Your top 5 (or so) guitar solos

[bosk1]

Simple thread topic.  List your top 5 guitar solos by anyone.  Rank them if you like.  Or just list them.  If you want to list less than 5 or more than 5, that's cool too.  What are some of your favorites?

I was thinking about this yesterday on a drive where I was listening to some music and thinking about my all-time favorite solos.  I thought it was interesting to observe that, for me personally, even though John Petrucci is my favorite guitarist, and he has a LONG list of incredible solos, my kneejerk reaction in thinking about favorite solos is to list a bunch by other people before even thinking about any of his.  I was wondering why that is, and I'm still not entirely sure about the answer, but I thought of a few factors that might be playing into it:

First of all, I started thinking about the fact that a lot of John's "solos," especially in later years, are a bit different from more "traditional" solos in mainstream rock.  A lot of times, when he is playing a lead, it isn't a situation where the rest of the band drops out and/or plays a simple, repeating chord progression that JP is soloing over.  A lot of times, he is playing a lead to compliment the other instrumentalists, and they are playing stuff to compliment was he is doing, and he is weaving in and out and back in again to playing what feels like a true "solo."  Or he is weaving in and out of playing solos, riffs, and/or chords.  I don't know if this is correct musically or compositionally, but thinking it through made me want to draw a distinction between a "solo" and a "lead."  I guess all solos would be leads (the way I think of it), but not all leads would be solos, if that makes sense.

Second, in trying to pick JP's "best," it is almost an embarrassment of riches type of situation.  There is just so much awesome playing to choose from that it can be hard to pick some stand-out "bests."

Third, and I guess somewhat related to the first point, his solos are sometimes very long.  And they are sometimes part of a tradeoff or longer instrumental passage where he is playing several solos as part of the longer passage.

Anyhow, just some random thoughts.  There is a companion thread in general music discussion about favorite solos by JP, if anyone is interested:  https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=57062.0.

[bosk1]

Some of mine are below.  #1 and #2 have been locked in for years.  The others aren't ranked:

1.  Paul Gilbert:  Main solo in the Upon the Door section of The Door from Neal's Morse's Sola Scriptura.
2.  Alex Skolnick:  Return To Serenity.

Some others:
-Dave Meniketti:  Sail on By (Y&T's Endangered Species)
-Dave Meniketti:  Forever (Y&T's Black Tiger)
-Dave Meniketti:  Storm (Meniketti, s/t)
-John Sykes:  Still of the Night (Whitesnake, s/t)
-John Sykes:  Valley of the Kings (Blue Murder, s/t)
-Steve Vai:  Wings of the Storm (Whitesnake's Slip of the Tongue)
-Steve Vai:  Judgment Day (Whitesnake's Slip of the Tongue)
-Ritchie Sambora:  Wanted, Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet)
-Vivian Campbell:  Last in Line (Dio's Last in Line)
-Vivian Campbell:  Rainbow in the Dark (Dio's Holy Diver)
-Neal Schon:  Stone in Love (Journey's Escape)

I know I've mentioned this before, but there was a quote from Ritchie Sambora in an interview many, many years ago about his philosophy on guitar solos, and he basically said (paraphrase) that the best ones are the ones that you, as a fan, can hum along to.  I think there is something to that.  I love a good shred-fest.  But I like it when the solo also incorporates a lot of melody and is a memorable earworm, in addition to having plenty of shred.  A lot of the solos on my list have that quality.

Also interesting (to me) side observation:  My top 2 solos are by guitarists that I like, but do not personally rank highly on my lists of favorite guitarists.

[Elite]

That’s an insanely difficult question that I’ll have to think about before I could answer.

[lonestar]

I'm just gonna rifle off the first 5 that come to mind. No particular order...

-Steve Rothery, Marillion, Hotel Hobbies
-Sam Ermelini, Pyramid Theorem, Another Day Slips By (my phote ring tone for a good 8 years)
-Steve Howe, Yes, Yours is No Disgrace (Yessongs version)
-Rik Emmett, Triumph, Midsummer Daydream
-JP, Best of Times

[JediKnight1969]

David Gilmour - Comfortably numb
Ritchie Blackmore - Highway star
Trevor Rabin - Owner of a lonely heart
Adrian Smith & Dave Murray - The trooper
Andy Taylor - Some like it hot
Gary Moore - Still got the blues
 

[Architeuthis]

Just some of many..

