Guitar Solos and the Top 40

Cafe Society
1

It’s be fair to say that most of the guitar heroes of the rock era have been either “album” oriented artists or gettheir airplay onthe more “serious” FM channels. But what about those top 40 hits that have featured great, great guitar solos? What are our nominations for “Rockingest, coolest, hippest, most mind blowing guitar solos on a top 40 AM-radio type single”?

I nominate Steely Dan’s “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” (is it Jeff Baxter playing?),- what a fantastic solo on what was a wonderfullu subversice Top 40 hit…

Who’s next?

mm

2

I’ve always been partial to the guitar solo on the Knack’s “My Sharona.”

3

We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions by Queen definitely belongs on this list.

4

Beat It by Michael Jackson. Kick-ass guitar work by Eddie Van Halen.

Cocaine by Eric Clapton

People Get Ready by Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck

5

I nominate the Quiet Riot cover version of ‘Cum On Feel The Noise’, which boasts a quite spectacular guitar solo, one of the finest ever.

6

Good call on Jeff Beck in People Get Ready.

How about Mark Knopfler in Sultans of Swing?

7

I’ll second Caprese’s vote for Sultans of Swing, which had two cool solos plus great fills throughout. I think Elliot Randall’s guitar work on Steely Dan’s Reeling In The Years was also outstanding. Eric Johnson’s amazing Cliffs of Dover got some airplay as a single and won a Grammy in 1992. I still enjoy listening to Santana’s guitar work in Black Magic Woman.

8

Eric Clapton’s solo on “Crossroads” by Cream.

I’ve always loved the twin solos by Dickie Betts and Duane Allman on “Blue Sky.”

And Duane’s solo on “Loan Me a Dime” by Boz Skaggs gives me shivers!

9

Oops! Didn’t read the OP closely enough. None of those songs came close to being in the top 40. (I thought we were compiling the top 40 guitat solos! :smack: )

How about the solo in “Psychotic Reaction” by The Count Five? That hit #5 in 1966.

10

This veers slightly into AOR ;), but you can’t tell me that ABitW part 2 wasn’t a huge pop hit, as well as having the second best solo of all time, second only to its slightly-less-of-a-classic-pop-hit Comfotably Numb, which is itself only slightly too non-pop to count in this list.

11

I normally don’t chime in with this type of list post - it is more fun for me to see what others say. Some good calls so far - and I would add Hendrix’ version of All Along the Watchtower - talk about a brilliant, trippy solo…

12

Zep’s Whole Lotta Love, although the single version cuts out the middle part of the song.

13

Guns ‘n Roses’ top-40 stuff, including Welcome to the Jungle and Sweet Child o’ Mine, is the first to cross my mind when reading the thread title…

14

Jailbreak by AC/DC.
SRV’s turn on Bowie’s version of China Girl.
Who are You?
Come up and see me (make me smile) Cockney Rebel.
And yeah, Another Brick in the Wall part 2.

15

The guitar solo at the end of Hotel California

16

Eddie Van Halen’s solo on “Beat It” probably set the standard for guitar solos on top 40 pop songs.

I also agree with Ianzin that Carlos Cavasso’s solo on “Cum on Feel the Noize” was an under-recognized gem.

Did Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” ever crack the to 40?

17

Dickie Betts solo on Ramblin’ Man always makes me stop what I’m doing.

18

I’ll have to find a copy of “Cum on Feel the Noize”. I wound’t have thought anything good came from the band.

And I have nothing of substance to offer, other than I think “Sultans of Swing” is a great choice.

19

I like Nils Lofgren’s solo on Springsteen’s Tunnel of Love.

20

“Goodbye to Love” from The Carpenters has a most unexpectedly rocking guitar solo, full of fuzz and a couple of flubs. “Free Ride” by The Edgar Winter Band also has a groovy solo, which sounds like Edgar recorded right after reading the “Play Guitar Like Jimi Hendrix! In 12 easy lessons!” guitar primer.

mm