There is little argument that no other decade gave rise to so many different genres and musical acts as the 1960′s. From the music that helped fuel the counter culture revolution, to the influence of the British invasion, the plethora of musical diversity is countless but not to be lost is the significance of the instrumental song. Though there could be a list of the 100 greatest instrumental tracks, here is a personal selection of what are considered to be both commercially successful and critically acclaimed tracks that happen to be some of my favorites songs ever. Enjoy!
Like a number of other songs from this decade (including a couple on this list), this particular instrumental song was a recorded version of a song with lyrics. The “Theme from A Summer Place” was written by Mack Discant, with the music by Max Steiner, an Austrian composer of music for film and theater. The name of the song comes from the 1959 motion picture for which it was created (obviously), but the most popular version of this song was recorded by Percy Faith, a Canadian conductor. Faith’s version spent an (at the time) record nine consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1960, as well as snagged a Grammy Award for Record of the Year the following year. Of all the covers of this song, Faith’s version stands alone in both critical acclaim and overwhelming popularity.
Quite possibly the least well-known of all the songs (by name) on this list, despite it’s continuing play in today’s school marching bands , The Horse is a song by Cliff Nobles and Company, released in 1968. Like the previous song, The Horse is the instrumental version of the A-side single “Love is All Right”. The Horse reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and sold a million copies within three months of its release. A unique distinction of The Horse is that the title singer, Cliff Nobles, doesn’t actually perform on the track since his vocals are actually featured on the track Love is All Right. Cliff Nobles had previously recorded three singles with Atlantic Records before moving on to Soul Records and breaking through with The Horse, his most successful song and one of my personal favorites.
L’amour est blue, or Love is Blue, is a song composed by André Popp, a French composer and arranger. The lyrics were written by Pierre Cour in 1967, but the most popular cover (at least in the US) was recorded by Paul Mauriat, in 1968. There were English lyrics written for Love is Blue by Brian Blackburn, and they were included in at least one cover of the song recorded by Greek singer Vicky (Vicky Leandros). The song itself describes love in terms of colors and elements. Paul Mauriat’s version of Love is Blue sold over a million copies and was awarded a gold disc, in 1968. The song has become one of the most covered tracks in musical history, but Mauriat’s versions continues to be used in television and motion pictures to this day.
Certainly the most storied song on this list, Misirlou is an internationally famous and popular Greek song that has been around for at least 80 years in recorded history. The first performance of Misirlou took place in Athens in the traditional and urban Greek folk style, Rebetiko. By 1962, when Dick Dale rearranged the song into the guitar classic so well known today, Misirlou had international recognition already, but the change in tempo that Dale was so successful in accomplishing (on a bet no less) helped make it an instant classic. When Dale’s version of Misirlou was used in 1994′s Pulp Fiction, a new young audience was introduced to the song once again for a new generation to enjoy and help make even more well known.
Another in a long string of hits from 1968, Classical Gas was both composed and performed by Mason Williams, an American composer and poet. The track has been re-recorded and re-released numerous times, but the original recording features Mason on classical guitar with the backing of an orchestra. Featured on “The Mason Williams Phonograph Record”, the track quickly rose up the charts, peaking at #2 and helping the disc on which it was featured sell more than a million copies. In 1969, Classical Gas won three Grammy Awards, including Best Instrumental Composition and Arrangement. An interesting fact about the track; it was originally titled Classical Gasoline but was shortened to Classical Gas by the music copyist.
Hugh Masakela was the first artist to record Grazing in the Grass in March of 1968, and his original version continues to hold relevance even today. Composed by Philemon Hou, the track was actually inspired by another Masakela song from earlier in his career, Mr. Bull No. 5. The song showcases Masakela’s tremendous trumpeting abilities and it’s opening cowbells have helped distinguish it for audiences through it’s existence. The song quickly became a number one hit on the Billboard charts and helped sell over four million copies. Masakela went from South African star to US sensation, thanks largely in part to the success Grazing in the Grass had, eventually leading to numerous covers, most successful of which was the vocalized cover by the Friends of Distinction the following year.
