TOTP) but turns out it was for a young man at Eltons' record label who died - a courier I think.

 

And there were words to the Birdie song. OK, they weren't on the record!

Edited May 27, 2022 by Nail Soup

[franzbassist]

Try this for some pretty full on playing, with Jack Bruce on bass and Simon Phillips on drums.

 

 

[neepheid]

 

 

 

Which is a cover of...

 

[BassTractor]

A whopping two pages and still no mention of the (semi-)instrumentals on Low and "Heroes" ? 😀

Yes, I'm aware they probably weren't Top 40 as per the OP.

Top 40 stuff in Holland came from bands like Focus and Ekseption, but they were far from the only ones. I guess the UK too appreciated those bands to some degree.

Can't comment on recent instrumentals in popular music.

Edited May 27, 2022 by BassTractor

[Velarian]

55 minutes ago, BassTractor said:

A whopping two pages and still no mention of the (semi-)instrumentals on Low and "Heroes" ? 😀

Yes, I'm aware they probably weren't Top 40 as per the OP.

Top 40 stuff in Holland came from bands like Focus and Ekseption, but they were far from the only ones. I guess the UK too appreciated those bands to some degree.

Can't comment on recent instrumentals in popular music.

I remember as a kid listening endlessly to Sylvia by Focus. Loved that tune. 

[jonno1981]

I used to play in an instrumental band, really good fun! Gives everyone a bit more room to contribute to the songs I think. Although there’s definitely more of a risk of self-indulgence! 
 

 

[Bassfinger]

A brave attempt at an insteumental version of one of the most iconic songs of all time.  Somehow it works.

 

 

[TheLowDown]

I prefer instrumentals because I rarely listen to lyrics. I hear singing as being like an instrument, with dynamics and timbre and texture, similarly to how Clare Torry sang on Great gig in the sky. 

[Velarian]

2 hours ago, TheLowDown said:

I prefer instrumentals because I rarely listen to lyrics. I hear singing as being like an instrument, with dynamics and timbre and texture, similarly to how Clare Torry sang on Great gig in the sky. 

My favourite artist is Pat Metheny, almost exclusively instrumental. Many tracks on the Pat Metheny Group albums feature voice as an instrument. It’s definitely not Top 40 material though. However this is an excellent solo version by Pat of an old hit record. 
 

 

[LeftyJ]

 

This came out in 1996! There is a shorter single version, but I love the build-up in this longer version. I was 13 when this came out, and this song will always have a special place in my heart. The man sadly passed away in 2017 at only 47 years old.