Name worthwhile instrumentals

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Was listening to Tindersticks last night and marvelled at how they like to ruin albums and singles by including dodgy instrumentals . I dislike most instrumentals - whether by Jimmy Page,dj Vadim etc.

MY QUESTION IS - Name an instrumental that has actually added to the enjoyment of an album .

― Geordie Racer, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Without the instrumental on _Metal Machine Music_, it would just have been Lou Reed's follow-up to _Sally Can't Dance_

― mark sinker, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I assume you mean 'an album that isn't otherwise instrumental already.' Or else you'd better get ready for a long list.

Just about any instrumental Simple Minds did up through _New Gold Dream_ worked wonders, and on that album it's "Somebody Up There Likes You." Perfectly placed right at the center of the album.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'Let's go away for awhile' off Pet Sounds would seem an obvious choice.

― Ally C, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Radio 4" on _Metal Box_: on original release, some reviewers said things like "a deliberate parody of the boring naffness of the BBC", but actually it's kind of gorgeous

― mark sinker, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Happy Boys Happy" - Small Faces (from S/T album on Immediate Records)

"Tighten My Belt" - Blue Orchids (from 'The Greatest Hit')

"Walking Distance" - Buzzcocks (from 'Love Bites') I never liked 'Late for The Train' from the same album much though.

"The Thin Air" - Magazine (from 'Secondhand Daylight')

"Simon's Ghost" - Crispy Ambulance (from 'The Plateau Phase')

"You'll Have to Go Sideways" - Soft Boys (from 'Underwater Moonlight')

― Dr. C, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Let me be the first to say the bleedin' obvious... "Oscillate Wildly", The Smiths.

Quite keen on that Field Mice instrumental on the "So Said Kay" EP ("Holland Street"?). Are the huge chunks of certain Bowie, Sylvian and Felt LPs that are voiceless exempt? If not, er, *them*.

― Michael Jones, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"La Fete Triste" by Trisomie 21. It's just such a gorgeous goth club closing time classic... I'm gonna play it right now, actually, because I havent heard it in ages (long time since I've goth-ed myself up - dont laugh please).

― Simon, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

First ones I can think of are Yo La Tengo's "I Heard You Looking", Teenage Fanclub's "Is This Music ?" and Eno's "Here Come The Warm Jets", which all kinda sound like each other, now that I think about it.

Hot Butter's "Popcorn" (or is it Popcorn's "Hot Butter" ?) is my favorite instrumental these days, but I like it on its own and have no idea what the album sounded like.

― Patrick, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Cecilia Ann" from Pixies' Bossanova. Skip that opener and the whole album has the wrong mood and tone.

― Ian White, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

L.A. Blues on Iggy and the Stooges' "Funhouse" LP

― Sterling Clover, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

- "WaltzInBlack" by The Stranglers - "Bloodsport" by Killing Joke, which is basically a vague rewrite of Neu!'s "Negativland" - "Leli B" by Julian Cope - "Ponzi's Theme" by Firewater - "The Subtle Energies Commision" by Julian Cope, which is basically a thinly veiled cover of Neu!'s equally-silly-titled "HalloGallo" - "Money Changes Everything" by the Smiths (later augmented with vocals & lyrics by Bryan Ferry and re-tooled as "The Right Stuff")

― Alex in NYC, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

albums? bah, screw albums. the subject drew me in and i will not heed the elaboration given and instead name worthwhile instrumentals.

and after all of that, i'm only naming two. "sleepwalk" by santo and johnny and "the lonely surfer" by jack nitzsche.

― fred solinger, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

eric b. and rakim's 'chinese arithmetic' has the best production of any song of the album

― ethan, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Theme for Good Bad and the Ugly & The Friends of Dean Martinez.

― Cash Lone, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Practically any Rush instrumental seeing that was about half the music they did. Great musicians that could speak without saying a word.

― Luptune Pitman, Thursday, 29 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Maggot Brain" Funkadelic (on MAGGOT BRAIN): An instrumental notwithstanding some Clinton mumbospeak. Best "tune" on album.

"Eruption" Van Halen (on s/t): Changed music. Or at least changed guitar wanking.

"Black Star" Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force (on s/t): Beautiful melody, no dil lyrics.

"Coast to Coast" Scorpions (on LOVEDRIVE): Majestic melody, no dil lyrics.

"Hardcore Jollies" Funkadelic (on HARDCORE JOLLIES)

"Sapphire" TNT (on TELL NO TALES): Kindofa funny cartoon version of "Eruption."

"Temptation Revelation" Savatage (on GUTTER BALLET): Alongside title track, only songs on album that can be enjoyed.

"Into the Arena (Overture)" and "Bijou Pleasurette" The Michael Schenker Group (on s/t)

"Break Song" The Joe Perry Project (on LET THE MUSIC DO THE TALKING)

"Mr Scary" Dokken (on BACK FOR THE ATTACK)

"The TNT Overture" Ted Nugent (on INTENSITIES IN 10 CITIES): Crap, more or less, but doesn't harm album.

