INSTRUMENTALS, turned into songs with lyrics

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by John B Good, Mar 24, 2007.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    It was once very common for pop songs to be given instrumental versions. Half the easy listening albums of the 60's followed that formula. :)

    But how often has it happened the other way around? Where someone added lyrics to a very popular instrumental, and sometimes at least, the vocal version became as popular.

    For example. THEME FROM A SUMMER PLACE, by Percy Faith and his Orchestra from 1960. Became a hit again a few years later, by The Lettermen, with lyrics.

    I can think of half a dozen cases where I believe that’s what happened, but are there perhaps many more? One more just came to my attention a few moments ago thanks to W.B.

    Suggestions?
     
  2. Tie 1 On

    Tie 1 On New Member

    Location:
    Richmond, VA
    Last Date was a huge instrumental by Floyd Cramer then Conway Twitty added lyrics years later and had a hit.
     
  3. Drifter

    Drifter AAD survivor

    Location:
    Vancouver, BC, CA
    Star Wars Main Title lyrics:

    "Ah, Star Wars, nothing but Star Wars.
    Give me those Star Wars, don't them end.
    Ah, Star Wars, if they should bar wars.
    Please let these Star Wars........stay.

    And hey, how 'bout that nutty Star Wars bar?
    Can you forget all the creatures in there?
    And hey, Darth Vader in that black and evil mask
    Did he scare you as much as he scared me? AHHHH!"

    ;) http://www.metacafe.com/watch/86527/bill_murray_sings_star_wars/
     
    mbrownp1, Rhett and Ignatius like this.
  4. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    Cool, I didn't know about either of those. The Star Wars one is a parody?

    MORE by Kai Winding was a big hit as an instrumental.

    MORE as a vocal was sung by many people, but perhaps didn't make the top 40. Did Andy Williams sing the version I remember?

    Not having seen the Mondo Cane movie, but knowing it's reputation, I wonder if the vocal version of More was representative of the movie's theme?
     
  5. anduandi

    anduandi Senior Member

    "Better days ahead" from Pat Metheny on the album "Close enough for love" by a singer called Fleurine. I think she's the girlfriend of Brad Mehldau who plays piano on this record. Fleurine wrote the lyrics.

    "Minuano" , another instrumental piece from Pat Metheny appears on Kurt Elling's album "Man in the air" with lyrics by Kurt Elling.

    Both didn't turn into hits though and remained relatively unknown.

    Achim
     
  6. -Alan

    -Alan Senior Member

    Location:
    Connecticut, USA
    Friends of Distinction added vocals to Hugh Masakela's instrumental hit "Grazing in the Grass" and had a major hit with it.
     
  7. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    Joe Zawinul's "Birdland"
     
  8. stevenm

    stevenm New Member

    Location:
    Freiburg, Germany
    I'm not sure, but what about 'Love is Blue' and 'The Horse'?
     
    Victor/Victrola likes this.
  9. The Wanderer

    The Wanderer Seeker of Truth

    Location:
    NYC
    "Soulful Strut" by Young-Holt Unlimited reappeared as "Am I The Same Girl" by Barbara Acklin.

    I've heard that Paul Gayten's "Windy" reappeared later with lyrics also.

    Then there's the Jesse James, Phil-LA of Soul's various instrumental/vocal variations.
     
    Suncola likes this.
  10. elgreco

    elgreco Groove Meister

    This is not America was an instrumental track by the Pat Metheny Group and became a big hit after David Bowie put words to it (and sang the song, of course).
     
    oldsurferdude and Yost like this.
  11. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    WASHINGTON SQUARE by The Village Stompers, a retro sounding instrumental.

    I remember a version with some lyrics

    "she sang for all humanity, the girl with...."

    but don't believe I've ever heard it since, and have no idea who did it. Anyone?

    Is the Birdland by Joe Wawinul the one that US3 added words to? Come to think of it, Lullaby of Birdland by George Shearing, was that before the vocal version I've heard by many Jazz singers?


    Some great stuff showing up, some that are new to me. I remember Grazing in the Grass, and I do believe I may have heard a vocal version of Love Is Blue.

    I'lll have to see if I don't have that Barbara Ackland track somewhere....
     
