Who Needs a Singer? The Top 10 Instrumentals of All Time

August 24, 2010 42 Comments

Ellen Barnes
08.18.2010

A truly great instrumental song is worth a thousand words. Here are 10 wordless wonders so ubiquitous that we bet you’d instantly recognize every last one of them. These heirlooms have been covered and recovered by generations of artists but haven’t grown any worse for the wear.

“Eruption” — Van Halen

We’re pretty sure this song is on every great guitar solo list ever drafted. Appearing on Van Halen’s eponymous 1978 album, it ushered in classic, indulgent ’80s rock. Engaging in spellbinding two-handed tapping, Eddie Van Halen’s fingers appear as a blur on his guitar strings. For the first 20 seconds, Eddie is accompanied by drummer Alex Van Halen and bassist Michael Anthony, but is then left to stir this chaotic cauldron on his own.

“Cissy Strut” — The Meters
“Green Onions” — Booker T. & The M.G.’s
“Jessica” — The Allman Brothers Band
“Moby Dick” — Led Zeppelin
“Rebel Rouser” — Duane Eddy
“Rumble” — Link Wray and his Ray Men
“Sparks” — The Who
“Walk Don’t Run” — The Ventures
“Wipe Out” — The Surfaris

Filed Under: Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen

John

Is this in order from top to bottom?
J5150C

Eruption should be at the top, no doubt in my mind!!

Hey anybody ever heard of a band called Rush? Tune called YYZ? Both studio and live are bad ass!!
vaijuju

Eruption :Written by Edward Van Halen, Alex Van Halen,Michael Anthony and David Lee Roth!
Top Jimmy

Van Halen needs a singer.
Drummer Boy ’72

YYZ should be in that list for sure, along with Bonzo’s Mantreau.
bubba

Ummm…Steppin Out? Hideaway? Yeah, Yeah, but it is cool to see VH’s name out there.
YesEye812

No Satch? Nice list…….give me a break.
steve wick

Losfer Words (Big ‘Orra)— IRON MAIDEN
Scottso

Steve Vai’s Attitude Song
Eric Johnson’s Cliffs of Dover
Joe Satriani’s Surfing with the Alien
5cents

No Yyz? List is weak.
lucky

Geez, the folks a Gibson should listen to something recorded after the 70′s. Some classics, but hardly anywhere near accurate.
johnny5150

Rush “YYZ”

Rush “La Villa Strangiato”

Metallica “(Anesthesia)-Pulling Teeth

Metallica “Orion”
BrownSound

This list has no Order.

This are all famous intstrumentals, I think there are only a few people who know Satriani, Vai, Johnson or of the younger generation Buckethead and John 5, they all played fine solos, technical better than all above.

But Eruption changed the whole thing. An Songs like Whipe out and Misirlou have also defined an unique sound.
Roth-A-Holic

Pretty dumb if it doesnt have Satriani’s “Flying in a Blue Dream” or Eric Johnson’s “Cliffs of Dover” — those were probably the two best guitar instrumentals in the 80′s! What moron made this list ??

I also think “Baluchitherium” is a bad ass instrumental…..one of the few gems I like from the Van Hagar era……hope Eddie will play it on the next tour!
Snoova

I agree on Baluchitherium being a great instrumental. Eddie needs to put this in the live set. If they aren’t going to cover the Hagar discs, at least they could throw this in!

Snoova
Ray

Nobody cares about any of those other songs…your mom knows Eruption, as does your brother and your cousin. Half the list is populated with songs that belong buried on a CD of “yesterdays favorites” for an infomercial hardly any of us would watch.
Love Satch, Via is great, and Johnson is fantastic, but there is only one Eruption and everyone knows it!
Top Jimmy

Is it just me or is Gibson giving Eddie a lot of attention lately. This is the second or third time they’ve given him some kind of props.

