Top 50 Instrumentals

The Top 50 Instrumentals, 1955 - 1979

Several years ago, I asked chart statistician Randy Price if he had ever compiled an "official" list of The Top Instrumentals of All-Time from his Super Charts, a point-ranking system that compiles a record's performance on the Billboard, Cash Box and Record World charts.

Here's what we got back:

Kent,

Funny you should bring that up ... I've been working on compiling a list of sources for a planned set of CDs that will include every instrumental to make the Hot 100 during the '60s (more than 560 songs, on 23 CDs). I'm finding that there are quite a few (particularly lower charting records) that aren't available on CD, or what is are not the single versions.

But to answer your question: Since by "All-Time" I assume you mean the usual time period of 1955-1979, that would preclude using "SuperChart" data specifically, since they go back only to 1960 (so far). I could put together a list from my annual charts compiled from Billboard and Cash Box data ... let me know if you want me to go outside the time period stated -- I could go back as far as 1950 and forward as far as 1992, although I don't think there have been any instrumentals that would qualify since 1986.

– Randy

1955 - 1979, the time period normally associated with Forgotten Hits, will be fine. As noted by Billboard Chart Guru Joel Whitburn, NOTHING post-1985 would have made the "All Time" List anyway! Thanks, Randy!

The OFFICIAL List appears below:

NOTE: This chart was compiled EXCLUSIVELY for us here at Forgotten Hits by chart statistician Randy Price, ranking of the Top 50 Instrumental Hits, 1955 - 1979, based on a COMBINED ranking of the Billboard and Cash Box Charts for this period. This final chart is copyright Randy Price and Forgotten Hits, 2009, and may not be used without express written consent from both parties.

Top 50 Instrumentals, 1955-1979:

(Based on a progressive point system applied to the weekly Billboard and Cash Box pop charts)

1. THE THEME FROM "A SUMMER PLACE" - Percy Faith & His Orchestra (Columbia) (1960)
2. LOVE IS BLUE (L'Amour Est Bleu) - Paul Mauriat & His Orchestra (Philips) (1968)
3. CHERRY PINK AND APPLE BLOSSOM WHITE - Perez Prado & His Orchestra (RCA Victor) (1955)
4. EXODUS - Ferrante & Teicher (United Artists) (1960-61)
5. AUTUMN LEAVES - Roger Williams (Kapp) (1955)
6. STRANGER ON THE SHORE - Mr. Acker Bilk (Atco) (1962)
7. WIPE OUT - The Surfaris (Dot) (1963; 1966)
8. WONDERLAND BY NIGHT - Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra (Decca) (1960-61)
9. LISBON ANTIGUA - Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra (Capitol) (1956)
10.CALCUTTA - Lawrence Welk & His Orchestra (Dot) (1961)

11. PATRICIA - Perez Prado (RCA Victor) (1958)

12. A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN - Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band (Private Stock) (1976)
13. THE POOR PEOPLE OF PARIS - Les Baxter & His Orchestra (Capitol) (1956)
14. MELODY OF LOVE - Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra (Dot) (1955)
15. HONKY TONK (pts. 1 & 2) - Bill Doggett (King) (1956)
16. CANADIAN SUNSET - Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra with Eddie Heywood (RCA Victor) (1956)
17. TEQUILA - The Champs (Challenge) (1958)
18. LAST DATE - Floyd Cramer (RCA Victor) (1960)
19. TELSTAR - The Tornadoes (London) (1962-3)
20. MOONGLOW AND THEME FROM "PICNIC" - Morris Stoloff & The Columbia Pictures Orchestra (Decca) (1956)
21. THE CRAZY OTTO - Johnny Maddox (Dot) (1955)
22. THE STRIPPER - David Rose & His Orchestra (MGM) (1962)
23. RISE - Herb Alpert (A&M) (1979)
24. SLEEP WALK - Santo & Johnny (Canadian-American) (1959)
25. SAIL ALONG SILVERY MOON - Billy Vaughn & His Orchestra (Dot) (1958)
26. TOPSY (pt. 2) - Cozy Cole (Love) (1958)
27. LOVE'S THEME - The Love Unlimited Orchestra (20th Century) (1974)
28. FLY, ROBIN, FLY - The Silver Convention (Midland Int'l) (1975)
29. PICK UP THE PIECES - The Average White Band (Atlantic) (1975)
30. LOVE THEME FROM ROMEO & JULIET - Henry Mancini & His Orchestra (RCA Victor) (1969)
31. WALK—DON'T RUN - The Ventures (Dolton) (1960)
32. TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia) - MFSB (Philadelphia Int'l) (1974)
33. TASTE OF HONEY - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass (A&M) (1965)
34. TEA FOR TWO CHA CHA - The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra starring Warren Covington (Decca) (1958)
35. WASHINGTON SQUARE - The Village Stompers (Epic) (1963)
36. STAR WARS THEME / CANTINA BAND - Meco (Millennium) (1977)
37. THE HAPPY ORGAN - Dave "Baby" Cortez (Clock) (1959)
38. THE HUSTLE - Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony (Avco) (1975)
39. THE "IN" CROWD - The Ramsey Lewis Trio (Argo) (1965)
40. JAVA - Al Hirt (RCA Victor) (1964)
41. FRANKENSTEIN - The Edgar Winter Group (Epic) (1973)
42. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY - Hugo Montenegro (RCA Victor) (1968)
43. APACHE - Jorgen Ingmann (Atco) (1961)
44. MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW - Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen (Kapp) (1962)
45. SCORPIO - Dennis Coffey & The Detroit Guitar Band (Sussex) (1971-2)
46. WHEELS - The String-A-Longs (Warwick) (1961)
47. RAUNCHY - Bill Justis (Phillips Int'l) (1958)
48. GREEN ONIONS - Booker T. & The MG's (Stax) (1962)
49. THEME FROM THE APARTMENT - Ferrante & Teicher (United Artists) (1960)
50. FEELS SO GOOD - Chuck Mangione (A&M) (1978)

