# What's Your Favorite Guitar Riff? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 11, 2001, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780 "2001-10-11T13:27:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/1 "2001-10-11T13:27:29Z")
Mine has to be from the song “Peter Gunn”. I use to play the arcade game “Spy Hunter”(which was a cool game too) just to hear that riff. My wife likes “Smoke on the Water’s” guitar riff the best. What about y’all? ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/2 "2001-10-11T13:51:38Z")
Anything by Hendrix. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/3 "2001-10-11T13:52:40Z")
Even though I **hate** hair metal I think the two greatest guitar riffs are from _Sweet Child O’ Mine_ by **Guns and Roses** and _Ain’t Talking Abot Love_ by **Van Halen**. ---
**Author:** ![tapioca\_tundra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@tapioca\_tundra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapioca_tundra)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/4 "2001-10-11T13:54:28Z")
metallllllica -jump in the fire ---
**Author:** ![Yondan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/278dde/32.png) [@Yondan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yondan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/5 "2001-10-11T14:12:21Z")
AC/DC \*\* Back in Black \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/6 "2001-10-11T14:18:04Z")
Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress–Hollies ---
**Author:** ![Venkman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ec9cab/32.png) [@Venkman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venkman)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/7 "2001-10-11T15:17:43Z")
Funk #49, James Gang Livin’ Lovin’ Maid, Led Zepplin Black Dog, Led Zepplin Trampled Underfoot, Led Zepplin (although for years I thought the title of this song was “Ain’t Talkin’ bout Love”) Johnny B. Goode, Mr. Chuck Berry Ticket to Ride, Beatles Crossroads, Eric Clapton (among many others) Willie and the Hand Jive, Bo Diddley (or George T.) Sweet Home Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd ---
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/8 "2001-10-11T15:56:58Z")
“It’s a Mistake” - Men at Work [sub]okay, not really.[/sub] **China Grove** - Doobie Brothers **Born to be Wild** - Steppenwolf **Epona’s Thunder** - Gypsy Soul ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/9 "2001-10-11T16:20:47Z")
China Cat Sunflower/Jerry Garcia/Grateful Dead ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/10 "2001-10-11T17:35:55Z")
1. Roger Fisher or Nancy Wilson (?) on Heart’s _Magic Man_. 2. Martin Barre on both Jethro Tull’s _Locomotive Breath_ and _Teacher_. 3. Joe Walsh on The James Gang’s _Walk Away_. 4. Craig Chaquico on Jefferson Starship’s _Jane_. 5. Eric Clapton’s studio cameo on the Beatle’s _While My Guitar Gently Weeps_ 6. Randy Rhoads on Ozzy Osbourne’s _Crazy Train_ and _Mr. Crowley_ Props to those below mentioning Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, and Tony Hicks of the Hollies. ---
**Author:** ![mancunian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mancunian/32/12244_2.png) [@mancunian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mancunian)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/11 "2001-10-11T21:39:37Z")
Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana. So simple. After that Jeremy, Pearl Jam. (intro riff) ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/12 "2001-10-11T22:11:34Z")
Dire Straits “Sultans of Swing.” Good Goddess, that one just sends me in to paroxysms of joy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ModernRonin2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@ModernRonin2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ModernRonin2)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/13 "2001-10-11T23:00:40Z")
“Search and Destroy.” Dun-da dwah-now, dah-dwa-now! Da-dun-a, dun-a, dun-a! Oh now you’ve done it! I can’t get it out of my head… DUN-DA DWAH-NOW! DAH-DWA-NOW! DA-DUN-A, DUN-A, DUN-A! DUN-DA DWAH-NOW! DAH-DWA-NOW! DA-DUN-A, DUN-A, DUN-A! We are scanning the scene, in the city tonite! Looking for you, to start up a fight! There’s an evil feeling in our brains! It’s nothing new, you know it drives us insane! Running! On our way! Hiding! You will pay! Dying! A thousand deaths!! Search andddddd… seeeekk and destroooyyyyy! (Ha-ha-ha!!) I can almost play that riff on my guitar… almost. Well, I’m getting better! (“She turned me into a head-banger metalhead!” “A head-banger metalhead?” “I got better…”) -Ben ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/14 "2001-10-11T23:27:45Z")
Black Sabbath “Black Sabbath” Heaviest riff ever written. The use of the “devil’s Octave”, which basically all evil music incorporates. Most recent use was limp bizkit’s “break stuff”. Not that limp bizkit holds a candle to sabbath ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/15 "2001-10-12T00:27:46Z")
It’s a tie between _Photograph_ by the Verve Pipe and and the opening of _Demons_ by Guster for me. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/16 "2001-10-12T02:16:19Z")
The intro of “Statesboro Blues.” (I prefer Duane Allman’s, but Taj Mahal is pretty damn good, too.) The chords at the beginning of “Lola.” “Satisfaction.” (surprised this wasn’t the first mentioned). “Sunshine of Your Love.” ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/17 "2001-10-12T02:45:16Z")
“Working Man”, **RUSH** Heavy, man. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/18 "2001-10-12T03:10:52Z")
There’re many, but I’ll toss out some memorables: _Third Stone from the Sun_ - Hendrix _In Memory of Elizabeth Reed_ - Allman Bros. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/19 "2001-10-12T03:12:32Z")
Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots Everlong (the main chorus chord climb) - Foo Fighters Bulls on Parade - Rage Against the Machine ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/20 "2001-10-12T03:35:16Z")
\*\*Florentine Pogen]/b]- Frank Zappa [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780.md?page=2)