I think they’re making a play… Gibson could be the next company that “gets it”
Panama Red

That is a great list. Booker T. and the M.G.’s – Awesome!
Link Wray & the Wraymen, The Sufaris, The Ventures, Duane Eddy – Greatness!
I just think it needs to be at least 90 songs longer.
I agree with your picks Johnny 5150, No YYZ and Orion?!? Like I said the list just needs to be longer.
I could list AT LEAST an additional 50 songs to this list of some of my favorite instrumentals.
Pink Floyd has a lot of Great ones, like One of these days, Any Colour You Like, Marooned, Great gig in the sky, Careful with that Axe Eugene, Interstellar Overdrive, Atom Heart Mother, Terminal Frost.
I’m just a little bit of a Pink Floyd fan.

There are a ton of great instrumentals from the 50′s and 60′s like Sleep Walk by Santo & Johnny, Raw-Hide by Link Wray, Guitar Boogie Shuffle by the Virtues, Woo-Hoo by Rock-A-Teens, Peter Gunn by Duane Eddy and a Lot More and also just about anything by Dick Dale. There are a lot of great instrumental surf songs by different bands back then too.

Some more I love — “Respect the Wind” by Ed and Al VH.
“Spanish Fly” – VH
“Madman” by Silverchair kicks some serious ass.
”The Call of Ktulu” by Metallica
“Little Wing” – SRV
“Whale and Wasp”- AIC
I could literally spend the rest of the day naming great instrumental songs. I’d rather spend the rest of the day listening to them though.
J.W. Jackson

“Tequila” The Champs
“Whammer Jammer” J. Geils Band
http://heavymellowmusic.com johnny beane

All the music i write has to stand up on it’s own and if lyrics/singing fits then that’s a bonus.
http://none 12beerstogo

Yeh brown eye-No Satch.That’s why it’silly to even bring up Snatch in the same breath as Edward.
Albert Jackson-Munoz

All fine and dandy, naturally people when they see such a list they often say……what about so and so……..what about such and such…….

Really, you’re on a VH website…….ERUPTION changed the way people play guitar, it revolutionised an industry or two. And spawned and entire genre of hard rock music.

YYZ and all those others are good, but they are not ERUPTION.

Furthermore, NOW that DAVE is in VH, everyone wants VAN HAGAR music, and when SAMMY was in people wanted CLASSIC VH. Enough already. quit putting the present VH down.

WE HAVE VAN HALEN, we know they are putting new music out, and a new tour. Give thanks to God for that…….

Considering this band could’ve been dead 100 time over.

Be greatful, VAN HALEN STILL RULES.

Sincerely and respectfully submited,

HOLLYWOOD AJM
alexandre

Roth-A-Holic and Snoova: I once read the time Van Halen recorded Baluchiterium (great instrumental song), they prefered not to put any vocals because the song turned to heavy! Greetins from Brazil. Brazilian fan.
http://www.merchnow.com blindbubbacheeks

I’m with Johnny5150, “La Villa Strangiato” is an amazing instrumental. If you’ve never heard “Cissy Strut”, do yourself a favor and youtube it. Great tune!
Tater Salad

Trying to make a list of the best music is practically impossible. There are so many great instrumentals out there, it would be hard to narrow them down to a list. And putting them in order, evenmore of a pain! My favorites change all the time. But Eruption should be at the top of any list of instrumentals/guitar solos.
@Panama Red-Pink Floyd is awesome! I just bought The Wall not too long ago. I really need to get more by them. Another Brick In The Wall is probably my favorite song by them right now.

@Ray-Well I knew Wipe Out before I started to play the guitar and even before I really got into music. And Green Onions is pretty classic too. I’m pretty sure a lot of people recognize the tune from hearing it on tv/in the movies.
Keith

AH ? … Who cares what Gibson thinks ??? Maybe we should ask Kramer, Charvel, Peavey, Ernie Ball Music Man, EVH, Fender, ??? Ya’ know, the guitars Eddie’s played
Dean

Where’s Jeff Beck on this list?

