# My all time favorite rock guitar solo... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 26, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015 "2014-04-26T02:32:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/41 "2014-04-27T14:36:51Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Triumph - Headed to Nowhere, dueling solo Rik Emmett and Steve Morse Awesome! Along the lines of John Mayall type stuff (young Mick Taylor et al.), I’ve always enjoyed Mick Abraham’s interpretation of [Cat’s Squirrel](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiZBLghlpC8&feature=kp) (mistakes and all), off the first Jethro Tull album. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/42 "2014-04-27T14:46:27Z")
_Parents_, by Budgie, has a pretty awesome bridge (personally, I detest most “solos”, but well played bridges involving the whole band sometimes make a middling song excellent). ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/43 "2014-04-27T15:12:03Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > Eric Clapton with Delaney and Bonnie, “I Don’t Want to Discuss It”: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYKUr37HaHM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYKUr37HaHM) > > or > > Frank Zappa, “Yo Mama”: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U38\_buPdNiI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U38_buPdNiI) Love 'em both, never heard 'em until today…thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/44 "2014-04-27T16:52:48Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Awesome! > > Along the lines of John Mayall type stuff (young Mick Taylor et al.), I’ve always enjoyed Mick Abraham’s interpretation of [Cat’s Squirrel](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiZBLghlpC8&feature=kp) (mistakes and all), off the first Jethro Tull album. Here it is. Starts at about 3:00. https://www.youtube.com/embed/ITvkrxGvxlY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/45 "2014-04-27T17:53:04Z")
Clapton’s solos on “Crossroads” - Cream, “Wheels of Fire” Keith’s “Sympathy for the Devil” - “Beggars Banquet” Jeff Beck’s solo on the Yardbird’s original version of “Shapes of Things” ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/46 "2014-04-27T19:15:01Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > “Favorite” means the one you like best of all. Technical difficulty doesn’t matter unless that happens to be why you like it. That was my point. I wasn’t apologizing for it being my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/47 "2014-04-27T21:39:17Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > That was my point. I wasn’t apologizing for it being my favorite. Ah. I thought you sounded defensive/apologetic. Clumsy moi. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/48 "2014-04-27T21:43:56Z")
Thanks for all the posts! I have a lot of listening to do. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/49 "2014-04-27T21:49:05Z")
Oh my! Jeff Beck did a guitar solo one time. I can’t remember the name of the song. Gosh! Darn! I’m so sorry. Please. I hope you will forgive me. Shit! Fuck! It had some crazy guitar licks. I know that I would remember it if I heard it. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/50 "2014-04-27T22:36:58Z")
That’s ok, Charlie. Look it into it, and report back, please. I can’t wait to hear about the solo that Jeff Beck had once. (Honestly? That’s your contribution to the thread? WTF?) :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/51 "2014-04-27T22:40:09Z")
[Freewheel Burning](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtuM2mofsyY) by Judas Priest is one of my favorites. In the world of prog-metal, [Dream Theater’s “A Fortune in Lies”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HijA51Dsdq0) (starts at 3:20) is considered iconic – so much so, that Jim Petrucci occasionally talks about fans who want to demonstrate how they’ve taught themselves to play that song’s solo – “…but only _that_ solo!” he complains. ETA: **bobot** , think you may have been whooshed. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/52 "2014-04-27T22:47:58Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > […](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtuM2mofsyY) > ETA: **bobot** , think you may have been whooshed. 🙂 I hope so. And while we’re at it, long live Judas Priest! ---
