Deep Purple, “Black Night”, courtesy of R. Blackmore: characteristically primal, yet fiddly. Announced that they were no longer a mildly psychedelic pop band with an interesting guitar edge, but were here to rock your stadiums and roger your women. Bonus points for not even being an album track.
“Sweet Leaf” - Black Sabbath (Tony Iommi)
Many other Sabbath tunes
“Back in Black” - AC/DC (Angus Young)
Many other AC/DC tracks
Crap - I have those stuck in myhead now, and can’t think of anything else. For now.
Joe
Frusciante’s Hendrix-influenced theme at the end the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Dani California.
I’m not sure if Harrison was playing it or what, but I always loved the riff in the Beatles’ And Your Bird Can Sing.
White Stripes’ Blue Orchid.
ZZ Top’s La Grange–Legs is good too.
Probably my knock-down-drag-out-all-time favorite is Hendrix’s riff from Voodoo Chile.
Plowed - Sponge
One of the few classic riffs from the Grunge-era. (SLTS, while memorable, is also quite like very many other riffs.)
Money for Nothing, Dire Straits. Classic.
To play or to listen to?
A long list from Jimmy Page/Zeppelin
The best riff ever has to be Whole Lotta Love, I played this wrong for years. Hint, there’s a quarter tone bend on the A string upwards with a unison open D. See also:
Custard Pie, The Wanton Song, The Rover. . . this could gone on a bit so I’ll move on.
Pleasant Valley Sunday - The Monkees. No really, seek it out.
Faith Healer - The Sensational Alex Harvey Band.
What difference Does it Make? - Johnny Marr, tricky this one.
La Rosa Negra - by Gary Hoey
Faux Mantini - - Joe Bonamassa (bad recording still good)
I’m the Hell out of here - - Steve Vai
The slide solos in this little number are sweet - Johnny Winter and Derek Trucks - Hiway 61
Oh hell, anything by Derek Trucks
Hmmm, I spent my SDMB posting-time quota on the “Best Guitar Leads” thread, so I really need to get back to work. Some quick thoughts:
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**Sunshine of Your Love ** by Cream and **Iron Man ** by Black Sabbath: between Guitar Hero, the resurgent interest in classic rock by teens and the timeless simplicity and power of the riffs, these two are the ones that are consistently asked for by my son’s friends when they come over and want to hear me play guitar.
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**Sad But True ** by Metallica - just a crushingly powerful, durable riff that could play forever and not get tiring. What’s fascinating about it is that, like Larry Mullen, Jr. of U2, Lars Ulrich is known for only playing on beat - i.e., there is no funky, blues-based playing with time in the drum beats that Metallica uses. Well, usually - Sad But True is a notable exception. Ulrich actually swings the beat on this one, laying back behind the riff and using that pacing to keep the beat moving forward. So while it is a great guitar riff, the drum beat is what makes it standout…
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**Problem Child ** by AC/DC - While this is on the U.S. releases of both Let There Be Rock and Dirty Deeds, I find the DD example to be most telling, because there is a silly, bluesy tune right in front of Problem Child on that release. I think it may be I’m a Rocker - just a stoopid little tune that makes AC/DC sound like any other pointless blues-rock band. Then Problem Child kicks in - and you get a Mission Statement for what AC/DC is all about - a hard, headbanging riff that is blues based but not a simple Chuck Berry re-tread and with an aggressive drum beat that is stripped way down.
Plenty more but I gotta get to a meeting…
Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin
Wish you Were Here by Pink Floyd
Voodoo Chile (slight return) by Jimi Hendrix
Summer Breeze by Isley Brothers
Free as a Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
“Smoke on the Water” has arguably the most identifiable guitar riff in history, no?
“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” surely deserves honourable mention.
“Brown Sugar” is cool too.
I love Dear Mr. Fantasy. I don’t know if it’s considered a riff or just the sound of the guitar throughout. And the nostalgic little repeating piece in Bob Seger’s Main Street.
In hard competition with Led Zeppelin II, this riff together with the initial coughing, might be the best opening of an LP ever.
I’ve got to place my vote on *Ziggy Stardust *from Bowie.
And a whimsical tip of my hat to Detachable Penis by King Missile.
It’s so simple but so beautiful:
“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd
I’m not a huge Stones fan, but the riff for “Honky Tonk Woman”, especially some of the live versions I’ve heard, is pretty awesome.
I gotta agree with “Whole Lotta Love”, too. Timeless.
Keith’s got a few nice riffs – all of the aforementioned, plus “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” & “Happy”.
Some unmentioned:
Heart’s “Crazy on You”
G&R’s “Paradise City”
George Thorogood’s “Bad to the Bone”
Duane Allman’s part on “Layla”
Jethro Tull’s “Aqualung”
Chic’s “Good Times” (yes, really)
Joe Walsh’s “Life’s Been Good”
Living Color’s “Cult of Personality”
I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard this on the radio (driving S. on I-405 in Orange Co., CA in what, 1976?)–the instant I heard that lick I said “That’s gonna sell a zillion copies.”
It’s a good 'un.
Hah, forgot about that one. Mister Vernon “No Identifiable Time Signature” Reid, no less!
It is a catchy riff and a cool tune, but I always liked “Open Letter To A Landlord” better.
I love Carlos Santana’s Samba Pa Ti. I also really like Cavatina from The Deer Hunter soundtrack.
No need to apologize, that’s a great one from a great song. It’s got a faintly recognizable bass line as well… 