  12. Chris C

    Chris C Music was my first love and it will be my last!

    Location:
    Ohio
    How about The Bob Crewe Generation's "Music To Watch Girls By", that later had lyrics, sung by Andy Williams.

    Chris C
     
    Suncola likes this.
  13. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    Excellent choice!



    PETER GUNN

    I have a vocal version by Sarah Vaughan, and there is a more obscure, and different version, by Canada's BEAUMARKS.
     
  14. clairehuxtable

    clairehuxtable Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    "Love's Theme" by the Love Unlimited Orchestra was huge in late 1973/early 1974. A year later, Barry's girls "Love Unlimited" did a vocal version on their "In Heat" album.
     
  15. Rick Holland

    Rick Holland Member

    Location:
    Norwich UK
    I'm not completely sure, but was Vince Guaraldi's "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" purely an instrumental before lyrics were added?

    Rick
     
  16. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    That's exactly the sort of question I'm hoping this thread will provide answers to. I have the Johnny River's vocal version, and it was a great song, entirely consistent with the images or emotions the instrumental alone could have conjured up.
     
  17. scotto

    scotto Senior Member

    My favorite: Mancini's way-cool instrumental "Peter Gunn" has a vocal version called "Bye Bye" from the movie (1967 I believe) version of the TV show "Gunn."
     
  18. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    NS, Canada
  19. CODOR

    CODOR New Member

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I could swear I once heard a cover of Frank Mills' Music Box Dancer with lyrics. No idea who did it, though and can't remember what those lyrics were...
     
  20. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    TELSTAR

    There was a version with lyrics by Bobby Rydell. I thought I might have taped it from the KTel type cd I once had, but I have still not come across it yet.

    I'd love to know whether the lyrics were worthy of the music :)
     
    rodentdog likes this.
  21. willy

    willy hooga hagga hooga

    'Telstar' was soon given lyrics but I cannot for the life of me remember the name of the song nor the female singer.

    'Dance On' by The Shadows became a song......or was it a song first?

    Bryan Ferry's 'The Right Stuff' began life as a Smith's instrumental by Johnny Marr.

    And wasn't 'Cavatina' from 'The Deer Hunter' fleshed out into a song, by Cleo Laine I think?

    Edit: Now that was spooky, John!
     
  22. Weather Report - "Birdland" - some years later lyrics were penned and vocal version was released by the Manhatten Transfer.

    "Miles came through, Trane came too - there!
    Down in birdland
    Basie blew, Blakey too - where?
    Down in birdland
    Cannonball played that hall - there
    Down in birdland..."

    Had to play it a lot when I worked in jazz radio. Was never a fan of their version.


    Same with Miles Davis' - "Freddie Freeloader". Years later Jon Hendricks recorded the song with vocals/lyrics.

    Not too big on this vocal version either. As much as Jon Hendricks is an amazing vocalist, I'll stick to the original instrumental. Ex-wife used to tease me. She'd walk by while I'd be playing a Miles Davis CD singing, "Freddie...Freddie...". :laugh:
     
  23. John B Good

    John B Good Forum Hall Of Fame Thread Starter

    Location:
    NS, Canada
    STRANGER ON THE SHORE by Mr Acker Bilk

    This one exists as an equally beautiful song, I have it by both The Drifters, and Ruby and the Romantics.



    Willy, was the female singer of Telstar British? I can even imagine that the Bobby Rydell version was different, but I can't remember anything of the words :(
     
  24. Taxman

    Taxman Senior Member

    Location:
    Fayetteville, NY
    How about Mercy Mercy Mercy which I believe Cannonball Adderley had out as a hit with in 1966, followed by The Buckingham's version in 1967.
     
    Kermit27 and jlf like this.
  25. Brian W.

    Brian W. Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Perry Como's 1945 mega-hit "Till the End of Time" was a pop-lyric version of Chopin's "Polonaise." His hit "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" was likewise adapted from Chopin's "Fantasie Impromptu."

    Tony Martin's "Tonight We Love" was a pop vocal version of Tchaikovsky's "Concerto #1, B Flat Minor."

    In the 1940s, there were a spate of classical compositions given lyrics and turned into pop songs, but I can't recall any of the others at the moment.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine