# Favorite Guitar Riff/Solo **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 4, 2001, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912 "2001-08-04T17:37:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/1 "2001-08-04T17:37:19Z")
This thread was inspired by MTV showing a 20 year retrospective. I happened to tune in when they showed Guns n Roses. I asbolutely LOVE the riff in **Sweet Child of Mine**. As well as… **Paradise City,Welcome to the Jungle and Rocket Queen** …Guns n Roses **Heart Shaped Box,Scentless Apprentice,Lithium,Aneurysm and Pay to Play** …Nirvana **Today and Disarm** …Smashing Pumpkins **Supernova** …Liz Phair **One,Fuel,and Master of Puppets** …Metallica These are just off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/2 "2001-08-04T17:42:51Z")
The end of **November Rain** by Guns and Roses has always been my favorite. For the life of me, I can’t think of the name of the Santana/Rob Thomas song but the riffs in that are pretty good too. ---
**Author:** ![Kittie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Kittie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kittie)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/3 "2001-08-04T22:00:25Z")
My favortie riff of all time is during the chorus of “Make Me Bad” by Korn. Other than that I love the first riff in “Need To” also by Korn. My favorite solo however, is from “In too Deep” by Sum 41. Also, the begining of “Sweet Child Of Mine” is up there… ~Kittie mayberrydan- Are you thinking of “Smooth”? ---
**Author:** ![TheRob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@TheRob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheRob)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/4 "2001-08-04T22:04:47Z")
The intro to Breadfan, Metallica covers it. I makes me want to break things and start fires. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/5 "2001-08-04T22:25:19Z")
I could go on and on about the guitar solos of Frank Zappa, but just a few of my favorite ones are : **Transylvania Boogie** from _Chunga’s Revenge_ **Holiday in Berlin, Full Blown** from \* Burnt Weenie Sandwich\* The ending solo from **King Kong** from _Uncle Meat_ **The Gumbo Variations** from _Hot Rats_ **The Orange County Lumber Truck** from _Weasels Ripped my Flesh_ ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/6 "2001-08-04T22:40:30Z")
Don’t forget **Watermelon in Easter Hay**! I really like the guitar breaks in Pink Floyd’s **Comfortably Numb** and Dogs. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2001, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/7 "2001-08-04T23:08:20Z")
It was pointed out on [slate.com](http://slate.com), just after Joey Ramone died, and his guitar solo on (if I remember right) **I Wanna Be Sedated** consisted of just one note, plucked repeatedly. They provided a link to it, and I never realized it until that moment. One note. But he played the hell out of it. Eat your heart out, Eddie Van Halen. ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/8 "2001-08-05T00:25:18Z")
Off the top of my head, a few stand out Mick Ronson on “Moonage Daydream” by Bowie. Gotta hear those glissando riffs up and down the neck, you’re not supposed to be able to do that on an instrument with frets! Zappa in “The Torture Never Stops” on his infamous fretless Strat. You’re not supposed to be able to do that on a guitar, even withOUT frets! Phil Manzanera in “East of Echo.” A haunting tune on acoustic guitar, even more bizarre because it was recorded backwards. ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/9 "2001-08-05T00:56:33Z")
I’ve always been kind of partial to _Johnny B. Goode_, from the original rock guitar soloist, Chuck Berry. \ ---
**Author:** ![sewalk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@sewalk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sewalk)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/10 "2001-08-05T00:59:54Z")
Oh, and another one that really stands out, _Intruder_, from Eddie Van Halen. I know, he’s so incredibly passe now, but I’m old enough to remember hearing that one when I bought Diver Down the first day it was released. That one blew everyone’s mind back then. ---
**Author:** ![ModernRonin2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@ModernRonin2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ModernRonin2)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/11 "2001-08-05T01:25:51Z")
I’m just learning guitar, and I’ve found Nirvana’s main riff for “Come as you are” to be easy as hell to learn, and fun to play. After a few quick scales to warm up, I play it a couple times just because I enjoy the way it sounds. I’m trying to teach myself the opening riff from Metallica’s “Search and Destroy”, which just sounds cool. But it’s harder than you might think. Hard to beat Slash from G&R for really neat sounding guitar, though. I think he’s presently my favorite guitarist. -Ben ---
