Favorite “guitar” songs

Was driving around yesterday and this song came on the radio…

While listening to it for perhaps the five hundred thousandth time, my personal opinion that this is the all time best “guitar” heavy song ever was strengthened by hearing each individual lick.  I absolutely love the work of Mr. Hendrix here, the way his playing seems to go on digressions/different melodic tangents only to come back over and over to the main thrust of the song again.  The end result is absolutely terrific.

So it got me to thinking.  What are my favorite “guitar” songs?  Songs where the guitar work is so exquisite, so memorable, that it just sticks out in my head?

Apart from Voodoo Child (Slight Return), only one other song instantly popped up in my mind, Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb.

Again, terrific guitar work.  Unlike Voodoo Child (Slight Return), however, Comfortably Numb, like the album it came from, is at heart a sad song about alienation.  The guitar work by David Gilmour seems to pierce your very soul.

I keep driving and I think: Come on!  There are hundreds of other songs with strong guitar work you love.

There are, of course, but those two above stand out more than most, at least for me.  Well then, if Voodoo Child (Slight Return) and Comfortably Numb are my two favorite “guitar” songs, what are some of my others?

How about a Beatles classic…

Many note the terrific drumming by Ringo Starr (and it is), but I’ve always loved the guitar work by George Harrison, the way the guitar seems to “answer” each lyric by John Lennon.

If you’ve been around this blog for a while, you know what a big fan of David Bowie I am.  There are plenty of David Bowie songs featuring terrific guitar riffs.  My two favorites happen to feature the guitar work of late Mick Ronson…

and…

My juices are flowing and I’m starting to think of so many others…How about Heart?

Radar Love by Golden Earring could well be the absolutely best “driving” song out there.  Wonder how many people got speeding tickets while driving to this?

Ok, before I get too far afield and start listing just about all the songs I like that feature pretty good guitar work, how about Rolling Stone’s 100 Best?

http://www.stereogum.com/10114/rolling_stones_100_greatest_guitar_songs_of_all_ti/list/

Agree or disagree (I disagree with more than a few of their choices) it is food for thought.  Another list, this one by Spinner Magazine, features their “Top 50 Guitar Riffs”.  Some great stuff here:

http://www.spinner.com/2011/01/13/rock-guitar-riffs/

Of note, their David Bowie pick is the also excellent Rebel Rebel, features guitars by Mr. Bowie himself!

Interesting stuff.  I might just have to go through some of my favorite music for the rest of the day! 😉