Best rock guitar solo ever:

[nine23]

My choice:

Neil Young: "Cinnamon Girl"




*Wake up kids. The weekend's here. Do some housework with the music blasting.

[gnofg]

1. Dreams

Duane Allman

[nine23]

2. Hell yeah. Good one.

"Eat A Peach". Double album. The entire thing is one beautiful guitar solo!!! I was 12 when Duane died; at my high school, we were in mourning big time.

[Archae]

3. Eruption and Megabyte Vs Bob

Eddie Van Halen and two (so far) unknown guitarists on "Reboot."

[phaseolus]

6. the cool thing about 'Eruption'

...he quotes one of my favorite pieces by English Lute composer John Dowland (1563-1626) at the end, with a few dozen extra notes thrown in. It fits in wonderfully with the rest of the solo...

[reprehensor]

7. Eruption set the standard...

...for 'deedly-deedly' tapping. (I know, hammer-on and pull-offs.)

But Neil Young has great emotional solos, lots of good ones on Ragged Glory. Even Joe Satriani says, 'He nails it every time.'

Do you have an MP3 of Megabyte v. Bob?

[Archae]

9. Megabyte Vs Bob

Yup, got it off the Internet (in stereo) and recorded it on to cassette tape.

And Megabyte turns it up to 11. <G>

[Zomby Woof]

23. Eddie Van Halen's best solo is...

"When Push Comes To Shove". It's the essence of taste and economy, brief and to the point.

[Liberal_Andy]

24. You just reminded me of Zappa! All of Overnite Sensation

Especially "Zomby Wolf"!!

:smoke:

[catnhatnh]

4. Hmmm....

something a little more obscure perhaps....Guitar intro on Hearts "Crazy on You".....

[blue neen]

15. That's a good choice.

Nancy Wilson does not get the credit she deserves.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[charlyvi]

5. Whipping Post--Duane Allman

Actually, any Duane Allman solo was great.

Edit: the version from the Filmore East CD

[Nightwing]

8. Joe Walsh

Always have loved his solo on "Rocky Mountain Way" as well as nearly anything from Jimmy Page, Hendrix (his version of the Star Spangled Banner especially)and of course BB King.

[Feathered Fish]

12. I thought

that I was the only one who loved the solo on "Rocky Mountain Way"! It's pretty good - I also like the solo on "Another Brick in the Wall pt 2".

[Liberal_Andy]

21. I've always loved Joe

Great work on Jay Ferguson's "Thunder Island".

[Liberal_Andy]

10. Like A Hurricane ain't bad either.

Comfortably Numb's pretty good, Also Time. On Edit: And Your Bird Can Sing!

[Tsiyu]

11. "The Core" Eric Clapton

is my favorite. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi H. and Duane Allmon had a few greats, but the absolute best stuff is the old Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddly, and BB KIng stuff, because of the emotion and the style of their playing.

How's that for a definitive list?

[carnie_sf]

13. Atlanta Ryth, Section

Spooky. Elegant

[pintobean]

18. Good one. I love the A.R.S.

Another Man's Woman too.

[Liberal_Andy]

14. I wish to nominate, Terry 'Teep' Phillips - Fool Me Once - The Near Myths

http://home.nc.rr.com/clarkja/CDs/tnm/index.htm

What'd'ya think?

[Orsino]

16. Several

"Whole Lotta Love" Led Zeppelin
"Bell Bottom Blues" Derek & the Dominos
"Sweet Child o' Mine" Guns & Roses
"Call Me the Breeze" Lynyrd Skynyrd

[RagingInMiami]

17. The guitar jam

that leads from Queen's We Will Rock You to We Are The Champions.

[warrens]

19. Blue Cheer/Randy Holden -- Fruit and Icebergs

[mitchum]

20. "Baby's On Fire" Robert Fripp

[Liberal_Andy]

22. agreed

:smoke:

[Zomby Woof]

25. "Inca Roads" - Frank Zappa

Although it is impossible to choose just one, that is a favorite always near the top, a good way to introduce someone to his brilliant guitar playing.

[212demop]

26. At the risk of being egged

Stairway to Heaven

and Jimi Hendrix-- I can't pick... Hey Joe?

[fluffernutter]

27. Stevie Ray Vaughn. he was amazing.

[DrZeeLit]

59. I also vote for Stevie Ray Vaughn. Listen to any of his albums. WOW!

[Aristus]

28. The guitar coda to "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd.

That's a real barn burner.

[Aiptasia]

29. Voodoo chile slight return by Hendrix

The whole song is a guitar player's masterclass.

