Best guitar song of all time

Deadman

I don't think we've had this? Apologies if we have. No messing around. First choice. Mine:

Jimi Hendrix - Little wing

ICBM

Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl

Lixarto

Neil Young - "Fuckin' Up".

gusman2x

Neil young "cortez the killer"

Deadman

Anyone know where I can find any Neil Young guitar song recommendations round here?

DulcetJones

Dire Straits "Sultans of Swing"

bigjon

Prince "Purple Rain"

mike_l

Metallica Fade to Black.

 

 

 

Although Little wing is also a good call.

ToneControl

just to be more recent,

John Mayer, Slow Dancing in a burning room

Can I check? I've assumed we're going for songs built around the guitar rather than the normal opposite situation, i.e. a famous song with optional guitar stuck on top of it, which is the category I think Purple Rain is in. 

mike_l

ToneControl said:

Can I check? I've assumed we're going for songs built around the guitar rather than the normal opposite situation, i.e. a famous song with optional guitar stuck on top of it, which is the category I think Purple Rain is in. 

 

 Purple Rain does (IIRC) have a fantastic guitar solo on it. 

ToneControl

mike_l said:

ToneControl said:

Can I check? I've assumed we're going for songs built around the guitar rather than the normal opposite situation, i.e. a famous song with optional guitar stuck on top of it, which is the category I think Purple Rain is in. 

 

 Purple Rain does (IIRC) have a fantastic guitar solo on it. 

that's my question, there's lots of songs that have a great solo, are we including those? Or just songs where the song could not exist without the guitar part, since it's built around it, which is something I'd like to explore

I listened to Purple rain before posting, and the first section is just gentle arpeggios with a load of chorus, which could be replaced with keyboards without affecting the song at all

mike_l

ToneControl said:

mike_l said:

ToneControl said:

Can I check? I've assumed we're going for songs built around the guitar rather than the normal opposite situation, i.e. a famous song with optional guitar stuck on top of it, which is the category I think Purple Rain is in. 

 

 Purple Rain does (IIRC) have a fantastic guitar solo on it. 

that's my question, there's lots of songs that have a great solo, are we including those? Or just songs where the song could not exist without the guitar part, since it's built around it, which is something I'd like to explore

I listened to Purple rain before posting, and the first section is just gentle arpeggios with a load of chorus, which could be replaced with keyboards without affecting the song at all

I'd say it's legit as it was originally played on guitar.

Possibly more as it could be played on a different instrument without changing the song.

viz

I will go for For The Love Of God by Monsieur Vai.

ToneControl

viz said:

I will go for For The Love Of God by Monsieur Vai.

is it a song?

Certainly completely excellent though

axisus

"best guitar song" not defined enough. Cannot compute.

gjonesy

Hotel california?

daveww

Lenny - SRV

ICBM

ToneControl said:

Or just songs where the song could not exist without the guitar part, since it's built around it, which is something I'd like to explore

All songs can exist without the guitar part, even those that are built around it. If a piece of music has a recognisable chord structure and melody then you can play it on any instrument. (Or instruments, if they're monophonic ones - eg most classical ones.)

I picked Cinnamon Girl because it perfectly illustrates what an electric guitar is really about in terms of attitude and feeling rather than technique or note choice, for me.

If there truly are songs that could not be played on any other instrument than a guitar then they're not very good songs because the technique or the sound has become more important than the song.

Chuffola

Any Neil Young, although Cinnamon Girl is a great shout with its multi-tapping, layered guitar solo. In Phrygian, if I'm not mistaken.

randomhandclaps

Neil Young - A Man Needs A Maid.

EricTheWeary

ICBM;111720" said:

ToneControl said:Or just songs where the song could not exist without the guitar part, since it's built around it, which is something I'd like to explore





I picked Cinnamon Girl because it perfectly illustrates what an electric guitar is really about in terms of attitude and feeling rather than technique or note choice, for me.

I got that. I think that reasoning would also take me to several Dick Dale numbers for my possible contribution, although the lack of lyrics might get them discounted here. So, I am going to suggest Pretty Vacant by the Sex Pistols. Think that ticks all the boxes.