The embodiment of “surf rock”, Pipeline was recorded in late December 1962, and released in 1963. The Chantays originally called Pipeline, “Liberty’s Whip” but the track was renamed after the surfing term pipeline, referring to the crest of a wave on which a surfer is riding on goes completely over his head, landing in front of him, creating the illusion of pipe made out of water. Pipeline was a huge success, reaching #4 on the Billboard Pop charts but was the only major hit for The Chantays. The songs distinctive sound comes from the bass and rhythm guitars featured as the front leading sounds and the drums, piano and Bob Spickard’s lead guitar being buried in the stereo recorded track.
Johnny Smith created this track back in 1955, but it became a hit single in 1960, when The Ventures recorded Walk, Don’t Run for the Blue Horizon label. Like Pipeline, Walk, Don’t Run personified the rising popularity of the surf movement and was able to carry that popularity to the #2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1960. Interesting fact about Walk, Don’t Run; Skip Moore, the drummer on the track was offered the choice of $25 or a quarter of the money the song would make for playing on the session. Moore took the $25 and the song went on to become a huge hit. The song has been re-recorded as an updated cover, which also reached the charts, as well as covered by numerous other artists including Herb Alpert and Chet Atkins.
One of the most popular songs ever, Green Onions was recorded in 1962, by Booker T. and the M.G.’s. This soul instrumental features a 12-bar chord progression as well as a great organ line throughout the song. Green Onions was able to reach the #3 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, remaining on the charts for an astonishing 16 weeks. The song has maintained it’s initial popularity to this day, being both recognized for it’s musical significance and utilized in all areas of media including television and motion pictures. As an ultimate honor to the excellence of Green Onions, it was selected as #183 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All-Time.
In my opinion, the most complete and greatest instrumental song from the 1960s’, Soulful Strut is the instrumental backing from the Eugene Record written track “Am I The Same Girl”. Record’s wife, Barbara Acklin, first recorded Am I The Same Girl in 1968, but producer Carl Davis removed Acklin’s vocals and added the piano accompaniment of Floyd Morris and released the track under the title Soulful Strut. The song became a smash hit, landing in the #3 spot on the charts, in 1968. Different covers of Am I The Same Girl have had varying levels of success as recently as the 90′s, but the impact of Soulful Strut has helped create a lasting legacy in the soul instrumental genre.
As you all know, I hate removing lists, but today’s list offended so many people that I had no choice. I would rather remove a list than allow the site to cause so much discomfort to so many people.
So here, instead, is top 10 instrumental songs from the ’60s.
Too bad so many people can’t see beyond their own hate, I really liked todays list but this one is good, too.
P.S. my log-in doesn’t work anymore. Noticed a change a week or so ago but haven’t tried to comment since then.
it{s sad to know that even in this amazing web site there are people who are fanitics…and even more sad that they can dicide over the rest…ONLY KNOWLEGE MAKE US FREE SOULS !!!
God bless u !!!
I remember when you stole someone’s list and posted it here as your own and then vehemently denied the accusations against you even going so far as to lying about asking for permission for the copying and pasting. If you are so worried about causing discomfort to other’s you would never have done something so cowardly.
Also it will be interesting to see if you take the cowards way out and remove this criticism of you. This site used to be great but I lost all respect for you and it when you went against your own rules (no plagiarism) and then even refused to come down off your high horse.
Can you prove the plagiarism you speak of?
If you can; present it. If not, I suggest you shut your gob.
Don’t think he will remove your comments, at least I hope he won’t. Censorship is wrong.
Comments are removed for spam or excessive obscenities. Fortunately for you, being a stupid git doesn’t qualify for deletion.
Oh Timothy how fortunate I am that there are people like you in the world. I mean what would the world be like if there was no people to add nothing to a conversation but insults.
I added something to a poster a bit below this. I thought Jamie was doing a fine job of handling you, so I thought I would just take the opportunity to use the phrase “stupid git.” I had never used it before. I think it went pretty well. Scroll down a bit to see what I had to say on the whole censorship debate if you’re interested.
Is there a particular reason you are on this website? Seeing as how you seem to hate JFrater and the website in general? If you dislike it so much and it makes you so angry, then why visit it and raise your blood pressure? Go find another list site.