Beck’s Bolero
Definitely Maybe
‘Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers
Blue Wind
The Pump

I could name several others.
SeanOmatic

Eruption should have been added onto the golden records of voyager I. Any alien life hearing that would surely know there was intelligent life one time on earth. Or either they would have taken it as a threat and attacked by now haha
Geddy Lee Roth

To all—Awesome resource for checking out tunes I don’t know but should, THANKS! Eruption=masterpiece! Hey give a listen to “Eternal” by POD it features some phenomenal guitar work by Phil Keaggy
Fred Gruber

Frankenstein by the Edgar Winter Group.

One day EVH will step up to a Gibson Les Paul, played by the greatest rock guitarist ever ….Jimmy Page.
John

Jeff Beck-Freeway Jam

Van Halen-Sunday Afternoon in the Park

Kiss-Love Theme from Kiss, Escape from the Island, Carr Jam 81
Travis

guess that’s what these sorts of lists are all about.. gets people talking and debating, that’s a good thing.
dirtyfacedkidinagarbagecan

This ‘of all time’ list only seems to cover the last 60 years.
Russ

Agree with Eruption, the song that made instrumentals a prerequisite for guitar players. And how is Rush not on the list? But then I remember such gems as “Frankenstein” by Edgar Winters and “Hocus Pocus” by Focus. Popularity aside, there is some cool stuff floating around…
Mike

Love Baluchitherium as well. Just was listening to it before I read this.
Panama Red

Insomnia strikes again…

Remember Herbie Hancock’s song “Rockit” That video used to creep me out a little when I was a kid.
Hey Tommy Boy, if you’re out there, remember this:
“John Hancock?….it’s Herbie Hancock”
Hahahaha

It’s interesting how VHND entitled this “Who needs a singer?” ‘cause I would love to hear an instrumental album by Eddie and Alex.

It’s kind of crazy when you think about how much of an impact 1:42 of an EVH guitar solo has made in the world. It happened back in the 70′s and it is still making an impact today. Eddie was/is groundbreaking, innovative and influenced countless people to pick up a guitar. Van Halen will always be a legendary band no matter what happens in their future.

Apart from “Eruption” being the unbelievable sounding, mind blowing solo that it is the other thing that I think is cool about it is it wasn’t Eddie’s idea to include it on VH1. He wasn’t being egotistical or wanting to show off how badass he was. It was Ted Templeman’s idea to put it on the album after he overheard Edward in the studio rehearsing for a club date.
That’s one reason (among may others) that I think it’s so lame when I’ve heard of people saying that they’ve seen other guitarists like Steve Vai and Yngwie Malmsteen play it and make Stupid faces while playing it -like it’s easy to play, or they pretend like they’re yawning or some stupid shit like that. Like they’re trying to say “I’m not impressed, this is beneath me and my abilities.”

FIRST of all, they didn’t come up with a solo that is THAT famous and popular and instantly recognizable from the very first second, even with non-guitar players.
Overly complicated, self-indulgent, show-off type guitar solos is what bores me and makes me want to yawn. If there is no soul, then it’s lifeless, and Eddie’s guitar playing has always been full of life and not the showboating -“look at me!” crap that some guitarists try to do to impress. Some guys are legends in their own minds. Eddie truly is a legend.
SECOND – They are the ones who had to sit down and practice to learn how to play that solo, Eddie never played a Vai or Yngwie solo because he didn’t have to, he is the master and didn’t need to prove himself to anyone. He didn’t need to play someone else’s stuff and try to make it seem easy or “make fun of it.” He is the King – period.
THIRDLY – Vai, Malmsteen, and guys like that aren’t really making fun of Eddie or his solos like they think they are, when they do that stupid shit. They’re really making fun of the fans who love Van Halen, “Eruption” and EVH. Because like I said, Eddie has never bragged about it or said that’s what he considers his hallmark or legacy or something like that. He has actually humbly downplayed it in interviews saying – “I didn’t even play it right. There’s a mistake at the top end of it. To this day, whenever I hear it, I always think, Man I could’ve played it better.”
And like I said it wasn’t even his idea to include it on the album, he was just noodling, warming up in the studio when Ted heard it and thought HOLY SHIT, That’s Awesome!
So really those guys like Vai and Yngwie are, more than anything, poking fun at all the fans who think Eruption is awesome. So that’s why I think guitarists that do that shit just comes across as jealous, insecure, and douchebagish.
And Lastly, and most important to me, Eddie plays with feeling and soul, he doesn’t just play with technical merit and speed. That’s one of the many reasons he stands out as one of the greatest guitarists ever because he is the real deal. Nothing about his playing is contrived or for the sake of “out-playing” another guitarist.

