Celebrating the Rickenbacker: 4 Famous Songs That Feature the Legendary Guitar

Ah, the Rickenbacker. Few guitar brands out there are as legendary and long-loved as this one. Not only did Adolph Rickenbacker and George Beauchamp come up with a concept that would revolutionize the world of rock music, but their instruments would go on to be a core part of multiple different movements of rock and pop music in the 20th and 21st centuries. Let’s celebrate the Rickenbacker by looking back at a few songs that famously feature the instrument.

“Give It To Me” by Rick James

This tune is one of Rick James’ most well-known songs. And it famously features a Rickenbacker bass. It’s almost immediately clockable; the Rickenback has historically had quite a signature treble sound, which has been used to produce some excellent and funky basslines. For the most part, James almost always played a Rickenbacker 4001. Old heads really loved the 4000 series, it seems.

“Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” by Tame Impala

A more modern example of what rock musicians can do with the Rickenbacker, you just can’t beat the 2012 psych-rock hit “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” by Tame Impala. This song proves that no matter how many evolutions and revivals a genre might experience, one instrument often defines that genre’s sound. That is definitely the case for the relationship between the Rickenbacker and psychedelic rock. Kevin Parker played a 330 on this song.

“A Hard Day’s Night” by The Beatles

This song might be the most famous example of a hit song featuring the Rickenbacker guitar. In this iconic Beatles tune, George Harrison plays a Rickenbacker 360/12. That very model would give the Fab Four a particular tone that would be identifiable for years. And you just gotta love Harrison’s solo on “A Hard Day’s Night”, even if you wouldn’t necessarily label yourself as a screaming teenage girl in the 1960s.

“Ace Of Spades” by Motörhead 

On the harder side of rock music, the Rickenbacker still reigned supreme for quite some time. Lemmy from Motörhead uses the bass guitar just right on the band’s most famous song, “Ace Of Spades”. Fun fact: Lemmy was a big Beatles fan and favored the Rickenbacker 4000 series, likely inspired by Paul McCartney.

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.