"Spanish Fly" Van Halen (on VAN HALEN II): "Eruption" acoustic.

― AP, Friday, 30 March 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Wipeout" - Surfaris

"Being Held" - The For Carnation

"Get away" - Jack Nitzsche

"Simean Groove" - Folk Implosion

― Guy, Sunday, 1 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Reveille Rock" and "Beatnik Fly" by Johnny and the Hurricanes.

― Robin Carmody, Sunday, 1 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two months pass...

Metallica - Anaestasia (poor spelling I know) (Pulling Teeth)

Dandy Warhols - Sixteen Minutes (1st album), The Creep Out (...Come Down)

Death In Vegas - Flying

Led Zeppelin - Black Mountainside

― Add, Wednesday, 27 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

(1)love is blue(2)the lonely bull/herb albert(3)there has to be another way/MSG,(4)theme from Midnight Cowboy(5)man with a harmonica/ennio morricone(6)Iron Butterfly theme/Iron Butterfly. far too many to include here. this is a good sampling,though. INRI sunnyvale,ca.

― james velmoth, Saturday, 6 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago)

eight months pass...

Interstallar Overdrive-Pink Floyd
White Sun-Bevis Frond

― John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Saturday, 22 March 2003 04:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Pink Floyd - "One Of These Days"
Spacemen 3 - "Ecstasy Symphony"
The Prisoners - "Explosion On Uranus"
Ride - "Grasshopper"
Neu! - "Seeland"
Sundial - "Dual"

"Cecilia Ann" from Pixies' Bossanova.

Ah, but the original by the Surftones is so much better...

― Chris Barrus (xibalba), Saturday, 22 March 2003 07:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Black Sun Ensemble 'Colloquy'

― summerslastsound (summerslastsound), Saturday, 22 March 2003 07:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Frank Zappa "Watermelon in Easter Hay"
The one on 'Loveless'
PiL "Hymie's Him"
Vinnie Vincent Invasion "Invasion"

― dave q, Saturday, 22 March 2003 11:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Kiss, "Escape from the Island". Come ON JBR!

― dave q, Saturday, 22 March 2003 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw that coming from a mile away.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 22 March 2003 12:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't you think it 'laid the groundwork' for the Meat Puppets' entire career?

― dave q, Saturday, 22 March 2003 12:39 (twenty-two years ago)

that, and a lot of marijuana.

― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 22 March 2003 12:41 (twenty-two years ago)

> 'Let's go away for awhile' off Pet Sounds would seem an obvious choice.

oi, 'Pets Sounds', the title track, ain't no mean feat itself!
re Zep: 'Bron-Yr-Aur' surely, off 'Physical Gr.'
seconded: Stranglers' 'WaltzInBlack'
motioned: REM - 'New Orleans Instrumental No.1'

...and (damn my slumb'rin' memory!) - the track off MAssive Attack's Protection - there's Craig Armstrong's strings-only version of that same piece -- the title?...

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Saturday, 22 March 2003 13:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Speed of Life on Bowies Low comes to mind

― girl scout heroin (iamamonkey), Saturday, 22 March 2003 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

The title track for Mellon Collie is probably one of the best tracks on the album

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Saturday, 22 March 2003 16:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Swans - "The Beautiful Days" is AMAZING!

― rex jr., Saturday, 22 March 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

erik's trip-slowdive

― kephm, Saturday, 22 March 2003 16:37 (twenty-two years ago)

The Flaming Lips - "Sleeping on the Roof"

― Evan (Evan), Saturday, 22 March 2003 20:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Anything by New Order

― Gatinha (rwillmsen), Saturday, 22 March 2003 21:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I've said it before and I'll say it again: you should all download Korobeiniki from Ozma, it's available from MP3.com.

― zilverberg.tk (zilverberg.tk), Saturday, 22 March 2003 23:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Japan - the Tenant / Oil On Canvas
David Sylvian - the whole second half of Gone To Earth
David Bowie - especially Warsawa and Moss Garden
New Order - Elegia / Avalanche
Duran Duran - Lake Shore Driving
Primal Scream - Inner Flight
Genesis - After The Ordeal

― Tijn, Saturday, 22 March 2003 23:48 (twenty-two years ago)

KKsuck2 on Dead Milkmen's "eat your paisley" LP

― chad (chad), Sunday, 23 March 2003 00:04 (twenty-two years ago)

"Nashville Skyline Rag" adds a nice flavor to that Dylan album.

― o. nate (onate), Sunday, 23 March 2003 00:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm disappointed that this thread is so very rock dominated. Obviously dance music is full of great instrumentals, as is jazz; hip hop has always had its fair share (especially if you're more interested in DJs than MCs), ditto reggae; plus things like the blues. My favourite may well be Ike Turner's Ho-Ho, one of the most ecstatically joyous records ever made.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 23 March 2003 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Captain Beefheart - "on tomorrow"

― rex jr., Tuesday, 25 March 2003 13:20 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

Elton John's "Funeral For A Friend" - great opening for the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" album.