**Author:** ![ptr2void](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ptr2void/32/3406_2.png) [@ptr2void](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ptr2void)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/53 "2014-04-27T23:13:29Z")
I’ve always had a fondness for long, emotive solos that start slowly and build, e.g., [Alex Lifeson’s solo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYEmQN0IJyc#t=96) on Rush’s _La Villa Strangiato_, or the aforementioned David Gilmour’s _Comfortably Numb_. The latest to reach my list is [Guthrie Govan’s solo/outro](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycYewhiaVBk#t=307) on Steven Wilson’s _Drive Home_, which no coincidentally brings to mind Gilmour’s. Links go directly to solos. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/54 "2014-04-27T23:20:28Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > That’s ok, Charlie. Look it into it, and report back, please. I can’t wait to hear about the solo that Jeff Beck had once. > (Honestly? That’s your contribution to the thread? WTF?) > :rolleyes: Well, excuse me Mr. Bobot. But I’m afeared that I truly do not unnerstand what your trying to tell me. I guess that your trying to say that people are supposed to contribute a number of solo titles to this thread. If that be the case, then I’m sorry but I only really know of one fabulous guitar solo and that is the one by Jeff Beck. I was hoping that someone would be able to give me a clue and help resolve this. It still may get resolved. Perhaps you were chastizing me because I should not have posted something unless I knew the full title of the solo and I shouldn’t have just taken a stab at it. Well, I must admit that I truly don’t know whether that is appropriate or not for me to do. In any case, I’ll be happy to try and figure it out if you would like to try and give me some help. In the meantime, perhaps you could explain a little bit about what you meant? Anyway, until then, I thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/55 "2014-04-27T23:42:19Z")
OK. I found it. It’s “Ain’t Superstitious” and I’ve always thought it was the single greatest example of a rock guitar song. It may not be entirely a solo. But it sure does seem like a solo to me. I hope you enjoy it. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYlWNb9tmtk) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/56 "2014-04-27T23:46:17Z")
Peace, Charlie. I’m glad you found it. Sorry to sound so heavy handed. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/57 "2014-04-27T23:49:42Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Peace, Charlie. I’m glad you found it. Sorry to sound so heavy handed. No problem whatsoever. I’m glad we found it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/58 "2014-04-28T04:45:28Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > For a longer one, I’d go with Verlaine’s extended solo on “Marquee Moon” (Lloyd also has a solo earlier in the song.) Yeah, it’s a bit of a hipster-ish choice for a favorite guitar solo, I suppose, but it completely blisses me out every time I hear it. No need to apologize to me! I’m different from most in this thread because, ordinarily, great whiz-bang guitar soloing doesn’t usually do it for me on its own. I’m much more of a song-oriented guy, and don’t believe in looking at playing in isolation (regardless of the instrument), but rather in how it serves the song. I will freely admit to holding the rather unremarkable view that Hendrix was the greatest rock guitarist ever — but I would never feel that way if I didn’t also like the context within which he played (his textures, his songs, and yes, even his vocals). It all just worked together to create an amazing and unprecedented emotional experience. All of which is a very long-winded way of saying that, for some reason, Tom Verlaine has always been the great exception to my rule. There is just something about the way he plays that strikes me as so different from anyone else; for whatever reason, it moves me greatly. As justly celebrated as the studio “Marquee Moon” is, the version from _Live at the Old Waldorf_ is even more incredible. I can’t think of another guitar solo that builds to such an incredible crescendo of pure emotion and ultimate release. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/59 "2014-04-28T05:28:29Z")
This is more of a disco-rock guitar solo, but the one in this song, “Bustin’ Out” by Material with Nona Hendryx, never ceases to amaze me. It starts at 3:30 and goes on for three minutes, till the end of the record. The guitar player is Ronny Drayton: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/-J4mCkIy3bs/hqdefault.jpg "MATERIAL & NONA HENDRYX -"Busting Out" (1980)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J4mCkIy3bs) I also love a lot of Ritchie Blackmore solos, for example, “Stormbringer”: (Starts at 2:15) ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2014, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015/60 "2014-04-28T05:32:28Z")
Nobody so far has mentioned the guitar solo in “My Sharona” by The Knack. The Knack may have been a one- or two-hit wonder, but there is no doubt that the guitar solo in “My Sharona” is kick-ass. Almost as if the guitarist tried something, then took it to its logical extremes, then took it beyond, just for fun. And succeeded. Great guitar solo, and I never get tired of hearing it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-all-time-favorite-rock-guitar-solo/687015.md?page=4)