John and Paul, Bernie and Elton, Rogers and Hammerstien – it takes a team to write a hit song doesn’t it? Well, sometimes you only need the tune, no words. Let’s check out more of our favorite instrumentals…
“Love is Blue” by Frenchman Paul Mauriat was an instrumental song that hit number one, right smack dab in the middle of Rock and Roll’s biggest year. Paul was a successful composer and conductor in the late 50s, so hitting the American music charts was not only unexpected, it was ground breaking for its time.
In 1967, Mason Williams was the head writer of the popular ‘Smothers Brothers Show,’ and an aspiring musician. In between takes, the cast would ask Mason come out and play a song called “Classical Gas.” Eventually someone convinced Mason to get it recorded and released as a single. The song hit number one and is still popular today.
“Green Onions” by Booker T and the MGs was one of the most popular songs in the 60s, having appeared on the charts in 1962. The three miss-conceptions about this instrumental seems to be that it was a song from the late 60s (it was not) that it was originally called ‘Funky Onions’ (which it was) and Eric Clapton recorded a cover of the song (Eric claims he never has).