Terrific Top 40 Instrumental Hits of the 70s

One year ago, I published a music blog message on 60’s pop instrumental hit songs and that article has been a popular read for many folks.

With this new message, I will be featuring a countdown of what I consider to be the most significant pop instrumental Top 40 singles from the 70s.

Since 1980, it has been extremely rare for instrumental songs to become hits on the Billboard Hot 100. However, during the 60s and 70s, instrumental songs regularly became major hits on Top 40 radio.

Criteria that I am using for the instrumental songs that I will be featuring in my countdown:

• Tune charted during the 70s (1970-1979)
• Single peaked at number 40 or higher on the Billboard Hot 100 chart
• Song has NO voices, singing, speaking of words or whistling anywhere on the tune

As I started compiling my list of possible songs to include on an instrumental countdown of the 70s, there were quite a few tunes that I placed in a “Mainly or Almost Instrumental” category.

My definition for mainly or almost instrumentals: Tunes that range from good to outstanding but not eligible for my countdown because of human voices, brief singing, scatting, spoken words, rapping or whistling.

Two excellent examples in this category are by the Average White Band: “Pick Up the Pieces” and “Cut the Cake.”  Because both selections include minimal singing, these tunes are not eligible for my terrific instrumental hits of the 70s countdown.

Below are some other top “mainly or almost instrumental” tunes:

• TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)—MFSB
• The Hustle—Van McCoy
• Hocus Pocus—Focus
• Rock and Roll Part II—Gary Glitter

• Fly Robin Fly—Silver Convention
• Theme from Shaft—Isaac Hayes
• Express—BT Express
• Gonna Fly Now—Bill Conti

Next are two excellent instrumental tunes that did not reach #40 or higher on the Billboard Hot 100:

• Breezin’—George Benson
• Jessica—The Allman Brothers Band

Instrumental songs just outside of my top 20 countdown. Tunes not ranked and in a random order:

• Summer of ’42 Theme Song—Peter Nero
• Music Box Dancer—Frank Mills
• Popcorn—Hot Butter
• Theme from S.W.A.T.—Rhythm Heritage
• Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band–Meco

Without further ado, my terrific pop instrumental songs of the 70s countdown:

  20.  Space Race—Billy Preston: 1973

Peak Positions on Charts:  #4 Hot 100 Billboard, 66^th Biggest Song of 1973 Cash Box

Musician Billy Preston played keyboards, bass and produced this synthesizer track. Dick Clark’s American Band TV show used snippet of tune during broadcast breaks from the mid 70s until 1989.

  19.  Main Title: Theme from Jaws—John Williams: 1975

Peak Position on Billboard Chart:  #32 Hot 100

The “Jaws” music composed by John Williams has a pretense of tranquility but quickly turns into a pulsating foreboding tone, signaling unsettling danger. The soundtrack for “Jaws” won both Grammy and Academy Awards for Williams’ cinematic score in 1976.

  18.   The Rockford Files—Mike Post: 1975

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts: #10 Hot 100, 85^th Biggest Song of 1975

Theme song from TV show. Featured non-traditional top 40 instruments: dobro and harmonica, as well as guitar and synthesizer solos. Won a 1975 Grammy Award for “Best Instrumental Arrangement.”

  17.   Morning Dance—Spyro Gyra: 1979

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #1 AC, #24 Hot 100

Recording is considered a combination of jazz fusion and smooth jazz. Two prominent instruments on this tune are saxophone and steelpan drum. Released at the height of disco mania on top 40 radio, this track stood out among the dance hits during the summer of ’79.

  16.   Amazing Grace—Royal Scots Dragon Guard: 1972

Peak position on Billboard Chart:  #11 Hot 100

Unlikely hit using John Newton’s 18^th century hymn. A “Pipes and Drums” band. Musicians were actually part of a cavalry regiment with the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment.

  15.  Scorpio—Dennis Coffey: 1971-1972

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #6 Hot 100, 43^rd Biggest Song of 1972

Artist was a guitarist and studio musician in Detroit, Michigan. Tune mixes soul/R&B with Latin and African cadence. Tune has been sampled in over a dozen hip-hop songs spanning from the 80s until this decade.

  14.  Love’s Theme—Love Unlimited Orchestra: 1974

Peak Positions on Billboard’s Charts:  #1 Hot 100, 3^rd Biggest Song of 1974.

Written and produced by Barry White.  The Love Unlimited Orchestra utilized a large string section, and guitar rhythm ensemble. Single is considered Proto-disco: a forerunner to the disco genre of music that was dominate from the mid to late 70s.

  13.   Tubular Bells—Mike Oldfield

Peak Position on Billboard Charts:  #7 Hot 100, 79^th Biggest Song of 1974

From the 1973 film “The Exorcist.” English musician Mike Oldfield was only 19 when he recorded tune and plays guitar, keyboards, percussion and this track. An international hit.

  12.  Dueling Banjos–Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts: #2 Hot 100, 61st Biggest Song of 1973

Bluegrass Composition written by Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith in 1954.  Made famous in 1972 film “Deliverance.”  Single was nominated for a Golden Globe award for “Best Original Song.”