That situation was entirely untrue as I proved when I posted the email from the author of the list whom I had PAID for the list. She even wrote on the list herself to apologize for wrongly accusing me. If you had come back to read the comments instead of just name calling and running away you would have known that.
List was copied and pasted form someone site. You changed the order around and didn’t even edit the list correctly which is how people knew you didn’t write it yourself. You have banned lists from users for smaller infringements. For a long time, including while you were being called out for being a hypocrite, you never once pointed out 1) it was written by some one else or 2) you had paid for it. It wasn’t until she came on to the site called you out (along with a lot of the readers of the list) that you began to kind of point out you took it from somewhere else. So when you say it was entirely untrue, I think you are wrong there. There is a lot of truth in what I said before and have just said now. As for the name calling, you are a coward for the censorship and a hypocrite for how you behaved regarding the supposed plagiarism.
Eye-Licker, I can prove the plagiarism I speak of, in fact the post above this one from JFrater himself and this post here pretty much proves my point so I don’t think I’ll be shutting my gob as you so eloquently put it any time soon (although seeing as I never opened my gob and instead used my fingers to make my point it would be hard for me to shut it in the first place). As for censorship the whole point of my comment, which seems to have passed you completely by regarded JFrater’s censorship of the list posted before this one.
This is the last I am saying on this point. The list was NOT plagiarized – it was purchased from a content site and the author hadn’t received notification of it by the time she posted her complaint. She then discovered that it was ME who had bought the list and apologized publicly here for the wrongful accusation.
You are wrong, whether you want to believe it or not.
Don’t worry, Jamie. “Ih8JFrater” is obviously a real tool. Judging by the fact that the idiot can’t post a single comment without rampant misspellings and grammatical errors, my theory is that you rejected a crappy list he submitted and he is still sore about it.
By the way, this is a great list–nice job!
Why are you focusing on this so much? That list wasn’t plagiarized. If you want to have a beef with JFrater, remember the time that abortion was included on a list of genocides, which was later altered so that abortion still sort of fit in the list
Troll.
You remember NOTHING. If you look back on that list, you would know the truth, but that’s too much for you.
Back to your bridge.
What was the other list?
No I am not wrong JFrater and it is clear by your refusal to admit that it wasn’t until after the point was made (by other readers of the list) that you started to add in the rest of the story.
It was some list about leaders of Europe or something like that. Had Napoleon on it.
No you’re wrong. It was bought and paid for. Before it was posted. If you cared to look you would have seen this. The original author publicly apologized. How could it be any clearer that you are/were mistaken. Again – THE AUTHOR APOLOGIZED FOR THE ACCUSATION – who are you to take issue with the original author?
And silly, immature, and petty name you’ve picked for yourself.
You must’ve hit ‘em pretty close to the mark to get ‘em all rilled up like that, kid.
This is Crazy to remove a list because people don’t agree .What happen to the right to FREE SPEECH . Now let’s all pretend some part ‘s of history did not occur because certain people got offended by it , this is ridiculous . This kind of behavior RESTRICTING information is exactly what the NAZI’S did .
Removing a list that you yourself posted is not a limitation on free speech. Also, if you think that just because Listverse didn’t post it, then it’s like pretending the event never happened in the world, you are spending a little too much time on the internet.
My point was ,if you remove a list because some one was offended . Than you guy’s should remove ever single list , cause am sure you’ ll be able to find some one offended ever time you guy’s put out a list.
As one of those offended and shocked by today’s list, I find your removing it a step in the right direction. But how about an apology for your apparent sadistic interest in publishing something so egregious in the first place?
Please, you got your way with this censorship bull, and you expect an apology too?
I was only able to see the title of the post but I can only assume based on that and the picture that it was only praising such things as the autobahn. I think that there is nothing wrong with saying good things about public works projects even if they were completed under the Nazi government. Unless the list was praising the Holocaust or the other atrocities that are more known, I think it is a good idea to show that Germany wasn’t only death and destruction. I’m in fact a little disappointed that it was taken down because it’s good to have controversial and thought provoking topics like that. I am in no way supporting the bad parts of Nazism but I wish I could see the good.
