Top Ten Guitar Solos

By Max Orenstein
Collegian Staff
October 31, 2007

10)“Hotel California” by Joe Walsh, Don Felder and The Eagles—This song gave me nightmares as a little kid. “Hotel California” is one of rock’s most iconic songs because of the awesome guitar work.

9)“Alive” by Mick McCready and Pearl Jam—McCready made a name for himself on Pearl Jam’s debut album, Ten. His solo in “Alive” contributed to Pearl Jam being labeled as the saviors of rock and roll in the early ’90s.

8)“Sultans of Swing” by Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits— According to Wikipedia, Knopfler has a species of dinosaurs named after him. Oh and he’s really good at playing guitar.

7)“Ball and Buiscit” by Jack White and the White Stripes—Jack makes up for Meg’s complete inability to play the drums on this awesome blues rocker.

6)“Paranoid Android” by Johnny Greenwood and Radiohead— From Radiohead’s first attempt at more experimental music, Greenwood’s solo captures the chaos of Thom Yorke’s lyrics. Despite all of the effects Greenwood uses, “Paranoid Android” is often compared to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” because both songs have several movements and sections, and both songs rock.

5)“You Shook Me All Night Long” by Angus Young and AC/DC— Young has a tendency of playing this solo while spinning in circles on the ground. Most college students can’t walk and chew gum at the same time.

4)“Eruption” by Eddie Van Halen and Van Halen—This song consists of a minute and 43 seconds of raw, distorted shredding from one of rock’s most visionary guitarists.

3)“Since I’ve Been Loving You” by Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin—Legend has it that Page struggled with tracking the solo for this song. He became terribly frustrated and left the recording area to go for a walk to clear his head. With the tapes still recording, he sat down next to an amplifier, plugged in and cranked out the solo that we hear today in one take.

2)“Red House” by Jimi Hendrix—While many praise Hendrix’s work on Voodoo Child, the blues of “Red House” offers the perfect setting for Jimi Hendrix to wail on his guitar (left handed and upside-down).

1)“Comfortably Numb” by David Gilmour and Pink Floyd—David Gilmour is one of the cleanest guitarists in the history of rock. Here he’s at his best, building tension and ferocity to the climax of one of Pink Floyd’s greatest songs.

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