“Jazz is not dead. It just smells funny.”
- Frank Zappa
I saw somewhere a question about favorite instrumental songs. It got me to thinking about how seldom an instrumental song breaks through on the pop charts. People tend to like words and lyrics in their songs, it seems. That's true even when they're not sure what the actual words are. And people sure love a good chorus to sing along to. Instrumentals have a tough time getting any traction.
I thought about some instrumentals that have actually been popular. Most I'd be perfectly happy to never have to hear again in my lifetime: The Theme From Star Wars, Feels So Good, Popcorn, Walk Don't Run, Nadia's Theme, Wipe Out, Love's Theme, A Fifth of Beethoven, Tequila (Although Pee Wee saved that one).
I do have a soft spot for Classical Gas and Frankenstein, but that's about it as far as the ones that have made the charts.
But, there are plenty of instrumentals that were never “popular” that I am fond of. One I consider to be one of the finest pieces of music ever written and played in modern music, Jessica, by The Allman Brothers. Guitarist Dickey Betts stepped out of the shadow of his recently deceased bandmate, Duane Allman, and delivered his melodic, layered, jazz inspired magnum opus. He wrote and named it for his infant daughter and it came out on the band's 1973 album, Brothers and Sisters. I imagine you're familiar, but check it out if you're not.
Here are three others I am charmed by. What are some that charm you?