Valerie, HOPEFULLY you’re kidding?!?! If not, well, then you’re absolutely one of the biggest of the many morons that seemingly frequents this once cool and inspiring site.
Bye all. This place simply got too dumbed down.
Interesting list this one, but I’m quite sad to read that you had to take the previous one down.
I read it, I did not particularly like it. While I can understand why some people found it shocking, I believe that this is the kind of stuff that makes people think differently, have a different take on things…
Okay, now that all the adolescents have spoken, I’m going to reassure Jamie that he DID THE RIGHT THING. The list was bad *not* just because of its apparent intent but also because it played loose with the truth. It attempted to hand credit to the Nazi regime for several “accomplishments” that in fact were either not really accomplishments at all, or, in some cases were not really creditable to the Nazis. I actually doubt the list writer was trying to make the Nazis look good, or had any hidden pro-Nazi agenda—I just think he/she was a shallow thinker who hadn’t really researched the topic. We’ve all heard the cutesy little claims–”Hitler invented the Volkswagen,” and “The Nazis built the Autobahn,” and then jumped to the assumption that evil regimes—even the most evil—are capable of doing some good. But it’s soft-headed logic. Yes, evil can accidentally accomplish some “good,” even with a degree of intent at times. But things are never so simple. The Autobahn, in fact, was built in large measure to facilitate the movement of troops and war materiel around the Reich, to aid in the coming war that Hitler was already planning. I recall no mention of this in the list.
It’s not that evil people/governments can’t do some good… it’s that writing a list around such a premise is absurd and rather detestable, because it requires fudging the facts and/or ignoring the obvious, such as what evil intent these “good” things were always meant to be put to.
Now, as I said, Jamie was right to take the thing down. It might have been a better–even publishable–list, if it had been written in a clearer, more truthful manner… but as it is, it wasn’t (I suspect the list writer had a hard time coming up with examples of “good” things the Nazis had caused to happen, and so grasped at more than a few straws as a result). Quit your whining.
On the other hand… now I see the list is back up. I’m anxious to go find out WHY. I do hope, Jamie, that you didn’t cave in on this.
What was today’s list supposed to be?
Well, from what I read in the comment section, it was about good things that came from the Nazis. Don’t quote me on that, though.
Awww. I loved that other list. That’s really a shame. I was just about to link it to my blog. It was actually a very interesting article. Kind of looking at the silver lining of something bad.
Oh well…
I didn’t get a chance to read the other list, but thanks for listening to the commenters and doing what was right. It’s always good to know that you have our best interests at heart.
Censorship dilutes history, the removal of the list wasn’t for the users, it was for the site to cover their own asses the people on this site need to learn to appreciate differences of opinion instead of bickering because a subject doesn’t live up to your own ideology, one thing that makes us different is that we don’t stop us from expressing opinion, that seems to be fading fast. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that we (I’m speaking for the US here) will become a Nazi regime, hell I’m not fox news, but we need to value what makes us different from them. This may seem silly over that list which wasn’t even that great, but I’ve seen this so many times it’s just sad.
Agreed. Just because a group of people did something bad doesn’t mean they can’t have done some good. People need to calm down.
Apparently people still give Nazis the power of censorship. How sad. I wonder how well the list would have gone over if no mention of the Nazis were made and the list was titled “10 contributions to society by Germany between 1932-1945″
“Feel So Good” by Chuch Mangione should be number 1 and its not even on the list at all! Crime!
0, right 60′s. nvmnd…
Chuck Magione is one of my absolute favorites. He was, however, popular in the 80′s, not the 60′s.
Chuck Mangione hit his stride in the 1970′s.
It sounded interesting, but was deleted before I could review it. However disgusting I will continue to use the interstate highway system the Eisenhower copied from the Germans.
I hate Nazis. But I think we should have a right to talk about them. For Goodness sake the CIA was founded by Nazis and Nazis were sent to new lives by the Vatican. yet nobody moans about the CIA or Vatican do they?
or NASA .
60s… Alright. Green Onion rocks!
