Guitar solos for the soul

What guitar solo raises goosebumps, sends shivers down the spine or breaks you out into a cold sweat?

For me there's been:
All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
(Doo doo doo doo) Heartbreaker - Mick Taylor? or was it Keef?
Brothers In Arms - Mark Knopfler (Sultans of Swing is tasty too)
Hello Mary Lou/Travellin Man - James Burton
I Put A Spell On You - John Fogerty (love that vibrato part)
Let It Be (album version) - George Harrison

All of the above, I can play poorly - but what kills me every time and I can't even begin to duplicate is Eric Clapton's solo and outro to George Harrison Live in Japan (1991) While My Guitar Gently Weeps. The original was great too but the vibrato on Live in Japan is ethereal.

 

Hendrix on everything

Robbie Robertson - King Harvest
Prince - Purple Rain
Bruce Springsteen - Streets of Fire
Duane Allman - In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (Fillmore East)
George Harrison - Got To Get You Into My Life, Here Comes the Sun, My Sweet Lord
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Pride and Joy
Steve Cropper - Soul Man
Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode
Eric Clapton - Crossroads
Jimmy Page - Whole Lotta Love
Jeff Beck - Jeff's Boogie
Pete Townshend - Won't Get Fooled Again
Eddie Van Halen - Eruption
Paul Westerberg (or Bob Stinson) - Unsatisfied
The Edge - Pride
Tom Verlaine - Marquee Moon
Roger McGuinn - Eight Miles High
Clarence White - Black Mountain Rag

 

Ever hear Rick Nelson's 1963 version of "I Got a Woman?" James Burton's blistering solo is not to be missed! That guy was in a class by himself, IMO.

 

Hi,

Jerry Garcia's first to last note.

-Jeffrey

 

How could I forget Steve Cropper - a master of taste?

Did you hear My Sweet Lord 2000? I don't know why but I love the guitar intro - something to do with the combination of notes.

John

 

Jerry Garcia - Dark Star
Zappa - Black Napkins
Jimi - Voodoo Child (slight return)
Clapton - Hideaway
George Harrison - I Feel Fine

 

Hubert Sumlin (Howlin' Wolf) - Hidden Charms
Jeff Beck - Gets Us All In The End
Ry Cooder - How Can You Keep Moving (Unless You Migrate Too)
Guitar Gable (Slim Harpo) - I'm A King Bee
Eddie Van Halen - Push Comes To Shove
Albert King - I'll Be Doggone
Michael Schenker (UFO) - I'm A Loser (live from Strangers In The Night)
Dickey Betts - Blue Sky
Alex DeGrassi - Sleeping Lady
J.J. Cale - River Runs Deep
Eric Johnson - High Landrons
Curt Kirkwood (Meat Puppets) - Oh, Me
Gene Cornish (Rascals) - What Is The Reason
Punky Meadows - anything!

 

Jimi Hendrix - "Little Wing"
Eric Clapton - "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Brian or Keith - "Heart of Stone"
Brian's slide work on - "I Can't Be Satisfied" & "What A Shame" just killer!!
John Lennon's guitar work on - "You Can't Do That" & "All My Loving"
George Harrson - "Don't Bother Me"
Paul McCartney - "Ticket to Ride" & "Taxman"

 

Always in My Heart - Los Indios Tabajaras
Maria Elena - Los Indios Tabajaras
In Hollywood - Chet Atkins

 

"Red House" - Jimi Hendrix.... several mini-solos and one longer solo.... the one that comes very early on in this track is one of the best short solos ever recorded anywhere, any time!

"Sunshine of your Love" - Cream , Eric Clapton ...... the long solo here is, again, a true classic

Slash [Guns 'N Roses] has a couple of really nice solos in several of their hits, including Sweet child o' Mine, Welcome to the Jungle, and Patience [acoustic ]. Not at the same other-worldly level as the solos above, but very good, and they still stand up well.

"Crossfire" --- my favorite Stevie Ray Vaughan solo section is in this song, although I admittedly have not listened to all of SRV's stuff. Still, including him is, I think, mandatory for this exercise! And Crossfire does have some very sweet solo riffs.


Mike

 

I started looking through my collection and jotting down some songs for this thread and realized how hopeless it is - I would have hundreds. I gave up, but want to say the guitarist I find to the most dazzling, innovative, and so unfathomably good that he never fails to amaze me is Richard Thompson. I could do a whole list just on RT. Maybe I will.

Also, in the most underrated division is Bruce Springsteen. While all the live '78 versions of Prove it all Night are legendary (I've never heard a set of guitar solos greater than the those found in the versions from Winterland), you can find great examples of Bruce's prowess throughout his catalog. Adam Raised a Cain has always been a favorite, and he is just all over Live in NYC (although Nils Lofgren steals the show with the solo on Youngstown, as he did the whole 99-00 Tour) and the live box.