  11.  Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)—Deodato

Peak positions on Billboard Charts: #2 Hot 100, 73rd Biggest Song of 1973

A pop/jazz instrumental. Rendition is of the introduction from a 1896 Richard Strauss composition “Also sprach Zarathustra.” Brazilian musician/pianist Eumir Deodato covered this tune, which became popular in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey.”  This remake won a 1974 Grammy Award for “Best Pop Instrumental Performance.”

 10. Nadia’s Theme—Barry DeVorzon & Perry Botikin Jr.: 1976

Peak Positions on Charts:  #8 Hot 100 Billboard, 53^rd Biggest Song of 1976 Cash Box

Tune was originally known as “Cotton’s Dream.” In 1973, it became the theme song for “The Young and the Restless.”  During the 1976 Summer Olympics, tune was associated with Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci. ABC’s “Wild World of Sports” created a video montage and the song was renamed “Nadia’s Theme.”

9.   Machine Gun—The Commodores:  1974

Peak Position on Billboard Charts: #7 R&B, #22 Hot 100

Lionel Ritchie and the Commodores first pop top 40 hit. Synthesizer, guitars and bass creates a fast-paced, Funk/R&B hot groove. Tune is still played at many sporting events across the U.S. this decade.

 8.   Joy—Apollo 100: 1972

Peak Positions on Billboard Hot 100 #6, 71st Biggest Song of 1972

Apollo 100 was a British instrumental ensemble from the early 70s.   “Joy” It is an up-tempo contemporary rendition of a 1723 composition by Johann Sebastian Bach called “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.”

 7.   Rise—Herb Alpert: 1979-1980

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #1 Hot 100, 80^th Biggest Song 1979 & 54th Biggest Record 1980

Tumpeter Herb Alpert was the first artist to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a vocal performance as well as an instrumental production. (Artist took “This Guy’s in Love with You” to #1 in 1968). Tune received a Grammy Award for “Best Pop Instrumental Performance.”

 6.   Overture from Tommy—The Assembled Multitude: 1970

Peak Position on Billboard Chart: #16 Hot 100

“Overture” is a song written by Pete Townshend and recorded by his band, the Who, on their 1969 rock opera album “Tommy.”  The Assembled Multitude was an instrumental ensemble of studio musicians, lead by producer Tom Sellers. This group and song is a “one hit wonder.”

5.  Feels So Good—Chuck Mangione: 1978

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts: #4 Hot 100, 21^st Biggest Song of 1978

Written and produced by flugelhorn player and trumpeter Chuck Mangione. Composition was nominated for a Grammy Award for “Record of the Year” in 1979. Tune reached #1 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart.

4.  A Fifth of Beethoven—Walter Murphy: 1976

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #1 Hot 100, 10^th Biggest Song of 1976

Walter Murphy is a keyboardist, songwriter, composer and producer. He used the first movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, mixing classical and pop music to create a disco funk novelty record. Track is found on the 1977 “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack.

3.  Star Wars Theme—John Williams: 1977

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #10 Hot 100, 99^th Biggest Song of 1977

Arguably, the “Star Wars” theme song is one the most recognizable, popular and highly acclaimed film tunes in modern cinematic history. Written, composed and conducted by John Williams, his piece was recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra.

2.  Outa Space—Billy Preston: 1972

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts:  #1 R&B, #2 Hot 100, 22^nd Biggest Song of 1972

Billy Preston played keyboards for the Beatles last concert appearance in 1969 and was nicknamed “Fifth Beatle.”  A recording from that London rooftop concert was “Get Back.” Apple Records released that song as a 45-RPM single and is credited to “The Beatles with Billy Preston.”

“Outa Space was Preston’s first top ten solo hit and the artist played most of the instruments on this psychedelic funk/soul gem.  A unique feature on this track is Preston’s playing a clavinet through a wah-wah pedal. “Outa-Space” won a Grammy for “Best Pop Instrumental Performance” in 1972.

1. Frankenstein—The Edgar Winter Group: 1973

Peak Positions on Billboard Charts: #1 Hot 100, 16^th Biggest Song of 1973

My number one selection of “Frankenstein” is a progressive rock masterpiece. Music was written by Edgar Winter and produced by band member Rick Derringer. Structure of the tune is a continuous long jam session.

Individual solos are played throughout the song with these instruments: synthesizer, saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums.  Winter is said to be the first rock artist to strap a keyboard/synthesizer around his neck during concerts.  He utilized this method on his band’s 1973 concert tour.

Without a doubt, I consider “Frankenstein” by the Edgar Winter Band as the number 1 best top 40 instrumental hit from the 70s.

That wraps up what I consider to be the most terrific top 40 instrumental hits of the 70s decade. I completely understand that my listing of songs in this category was written from my point of view and is subjective.

If you were creating a similar register of excellent 70s instrumental hits, your tabulation may be totally different. What do you consider to be best musical tunes in this category?  I hope you will comment below.

Listening to music from the golden age of Top 40 radio will always have a special place in my heart.  I still cherish and fondly remember the terrific top 40 instrumental hits of the 70s.  Rock on!

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