Instrumental Songs With Animals in the Title Quiz

Answer: It reached Number One on the Billboard charts.

"The Horse" was kept at the Number Two spot for two weeks by another Instrumental, "Classical Gas", by Mason Williams. Rarely have Instrumental singles held both the Number One and Number Two slots on the US charts.
Clifford James Nobles was a singer who recorded for a subsidiary of Soul Records.
He released a single titled "Love Is All Right" and the label simply released a version of the song without the vocal track and named it "The Horse" for the "flip" side. Disc jockeys began playing the Instrumental version and it became a huge success, selling three million copies within three months.
The label released an album of Instrumental songs attributed to Cliff Nobles and Company without Cliff playing or singing a note on any of the songs.
Cliff eventually left the music business and went into construction.

Answer: Henry Mancini

Henry Mancini began his music career after WWII as an arranger for the reformed Glenn Miller Orchestra. In 1952 he began writing a number of movie scores for Universal Pictures. He also wrote several television theme scores such as "Peter Gunn". "Peter Gunn" producer Blake Edwards admired his work and Mancini composed for such Blake Edwards films as "Breakfast at Tiffanys" and "The Pink Panther".
During his career he took home 20 of the 72 Oscars he was nominated for.
The theme to "Cool Hand Luke" and "Mission Impossible" were composed by Lalo Schifrin. Composer Nelson Riddle wrote the theme for the "Route 66" (1960) television series. "The Odd Couple" and "Batman" themes are among Neal Hefti's compositions.

Answer: Hatari!

"Hatari" was the Swahili word meaning danger. John Wayne portrayed one of a group of people capturing animals for zoos. Henry Mancini composed the score for the film as well as "The Baby Elephant Walk". The song utilized a variety of instruments from tubas to flutes to capture the ungainly walk of a young elephant. Several artists such as Lawrence Welk released versions of the catchy song.
"Donovan's Reef" was released in 1963. "Circus World" was a 1964 film featuring John Wayne and Claudia Cardinale. "The Magnificent Showman" also came out in 1964 and paired Wayne and Rita Hayworth.

Answer: Yellow Bird

Two artists recorded versions of "Yellow Bird" before Arthur Lyman, but Lyman had the biggest hit with the song when his Hawaiian Instrumental version hit the charts.
The song had its roots in a Caribbean song titled "Choucoune". The first English version of the song was recorded as an album cut by Norman Luboff Choir in 1957. The Mills Brothers recorded a version two years later that only made it to Number 70. After The Arthur Lyman Group released their hit Instrumental version several other artists recorded the song.
"Frogg" was a Top Forty 1961 vocal release by The Brothers Four. "The Fish" was a Top Forty 1961 Dance genre release from Bobby Rydell. "The Boll Weevil Song" by Brook Benton reached Number Two in 1961.

Answer: The Routers

The Routers formed in 1962 and had the good fortune to have their first release hit the Top Twenty. "Let's Go (Pony)" reached Number 19 for The Routers in September of 1962. The clapping segment of the song became popular with cheerleaders.
Michael Gordon had been touring with The Marketts when he decided to form his own group. He dubbed the Group The Routers, who were primarily studio musicians. After "Let's Go (Pony)" The Routers released unsuccessful follow-up singles until 1964 and disbanded. Gordon went on to compose music for film and television.
The Champs had a Top Forty Instrumental single with "Limbo Rock". "Twist-Her" went to Number 29 for Bill Black's Combo. "Wild Weekend" was a Top Ten single by The Rebels in 1962.

Answer: Johnny and The Hurricanes

Johnny and the Hurricanes began performing as as The Orbits in 1957 when schoolmates formed a band in Toledo, Ohio. In 1959 they signed with Twirl Records and recorded "Crossfire" in a vacant movie theater for an echo effect. The song went on to be a national hit.

The group then signed with Warwick Records and released "Red River Rock", an Instrumental takeoff on "Red River Valley". "Reveille Rock" and "Beatnik Fly" followed. When the group toured Germany in 1962 the then-unknown Beatles opened for them at Hamburg's Star Club. Bill Black's Combo had hits such as "Don't Be Cruel" and "Blue Tango" in 1960. "Perfidia" was a 1960 release by The Ventures. "Ruby Duby Du" by Tobin Mathews and Co. was a Top Forty single in 1960.

Answer: Flamingo

"Flamingo", "Spanish Flea" and "What Now My Love" were among the 1966 Instrumentals released by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. In 1962 he produced and recorded "The Lonely Bull" after being inspired by listening to a band at a Tijuana bullfight. The song became a hit, reaching the Number Six slot in the US.

When the recording became a hit Alpert had to audition and form a touring band. During the sixties the group released several hit Instrumental singles and toured extensively. Herb became a co-founder of A and M Records. "Holy Cow" was done by Lee Dorsey in 1966. Jr. Walker and The All-Stars took the vocal song, "(I'm a) Road Runner", to Number 20 the same year.

Another vocal, "Walkin' My Cat Named Dog", by Norma Tanega reached Number 22.

Answer: The Fireballs

The Fireballs released several Instrumentals before recording the Number One "Sugar Shack" as Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs in 1963. The band recorded at Norman Petty's Clovis, New Mexico studio. They followed "Sugar Shack" with "Daisy Petal Pickin'" but their career was cut short when the British Invasion hit the US.

The Fireballs finally reached the Top Ten again in 1968 with "Bottle of Wine". Gilmer left the group the following year to work in artist promotion in Nashville. "Honky Tonk" was Bill Doggett Combo's biggest hit.

The British band The Tornados had a big sixties hit in the US with "Telstar". The Santa Paula, California, band The Champs hit it big when they released Tequila" in 1958.

Answer: Johnny Otis

Johnny Otis had his first hit record in 1945 when his band recorded "Harlem Nocturne". He worked as a musician, composer and A and R man for several labels before having his own US Top Ten hit with "Willie and the Hand Jive". He also recorded Instrumental hits such as "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" and "Cold Turkey". In his later years he became a pastor, farmer, disc jockey and was involved in politics.
Freddie King is known for his Instrumental hit, "Hide Away". "Soul Twist" was done by King Curtis and "Space Guitar" was one of many releases by Johnny "Guitar" Watson.

Answer: Cat Stevens

Cat Stevens released "Was Dog A Doughnut" and "(I Never Wanted) To Be a Star" as singles from his "Izitso" LP. "Child for a Day" from the same LP was featured in the 1977 film "First Love" but was not released as a single. Cat Stevens is credited with playing several instruments and composed all the songs on the album. "Izitso" was Stevens' tenth LP.
Saxophonist Red Prysock recorded an Instrumental called "Hand Clappin'". "Classical Gas" was a 1969 Mason Williams Instrumental and Dixie Dregs founder Steve Morse recorded "Cruise Missile".