 

While I can't argue with any of the choices given above - I can state that intensity and feeling are paramount to a great guitar solo. In other words - it ain't how many notes you play, but how you play 'em, as many on this board will agree.

How about one from the 90's - and NOT from someone who most all of us would regard as as a "superior axeman".

Smashing Pumpkins - (James Iha?) - on "Cherub Rock". Nothing more than sustained notes - but such tone, such style - that it drives that song above what it all that it already is.

Is it the best I've ever heard.......... no. Many have already been mentioned. Maybe one of the things that I've always enjoyed about rock, and blues, and music in general - is that a "non-virtuoso" can cut to the chase and take you THERE.

If ya know what I mean.

 

Nugent's solo on Journey To The Center Of The Mind is one of my favorites. It's most likely an ideological journey that Ted will not be taking though.

 

The instrumental intro to "Sweet Jane" on Lou Reed's live album Rock and Roll Animal, featuring the intertwined guitars of Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner. That is two guitars in there, right? Can two guitars be considered a solo, then?

 

Dave Davies-Moments
George Harrison-Something
Neil Young-Cinnamon Girl
Amos Garrett-Midnight at the Oasis
Richard Thompson-Don't Renege on our Love

 

A few from Eric Clapton,All Your Love,Hideaway,I Feel Free,Presence Of The Lord,Let It Rain,Bell Bottom Blues,Keep On Growing,Please Be With Me,Drifting Blues,Five Long Years,Help The Poor w/ B.B.King. Dear Mr.Fantasy Steve Winwood. Sway,Love In Vain,Time Waits For No One Mick Taylor. It's All Over Now,Carol,Little Queenie Keith Richards. Like A Rolling Stone,Manic Depression Jimi Hendrix. Texas Flood Stevie Ray Vaughn. Just The Motion,The Way That It Shows(two letter words live 1994) Richard Thompson.

 

Me too but I had to add a little more
George Harrison - Daytripper
Jeff Beck - 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers
Alvin Lee - Woodchopper's Ball
Roy Buchanan- Green Onions
the one I can't think of the damn name of - Randy California
Lenny - SRV
Embyonic Journey - Jorma Kaukonen

 

Robert Fripp - "21st Century Schizoid Man"
Jeff Beck - "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago"
Stephen Stills/Neil Young - "Bluebird"
Eric Clapton - "NSU"




HeavyDistortion

 

Jimi Hendrix - Little Wing (Live version from "In The West")
Eric Clapton - Hideaway
Keith Richards - Heart of Stone
George Harrison - Let It Be
Frank Zappa - Anything!
and
Pete Townshend - I Can See For Miles

 

Absolute Heaven are:
Gary Moore Story of the Blues/Still Got The Blues
Warren Haynes I'll Be The One
Bloodline Since you've Been Gone

We all know and love the classics, but these are worth including as well

 

Maggot Brain - Funkadelic
This could be the most lyrical guitar solo I've ever heard.
Runners Up:
Freeway Jam - Jeff Beck
Like A Hurricane - Neil Young
Water Song - Hot Tuna
All four songs truly sound like their titles

 

Well said!!! How about Nugent's "Prodigal Son"? Wow!

D Allman slide on "Trouble No More" is one of my favorites, and of course "One Way Out" should be mentioned.

Roy Buchanan - "Roy's Blues" is not a fair comparison. No one has even come close.

 

Knack- "My Sharona."
Sure, the group was a cynical, calculated, sexist throwback and Fieger's brother is an insufferable self-serving windbag, but what a tasty solo.

 

You mean those cool 'scales' he used to play, disguised as solos?

Jeff Beck-Two Rivers
Francis Dunnery on It Bites track "You'll Never Go To Heaven"
Mick Taylor on Stones "Time Waits For No One"
Charlie Whitney on Family's "Glove"
Gary Myrick on Jackson Browne's "For America"
Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser on "Your Loving Heart"

 

WOW! I'm kind of surprised ...

... that no one has mentioned (as far as I can tell):

Peter Green (a legend who sadly burnt out; what remains is a talented bluesman, but the tragedy of his leaving Fleetwood Mac and withdrawel from performing during his prime while adding to his legendary status can never compensate for the loss of his talent)

Paul Kossoff (one of the most underrated blues rock guitarists; his fretwork on such Free classics as "Be My Friend", "Woman", "Fire and Water", etc., shouldn't be overlooked)

Michael Schenker (UFO's hard rock speed guitar-meister combined with soulful blues virtuosity; this is one of the kings of the fretboard who has yet to receive his official crown)

Andy Powell & Ted Turner (Wishbone Ash's dueling lead guitarists took virtuosity and tag-team bluesmanship to a new level; they could individually do amazing runs, combine their efforts for intricate repetitions or create memorable hooks)

Don't these guys fit John B's "guitar for the soul" category?

Cheers,
R. Cat Conrad