Country Singer, Actor, TV host, Sausage man
JIMMY DEAN, 1928-2010
Click here for his complete list of popular songs


Sep 1962 to Feb 1967

Instrumental Top 20 Songs and Samples
EVERY Instrumental Top 20 Song since 1960 with music samples

Every instrumental hit with samples, instrumental song links, brief information, instrumental artist song discographies, etc., here, at the online music encyclopedia. Choose an instrumental hits date range above. Find instrumental songs!
Sep 1962
3
2
43
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
 
 
The video featured here is a live performance. Green Onions was written by: Steve Cropper, Al Jackson Jr., Booker T. Jones, Lewis Steinberg.
Sep 1962
13
17
44
A Swingin' Safari
Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra
 
 
 
Bert Kaempfert wrote A Swingin' Safari.
Sep 1962
10
19
45
Rinky Dink
Baby Cortez
 
 
 
Baby Cortez was later known as Dave Baby Cortez. The writers of this song were David Clowney and Paul Winley.
Sep 1962
7
15
46
Alley Cat
Bent Fabric And His Piano
 
 
 
Nov 1962
15
6
47
Desafinado
Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd
 
 
The video featured here is a live performance.
Nov 1962
20
48
I've Got A Woman Part I
Jimmy McGriff
 
 
 
Jimmy McGriff wrote I've Got A Woman Part I.
Dec 1962
6
14
49
The Lonely Bull (El Solo Torro)
The Tijuana Brass Featuring Herb Alpert
 
 
 
The Lonely Bull featured audio from an actual Mexican bullfight. Sol Lachoff wrote the song.
Dec 1962
1
3
50
Telstar
The Tornadoes
 
 
 
Telstar was inspired by the United States launch of the first communications satellite, which provided the first TV broadcasts across the continents. The Tornadoes followed-up Telstar with other instrumental songs that received some radio airplay like Ridin' The Wind and Robot. Telstar was written by Joe Meek.
Dec 1962
19
51
Let's Go (pony)
The Routers
 
 
 
The writers of Let's Go (pony) were Larry Duncan and Robert Duncan.
Jan 1963
22
14
52
Wiggle Wobble
Les Cooper And The Soul Rockers
 
 
 
Although Wiggle Wobble was the only top 20 hit for Les Cooper And The Soul Rockers, the group received slight radio airplay with other songs like Twistin' (One More Time).
In the 1950s, Les Cooper was a singer with The Empires. Wiggle Wobble was written by Les Cooper.
Feb 1963
22
4
53
 
 
 
Cast Your Fate To The Wind was a top 20 one hit wonder for Vince Guaraldi, a jazz writer and piano player. The follow-up, Mr. Lucky, received slight airplay. Vince Guaraldi was best known for performing Peanuts themes for movies and TV specials. Cast Your Fate To The Wind was written by Vince Guaraldi.
Feb 1963
14
6
54
Fly Me To The Moon-Bossa Nova
Joe Harnell And His Orchestra
 
 
 
 
Bart Howard wrote Fly Me To The Moon-Bossa Nova.
Mar 1963
8
8
55
Wild Weekend
The Rebels
 
 
 
The instrumental song Wild Weekend was the only top 20 hit for The Rebels. The group received some airplay as The Hot-Toddys and as The Rockin' Rebels with songs like Rockin' Crickets and Buffalo Blues. Wild Weekend was written by Tom Shannon and Phil Todaro.
Mar 1963
9
9
56
Our Winter Love
Bill Pursell
 
 
 
The instrumental song Our Winter Love was the only top 20 hit for piano player Bill Pursell. He followed-up with Loved, which received slight radio airplay. Our Winter Love was written by John Cowell and Bob Tubert.
Apr 1963
10
6
57
Watermelon Man
Mongo Santamaria Band
 
 
 
Herbie Hancock wrote Watermelon Man.
May 1963
4
10
58
Pipeline
Chantay's
 
 
The instrumental song Pipeline was the only top 20 hit for Chantay's. The group followed-up with other songs that received slight radio airplay, like Monsoon.
The video featured here is a live performance. The writers of this song were Brian Carman and Bob Spickard.
Jul 1963
5
5
59
Memphis
Lonnie Mack
 
 
 
Chuck Berry wrote Memphis.
Aug 1963
2
3
60
Wipe Out
The Surfaris
 
 
Although instrumental song Wipe Out was the only top 20 hit for The Surfaris, the group received some radio airplay with other songs like Surfer Joe. The video featured here is a live performance.
In 1987, Fat Boys And The Beach Boys remade Wipe Out and it hit number 12.
Aug 1963
8
10
61
More
Kai Winding & Orchestra
 
 
 
Kai Winding was a pre-rock era trombone player who was featured in many recordings. As a solo artist, he recorded under varied names like, in 1946, Kai's Krazy Kats with the song Loaded. More was written by Nino Oliviero and Riz Ortolani. The song was from the movie Mondo Cane.
Nov 1963
6
10
62
Maria Elena
Los Indios Tabajaras
 
