But in my defense, I got a little freaked out when I heard the recent news of Rick Derringer's passing.
The short version is that back in my teenage years I was a huge fan of The McCoys. And one of the reasons was that front-guy/fab guitarist Derringer was pretty much exactly my age, which I thought was incredibly cool and inspirational.
Needless to say, having him now die at my age is, shall we say, somewhat less thrilling. 😎
Oh well, in any case, I've posted this song before (in 2021), but I absolutely adore it, so cut me some slack. It's from 1967, and it was basically only a minor hit at the time, but it remains one of my favorite things Derringer ever did. I mean seriously -- between the brilliant lead vocal and that fabulous Wes Montgomery-inspired guitar solo (which was major league hip at the time, and still is) Rick would deserve to be immortal if he had never achieved anything else.
And yes, I owned the 45 version.
All of which, to nobody's surprise, leads us inexorably to today's business.
To wit:
...and your favorite (or least favorite) guitar solo on a pop/rock/country/soul single of the Sixties is...???
No arbitrary rules whatsoever. Oh wait, there is one -- nothing by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band need apply in either category. Sorry, I love Mike Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop, but they do tend to go on longer than the rest of the stuff that I hope is gonna get nominated. In other words, I'm prejudiced in favor of more concise stuff, and since it's my blog...😎😎
Alrighty then..."Beat the Clock" is obviously my pick for fave. So what would YOUR choices be?
And have a great weekend, everybody!!!
Jimmy Page, Yardbirds- Goodnight Sweet Josephine. It's the closest the band got to pop and Jimmy's solo is as infectious as the harmonies on the chorus. (And man, how great is "Beat The Clock?")
ReplyDeleteBlues Project (Danny Kalb) - You Can't Catch Me. But. then again, I like all pieces of the cut: vocals, keyboards, bass. drums.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite guitar break is by Terry Haggerty of the Sons of Champlin on their Follow Your Heart from 1971. The break is at 3:00-4:02 and you can hear it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fokzCHyzSqs
ReplyDeleteI saw the Rolling Stones in Cleveland in 1966. I was 11, and when my older brother's date cancelled last minute, my mom made him take me. The openers were The McCoys, The Standels, and The Ronettes. It's the only time I saw the Stones,
ReplyDeleteWow. What I wouldn't have given....
DeleteI saw Derringer open for Aerosmith at Comiskey Park in the summer of '76. What an ordeal! It was 105 degrees, people were dropping like flies, there was a fire in the upper deck. Derringer played a great set, highlighted by a rip-roaring 'Rebel Rebel.' They were better than the headliners.
ReplyDeleteNot that it's a great solo by any criterion, but I've always loved the lead in CCR's 'Born on the Bayou.' It just fits the song perfectly.
As for least favorite, it's gotta be Lou Christie's 'Lightnin' Strikes,' wherein a wonderful arrangement is derailed by horrific axe-scrubbing.
I can actually play all the guitar stuff on "Bayou" note for note. It's tons of fun to do live....
DeleteActually, I've always loved John Fogerty's first guitar solo on CCR's cover of "Suzie Q". And Roger McGuinn's guitar solos on the Byrds' "Have You Seen Her Face" are still exciting. I'll probably think of more soon...
ReplyDeleteBeatles 'Something' and 'Octopus's Garden'
ReplyDeleteStones 'Sympathy For The Devil'
CCR 'I Put A Spell On You'
Norman Greenbaum 'Spirit In The Sky'
If you'll indulge 1970 being the 60s, these are some faves:
Doors 'Ship Of Fools' (1:40-1:55)
Jack Blanchard 'Tennessee Birdwalk'
Chicago '25 Or 6 To 4' (along with 'My Sharona' and 'Reelin' In The Years', probably my all-time favorite)
C in California
Uncle Ted, Amboy Dukes
ReplyDeleteJourney to the center of the mind..
rob
There are actually several of them but... Keith Richards' guitar solos on the Stones' cover of "Down The Road Apiece".
ReplyDeleteMy Favorite: I'm cheating as I'm stating two from the same album: Surprisingly neither was a 45 single.
ReplyDeleteYardbirds - From "Having a Rave Up" - Jeff Beck
"Train Kept a Rollin'"
and
"Mister You're a Better Man Than I"
Far from the worst but the most overrated solos:
Jimmy Page -
His many, many solos' in Led Zeppelin.
Yes I know I'm shitting on many of you reader's parade but after Clapton & Beck his guitar solos come in a poor third place.
Am I showing my age with my selections? I think so.
Captain Al
I agree with Capt. Al about JP. And I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the live Crossroads by Cream, the greatest air-guitar opportunity of all time. And honorable mention to Clapton's solo on Have You Heard (on the Mayall album)
ReplyDeleteWheels Of Fire - outstanding album. Pressed Rat and Warthog. Good on you Ginger
DeletePete Townshend's acoustic guitar solo on The Who's "I'm Free" is another favorite.
ReplyDeleteJust making the year under the wire.
ReplyDeleteNeil Young - 1969
Down by the river
I was luckily blessed to have sat 3' next to him and Danny Whitten in a very small Hippie Club - he ran a McIntosh amp through a Fender Champ 😎
Jeff Beck - Beck’s Bolero
ReplyDeleteJimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold as Love
- Paul in DK
Not sure if Pete Townshend or Jimmy Page played it, but I love the solo in I Can’t Explain
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteDid not phrase it correctly, Wiki says Pete lead, Jimmy rythm.
DeleteAnd Taxman, by Sir Paul, is fabulous
ReplyDeleteDave Davies on "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteYes, and Dave's solos on "All Day & All Of the Night" and "Till The End Of The Day".
ReplyDeleteJimi Hendrix's solos on All Along The Watchtower, Highway Chile and Stone Free.
Robbie Robertson's solos on To Kingdom Come, King Harvest Has Surely Come and Jemima Surrender.
Larry Parypa's solo on The Sonics "The Witch".
I can't believe nobody picked Clapton's solo on Cream's "Badge."
ReplyDeleteCorrection: Larry Parypa's solo on the Sonics' "Psycho".
ReplyDeleteYes, the "Badge" solo is wonderful :-)
ReplyDeleteHere's another one that inspired quite a few guitar players over the years: the solo on the Kingsmen's immortal "Louie Louie". I'm embarrassed to admit, after all these years, that I don't know the name of the musician who played it.
ReplyDeleteIn the '70s a band in Atlanta called Thermos Greenwood and the Colored People covered Louie Louie and when the guitar solo came around a roadie would enter from the wings and hold the guitar-player upside-down so he could play the solo (an exact transcription, if memory serves) standing on his head.
DeleteMy favorite acoustic guitar performance ever:
ReplyDeleteSunrise - The Who (Pete Townshend)
Also my favorite love song! (just sayin')
Captain Al
I'm listing this song as it gets a strong mention by this 60's icon, I, anHunter - specifically about a great friend Doug Wahlberg, "his playing is not of this earth"
ReplyDeleteThe song on Bandcamp - Love When It Rains", a killer guitar riff.
btw , Doug's first single was engineered by Mick Ronson
rip Doug, He died too young from a rare form of cancer😢
rob