Quickly on the “other list” I still commend you for putting it out there though. Takes courage man, I don’t think less of this site. Even though I might not have agreed with it.
what was the other listr that got deleted?
Top 10 things the Nazis got right.
It’s still on my Google reader.
The list removed was 10 things the nazis did correctly(or something along those line). It was very interesting. And unfortunately a bunch of people with sand in their vaginas ruin it for the greater good. Whoever was offended is a liberal kunt and needs the pacifier taken from their arss.
Bah, I just lost my respect for this site, and you’ve just lost a long time fan.
I do NOT support censorship.
I agree with you. JFrater is a hypocrite of the highest order
you hate so much, and hang around this site just waiting to chip in with your negative comments. didn’t anyone ever tell you, “the opposite of love is not hate, it is apathy”? you must have to wake up real early in the morning to get all your hating done. hate hate hate.
tea, my god how did you know? I think that you are wasting your time here, especially with your keen observations and acute skills at reading people and profiling them. Seriously, you should apply for a job with the FBI, I am sure if they have someone with your obvious skills they will be able to identify terrorists much more quickly and accurately thus making the world a safer place to live in. I mean you would be doing humanity a huge favour, so please go forth at once and help us all.
By the way have you met eye-licker and Timothy? I think that you would all get along so well.
You’re a dick.
Eye-licker? wtf eye-licker?
hate hate. hate hate hate. hate. hate hate hate hate.
Hi, tea. I’m Timothy. I’ve been told we’d get along well.
We know what you think. Honestly, we heard you the first time. And the second, and the third, and the fourth, etc., etc., etc., . . .
It’s Jamie’s site. Taking down a list due to reasons that he deems appropriate isn’t censorship. All of the information contained on the list is available is a plethora of other mediums. And if Jamie posted the list in the first place, he is clearly on your side in terms of posting things that might prove inflammatory. Your ire is unfounded.
Timothy, that is exactly what censorship is. Look I am not going to spend the rest of the night educating you people, it’s just not my job and to be honest I really don’t think there is hope for some of you.
Looking forward to tomorrow’s list.
It’s called “tailoring your product to best serve your clientele”. It happens all the time in business, at the discretion of a business owner, and it is not censorship. I mean, what purpose is served by offending a good portion of your targeted audience just because you can?
If something as trivial as ban of vivisection or building of the Autobahn is censored and people should not know about them then i must ask myself what is the true cause and result of ww2. If we are not supposed to know that Germans invented rocket for space flight and had rather nice social policy to its citizens, how can be sure in the official story that they are the bad guys trying to take over the world while the great US of A is the defender of all that is holy and right.
History is written by the victors, but that history is rarely the truth
Well said, lucius.
Some history http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/GE24D…
Y’LL can see ihr.org as well. So victors are little bit upset by global brain called i-net
The Nazis did certainly do some right along with all their wrongs. Anyone reluctant to realize and admit that is a fool. And anyone willing to remove a list to spare those fools’ feelings, is among their ranks.
Jamie, I love this site, but I am now very disappoint.
Mm. Good list but hard to believe that Apache’s been left off. Maybe because its best recorded version was by The Shadows, Cliff Richard’s backup boys.
You are totally right, I forgot Apache. I was so focused on getting my list down to 10 that it totally skipped me. #11 – Apache
The Ventures are clearly the best band on here. But maybe that’s just because they’re the only band I know…
Nice list though. Definitely some great music in here.
Was it the Nazis list that got removed? I didn’t see what was wrong with that list, it’s not like we haven’t learnt anything from other horrible regimes throughout history, and the author did specifically state that not good that came from the Nazi regime could take focus away from the bad. Anyway…
I do like my 60s instrumentals. I’m surprised that Apache by the Shadows isn’t on here, it’s a great track. Also I’ll give an honourable mention to Flying by the Beatles, as it was (I think) the only officially released instrumental composed by the Beatles on their original albums.
Can you email me a copy of the list from earlier today. I’d like to at least make up my own mind wether I’m offended or not.
Hey wait a second, I came up with this in the late 40′s!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not to a bad list, but the comments are more entertaining today.
I wasn’t offended one bit by the Nazi list, I found it very interesting. This is my first time posting on your site.