1. Gonna Hitch a Ride - Boston
2. Endless Dream - Yes  Trevor Rabin  (especially the live version)
3. Under a Glass Moon - Dream Theater
4. Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
5. Analog Kid - Rush
6. Return to Serenity - Testament
7. Hot For Teacher - Van Halen
8. End of innocence - Symphony X
9. Eugene's Trick Bag - Steve Vai
10. Mother Father Sister Brother - Journey

[KevShmev]

When people list Comfortably Numb, I am always curious if they mean the first solo (the shorter one) or the second one (the longer one at the end). 

As to this question, I will have to think about it. So many good ones.

[HOF]

Today I’ll say:

- Easter - Marillion (Steve Rothery)
- My Shoes Revisited - Spock’s Beard (Al Morse)
- Kedgeree - Mike Keneally & Beer for Dolphins
- Lonely in the Night - Eric Johnson (both really)
- Still They Ride - Journey (Neal Schon)

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Journey - "Lights"
Megadeth - "Tornado of Souls"
Opeth - "Windowpane"
Ozzy Osbourne - "No More Tears"
Pantera - "Cemetery Gates" (both)

And thousands more. 

[Kram]

In no specific order - and also off the top of my head

Paul Gilbert - The Door (Neal Morse song)
Guthrie Govan - Drive Home (Steven Wilson song)
Guthrie Govan - Ancestral (Steven Wilson song)
John Petrucci - Voices
Prince - Purple Rain (live version)
Steve Vai - For the Love of God

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Here are five favorites from the past decade:

Alter Bridge - "Bleed It Dry" (Mark Tremonti)
Intervals - "Epiphany" (David Maxim Micic guest solo)
Jeff Loomis - "Continuum Drift" (Chris Poland guest solo)
David Maxim Micic - "Stardust" (Plini guest solo)
Tedeschi Trucks Band - "Midnight In Harlem" (Derek Trucks)

And here are five that no one ever talks about but are awesome:

Amoral - "Bleeder" (Ben Varon)
Guardian - "Shoeshine Johnny" (Tony Palacios)
King's X - "Life Going By" (Ty Tabor)
Niacin - "Things Ain't Like They Used To Be" (Steve Lukather)
Nightingale - "Trial and Error" (Dag Swano)

[TAC]

Off the top of my head..

Michael Schenker-
Rock Bottom (Strangers Version)
Time On My Hands

Gary Moore-
Cold Hearted
Parisienne Walkways (any latter career live version)

John Petrucci-
Space Dye Vest-(the actual live version from Boston. I feel this was touched up/redone for the album)

Randy Rhoads-
Mr. Crowley

Yngwie Malmsteen-
Jet To Jet

[ProfessorPeart]

I couldn't even begin to come up with 5. I can name my all-time favorite solo and it is from someone you would not expect. Heck, it's from someone I never expected.

Alan Morse on the Spock's Beard track 'She Is Everything' from the Octane record. That solo is so gut-wrenching. The way he makes the guitar weep is just amazing. I have no idea how Al ever came up with it, but it is his masterpiece.

[TAC]

Another great Gary Moore solo is While My Guitar Gently Weeps from George Harrison's Royal Albert Hall show. Even George is blown away. There's bootleg footage on youtube.

[Dave_Manchester]

1. Eric Johnson - Lonely in the Night
2. David Gilmour - Dogs
3. Mark Knopfler - Tunnel of Love
4. John Petrucci - The Best of Times
5. Steve Vai - Windows to the Soul

[Elite]

I couldn't even begin to come up with 5. I can name my all-time favorite solo and it is from someone you would not expect. Heck, it's from someone I never expected.

Alan Morse on the Spock's Beard track 'She Is Everything' from the Octane record. That solo is so gut-wrenching. The way he makes the guitar weep is just amazing. I have no idea how Al ever came up with it, but it is his masterpiece.

Well, that's one that would be on my short-list as well.. Seeing him do it live was amazing.

[TAC]

I couldn't even begin to come up with 5. I can name my all-time favorite solo and it is from someone you would not expect. Heck, it's from someone I never expected.

Alan Morse on the Spock's Beard track 'She Is Everything' from the Octane record. That solo is so gut-wrenching. The way he makes the guitar weep is just amazing. I have no idea how Al ever came up with it, but it is his masterpiece.

If it's so good, how come nobody sent it to me?

Well, that's one that would be on my short-list as well.. Seeing him do it live was amazing.

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Second, in trying to pick JP's "best," it is almost an embarrassment of riches type of situation.  There is just so much awesome playing to choose from that it can be hard to pick some stand-out "bests."

This is the case with a number of players, my best case being Per Nilsson.  Almost every solo he does in any project he's in is so uniformly great there isn't "the one" solo that stands out. 

