Ordinary songs with surprisingly good guitar solos
Ordinary songs with surprisingly good guitar solos
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Robertb

Original Poster:

2,904 posts

256 months

Friday 3rd October
quotequote all
I heard Murder on the Dance Floor today, and I'm always struck by how good the guitar solo is, fits perfectly and really serves the song. Which made me think of other songs you hear on the radio with surprisingly good guitar solos.

Some others I've noticed...

Larger the Life by the Backstreet Boys

One Two Three by Gloria Estefan

Everything I do, Bryan Adams (probably stretching it a bit as Keith Scott is always awesome)


Any others to recommend?

(And on the other hand, Richard Marx had early 1990's era Eric Johnson play on his song Keep Coming Back, but featured a sax solo instead! Gah.)

Super Sonic

10,636 posts

72 months

Friday 3rd October
quotequote all
Simple Minds' "Calling Your Name''
Charlie Burchell wasn't given to extravagant guitar playing, more of a rhythm guitarist, but does a great solo near the end of this. 3:35


Edited by Super Sonic on Friday 3rd October 14:01

Robertb

Original Poster:

2,904 posts

256 months

Friday 3rd October
quotequote all
Super Sonic said:
Simple Minds' "Calling Your Name''
Charlie Burchell wasn't given to extravagant guitar playing, more of a rhythm guitarist, but does a great solo near the end of this. 3:35


Edited by Super Sonic on Friday 3rd October 14:01
Not heard that before, good song. I really like his guitar work on Real Life, which I know wasnt universally liked but is a nice spacey album. He's a player a bit like Andy Summers or Dominic Miller who creates lovely textures rather than just playing chords.

Lucas CAV

3,068 posts

237 months

Friday 3rd October
quotequote all
Most songs by The Cars -

In particular: Tonight she comes and My Best friends girl

InductionRoar

2,182 posts

150 months

Friday 3rd October
quotequote all
What is an ordinary song?

RobbieTheTruth

2,226 posts

137 months

Friday 3rd October
quotequote all
InductionRoar said:
What is an ordinary song?
What don't you understand?

InductionRoar

2,182 posts

150 months

Friday 3rd October
quotequote all
RobbieTheTruth said:
InductionRoar said:
What is an ordinary song?
What don't you understand?
The premise.

What is your contribution?

Robertb

Original Poster:

2,904 posts

256 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
InductionRoar said:
RobbieTheTruth said:
InductionRoar said:
What is an ordinary song?
What don't you understand?
The premise.

What is your contribution?
Sorry, didn’t explain my premise well… I’m thinking of songs which you hear on the main radio stations by non ‘guitar bands’ or artists but which unexpectedly have a good guitar solo.

As such, Jump by Van Halen or GnR’s Sweet Child o Mine wouldn’t count, but one in a song by say Dua Lipa or Take That would, because guitar is not central to the genre and it’s a nice surprise.




Dynamic Space Wizard

958 posts

122 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
Michael Jackson's "Beat It" can count though smile

eta:

and "Goodbye to Love" - Carpenters

Edited by Dynamic Space Wizard on Saturday 4th October 09:31

Mr Creosote

30 posts

3 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
How about Let’s Dance by David Bowie?

Not really a guitar song, apart from that SRV solo.

slopes

40,977 posts

205 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
Not normally known for guitar solos and as a band, not one i would normally listen to....but

Paradise by Coldplay, Jonny Buckland's solo isn't long but it adds so much to the song for me

Yahonza

2,957 posts

48 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
Robertb said:
InductionRoar said:
RobbieTheTruth said:
InductionRoar said:
What is an ordinary song?
What don't you understand?
The premise.

What is your contribution?
Sorry, didn t explain my premise well I m thinking of songs which you hear on the main radio stations by non guitar bands or artists but which unexpectedly have a good guitar solo.

As such, Jump by Van Halen or GnR s Sweet Child o Mine wouldn t count, but one in a song by say Dua Lipa or Take That would, because guitar is not central to the genre and it s a nice surprise.
How can it be a 'non-guitar band' and have a guitar solo?

Dynamic Space Wizard

958 posts

122 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
Yahonza said:
Robertb said:
InductionRoar said:
RobbieTheTruth said:
InductionRoar said:
What is an ordinary song?
What don't you understand?
The premise.

What is your contribution?
Sorry, didn t explain my premise well I m thinking of songs which you hear on the main radio stations by non guitar bands or artists but which unexpectedly have a good guitar solo.

As such, Jump by Van Halen or GnR s Sweet Child o Mine wouldn t count, but one in a song by say Dua Lipa or Take That would, because guitar is not central to the genre and it s a nice surprise.
How can it be a 'non-guitar band' and have a guitar solo?

Simes205

4,882 posts

246 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
Mr Creosote said:
How about Let s Dance by David Bowie?

Not really a guitar song, apart from that SRV solo.
And the Nile Rodger’s riff that underpins the song.

Robertb

Original Poster:

2,904 posts

256 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
Yahonza said:
Robertb said:
InductionRoar said:
RobbieTheTruth said:
InductionRoar said:
What is an ordinary song?
What don't you understand?
The premise.

What is your contribution?
Sorry, didn t explain my premise well I m thinking of songs which you hear on the main radio stations by non guitar bands or artists but which unexpectedly have a good guitar solo.

As such, Jump by Van Halen or GnR s Sweet Child o Mine wouldn t count, but one in a song by say Dua Lipa or Take That would, because guitar is not central to the genre and it s a nice surprise.
How can it be a 'non-guitar band' and have a guitar solo?
Arctic Monkeys is a guitar band.
Coldplay, whilst they have a fine guitarist, is not a guitar band.
Ariana Grande is definitely not a guitar oriented artist. One of her songs, Dangerous Woman frustratingly has a ‘guitar solo’ but played with a crappy synth sample. It would have been transformed by a proper solo by someone like Bonamassa.

Robertb

Original Poster:

2,904 posts

256 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
Simes205 said:
Mr Creosote said:
How about Let s Dance by David Bowie?

Not really a guitar song, apart from that SRV solo.
And the Nile Rodger s riff that underpins the song.
Ah, never knew it was Nile Rodgers. Always assumed SRV did both tracks.

Super Sonic

10,636 posts

72 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
Yahonza said:
How can it be a 'non-guitar band' and have a guitar solo?
Check out the you tube link I posted above, nobody would describe SM as a guitar band, not like Led Zeppelin or the Jimi Hendrix Experience, yet this song has a guitar solo.

Yahonza

2,957 posts

48 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
Okay but I'm not sure about this guitar band / not a guitar band differentiation. Nile Rodgers & Charlie Burchill mentioned above are both as accomplished guitarists as any of the so-called greats.

My contribution - Summer Breeze from the Isley Brothers - which has some serious soloing going on from Ernie Isley.


epom

13,561 posts

179 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
I get what you mean OP. The outro solo on this always makes me smile and and happy, so unexpected.

https://youtu.be/g1T71PGd-J0?si=lf3ulKkHXJJHg_AV

GAjon

3,943 posts

231 months

Saturday 4th October
quotequote all
Only yesterday. The Carpenters.