I’m looking for some songs that are basically just someone wailing on a guitar, with little or no lyrics. Something like Hendrix or Eddie Hazel or Bluesy like Shuggie Otis.
What do you recommend?
Prince’s solo on ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ at the tribute to George Harrison is both incredible and a masterclass in, well, class. He blows Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne completely out of the water, but doesn’t try to overshadow them while clearly having a good time playing with them, and then quietly leaves so as to not make it about himself.
Start watching at 3:20 for Dhani Harrison’s face. He’s so happy with what’s about to go down:
This is a great one!
If you like Prince, check out this one
Watching this right now. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone play so effortlessly before. Prince was taken from us way too soon.
Could be Tornado of Souls by Megadeth.
Not quite what I was looking for, but happy cake day! :)
Megadeth has a lot, but it’s hard to beat the solo in Crazy Train.
As for whole songs that are basically solos, check out “Into the Unfathomed Tower” by Candlemass.
Relatedly, I always loved the ending solo to Jump in the Fire from Kill Em All
Probably not what you are looking for, but my favorite guitar solo is Guided by Voices - “I am a Tree.”
John Petrucci from Dream Theater has several bangers. My current favorite is in the latter half of the song The Shadow Man Incident
Most of Hocus Pocus by Focus is guitar solo, and it works for me!
The solo starting at 3:45. I like the harmony and how it has a feeling that sounds “sleezy”, perfectly portrays a dirtbag with a powerful car (in the nicest way possible), and how it escalates along with the chord progression.
Sweet Widow by Spin Doctors, with a bonus epic bass solo. There’s lyrics, but only for the first few of the eleven and a half minutes.
Or, for something lyrics free, how about The Werks?
Peter Frampton Do you feel like we do - There are lyrics though. (from both him and his guitar)
The 5 second one from “sempathy for the devil”. It’s all you need.
free form guitar by chicago
a lot of things come to kind but here’s this.
I already had Watermelon in Easter Hay, but that’s the only Frank Zappa I found that was mellow enough.
Got more?
From Zappa maybe you’d like this one,
mellow makes me think maybe even,
This whole album is full of amazing instruments and guitar solos.
Thanks for all the suggestions! :)
These are some really great songs! I really liked Zoot Allures, mind blowing. If you use Apple Music, they have a pretty badass live version.