 
 
instrumental song Maria Elena was a Mexican song first made popular in 1941 by Jimmy Dorsey And His Orchestra, and a top 20 one hit wonder for Los Indios Tabajaras, who were members of the Brazilian Tabajara tribe. Ernesto Lecuona wrote the song.
Nov 1963
2
3
63
Washington Square
The Village Stompers
 
 
 
Washington Square was a park in Greenwich Village, New York City. The writers of this song were Bob Goldstein and David Shire.
Jan 1964
3
9
64
Out Of Limits
The Marketts
 
 
 
Out Of Limits was originally titled Outer Limits, based on the TV show. The name was changed when the band was sued. Aside from the title, the song itself was influenced by TV show Twilight Zone.
Feb 1964
4
4
65
Java
Al Hirt
 
 
 
The song Java was used as theme music for UK TV show The Benny Hill Show.
Mar 1964
18
18
66
Penetration
The Pyramids
 
 
 
The instrumental song Penetration was the only top 20 hit for The Pyramids.The group received slight airplay with other songs like Midnight Run. Steve Leonard wrote the song.
May 1964
15
19
67
Shangri-La
Robert Maxwell
 
 
 
The writers of Shangri-La were: Matt Halneck, Robert Maxwell, Carl Sigman.
May 1964
15
20
68
Cotton Candy
Al Hirt
 
 
 
Russ Damon wrote Cotton Candy.
Aug 1964
8
9
69
Walk-Don't Run '64
The Ventures
 
 
The video featured here is a live performance. Walk-Don't Run '64 was written by John Smith.
Jan 1965
11
70
Hawaii Tattoo
The Waikikis
 
 
 
Michael Thomas wrote Hawaii Tattoo.
Feb 1965
14
12
71
Twine Time
Alvin Cash & The Crawlers
 
 
 
Mar 1965
11
12
72
Red Roses For A Blue Lady
Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra
 
 
 
In 1949, Red Roses For A Blue Lady was a popular song for Vaughn Monroe With The Moon Maids, and for others like Guy Lombardo. The 1965 Vic Dana version with vocals, coming out just a few weeks before the Bert Kaempfert instrumental version, was a number 12 hit song. The writers of this song were Roy Brodsky and Sid Tepper.
May 1965
10
15
73
 
 
 
Vincent Guaraldi wrote Cast Your Fate To The Wind.
Jul 1965
16
74
Soul Sauce (Guacha Guaro)
Cal Tjader
 
Mostly instrumental song Soul Sauce was a rework of Dizzy Gillespie song Guacha Guaro. Drummer Cal Tjader was a fixture of the San Francisco Latin music scene, working with many famous artists. Soul Sauce, however, was a top 20 one hit wonder.
The extra featured here is a live video performance. The writers of this song were Chano Pozo and Dizzy Gillespie.
Jul 1965
12
15
75
A Walk In The Black Forest
Horst Jankowski
 
 
 
Although the instrumental song A Walk In The Black Forest was the only top 20 hit for Horst Jankowski, he was a popular jazz and swing piano player. He received some radio airplay with other songs like his remake of the 1950 Bing Crosby song Play A Simple Melody. A Walk In The Black Forest was written by Horst Jankowski.
Oct 1965
5
2
76
The In Crowd
Ramsey Lewis Trio
 
 
 
 
Dobie Gray reached number 8 with The In Crowd a few months before Ramsey Lewis Trio made this instrumental version. Billy Page wrote the song.
Nov 1965
7
1
77
 
 
A Taste Of Honey won the Grammy Award for Record Of The Year. The writers of this song were Ric Marlow and Bobby Scott.
Dec 1965
11
16
78
Hang On Sloopy
Ramsey Lewis Trio
 
 
 
Ramsey Lewis Trio remade the number one song Hang On Sloopy by The McCoys as an instrumental, and reached the top 20 just a few weeks later.
Dec 1965
20
79
Harlem Nocturne
The Viscounts
 
 
 
The instrumental song Harlem Nocturne was the only top 20 hit by The Viscounts. The group received some airplay with other songs too, like the popular 1921 Isham Jones And His Orchestra song Wabash Blues.
Feb 1966
15
80
No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)
The T-Bones
 
 
 
No Matter What Shape was written from an Alka-Seltzer commercial. The writers of this song were Granville Burland and Sascha Burland.
Feb 1966
17
15
81
Batman Theme
The Marketts
 
 
 
Neil Hefti wrote Batman Theme. The song was from the TV show Batman.
Jul 1966
18
18
82
The Work Song
Herb Alpert
 
 
The writers of The Work Song were: Nat Adderly, Oscar Brown, Jr..
Sep 1966
19
12
83
Wade In The Water
Ramsey Lewis
 
 
 
Ramsey Lewis wrote Wade In The Water.
Oct 1966
7
3
84
Born Free
Roger Williams
 
 
 
 
Born Free was from the movie Born Free.







Full Artist Song Discography Pages:

Kelly Rowland
Cage The Elephant
Avenged Sevenfold
The Chemical Brothers
Faithless
Yes
The Allman Brothers Band
David Bowie
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