[HOF]

I couldn't even begin to come up with 5. I can name my all-time favorite solo and it is from someone you would not expect. Heck, it's from someone I never expected.

Alan Morse on the Spock's Beard track 'She Is Everything' from the Octane record. That solo is so gut-wrenching. The way he makes the guitar weep is just amazing. I have no idea how Al ever came up with it, but it is his masterpiece.

Well, that's one that would be on my short-list as well.. Seeing him do it live was amazing.

If it's so good, how come nobody sent it to me?

That one is from post-Neal Morse Spock’s Beard. I don’t know that you would like the song anyway, but the solo is tremendous.

[TAC]

OK Gotcha. Maybe after the round, someone can remind me.

[Architeuthis]

I couldn't even begin to come up with 5. I can name my all-time favorite solo and it is from someone you would not expect. Heck, it's from someone I never expected.

Alan Morse on the Spock's Beard track 'She Is Everything' from the Octane record. That solo is so gut-wrenching. The way he makes the guitar weep is just amazing. I have no idea how Al ever came up with it, but it is his masterpiece.

Well, that's one that would be on my short-list as well.. Seeing him do it live was amazing.

If it's so good, how come nobody sent it to me?

That one is from post-Neal Morse Spock’s Beard. I don’t know that you would like the song anyway, but the solo is tremendous.

That is actually a really cool song, I would have never listened to it if it wasn't for the posts in this thread.  Thanks for pointing this song out, and the solo is good! 
Is the rest of that album good??

[Learning2Live]

1.  Paul Gilbert:  Main solo in the Upon the Door section of The Door from Neal's Morse's Sola Scriptura.

That's what I came here to post. It's on whole other level to any other solo for me.

JP has so many great ones to pick from (Voices, Lie, Lines In The Sand, Trial Of Tears, Home, In The Name Of God, Breaking All Illusions....and on and on and on), and I also love Randy Rhoads in Mr Crowley.

[HOF]

I couldn't even begin to come up with 5. I can name my all-time favorite solo and it is from someone you would not expect. Heck, it's from someone I never expected.

Alan Morse on the Spock's Beard track 'She Is Everything' from the Octane record. That solo is so gut-wrenching. The way he makes the guitar weep is just amazing. I have no idea how Al ever came up with it, but it is his masterpiece.

Well, that's one that would be on my short-list as well.. Seeing him do it live was amazing.

If it's so good, how come nobody sent it to me?

That one is from post-Neal Morse Spock’s Beard. I don’t know that you would like the song anyway, but the solo is tremendous.

That is actually a really cool song, I would have never listened to it if it wasn't for the posts in this thread.  Thanks for pointing this song out, and the solo is good! 
Is the rest of that album good??

I’d say that song is a definite highlight of the album, which is a bit hit or miss. It’s part of a longer epic piece that is pretty good though. The other track I really love from that album is Watching the Tide, which is a totally different vibe but a great vocal performance by Nick D’Virgilio.

[bosk1]

Ozzy Osbourne - "No More Tears"

Meant to include that one and just forgot.

[ProfessorPeart]

I couldn't even begin to come up with 5. I can name my all-time favorite solo and it is from someone you would not expect. Heck, it's from someone I never expected.

Alan Morse on the Spock's Beard track 'She Is Everything' from the Octane record. That solo is so gut-wrenching. The way he makes the guitar weep is just amazing. I have no idea how Al ever came up with it, but it is his masterpiece.

Well, that's one that would be on my short-list as well.. Seeing him do it live was amazing.

If it's so good, how come nobody sent it to me?

That one is from post-Neal Morse Spock’s Beard. I don’t know that you would like the song anyway, but the solo is tremendous.

That is actually a really cool song, I would have never listened to it if it wasn't for the posts in this thread.  Thanks for pointing this song out, and the solo is good! 
Is the rest of that album good??

I’d say that song is a definite highlight of the album, which is a bit hit or miss. It’s part of a longer epic piece that is pretty good though. The other track I really love from that album is Watching the Tide, which is a totally different vibe but a great vocal performance by Nick D’Virgilio.

Quote pyramid.

Anyway, She Is Everything is part of the suite titled 'A Flash Before My Eyes' that opens the album. It's a 7 track suite. Essentially, it opens with the protagonist getting slammed by a truck in his car and as he lay dying, his relives his life through the sections of the suite. She Is Everything (track 4) is him focusing on his wife (it's also probably my favorite NDV era track). Then Al just brings it. I swear I cried the first time I heard that solo. I listened to the suite a few days ago and it still moves me immensely.

It's not like a typical suite that flows together. It is standalone songs, mostly.