Excellent list.
I am personally offended by instrumental songs from the 60′s. Please do the Nazi thing and remove this list and pretend like it was never on here.
I wasn’t offended by the Nazi list, but I didn’t agree with the tone. It was very much a “hey, they weren’t so bad!” type of message that I found inappropriate. Heck, #1 was “medical advancements” from human experiments. Don’t really consider that a good thing.
I think the list could be re-presented in another light like “top 10 advancements from WW2″ or something, instead of “it’s great that we know how the human body freezes because the Nazis froze their prisoners.”
Eventhough I`m from Germany, I can say there were many things on that afternoon list I didn’t know about (f.e. the anti-vivisection-campaign).
Did you really have to remove it?
Anyways, this one is a nice list too.
But you forgot about The Shadows and their classic tune “Apache”…
That really is too bad about the Nazi list. My boyfriend is very sad that he didnt get the chance to read it, and I cannot remember every detail to relate it to him
I can understand the removal, though I do not think of it as censorship per se. Your site, your rules . JFrater, could you possibly set up an “email me and get a copy sent to you” type thing. I think it is obvious that a lot of people would in fact like to view it, and are obviously opened minded enough to take it as it is, (which is NOT an endorsement for NAZIism, but rather a frank and unbiased look into a regime which had its bits of good overshadowed by its insane evil). I love back-stories, and little known facts of history, which is part of the reason I come to this site everyday. I know my boyfriend would greatly appreciate it as well 
Iha8JFrater- really? are you freaking twelve? my nine year old niece can even admit when she is wrong, yet you persist in your false argument, and are obviously simply sitting on here waiting for a fight to break out. You must be a very lonely person, and you have my pity.
For those wishing that they had had a chance to see some of today’s removed list, I have included a sample. Why? To make it a little harder for Mr. Frater to undo his damage… and now the excerpt:
Thanks Valerie – but I will decide what content gets posted here not you. And isn’t it a little hypocritical of you to demand (in a comment above) that I apologize for posting the list while you are now trying to publish parts of it here for all to see?
*snicker*
Still waiting for an apology for your flagrant lack of sensitivity to those of us who lost their families. But it is, after all, your site, so of course it is up to you to decide what is right.
Valerie: I felt that the list was acceptable and the content did not in any way endorse the actions of the Nazis. I removed it because sufficient people were angry about it – not because I agreed with them being angry. Furthermore I did nothing with the intent to harm or cause pain. Consequently I don’t feel an apology is necessary as it would be wrong to apologize for something I didn’t do or intend to do.
On the other hand, you might consider apologizing to me (and the readers who caused me to remove the list – readers like you) for publishing an excerpt from it here without my permission.
Fair enough, mate.
But just wondering, since it was the complaints of readers that brought the list down, could it be put back up if the majority wants it? After all, it’s easier for those offended to simply [b]not[b/] view a list that is there, than it is for those who’d like to read it if it isn’t. Seems only fair, doesn’t it? And what better way to oppose Nazism than to have a democratic poll?
If you email me (jamie@frater.com) I will forward a copy of the list to you.
As far as I’m concerned, that about does the job. Will do, thanks.
You demanded an apology then tried to repost the article? Which are you, stupid or hypocrite?
Pretty good list. I’m a big fan of the 60′s. I think I might have made a very good hippie.
Too bad about the other one, but it is his site so the haters will just have to hate and fume impotently.
Good job, Salvador Barajas.
Thank you sir
Oh gosh you removed the list. You did nothing wrong, you were just presenting the facts and its actually a good list to start a debate. I understand why people were offended, but gosh they didnt need to attack -_-
Jamie can publish whatever he wants because it is his site. Freedom of speech does not entitle a person to publish everything. You wouldn’t, and can’t, publish credit card numbers, child *****, or slanderous comments about your competitors.
As far as the list goes – yes I’m sure the nazis did some wonderful things. Apparently Osama bin laden is a really good golfer too. And Timothy McVeigh volunteered at his church.
