# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![ModernRonin2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@ModernRonin2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ModernRonin2)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2001, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/41 "2001-10-12T18:44:46Z")
Search and Destroy, Seek and Destroy, Rabid Weasel and Destroy… All those metal bands sound the same to me. 😃 -Ben ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/42 "2001-10-13T00:10:18Z")
Ooh, I almost forgot–just about any riff Danny Gatton played. His Hellecasters stuff is outstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/43 "2001-10-13T01:28:33Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally Posted by The Great Gazoo_ > And Mudshark, what about the Zappa riffs on “The Man From Utopia”? Oh, let’s just give the Lifetime Achievement Award in Guitar Riffs to Zappa and end it right there. Nobody could play the guitar like Zappa could. He is GOD. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2001, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/44 "2001-10-13T19:34:46Z")
BLASPHEMY! There is no God but Clapton And Hendrix is his Prophet. ---
**Author:** ![dragonfly98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7bcc69/32.png) [@dragonfly98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragonfly98)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/45 "2001-10-14T06:00:42Z")
Beatles - I feel Fine Deep Purple - Space Truckin’ ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/46 "2001-10-14T09:18:02Z")
To prevent a World War Three, Lets say Zappa is the **Jazz Rock God**. Hendrix is the **Acid Rock God** and Clapton is the **Blues Rock God**. ---
**Author:** ![MattTheCroc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@MattTheCroc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattTheCroc)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/47 "2001-10-14T09:54:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Persephone \* > \*\*Dire Straits “Sultans of Swing.” > > Good Goddess, that one just sends me in to paroxysms of joy. 😃 \*\* I found this version of it that lasted for something like 10 minutes, and the song itself was over after about 3, leaving me with nothing but pure guitar heaven… mmm… I swear, it makes the studio version seem pedestrian. ---
**Author:** ![Xploder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a183cd/32.png) [@Xploder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xploder)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/48 "2001-10-14T16:12:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mudshark \* > \*\*To prevent a World War Three, Lets say Zappa is the **Jazz Rock God**. Hendrix is the **Acid Rock God** and Clapton is the **Blues Rock God**. \*\* You mean that with a name like **Mudshark** , you’ve never heard any of Zappa’s blues playing?? Then again, if you listen to as much of Zappa’s music as I have, you begin to realize that he played **every** genre of fuitar music imaginable…course, I’m a fanatic about Zappa stuff 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Xploder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/a183cd/32.png) [@Xploder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xploder)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/49 "2001-10-14T16:18:04Z")
fuitar, of course should be **guitar** … and I even previewed the damn thing… ---
**Author:** ![Venkman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ec9cab/32.png) [@Venkman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venkman)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/50 "2001-10-14T17:18:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ScriptAnalyst \* > \*\*Steve Vai plays the part (and the guitar) for the character who has sold his soul to the devil. Ralph Mcchio’s guitar parts were played by the film’s composer, Ry Cooder, I beleive. > > Steve Biodrowski > [http://www.thescriptanalyst.com](http://www.thescriptanalyst.com)\*\* That makes more sense. Neither part ever sounded much like SRV to me. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/51 "2001-10-14T17:23:54Z")
Can “The Water Song” by Hot Tuna be considered a riff? (No, songs are not solos…) If not that, how about the first part of “I’m Going Hone” by Ten Years After? (Nope, that’s a solo, not a riff.) Ok, I pick the riff from “Just Got Paid” by ZZ Top. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/52 "2001-10-14T17:39:43Z")
Can “The Water Song” by Hot Tuna be considered a riff? (No, songs are not solos, even if each part is a damn good riff in its own right…) If not that, how about the first part of “I’m Going Hone” by Ten Years After? (Nope, that’s a solo, not a riff.) Ok, I pick the riff from “Just Got Paid” by ZZ Top. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/53 "2001-10-14T17:48:31Z")
I don’t know, **Xploder** , you might be on to something with _fuitar_. A new genre, perhaps? Something to do with ‘future’ and ‘guitar’? Hmm…, workin’ on it… ---
**Author:** ![Darqangelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@Darqangelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darqangelle)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2001, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/54 "2001-10-15T12:19:55Z")
1)\* Lunatic Fringe\* by **Red Rider** 2)\* China Grove\* by **The Doobie Brothers** …which now makes me giggle because I end up remembering the scene where Homer borrows Mr. Burns’ yacht. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/55 "2001-10-16T02:09:30Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally Posted by Xploder_ > You mean that with a name like Mudshark, you’ve never heard any of Zappa’s blues playing?? > > Then again, if you listen to as much of Zappa’s music as I have, you begin to realize that he played every genre of fuitar music imaginable…course, I’m a fanatic about Zappa stuff Of course I’ve heard Zappa’s blues guitar playing. I think that there was no better guitarist than Zappa. I was just trying to please everyone because I know not everyone likes Zappa. ---
**Author:** ![DaToad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@DaToad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaToad)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2001, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/56 "2001-10-16T03:05:29Z")
Gotta go with Mudshark. Zappa’s one of the greatest. His Invocation Of A Young Pumpkin is a classic. I be likin’, Willie the Pimp, too. Clapton, (just saw him live), just too many to mention. Also, Johnny Winter’s version of Dylan’s Highway 61. In fact, the whole “Second Winter” album is hot. Green Grass and High Tides? J. Giles Band, It Ain’t What You Do? Quick Silver M.S., Who Do You Love; ShadyGrove? But one of my personal favs is Roy Buchanan’s, Green Onions, from Guitar On Fire. OK, so now you’ve got me thinking about great tunes. Shit, I gotta go turn some on. DaToad hops out of the office and down the hall to the den to turn on the stereo. ---
**Author:** ![Michele\_in\_SoCal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Michele\_in\_SoCal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michele_in_SoCal)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/57 "2001-10-20T15:19:07Z")
Life’s Been Good - Joe Walsh (p.s. Saw Joe Walsh earlier this year at the Coach House, a small venue and intimate venue in Orange County, Ca. Man, he was as great as ever! My ultimate dream is to see Mark Knopfler. Hell, I’d like to marry him! [sub]and keep my present hubby too, of course![/sub]) ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Earthworm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Dirty\_Earthworm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Earthworm)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/58 "2001-10-20T18:45:53Z")
Rock on Skip! The intro to GNR “Sweet Child O’ Mine” is one of the greatest I’ve ever heard. And then there’s “dun dun dun, dun dun du-nun…” from Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water.” Excellent. -Syko “My cat’s breath smells like cat food.” - Ralph Wiggum ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/59 "2001-10-20T21:40:51Z")
The Smiths - Handsome Devil The Rolling Stones - The Last Time ---
**Author:** ![dunne\_u.wurrie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@dunne\_u.wurrie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dunne_u.wurrie)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2001, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780/60 "2001-10-21T01:44:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Persephone \* > \*\*Ooh, I almost forgot–just about any riff Danny Gatton played. His Hellecasters stuff is outstanding. \*\* Actually, Persephone, Danny Gatton wasn’t actually IN the Hellecasters. [http://expage.com/page/hellecasters](http://expage.com/page/hellecasters) But the Hellecasters DO freely admit to having been inspired by Gatton’s ungodly playing. [http://www.dannygatton.com/](http://www.dannygatton.com/) “You’re dead. You’re all dead.” - Frank Sinatra [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-guitar-riff/86780.md?page=4)