[mr blur]

43. I second that emotion (n/t)

[bobthedrummer]

57. "Third Stone From The Sun" or "I Don't Live Today"!

JIMI!
:yourock:

[Oeditpus Rex]

30. Ronnie Montrose

did an instrumental cover of "Town Without Pity" on his "Open Fire" album. Incredible.

Then there's the Hellecasters — three guitarists who do nothing but trade off some of the most amazing solos I've ever heard.

One other über-talented axeman — Rik Emmett of '80s metal band Triumph. Dude could burn with the best, then turn around and steal your soul with an acoustic riff.

[Aiptasia]

31. and of course... Jimmy Paige's violin bow solo on Dazed and Confused Live

[darkstar]

32. Lots of good un's already mentioned

Cinnamon Girl is just tasty, tasty, ain't it w/ that "whoo" somewhere in the middle?

Bellbottom Blues is a beaut too.

For a really long form studio solo, I like Television's "Marquee Moon."

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there's Rundgren's solo on "Freedom Fighters." Tops out at maybe 7-8 seconds, but is perrrfect.

I haven't heard it in ages, but I recall geeking on Beck's solo on "Good-bye Pork Pie Hat" when wired came out.

And more of a figure than a solo, I suppose, but that guitar line in "And Your Bird Can Sing" always sounds fresh and amazing to these old ears....

Thanx for the thread, nine23. Lots of good memories evoked.

:toast:

[Withywindle]

50. "Marquee Moon," oh HELL yes!

And for tension, power, and economy, Keith Richards on "Gimme Shelter." Just flawless.

And on the "bring me to tears" front, too many by Richard Thompson to name.

[ironflange]

33. The Star Spangled Banner

Jimi Hendrix. Woodstock. End of thread.

[nine23]

52. As the guy who started this thread,

I declare "Jimi Hendrix. Woodstock. End of thread." an entirely appropriate choice on every level, esp. as a "thread closer". All round brilliant choice.

You may have noticed when I started this thread I chose a solo that consists of exactly ONE NOTE ("Cinnamon Girl"). Every single time I've heard this tune over the last 30+ years, I've just shaken my head and laughed, saying to myself: "Neil's just got to be the only guy who can pull that off...".

Between this one note and Jimi's dive-bombing Woodstock closer, these are all good choices here. Shows the power of a good guitar solo.

But alas, time to wade through the mud and go home...

[ironflange]

62. Thanks!

I've thought of another great one-note solo. On Sgt. Pepper, the very end of "Good Morning Good Morning," right after the chicken sounds. Brilliant segue to the reprise of "SPLHCB." One of my favorite musical moments.

[no name no slogan]

34. Ron Asheton -- "TV Eye" by the Stooges

Hell, the whole damn guitar riff in that song is a classic. It's the sound of somebody who knows he's not Jimmy Page, but doesn't give a damn, either: just turn those Marshalls up to 11 and thrash away as if your life depended on it.

Honorable mention goes to Neil Young for "Powderfinger" off "Rust Never Sleeps". Another classic case of 'less is more'.

[pink-o]

35. At the risk of REALLY getting egged...

New entry to this catagory: Ben Moody's crescendo solo on "Whisper" by Evanescence. They set it up with Amy's vocals and a 1-bar pause, then it's like riding a perfect wave.

All good guitar solos should either feel like surfing or orgasm. Ahhhhh.

And PS...I'm no teeny weeny bopper. I'm a 50-year old woman who remembers all the 60s greats. So let me add one of the best guitar solos wasn't even on a guitar.

Check out Entwistle's bass on My Generation.

[librechik]

36. in that vein, how about the end of Clapton's Layla

or the Beatles' A Day in the Life? Good grief, is that George Harrison?

and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.

[Aiptasia]

40. John Entwistle was so overlooked

A masterful bass player.

I also think Ringo's work on Strawberry Fields Forever is one of the best overlooked drum solos their is (no disrespect to Keith Moon).

[warrens]

69. I just remembered a couple

Jump by Aztec Camera

Infected by Teenage Head

[gmoney]

37. "Crazy" by Patsy Cline/"I'm in You" by Pooh Sticks/"Jump" Aztec Camera

It's more of a fill, but that little part just at the end of the bridge -- "Wonderin' what in the world can I do?" -- there's a little guitar bendy riff thing that is perfect! Breaks my heart every time.

But maybe that's not rock.

The Pooh Sticks "Great White Wonder" has an amazing guitar solo at the end of the song "I'm in You" -- I think it runs like 14 minutes. It's a marathon, but is really terrific, too.