Some notable omissions:
Beck’s Bolero – Jeff Beck Group
Soul Sacrifice – Santana
Moby Dick – Led Zep
Interstellar Overdrive – Pink Floyd
I didn’t know that Led Zep did instrumental music as well. You learn something new every day!
you should listen to led zeppelin instrumentals, they are great! especially moby dick it has a groovy drum solo. and some of the live jam recordings, 20 minutes of instrumental jamming and pure perfection.
i too was a little disappointed to not see a pink floyd song on the list but it was a great list anyway so thumbs up! you should do a follow up with some more well known, commercial songs from the sixties. i could think of around 40 great ones!
Thank you for the omissions list. I had a hard time excluding Santana but I instead submitted The Horse in the place of either Soul Sacrifice/Europa/Samba Pa Ti, but I all the songs you mentioned are equally great
Pink Floyd is a bit overrated in my opinion, but all the rest are excellent songs/bands.
Can you please email me the list Jfrater? I would really like to read it.
There really are some great tracks here. So many of these songs have elements that are lacking in modern popular music. Things like melody, harmony, valuing the ability to play like a m@%&erf*$&er over a marketable image…
The previous list sounds like it would have been interesting. I suppose it was the victim of a preemptive Godwin.
Well put and I totally agree
I just love the choreography in the Chanteys’ clip. I’m serious…it is so freaking cool, I’ve watched it dozens of times. I’ve had that very clip bookmarked for quite some time for a possible surf list I was thinking about doing. By the way, Dick Dale is simply badass.
Speaking of badass, how about a little Apache? I know, the song has already been mentioned in the comments, but you got to check out Jet Harris at the end of this clip, with a smoke on the headstock of his bass. Way cool:
” rel=”nofollow”>=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY-rPDwzM9M&w=480&h=390]
Dick Dale has his strings backwards in his guitar, judging by that clip. And yes, he is a badass if he can play like that.
Thanks for the Apache clip, I’ve always loved that tune.
or is he left handed and just turned the guitar around?
Good eye, Fenda! That’s a unique quirk to Dale’s playing – his guitar is strung “upside-down”. This is because he is self-taught, and as a lefty, he learned to play using a flipped over right-handed guitar, but didn’t reverse-string it à la Hendrix to make it “correct” for a lefty. So now, though he uses an actual left-handed Strat, he still keeps it reverse-strung (low E at the bottom) and transposes the chords, because that’s what he knows. Here’s some better pictures of it:
http://www.getmadbaby.com/dick_dale.htm
Hello Jamie, I too would like to get a copy of the prior list that was posted but removed. (Things Nazis did right) Please? Thanks!
no.2 ftw!!!! ALSO cant believe people are such pussies , jeez .Top ten myths of the roman empire, and many other lists celebrating and educating with interesting facts about the romans , even though they killed Jeezus Christ (arguably the most important and famous Jew of all time after Lenny Bruce) no-one says a word, but as list on a old ass empire from before we were all born and people start *****ting bricks ( the bad guys from Indiana Jones for flips sake), the intro put it best when it explained that the Nazis evil far out weighed their positive contributions to intl society if you are too sensitive for that you should get off the internet and join a knitting club embarrassing.
I’ve never ever posted here in the 2 years i’ve been visiting listverse but I’m so excited that someone loves Young Holt Unlimited’s Soulful Strut as muc as I do
#8 is the best IMO
I stumbled on Listvers a few months ago and have since been reading all of the archives to catch up. I finally made it to today’s list! I have to say, though, that I agree with those who are saying the original list shouldn’t have been removed. Not everyone in the world agrees with one another, and it’s just silly to try and cater to those who are easily offended. Pretty soon, you won’t be able to post anything because you’ll end up offending at least some people! That being said, I do love Listverse and I’m excited to finally be caught up with the lists!
The original list is back.
I could clearly see the Nazi list, so I couldn’t figure out which list you were talking about having removed. Had I missed something even more heinous than good things about the Nazis? No, apparently, the Nazi list *was* the heinous one.
It’s called education, folks: keeping your mind open and actually lerning something.
Now, can we talk about music?
Um, the 60s is really too early for me. I haven’t got anything to add.
