Whatever happened to instrumental songs? They were once so popular that they became pop hits, and many are cemented in our memory banks for eternity. Yes, some were sappy or trendy or just plain awkward by today’s standards, but others have stood the test of time.
While in high school in the 1980s, I made a cassette mix tape of my favorite heavy metal or hard rock instrumentals, which included “Eruption” by Van Halen, “Battle Axe” by Quiet Riot and “D.T.” by AC/DC. Of course, there are many other instrumental songs that connected with larger audiences for decades. How about 1963’s “Wipe Out” by the Surfaris, which has been featured in more than 20 films and television series since 1964?
Who could forget “Gonna Fly Now,” the theme from “Rocky” that was composed by Bill Conti. Hearing this 1976 classic conjures images of Rocky Balboa running up the stone steps in Philadelphia and raising his arms in the victory pose.
Another classic instrumental came from the Edgar Winter Group in their 1972 album, “They Only Come Out at Night.” “Frankenstein” topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week in May of 1973 and sold more than one million copies.
Break out the bell bottom pants, jackets with wide lapels and platform shoes and do what seemingly everyone was doing in 1975 — “The Hustle.” This disco instrumental by Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony went No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 during the summer of 1975 and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance early in 1976.
And while we are on the disco theme, let’s give a shout-out to “A Fifth of Beethoven” by Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band, adapted from Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. I learned that the “Fifth” in the song's title is apparently a pun, referencing the liquor bottle. The song debuted at No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and climbed to No. 1 within 19 weeks. In 1977, it was included on the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack.
I didn’t know Booker T. & The MGs’ “Green Onions” by name, but I certainly knew the sound, as this iconic instrumental R&B hit from 1962 has been featured in the movies “The Sandlot,” “Get Shorty,” “American Graffiti,” “Happy Gilmore” and more.
“Tequila” is a 1958 Latin-inspired surf instrumental written by Chuck Rio and recorded by the Champs. It became a No. 1 hit on both the pop and R&B charts, but all I can think of when I hear it is Pee-wee Herman knocking over a row of motorcycles and then winning over the angered bikers by selecting “Tequila” from the jukebox and dancing on the tables to it.
Most anyone who was an Eddie Murphy fan and watched “Beverly Hills Cop” would recognize “Axel F,” an electronic instrumental by Harold Faltermeyer. The song became an international No. 1 hit in 1985.
“Love's Theme” is an instrumental written by the great Barry White and recorded as a single by his Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973. It was one of only a handful of purely orchestral singles to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S., which it did in 1974.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305
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