The Weezer thread made me want to start this new thread because I am curious what other dopers think.
My favorite guitar solo in any sone ever is the solo in Buddy Holly by Weezer. Almost brings tears to my eyes. Its very easy to play as well.
Coming in second is the solo in Dyers Eve off of Justice by Metallica.
Third is the solo in Santeria by Sublime.
Most of my favorite songs dont have solos cause I am more into the hardcore scene where there is a real lack of guitar viruosos (sp?) .
Good god, I really need to start using the preview. 
Not guiter solo’s per se but I really love the guitar riffs in Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns 'n Roses and Aint Talking About Love by Van Halen even though I’m not a hair metal fan at all.
The one solo I really like is Tom Morello’s solo in Rage Against The Machine’s Know Your Enemy. He does some really cool stuff and gets some wierd interesting sounds out that guitar.
I always liked the funky riff at the climax of “Fool’s Gold”, from the Stone Roses.
Also, the classic buildup in “Money for Nothing” from Mark Knopfler (and of course Dire Straits). The “Eruption” one from Van Halen is a classic, too (two tracks before “Ain’t Talking 'Bout Love”.
“Little Wing”, both Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Original classic - Chuck Berry - “Johnny B. Goode”
Ya gotta namecheck Clapton w/ “Layla” and “Crossroads”.
“Fade to Black” is a great down song with some good riffage from Hammett (Metallica).
Satriani’s 1st half of Surfing with the Alien is like one big, great solo.
Here’s a good place to see someone else’s opinions, mainly classic rock and older metal stuff, but worthwhile.
Oh yeah. Even though it is very cliche now, Eruption by Eddie VH still blows me away every time I hear it.
Toss-up between “Always with you, always with me” and “Circles”
Should have identified that as Joe Satriani, former teacher of both Steve Vai and Kirk Hammett.
There’s a song called “Soma” on Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream that has the most insane solo ever. It’s melodic, it shrieks, it generally defines comprehension. Technically it’s not very impressive or innovative, but I’ve often found the solo in that song to be one of the most appropriate and well used guitar solos I’ve heard.
“Classical Gas”, by Mason Williams. I can still hear it. The guitar solo, through two themes, then the horns coming in.
A good portion of the Layla solo (most notably, after the singing ends and before the piano part begins) is by Duane Allman.
Other great Allman solos include “Whipping Post” (live version) and “Statesboro Blues.”
Robert Fripp, on Brian Eno’s “Baby’s On Fire”.
I can’t believe there have been 9 posts to this and no-ones mentioned David Gilmour - Comfortably Numb, One of these Days, Welcome to the Machine and pretty much all of the Animals album are stunning.
Other than that, Led Zepp’s Since I’ve Been Loving You is my very favourite track to solo along to.
milo
Neil Young’s solos from the Rust Never Sleeps version of Powderfinger. Both solos from Warren Zevon’s When Johnny Strikes Up the Band on Excitable Boy. Many of Brinsley Schwartz’s solos on Graham Parker albums, but especially those on That’s What They All Say and Help Me Shake It. They’re not flashy, but always fit the songs oh so perfectly.
Dang. I forgot to credit the great Waddy Watchel for his work on Warren Zevon’s Excitable Boy.
Howyadoin,
Here’s my $.02…
No One At The Bridge, Different Strings, Kid Gloves, Natural Science - Alex Lifeson, Rush
Quadrophenia - Pete Townshend, The Who
The Wizard - Al DeMeola
Private Investigations, Telegraph Road, Love Over Gold, Romeo and Juliet - Mark Knopfler, Dire Straits
All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
Ship Of Fools, Big Log- Robbie Blunt, Robert Plant
Stairway To Heaven - Jimmy Page, Led Zeppelin
Too many more buzzing around my head to list…
-Rav
This is easy ----
TIME by Pink Floyd…
the way it soars over the chords is just incredible. I heard it recently and I was stunned all over again.
tool - 4 degrees
that solo makes me smile…always…
Hey, I’m not afraid to be the first to say it …
Ma - Ma - Ma - My Sharona
Say what you will about The Knack, that solo kicks ass.
“Light My Fire”, both on the studio version and the boxed live CD. Yeah, I know Satch or Dimebag Darrell could play rings around Robbie Krieger, but I always thought his phrasing and touch in this song (and many others) was sublime.
On the live album that Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds made, Tim plays a solo on “Ants Marching” that knocks me down every time I hear it. Check it out for sure.