What a let down! I was excited as I thought about several instrumentals from my favourite (there’s the clue – British spelling!) decade. This is clearly a US list and only two of those list made the British charts. This list will sing without trace!
never heard ‘soul strut’ before…. and I’m ancient.
Musta been the nazi list removed.
First, I’d like to state that I admired the gumption you took in posting that list about the Nazis. I knew from the onset that it would be controversial, and it is a shame that people have a tendency to overlook any positive attributes (few as they may be) when dealing with a topic where the negative aspect is overwhelming. And I’m speaking as a person whose uncle spent a great deal of time in a German POW camp during WW II.
Now, on to the 60s instrumentals list. I love the 1960s as I feel it was the best decade for popular music. But then, I am an aging baby boomer. The pieces presented in the list were all excellent bits of music and I remember them fondly. Some notable omissions include:
1. “No Matter What Shape Your Stomach’s In”, The T-Bones
2. “Time Is Tight”, Booker T and the MGs
A list of instrumentals from the 1970s would be worth considering. I noted Chuck Mangione’s “Feels So Good” (1978) being mentioned, and then there’s “Frankenstein” by the Edgar Winter Group. Overall, it’s a kind of a shame that there are not that many instrumental compositions show up on the charts nowadays.
I remember hearing “The Horse” on a 1972 album and it had lyrics.
these songs are too old for listening
WHY THE ***** IS THERE NO PINK FLOYD….. MOST CRAZY INSTRUMENTALS EVER!!!! AND WE CAN ALL AGREE THE 60.S WAS THERE ***** AND THEY TOOK IT AROUND THE BLOCK WHENEVER THEY WANTED. HAHAHA YOU GNOME SAYIN
Though the list is amazing (I never knew such amazing songs were there in the 60′s), I still feel like having a list abt the latest artists and songs.
What, no love for Telstar?
Rule 1 of the internets – DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS!
2nd – The Venture’s “Diamond Head” would also have been cool, but since you already had them up there, no biggie.
I was going to complain about no Detroit Guitar Band and “Scorpio” until I realized that was the 70′s – have to wait for that list.
I almost forgot about “Telstar” by the Tornados. I believe that the Ventures were already mentioned, but I love their theme to “Hawaii Five-O”. Also of note is “Blue’s Theme” by Davie Allan and the Arrows, but that one is a bit obscure; it has a nice melody and some fine overdubs of a revving motorcycle.
First of all. Love this site. I’ve never posted but felt the need to today. JF it’s your site do what you want with it. Isnt that the ultimate freedom??
Secondly. I know it was 1959 but sleepwalk by santo and Johnny Was great! Maybe honorable mention?
Do you take list suggestions? How bout top ten worst posters on this site.. I know who I’m voting for. Ha.. Left the flame wars begin!
Where are the ‘SHADOWS”. And where is “Telstar” In Australia the shadows were always bigger than the ventures. I like both groups and have many records from both of them.
I forgot to mention “INSTRUMENTALS” are not ‘SONGS” there is a huge difference to any musician. lol
whoa finally a good music list
One more great instrumental… the theme from peter gunn!!
beach boys – let’s go away for a while
I like turtles.
Excellent list… but a tad disappointed not to see “Albatross” by the Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac, a gorgeous, moody, swirling piece of musical genius.
Thanks to you, i found what i was looking for years and years and years, without knowing the name : ‘Love is blue’ of Paul Mauriat. I had the melody in mind without a proper name to put on it…I will never thank you much enough for that. THANK YOU.
You are more than welcome
It was just a list guys! not the end of the world!
Thank you JFrater for removing the list. It’s so much easier to see the Nazis as evil demons rather than human beings. Why? Because you need less justification for killing a monster than a fellow human being. When I first read this list I was a little apprehensive but, there is nothing wrong with the truth. People just like living a simple life with only two sides to an argument: right or wrong. I am in no way supporting Nazi’s or endorsing hate or genocide. I just find it sad that people feel the need to live in a world where everything is always good or evil. I understand it is easier for people to put things in clear cut categories thats fine. Just take things with a grain of salt and try to get past the walls that pop up in your mind the second you hear something you don’t like. You can’t deny the truth that happened.
This post needs a 2 part. I loved it JFrater!.