The list above reflects the OFFICIAL Top 50 Instrumental Hits based on chart information collected from these records' over-all performance in Billboard and Cash Box Magazine. Mathematically speaking (using a chart performance points system), it is the most ACCURATE representation possible of how these songs performed on the charts at that time.

But what are YOUR personal favorites?

Which instrumental hits have stood the test of time?

In 2009, we asked our Forgotten Hits Readers which Instrumental Hits remained THEIR favorites ... and then, on Thanksgiving Weekend, we counted down the results with Phil Nee on WRCO in Wisconsin.

(An archived podcast of this broadcast is coming soon ... stay tuned to The Forgotten Hits Web Pages for more details!!!)

Simply put, some of these songs are just too good for words!!!

Here comes the OFFICIAL list of YOUR Unsung Favorites ...

As voted on by the readers of Forgotten Hits:

YOUR TOP 50 INSTRUMENTAL FAVORITES:

1. Sleep Walk - Santo and Johnny

2. Theme from "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith

3. Walk Don't Run - The Ventures

4. Green Onions - Booker T. and the MG's

5. Love Is Blue - Paul Mauriat

6. Tequila - The Champs

7. Soulful Strut - Young-Holt Unlimited

8. Last Date - Floyd Cramer

9. Last Night - The Mar-Keys

10. Stranger On The Shore - Mr. Acker Bilk

11. Honky Tonk - Bill Doggett

12. Classical Gas - Mason Williams

13. Wipe Out - The Surfaris

14. Telstar - The Tornadoes

15. Hawaii Five-O - The Ventures

16. Time Is Tight - Booker T. and the MG's

17. Grazing In The Grass - Hugh Masekela

18. The Stripper - David Rose

19. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly - Hugo Montenegro

20. Soul Finger - The Bar Kays

21. The Horse - Cliff Nobles and Company

22. Blues' Theme - Davie Allan and the Arrows

23. Pipeline - The Chantays

24. Exodus - Ferrante and Teicher

25. Apache - Jorgen Ingmann

26. Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado

27. TSOP - MFSB

28. Wonderland By Night - Bert Kaempfert

29. Peter Gunn Theme - Ray Anthony

30. Harlem Nocturne - The Viscounts

31. Love's Theme - Love Unlimited Orchestra

32. Rebel Rouser - Duane Eddy

33. The Poor People Of Paris - Les Baxter

34. Midnight Cowboy - Ferrante and Teicher

35. Misirlou - Dick Dale

36. Soul Coaxing - Raymond LeFevre

37. Mission Impossible - Lalo Schiffrin

38. Cast Your Fate To The Wind - Vince Guaraldi

39. Take Five - Dave Brubeck Quartet

40. A Walk In The Black Forest - Horst Jankowski

41. Jessica - The Allman Brothers Band

42. Memphis - Lonnie Mack

43. Hang 'em High - Booker T. and the MG's

44. Music Box Dancer - Frank Mills

45. A Taste Of Honey - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass

46. Java - Al Hirt

47. Raunchy - Bill Justis

48. The Happy Organ - Dave "Baby" Cortez

49. The In-Crowd - The Ramsey Lewis Trio

50. Calcutta - Lawrence Welk

(Note: This article was first published in Forgotten Hits in 2009)

Sunday, March 9, 2025