TOP 100 INSTRUMENTALS
OF THE '50S AND '60S
- "The Third Man" Theme - Anton Karas - 1950
- Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado - 1955
- Blue Tango - Leroy Anderson - 1952
- (Theme from) A Summer Place - Percy Faith - 1960
- The Poor People of Paris - Les Baxter - 1956
- Tequila - The Champs - 1958
- Love is Blue - Paul Mauriat - 1968
- Autumn Leaves - Roger Williams - 1955
- Lisbon Antigua - Nelson Riddle - 1956
- Moonglow and Theme from "Picnic" - Morris Stoloff - 1956
- Honky Tonk (Part 2) - Bill Doggett - 1956
- Canadian Sunset - Hugo Winterhalter with Eddie
Heywood - 1956 - Stranger on the Shore - Mr. Acker Bilk - 1962
- Wonderland by Night - Bert Kaempfert - 1961
- Wipe Out - The Surfaris - 1963
- Sleep Walk - Santo and Johnny - 1959
- Patricia - Perez Prado - 1958
- Telstar - The Tornadoes - 1962
- Delicado - Percy Faith - 1952
- Exodus - Ferrante and Teicher - 1961
- Calcutta - Lawrence Welk - 1961
- Melody of Love - Billy Vaughn - 1955
- The Stripper - David Rose - 1962
- The Happy Organ - Dave "Baby" Cortez - 1959
- (Love Theme from) Romeo and Juliet - Henry
Mancini - 1969 - Ebb Tide - Frank Chacksfield - 1953
- April in Portugal - Les Baxter - 1953
- Last Date - Floyd Cramer - 1960
- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Hugo Montenegro - 1968
- The 3rd Man Theme - Guy Lombardo - 1950
- The Crazy Otto - Johnny Maddox - 1955
- Grazing in the Grass - Hugh Masekela - 1968
- Oh! - Pee Wee Hunt - 1953
- Topsy II - Cozy Cole - 1958
- Walk - Don't Run - The Ventures - 1960
- Apache - Jorgen Ingmann - 1961
- Raunchy - Bill Justis - 1957
- Ruby - Richard Hayman - 1953
- Sail Along Silvery Moon - Billy Vaughn - 1958
- The Horse - Cliff Nobles and Company - 1968
- Classical Gas - Mason Williams - 1968
- Washington Square - The Village Stompers - 1963
- Midnight in Moscow - Kenny Ball - 1962
- Green Onions - Booker T. and the MG's - 1962
- Bewitched - Bill Snyder - 1950
- Dragnet - Ray Anthony - 1953
- Night Train - Jimmy Forrest - 1952
- Wheels - The String-A-Longs - 1961
- Moonglow and Theme from Picnic - George Cates - 1956
- Down Yonder - Del Wood - 1951
- In the Mood - Ernie Fields - 1959
- Skokiaan - Ralph Marterie - 1954
- Out of Limits - The Marketts - 1964
- Last Night - The Mar-Keys - 1961
- Soulful Strut - Young-Holt Unlimited - 1969
- Java - Al Hirt - 1964
- Pipeline - Chantays - 1963
- Because They're Young - Duane Eddy - 1960
- No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In) - The
T-Bones - 1966 - Quiet Village - Martin Denny - 1959
- Teen Beat - Sandy Nelson - 1959
- Flamingo - Earl Bostic - 1951
- Red River Rock - Johnny and the Hurricanes - 1959
- Hawaii Five-O - The Ventures - 1969
- On the Rebound - Floyd Cramer - 1961
- The "In" Crowd - The Ramsey Lewis Trio - 1965
- Guitar Boogie Shuffle - The Virtues - 1959
- Petite Fleur - Chris Barber's Jazz Band - 1959
- Yellow Bird - Arthur Lyman Group - 1961
- Meet Mister Callaghan - Les Paul - 1952
- Tea for Two Cha Cha - The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
Starring Warren Covington - 1958 - Memphis - Lonnie Mack - 1963
- Alley Cat - Bent Fabric - 1962
- The Lonely Bull - The Tijuana Brass featuring Herb
Alpert - 1962 - The High and the Mighty - Victor Young - 1954
- Rebel-'Rouser - Duane Eddy - 1958
- Maria Elena - Los Indios Tabajaras - 1963
- Time is Tight - Booker T. and the MG's - 1969
- Taste of Honey - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - 1965
- Juke - Little Walter and his Night Cats - 1952
- Let There Be Drums - Sandy Nelson - 1961
- (Terry's Theme from) Limelight - Frank Chacksfield - 1953
- Mexico - Bob Moore - 1961
- Whispering - Les Paul - 1951
- Peter Gunn - Ray Anthony - 1959
- Song for a Summer Night - Mitch Miller - 1956
- Wild Weekend - The Rebels - 1963
- Moritat (A Theme from the Three Penny Opera) - The
Dick Hyman Trio - 1956 - The High and the Mighty - Les Baxter - 1954
- Soft Summer Breeze - Eddie Heywood - 1956
- More - Kai Winding - 1963
- Asia Minor - Kokomo - 1961
- Hang 'Em High - Booker T. and the MG's - 1968
- The Happy Whistler - Don Robertson - 1956
- (Theme from) The Apartment - Ferrante and Teicher - 1960
- One Mint Julep - Ray Charles - 1961
- Only You - Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles - 1959
- Forty Miles of Bad Road - Duane Eddy - 1959
- Our Winter Love - Bill Pursell - 1963
- Charmaine - Mantovani - 1951
While songs without vocals typically comprise this list, some exceptions fall into place: a few words repeated during a song are acceptable, such as "Tequila," "Wipe Out" or "Topsy II." A short phrase, such as 'Just a little bit o' soul now' from Ray Charles' "One Mint Julep," does not disqualify a song. An audience that's applauding, singing along or yelling during a live recording does not count as part of the artist's performance, thus any such recording is included. Rankings are based on the popularity of each song during the period of 1950 through 1969.