― Mark Clarke, Thursday, 2 March 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

I think if Skinner had added 'Streets Score' as maybe the penultimate track on 'Original Pirate Material' that would've worked well and made that album even better.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Thursday, 2 March 2006 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

Unwound's "Abstraktions" is my favorite track from New Plastic Ideas. And how about all those great instrumentals on the first Camper Van Beethoven lp?

― nerve pylon (flat_of_angles), Thursday, 2 March 2006 14:51 (nineteen years ago)

mark s' first post to this thread is fucking classic! i miss mark so much.

― geeta (geeta), Thursday, 2 March 2006 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned "Airlane" by Gary Numan from the album "Pleasure Principle".

Ooops, sorry, Peppy just did.

― Peppy Zimbot, Thursday, 2 March 2006 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

Has anyone yet mentioned "Crystal Japan" by one David Bowie ? Beautiful warm synth sound (like Numan).

Yes, I think I'll mention it, if I can ever get around to it...

― Peppy Zimbot, Thursday, 2 March 2006 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

Spacemen 3 - Suicide (Definitely one of their best songs)

― S- (sgh), Friday, 3 March 2006 03:02 (nineteen years ago)

"Tara" Roxy Music
"Into The Heart" & "The Ocean" on U2's album 'Boy'

― Miranda Leigh (Miranda Leigh), Friday, 3 March 2006 03:15 (nineteen years ago)

The Sick Rose - David Axelrod
End Of A Holiday - Fairport Convention

― timmy tannin (pompous), Friday, 3 March 2006 03:20 (nineteen years ago)

"The Ocean" isn't an instrumental! And neither is "Here Come the Warm Jets"!

I nominate Swell Maps' "Collision with a Frogman."

― Douglas (Douglas), Friday, 3 March 2006 04:09 (nineteen years ago)

I dislike most instrumentals - whether by Jimmy Page,dj Vadim etc.

I really enjoy Jimmy Page instrumentals, perhaps in part because they give one's ears a break from Robert Plant.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Friday, 3 March 2006 04:41 (nineteen years ago)

love theme from kiss
orchid & all those acoustic sabbath interludes
flying by the beatles on magical mystery tour

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Friday, 3 March 2006 05:46 (nineteen years ago)

four years pass...

Can anyone think of any good pop or rock solo instrumentals? That is to say, just one guy going in on guitar or bass or keyboards whatever without vocals or accompaniment.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 17:47 (fifteen years ago)

All I can think of is something like "Chariots of Fire" or "Axel F", which I'm guessing were prerformed by one guy at his respective instrument.

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 17:51 (fifteen years ago)

Maggot Brain?

― fit and working again, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 17:52 (fifteen years ago)

'Bron-Yr-Aur' by Led Zeppelin

― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 17:52 (fifteen years ago)

eruption

― rinse the lemonade (Jordan), Tuesday, 16 March 2010 17:54 (fifteen years ago)

Eddie Van Halen 'Cathedral'

― mdskltr (blueski), Tuesday, 16 March 2010 17:54 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iOmo0ZuyNk

― rinse the lemonade (Jordan), Tuesday, 16 March 2010 17:55 (fifteen years ago)

Oh god, why was I not thinking of these?

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 17:55 (fifteen years ago)

Embryonic Journey

― kingkongvsgodzilla, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 17:57 (fifteen years ago)

The Who - "Underture"
Electric Light Orchestra - "Fire on High"

― Hideous Lump, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 20:25 (fifteen years ago)

a couple pop/rock solo instrumentals on otherwise non-instrumental albums that i love:

buckingham/nicks, "stephanie" (this song being just buckingham)
billy joel, "root beer rag"

― fact checking cuz, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 22:37 (fifteen years ago)

speaking of buckingham, search the two "instrumental introductions" on out of the cradle. buckingham in wild classical chops mode

― hobbes, Tuesday, 16 March 2010 22:52 (fifteen years ago)

lots of them, but I think my favorite rock instrumental is the version of "Ride Into the Sun" on Another View x velvets.

― everybody on ilx u have dandruff (Pillbox), Tuesday, 16 March 2010 22:55 (fifteen years ago)

Maybe I'm alone, but I really enjoy "Saudade" by Love and Rockets. Takes that album to a completely different place, and it's a good one.

― Sean Carruthers, Wednesday, 17 March 2010 00:43 (fifteen years ago)

the Allman Brothers - "Little Martha"

― that's not my post, Wednesday, 17 March 2010 05:14 (fifteen years ago)

well now the Allman Bros are on the table, no sense in not mentioning "Jessica" and "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed"

― that's not my post, Wednesday, 17 March 2010 05:25 (fifteen years ago)

Opus III - alzir

― meisenfek, Wednesday, 17 March 2010 05:42 (fifteen years ago)

"Mexican Bandits" by Felt

― Bill A, Wednesday, 17 March 2010 12:52 (fifteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.