Or in Aztec Camera's version of "Jump" by Van Halen, it starts as a poppy acoustic guitar treatment, but at the end, this blistering guitar solo rises up and runs the last couple minutes of the song -- more kickass than most EVH solos. Sweet!

[Skip Intro]

38. Maiden | Living Colour | Pat Benetar

I want to say "trooper" but the "number of the beast" solo rocks too, as do many of the gems by Iron Maiden.

And that solo in "cult of personality" by Living Colour is just a masterpiece.

Also, strangely, I've always been really fond of the solos in a couple of Pat Benetar's songs - "hit me with your best shot" and "hell is for children."

[greendog]

39. Richard Thompson on "Can't Win"

Live version on "Watching The Dark" CD.

[mitchum]

56. Also his solo in "Shoot Out The Lights" (studio or live)

[greendog]

58. "Shoot Out The Lights"

....Studio version of that is AMAZING!

Strangely, RT doesn't care for it.

[Lady Effingbroke]

41. "Milk It" - Nirvana

[DubyaSux]

42. Boston...

...the solo at the end of "Gonna Hitch a Ride"...

[Robeson]

44. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed - by Dicky Betts off of the ...

...The Allman Brothers Band "Fillmore East" Album. Betts played the lead on this and was also accompanied by Duane Allman on guitar. The song was almost 13 minutes long.

[elfrangel]

45. Joe Perry's two-note solo in

Aerosmith's 'Dream On'

[MrSlayer]

46. Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd

Such emotion in those notes.

[malmapus]

47. Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd

...

[BeatleBoot]

48. 1969 (Ron Ashton)

Iggy and the Stooges

[Rabrrrrrr]

49. Too many from which to choose - in general, they're by Zappa, Hendrix,

Lifeson...

Overall, the award simply must go to Zappa. No one soloed like him - hey weren't just weedling and masturbating, but were truly mini-compositions (and sometimes, maxi-compositions - who else has a body of work of guitar solos more than 16 bars long, and so many solos reaching into the 5 minute and longer periods? Not too damn many others).

Think of the King Kong solos from YCDTOSA Vol. III (or IV, can't remember); the Yo Mama solo from Sheik Yerbouti; Black Napkins; Watermelon in Easter Hay; Them or Us; five five FIVE; Outside Now; Rat Tomago; Blue Lagoon., and about 400 others.

Way too many to choose from.

[bmbmd]

51. Speaking of being egged-

howzabout "The Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits. I only know what I like.

[Spirochete]

53. Buck's Boogie

by the Blue Oyster Cult
Knocking on Heavens Door, by Cold Chisel
November Rain, by Guns and Roses
Green Oniona by Roy Buchanan

there sure have been a lot of good ones recorded, with Carlos Santana, Alvin Lee, SRV, etc.

[Carla in Ca]

54. Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd

Haunting. It takes my breath every time I play it.

[Liberal_Andy]

55. The End

Paul, George, and John X 3!

:smoke:

[Terry in Austin]

60. Robbie Robertson

On the live version of Bob Dylan's "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues." Liverpool, 1965. This has gotta be the most urgent, no-prisoners, claw-out-of-your-skin, beautifully-constructed examples of the rock guitarist's art ever recorded. I never get tired of listening to it.

The Hawks, later known as The Band, were Dylan's touring band when he "went electric."

[hlthe2b]

61. Eric Clapton: Layla

there are many greats out there, but this remains one of my all time favorites and he, among the best of the best guitarists!

[alfredo]

63. Got to put in my Zappa plug. The solo in "I am the Slime."

Not quite rock, but in that vein.
John McLaughlin's solo near the end of side on of Miles Davis "On the Corner."

Lonnie Mack live. Records didn't do him justice.

Jack White of The White Stripes shows promise. Must have cut his teeth on 70's Detroit rock. It takes me right back there.

Bonnie Raitt on slide can singe your hair.

James Taylor can kick ass on guitar, but usually his guitar is in service of his voice.

John Meyer and Johnny Lang are not bad at all.

[democracy eh]

64. Slash from GNR doing the theme from the Godfather

lovely three minutes of ripping

[ariesgem]

65. Maggot Brain

Eddie Hazel from Funkedelic

[devilgrrl]

66. Frank Zappa - Cosmik Debris - Apostrophe, etc...

Lots of great Zappa guitar solos!

[EstimatedProphet]

67. Estimated Prophet - GD at huntington WV 4/16/78

http://www.archive.org/audio/etree-details-db.php?id=11971

[jmowreader]

68. I have a list

Watermelon in Easter Hay, by Frank Zappa

The intro to The Spirit of Radio, by Rush

The intro to Wish You Were Here, by Pink Floyd