Sometimes, guitar solos are so attention-grabbing and skillful that they completely overshadow the classic rock jams that they’re a part of. I’m certainly not complaining. Who doesn’t love a killer guitar solo, anyway? Let’s look at a few examples of songs that were made so much better by at least one iconic guitar solo.
“My Love” by Paul McCartney and Wings from ‘Red Rose Speedway’ (1973)
This is a gorgeous little love song, don’t get me wrong. But Henry McCullough’s guitar solo is the one thing I remember from this tune above all else. “My Love” by Paul McCartney and Wings is a good song, but like much of McCartney’s post-Beatles work, it neared the edge of romantic ballad territory. There’s nothing wrong with that, but one can’t deny that it got cheesy at times. That killer guitar solo is positively delicious and gives “My Love” a completely fresh vibe. “My Love” was a hit, partly because of that solo, and it peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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“The End” by The Beatles from ‘Abbey Road’ (1969)
McCartney makes it to this list again, this time for a song he wrote for The Beatles’ legendary album Abbey Road. Not only does this anthemic hard rock song feature the only drum solo Ringo Starr ever recorded with the band, but it also features a rotating sequence of guitar solos between George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon. It sounds absolutely amazing, and it was a smart creative decision on Harrison’s part.
“Do It Again” by Steely Dan from ‘Can’t Buy A Thrill’ (1972)
“Do It Again” by Steely Dan, like many of the songs on Can’t Buy A Thrill, is a fine piece of work. But that guitar solo is really what makes the song. This entry on our list of classic rock guitar solos is actually performed on an electric sitar, but it’s played similarly to a guitar. Denny Dias really stole the show here. Just try to fight that stank face once it kicks in about halfway through the song.
“Do It Again” peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100 chart and did similarly well internationally.
(Photo by Jack Kay/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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