Rock songs that feature the Marimba (vibes or xylophone will work too) (1 Viewer)

[El Floppo]

13 yo floppinho is a percussionist. outside of Steve Reich and some avante garde stuff, I'd like to expose him to more rock tunes that feature mallet instruments like the marimba, vibes, xylophone, etc.

Whatcha got? (I'll add links when I have some time)

Violent Femmes- gone daddy gone

Psychedelic Furs- love my way

Stones- under my thumb

Oingo Boingo- grey matter

 

[Buffaloes]

U2 - I Will Follow

Sounds like a xylophone toward the beginning 

 

[Buffaloes]

Apparently it's a glockenspiel. Not sure if that's what you were looking for

 

[El Floppo]

Apparently it's a glockenspiel. Not sure if that's what you were looking for

Mallet instrument...definitely works. Iirc, that's metal but without resonators.

Eta...plus his mom is a HUGE u2 fan

 

[Charlie Steiner]

As far as Steely Dan can be considered Rock, there's a lot of one of vibraphone in their song Aja.

 

[El Floppo]

As far as Steely Dan can be considered Rock, there's a lot of one of vibraphone in their song Aja.

Good call. SD are Uber nerd musician types that definitely use that kind of thing.

 

[Doug B]

Apparently it's a glockenspiel. Not sure if that's what you were looking for

Mallet instrument...definitely works. Iirc, that's metal but without resonators.

The opening of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" features a glockenspiel.

 

[heckmanm]

"Moonlight Feels Right" - Starbuck

 

[Doug B]

David Bowie's "Blue Jean" also has a marimba in the mix, but never as the lead instrument.

EDIT: in Elton John's "Island Girl,", the marimba is more out front.

EDIT2: I always thought it was a synth, but apparently the Porcaro brothers' dad Joe Porcaro plays the marimba on "Africa".

 

[This_Guy]

It may be too much on the avant garde side but Frank Zappa uses xylophone extensively.  "St Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast" is a great song that features it.

Some others:

Peter Gabriel "No Self Control"

The White Stripes "The Nurse"

Tears for Fears "Change"

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Under My Thumb

Sorry missed it in the OP

 

[Ilov80s]

Beach Boys- All Summer Long

Aretha- Freeway of Love

Thompson Twins- Hold Me Now 

The White Stripes- The Nurse

They aren’t super rock heavy songs 

 

[Buffaloes]

Radiohead - No Surprises

Jonny Greenwood plays the glockenspiel and it's a fairly important component to the song

 

[Gr00vus]

Not rock, but one of my favorite dance tunes (well 2 of my favorite dance tunes) Runaway has some great vibes in it.

Original version by Salsoul Orchestra (not sure who the vibe player is).

1997 #1 dance chart version by Nuyorican Soul - I think Roy Ayers is the vibe player on this one. I'm partial to this one over the original, but they're both good.

Vibes solos happen about halfway through each track.

 

[Galileo]

Take him on a journey with some Drums and Space from the Grateful Dead.  Bonus points if you give him a hit of acid first.

 

[El Floppo]

I'll be making a spotify playlist and will post it here. thanks for the songs so far- keep em coming!

 

[Gr00vus]

Stewart Copeland bounces back and forth between his percussion cage and his drum set in this live (EZ listening) version of Wrapped Around Your Finger. I don't know if you want junior Floppo to see this this - he may want some of that gear.

 

[zamboni]

Opening to  "Changes" by Yes.

 

[zamboni]

"Africa" by Toto features the marimba I believe.

ETA: yup, the 3:00 mark at a minimum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb7lAMjFuA0

 

[headcrack]

Hendrix - Little Wing 

 

[El Floppo]

Hendrix - Little Wing 

What...really?! 

Floppinho just joined a school of rock group on drums and vocals doing songs of woodstock era (at least until covid shuts it down)...was just telling him about little wing last night- crazy!

 

[headcrack]

What...really?! 

Floppinho just joined a school of rock group on drums and vocals doing songs of woodstock era (at least until covid shuts it down)...was just telling him about little wing last night- crazy!

Glockenspiel. Check out the wikipedia entry for how it was recorded.

 

[Neal Cassady]

Clap Hands- Tom Waits 

Inca Roads- Frank Zappa

Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing- Frank Zappa

Ruth Underwood is AWESOME!

 

[Doug B]

Maybe a little bit of a cheat, but Neil Peart mixes in some xylophone action during his drum solo on Rush's "The Rhythm Method" (from 1989's live album A Show of Hands).

 

[simey]

As far as Steely Dan can be considered Rock, there's a lot of one of vibraphone in their song Aja.

They use a flapamba in Rikki Don't Lose That Number too. It is on the album version of the song. It is subtle at the intro and scattered throughout.

 

[Westerberg]

I don't know the difference between all those mallet instruments but these have them in some form:

Hey, Snow White - The New Pornographers

Sloop John B - The Beach Boys

Spiraling Shape - They Might Be Giants (some sweet soloing in this one)

 

[Charlie Steiner]

This is where my beloved Smithereens help out.

In a Lonely Place isn't a rocker but I believe it's a marimba that carries a lot of the tune.

Yesterday Girl incorporates the glockenspiel, lightly in the background and a little more prominently toward the end.

Speaking of the glock, Buddy Holly's Every Day is an early example that brings a more unique use of the instrument.