**Author:** ![hardygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@hardygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hardygrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/12 "2001-08-05T01:33:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ModernRonin2 \* > \*\* > I’m just learning guitar, and I’ve found Nirvana’s > main riff for “Come as you are” to be easy as hell to learn, and fun to play. After a few quick scales to warm up, I play it a couple times just because I enjoy the way it sounds. > \*\* Same here. I’m just learning guitar and I warm up with the opening to **Scentless Apprentice**. More for the list… **Walk This Way** by Aerosmith **Gutless,Plump and Celebrity Skin** by Hole **Bullet the Blue Sky and In God’s Country** by U2 ---
**Author:** ![Medicinal\_Herb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Medicinal\_Herb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Medicinal_Herb)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/13 "2001-08-05T02:47:34Z")
Call me corny, but: The solo in Love Gun by KISS (I think this is possibly The Greatest Guitar Solo of all time) The solo in the long version of Baker Street by Jerry Rafferty The Heavy, super-nasty riff in Du Hast by Rammstein The riff in the chorus of The Green Manalishi by Judas Priest The solo in Another Brick In The Wall Part II by Pink Floyd (Another contender for GGSOOT) ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/14 "2001-08-05T02:59:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hardygrrl \* > \*\*This thread was inspired by MTV showing a 20 year retrospective. I happened to tune in when they showed Guns n Roses. I asbolutely LOVE the riff in **Sweet Child of Mine**. > > As well as… > > **Paradise City,Welcome to the Jungle and Rocket Queen** …Guns n Roses > \*\* [I agree. 🙂](http://www.cybercomm.nl/~ivo/photo_ELROY.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/15 "2001-08-05T03:02:01Z")
Awwww sh\*t. I had it when I accidentally post a link to my favorite kiddie porn site. [Ummmmm, try this.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=74716) :shaking head: ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/16 "2001-08-05T03:12:02Z")
“My Sharona” by the Knack (the second solo in the LP version) “Let It Rain” by Eric Clapton (a victim of his own success - whenever he made an album without a killer solo, critics just knew his career was over) ---
**Author:** ![Grok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@Grok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grok)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/17 "2001-08-05T03:14:04Z")
**I Feel Fine** , by the Beatles. Some say that was George Harrison’s best technical guitar work. **Folsom Prison Blues** , by Johnny Cash. Although I’m actually partial to the cover done by Reverend Horton Heat. **Hot Rod Lincoln** , by Commander Cody. Bill Kirchen, their guitarist, taught me that riff on the very guitar he played on the record! **Sugarfoot Rag** , as played by Junior Brown. Alvin Lee’s solo on **I’m Goin’ Home** , on the Woodstock soundtrack. Almost seemed like he was playing _in between_ the beats. **Alice’s Restaurant** , by Arlo Guthrie. Lots of fun to play too. **House of the Rising Sun** , by the Animals. Eddie Van Halen’s solo on **Ice Cream Man**. Yeah, I know it’s mostly fast scales, but I love it! **Cliffs of Dover** , by Eric Johnson. Mick Ronson’s riff on **Ziggy Stardust** by Bowie. Roger McGuinn’s riff from The Byrd’s cover of Dylan’s **Mr. Tamborine Man**. ---
**Author:** ![exchicagoan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@exchicagoan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/exchicagoan)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/18 "2001-08-05T03:44:47Z")
BRIAN MAY’S on BOHEMIAN RAPSODY by QUEEN. ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/19 "2001-08-05T04:09:50Z")
ditto Ziggy Stardust, by David Bowie. Sultans of Swing, Dire Straits I am the Black Gold of the Sun, Gilles Peterson Ramble On, Led Zepplin If Only, Queens of the Stone Age Post-Modern Sleaze, Sneaker Pimps Runnin’ With the Devil, Van Halen Born to be Wild, Steppenwolf All Right Now, Free White Room, Cream Sunshine of Your Love, Cream Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana Paranoid Android, Radiohead In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Iron Butterfly Crazy On You, Heart Magic Man, Heart ---
**Author:** ![chief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df788c/32.png) [@chief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chief)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2001, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912/20 "2001-08-05T05:17:35Z")
here are some great ones: Guns N’ Roses - Estranged, Locomotive, It’s so Easy, Mr. Brownstone Black Crowes - Remedy, No Speak No Slave, Twice as Hard Rolling Stones - Satisfaction, Sympathy for the Devil, Dead Flowers Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker, Whole Lotta Love, Black Dog, Rock n’ Roll, Stairway to Heaven, the Ocean, and many many more… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-guitar-riff-solo/74912.md?page=2)