Eddie is Original, Innovative, Soulful, A Badass and A Legend.
And I’m sorry, but if some dudes think that they are better guitarists than Eddie just because they can play faster or more complicated compositions…well that’s not what necessarily what makes you an interesting and potentially legendary guitar player. Being Original and Genuine are far more important qualities to me. Some may be able to play faster or with more technical merit/capacity but are lacking the other qualities I mentioned Eddie having which makes him one of a kind and a guitarist who will still be honored as one of the best ever 75 years from now.

Geddy Lee Roth – I found a pretty cool website where you can listen to some great instrumental songs and some of the songs have videos with ‘em too. The website lists their top 100 picks. You can also listen to other “Top 100 Picks” from other genres like Rockabilly , Surf, Punk Rock, etc.
Google : nutsie top 100 rock instrumentals

@ Fred Gruber and Russ – Good call – Frankenstein is considered a classic instrumental by many. Great musicians were made up of that band/song. Btw – did you know Ronnie Montrose and Chuck Ruff were part of that line-up. The album “Montrose” was released shortly after in ’73 w/ Sammy and later on Chuck Ruff played drums on a couple of Sammy’s solo efforts.

@ John – Oh man, “Sunday Afternoon in the Park” completely slipped my mind. I’ve always thought that was cool. And also 316, I forgot about that too-Duh.

@ Tater Salad – If you are new to Pink Floyd and aren’t yet committed to buying all of their albums, then check out the Pink Floyd C.D. facetiously titled “A Collection of Great Dance Songs.” It’s a compilation album. “The Wall” is Brilliant but you MUST also get “Dark Side of the Moon.” Everyone on the planet should own that album. I would also highly recommend the albums “Wish You Were Here”, “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” , the “Division Bell” and the Live double album “Delicate Sound of Thunder.”
If you ever come across the out-of-print box set “Shine On” GET IT, don’t think about it – just BUY IT! I was lucky enough to find one several years ago. I was also blessed with being able to see Pink Floyd Live in concert once in my lifetime and it was probably one of the greatest times that I can remember.
A friend of mine recently bought “Dark Side of the Moon” and after listening to it said “I don’t get what the big deal is.” I wanted to bitch slap him around a little.

btw – The Blues Brothers do a great Live version of Booker T. And the M.G.’s song “Green Onions” on their album “Made in America.” And they do a good cover of Duane Eddy’s “Peter Gunn Theme” on the Blues Brothers Soundtrack.

And that concludes my overly verbose, insomnia induced ramblings for the night. Thank you…and…I’m sorry.
YesEye812

Michael Schenker Group – Into the Arena
Albert Jackson-Munoz

Panama Red, More power to ya’…..Preach on Brother Red. I couldn’t agree more.
EvH5150

Eruption, coming out at that time, must of sounded alien to a lot of people. But what an introduction. Eddie is the greatest ever. Spanish Fly, Little guitar intro, 316, etc.
http://jamsmith.com Jamsmith

Good Grief! The abolute greatest guitar instrumental of all time is Jimi Hendrix’ Star Spangled Banner.
http://jamsmith.com Jamsmith

I don’t know about Malmsteens take on it, but I know Vai respect is. He did one of the first transcriptions. I don’t thing Vai qould waste time transcribing something he considered junk. (Though Vai, got the note correct. he incorrectly had the tap part on the G instead of the B string, which Eddie showed in the same issue in Guitar Player Magazine)

I remember Malmsteen speaking highly of Eddie, but Eddie appearently snubbed Ynwie when he wanted to me him so I guess he may have a reason not like him.
JCL

Yeah Frankenstein by Edgar Winter, from “They Only Come Out At Night” and YYZ, or some Satch, Vai, Johnson