Talkin’ Music with Jack Coll – Soul Sacrifice & other Instrumental Hits of the 1960’s and 1970’s
Talkin Music with Jack Coll
2/5/2019
by Jack Coll
TALKIN’ MUSIC
SOUL SACRIFICE
AND OTHER INSTRUMENTAL HITS OF THE 1960’S AND 1970’S
BY JACK COLL
When the frame shop is closed and I’m working overtime in the backroom I generally turn off the radio and turn on my computer where I can listen to my personalized playlist of favorite tunes, many of which were recorded in the 1960’s and 1970’s. I turn off the showroom lights, turn-up the volume, and if you were to peak through the front window you’re likely to catch a glimpse of me dancing around the backroom as I cut my mats and glass for jobs I’m working on.
One of the songs I like to turn up the volume to is an instrumental called “Soul Sacrifice” performed by Santana at Woodstock, I think of all the great musicians that played Woodstock and all the popular songs played and recorded there “Soul Sacrifice” is by far my favorite Woodstock song. Michael Shrieve was Santana’s drummer at Woodstock, he was just 20 years old at the time when he captured the attention of the world with his soulful, “Out-of-his-mind” performance on “Soul Sacrifice.” He only played with Santana for five years but was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the band in the late 1990’s.
So one night last week I’m bouncing around the backroom to “Soul Sacrifice” like I’m 20 years old, no, let’s make that 19 years old, it sounds better and I got to thinking about other instrumental songs that were hits in the 1960’s and 1970’s. I came up with a few immediately thinking about Booker T & The MG’s who had “Green Onions” and “Time is Tight.” Two great records put out by Stax Records back in the sixties.
Booker T. Jones was a regular session musician at Stax along with Donald “Duck” Dunn, Steve Cropper, and Al Jackson Jr., among others. The Bar-Kays were also a Stax house-band working with Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes among others. Otis Redding used the Bar-Kays as his back-up band while on tour. On December 10, 1967, Redding, along with members of the Bar-Kays all died in a plane crash in Lake Monona while on their way to perform in Madison, Wisconsin.
Other popular instrumental songs that climbed the charts back in the day that I remembered without looking anything up included:
A Taste Of Honey by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Recorded in 1965
Love Is Blue by Paul Mauriat and his Orchestra Recorded in 1968
The Stripper by David Rose and his Orchestra Recorded in 1962
Telstar by The Tornadoes Recorded in 1962 (One of my favorites)
Wipe Out by The Surfaris Recorded in 1963 (Who doesn’t remember Wipe Out?)
Frankenstein by The Edgar Winter Group Recorded in 1973
Dueling Banjos by Eric Weissberg Recorded in 1973 (One I used to play on my guitar)
Classical Gas by Mason Williams Recorded in 1968 (Another one I used to love playing on my guitar)
Cast Your Fate To The Wind by Vince Guaraldi Recorded in 1963 ( I really did love this song back in the day)
So these are the songs I listed as I went about my night in the workshop although I will confess I couldn’t remember all the artist until I later looked them up.
So while I was looking up the artists for these songs I came across a few other instrumental hits I remembered but only after seeing them, a few of them include:
A Theme From A Summer Place by Percy Faith and his Orchestra Recorded in 1960
Wonderland By Night by Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra Recorded in 1960
Moon River by Henry Mancini and his Orchestra Recorded in 1961 (I also loved Jerry Butler’s version with lyrics from1962)
Love’s Theme by Love Unlimited Orchestra Recorded in 1974
Chariots Of Fire by Vangelis Recorded in 1982
The Hustle by Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony Recorded in 1975 (That’s one I should have remembered)
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly by Hugo Montenegro Recorded in 1968, (Another one I should have remembered, but if you offered me five million dollars and gave me three months to think about it I would have never been able to tell you Hugo Montenegro!)
A Fifth Of Beethoven by Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band Recorded in 1976
The Sound Of Philadelphia featuring The Three Degrees Recorded in 1974
Love Theme Romeo & Juliet by Henry Mancini, His Orchestra and Chorus Recorded in1969
Grazing In The Grass by Hugh Masekela Recorded in 1968
Walk-Don’t Run by The Ventures Recorded in 1960
The In Crowd by Ramsey Lewis Trio Recorded in 1965
The Entertainer by Marvin Hamlisch Recorded in 1974
Feels So Good by Chuck Mangione Recorded in 1978
The Horse by Cliff Nobles & Company Recorded in 1968
Outa Space by Billy Preston Recorded in 1972
Pick Up The Pieces by Average White Band Recorded in 1975
Soulful Strut by Young Holt Unlimited Recorded in 1969
Gonna Fly Now by Bill Conti Recorded in 1977 (Theme From Rocky)
Last Night by The Mar-Keys Recorded in 1961
Soul Finger by The Bar-Kays Recorded in 1967
No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach’s In) by The T-Bones Recorded in 1966
Rock And Roll Part 2 by Gary Glitter Recorded in 1972
Soul Twist by King Curtis and The Noble Knights Recorded in 1962
Songbird by Kenny G Recorded in 1987
Star Wars Theme by The Cantina Band Recorded in 1977
Fly Me To The Moon-Bossa Nova by Joe Harmell And His Orchestra
Midnight Cowboy by Ferrante & Teicher Recorded in 1969
Hocus Pocus by Focus Recorded in 1973
Wild Weekend by The Rebels Recorded in 1963
Percolator (Twist) by Billy Joe & The Checkmates Recorded in 1962
So how about-it, did you remember some or all of the above instrumental classics, feel free to comment on facebook if I missed one of your favorites.
I always enjoy a trip down memory lane, thanks for sharing your memories with me, until the next Talkin’ Music, take care of yourself!