[wolfking]

I don't know how on earth I could answer this question.

[wolfking]

I'll put down two that I think wouldn't budge from the top 5.

Glenn Tipton - Beyond the Realms of Death.

One of the most if not the most perfectly executed and well written guitar solos which takes you on its own journey inside a journey.  Glenn builds the solo in such a way that is seamless, inspired and just masterful.  Everything about this solo is just perfect.


Gary Moore - Empty Rooms (live in Stockholm 87)

I'm talking about the outro solo here.  This is possibly the greatest live 3-4 minutes of lead guitar soloing ever captured, that I've heard anyway.  Gary was an extraordinary improviser and it shows here.  Again, the subtle notes in the beginning just cry and ache and he builds this in a way I've never heard before.  He adds masterful sustained bends, subtle whammy bar vibrato and throws some shred in there at the perfect times.  The climax here is top astonishing.

[jingle.boy]

Just five... I'm sure all of us could fire off 50!

I'm just gonna rifle off the first 5 that come to mind. No particular order...

Seems like a good place to start (though I had to include a 6th):

Neal Schon - In The Hands of Time (Hardline)
Richie Samboro - Wanted Dead or Alive (Bon Jovi)
Alex Lifeson - The Garden (Rush)
Steve Vai - Sailing Ships (Whitesnake)
Pete Lesperance - New Horizons (Lord)
Peter Degenfeld - Where the Earth and Sky Meet (Beyond the Bridge)

As Steve Rodgers said, "I could do this all day".

[King Postwhore]

Alex Lifeson - Mission Outro, Big Money
Alan Morse - She is Everything
John Petrucci - Octavarium Razor's Edge
Guthrie Govan - Drive Home
John Mitchell - Black Light Machine (second solo)

[ronnibran]

Eric Gillette on Neal Morse "The Glory of the Lord"
Guthrie Govan on Ayreon "The Dream Dissolves"
John Petrucci on "Breaking all Illusions"
Ted Nugent "Stranglehold"
Brad Gillis/Jeff Watson (not sure maybe they both contribute to it) on Night Ranger "You Can Still Rock in America"

[KevShmev]

I'll put down two that I think wouldn't budge from the top 5.

Glenn Tipton - Beyond the Realms of Death.

One of the most if not the most perfectly executed and well written guitar solos which takes you on its own journey inside a journey.  Glenn builds the solo in such a way that is seamless, inspired and just masterful.  Everything about this solo is just perfect.

Agreed!  Like others, I could list about 3,933 solos, but here are five that are coming to mind this morning (only one per player to keep it fair, otherwise I could just Gilmour and Lifeson solos all day ):

Glenn Tipton - Beyond the Realms of Death (Judas Priest)
David Gilmour - Time (Pink Floyd)
Roine Stolt - All You Can Save (The Flower Kings)
Alex Lifeson - 2112: Presentation (Rush)
John Petrucci - Voices (Dream Theater)

[LudwigVan]

Not gonna get more old school than this.

Jimmy Page - Good Times Bad Times
Jimmy Page - Stairway to Heaven
Dave Murray/ Adrian Smith - Aces High
Randy Rhoads- Mister Crowley
David Gilmour - Comfortably Numb
Dickey Betts/ Duane Allman - Blue sky
Martin Barre - Aqualung
Steve Hackett - Firth of fifth

[Lonk]

Hard to pick, but just thinking of the top of my head:

Neal Schon - I'll Be Alright Without You (Journey)
John Petrucci - Lines in the Sand (Dream Theater)
Glenn Tipton - Painkiller (Judas Priest)
David Gilmour - Have a Cigar (Pink Floyd)
Marty Friedman - Tornado of Souls (Megadeth)

[LithoJazzoSphere]

Not gonna get more old school than this.

Until somebody starts breaking out Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, Muddy Waters, T-Bone Walker, and Chuck Berry. 

Neal Schon - I'll Be Alright Without You (Journey)

That one is often overlooked, but it's another favorite of mine. 

[TheBarstoolWarrior]

Here is my very 80-90s guitar virtuoso biased list:

Bad Horsie (Steve Vai - could easily have swapped this with Blue Powder, Windows to the Soul, FTLOG, and a half dozen other Vai solos)
Best of Times (JP - Breaking All Illusions is right up there with this...and so is the G3 version of Glasgow Kiss)
The Forgotten Pt. II (Joe Satriani)
Technical Difficulties - Paul Gilbert
Rainbow in the Dark - Vivian Campbell
SIN (2nd solo in the song by Zakk Wylde, but really could be any solo from the No More Tears album since every single one is awesome)