Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway To Heaven' Voted Best Guitar Solo Ever

GigWise ^ | 3-26-2006

[Cagey]

Led Zeppelin’s classic ‘Stairway to Heaven’ has been voted the best guitar solo of all time.

The rock behemoth fought off competition from Van Hallen’s ‘Eruption’ and Guns n Roses’ ‘Paradise City’ which were number two and three respectively.

The list was based on 2,000 votes in a poll conducted by Total Guitar magazine.

Magazine editor Stephen Lawson said: "Everyone loves to play air guitar when they hear the moment in a song where the guitarist rocks out."

The full Top 10 is as follows:

1. Led Zeppelin – ‘Stairway to Heaven’
2. Van Halen – ‘Eruption’
3. Guns N' Roses – ‘Paradise City’
4. The Eagles – ‘Hotel California‘
5. Metallica – ‘Enter Sandman’
6. Cream – ‘Crossroads’
7. Jimi Hendrix – ‘Voodoo Child’
8. Ozzy Osbourne – ‘Crazy Train’
9. Free – ‘All Right Now’
10. Queen – ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’

[Yardstick]

Lotta great Page solos to choose from, but I'd probably put "Since I've Been Loving You" (Zep 3) at the top.

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Yep, that's a good one.

My theory is that to be a great rock guitarist you have to be a good blues guitarist first. All the great players -- Hendrix, Clapton, Page, Beck, probably Van Halen too -- could play a convincing solo over a traditional blues progression. After all, they all learned to play by listening to the old blues guys like Albert King and Otish Rush and Buddy Guy. Page tears his way through the Since I've Been Loving You solo so gut-wrenchingly because he's well grounded in the blues and knows how to wring every last ounce of juice from the solo, just like his blues heros did.

Later generations of rock guitarists, on the other hand, learned to play not by listening to the original blues players, but by listening to the guys *who listened* to the original blues players. Rather than listen to Buddy Guy they'd listen to Jimi Hendrix. So there was an extra degree of separation between the later generations and the founding generation of blues players. They got their blues second hand, recycled as rock licks. I think that's when the quality began to slip in rock guitar playing.

Incidentally, I think that's one reason Stevie Ray Vaughn made such a splash. Here he was in the late 80's, at a time when most guitarists were detatched from their blues roots, and he was totally rooted in the blues. He didn't learn guitar by copping Cream or Led Zeppelin licks. He learned by listening to Albert King.

What's interesting is that SRV's blues technique worked great not just in pure blues songs but in rock songs as well. Just listen to his stuff with David Bowie. And so I come by to the idea that learning blues is the best way of equipping oneself to play interesting rock.

Of course, these days rock guitar is practically dead -- and not surprisingly if you asked a young guitar player to name his favorite blues guys he'd probably stumble around for a name.

[Supernatural]

I saw Roy live five times. I was in shock when he died for months.

He did all the stuff with no gadgets simply by working the volume control and manipulating the strings. He played off the frets, one hand while drinking a beer, you name it.

I like "Green Onions" a lot where Roy and Steve Cropper trade solo after solo. "Ramon's Blues" is great on "Loading Zone" too.

[RightOnline]

Great choice.......but what about "Train Train" (Ricky Medlock of Blackfoot; phenomenal performance)...."Flying High Again" (Randy Rhodes)......or damned near anything by Gary Moore or Frank Marino, ferchrissakes............

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

The kids that compiled this "list", evidently never heard of that little tune by the Amboy Dukes.

~pffffft~

[Supernatural]

My favorite Ted Nugent and the Amboy Dukes tunes are Migration and Scottish Tea, both instumentals.

And I saw him do them both live in 1972. Journey to the Center of the Mind too.

[bondserv]

I agree. Alex Lifeson and David Gilmour were cut from the same cloth. Underrated.

[RightOnline]

EXCELLENT choices........but my favorite Vinny Moore number HAS to be "Meltdown".

It will do just that to your speakers, too........

[garv]

Great post. I've been sitting here thinking that Clapton/Allman's Key to the Highway should be on the list, but there are probably half a dozen versions by straight Blues players that could be as well.

My nomination to the list is the short but excellent Pete Townshend solo in Pure and Easy.

[Poser]

"I saw Roy live five times. I was in shock when he died for months. He did all the stuff with no gadgets simply by working the volume control and manipulating the strings. He played off the frets, one hand while drinking a beer, you name it."

I only saw him twice. The most memorable moment was the beginning of the concert I saw in a small (300 seats) room.

The band started playing a slow blues background. Roy came out, wearing plad pants, a polyester shirt and a plaid hat. He picked up his guitar and lit a cigarette while the band continued to play. He smoked about half of the cigarette while the crowd went wild. Then he stuck the cigarette into the strings in the head and started ripping an incredible high-speed solo for about 40 seconds.

He stopped abruptly after 32 bars and took his cigarette out of the strings and proceeded to finish it before he played another note. The crowd was apoplectic.

I think Roy chose not to be a rock star. He seemed at ease in the smaller room with a 4 piece band and a little less volume. I recall at least one Eric Clapton album that was dedicated to Roy. As far as I'm concerned, Roy Buchanan was the best electric blues guitarist who ever lived, followed closely by Johnny Winter and a whole bunch of close thirds.

[Supernatural]

Roy was THE MAN! He loved to stick that cigarette in the strings on the head of the guitar. And drink beer while he was playing.

Johnny Winters: "Too Much Seconal" from the Still Alive and Well album.

[Supernatural]

"There's No Way Out of Here" by David Gilmore off of his solo album titled "David Gilmore".

[bondserv]

Gikmour's new album has some great work as well.

[Supernatural]

ALL albums Gilmore plays on have some great work on them.

I didn't even know he had a new album out. What's the name of it?

[bondserv]

On An Island

[Yardstick]

Clapton/Allman's Key to the Highway should be on the list

You're right, great playing on that one (and I love Clapton's scraggly strat tone -- it's perfect).

My nomination to the list is the short but excellent Pete Townshend solo in Pure and Easy.

Hmm. I don't recall that that one right off hand.

But speaking of great solos by English guitarists, check out Richard Thompson's solo on the song Hard On Me, dowloadable for free here (just scroll down a little and click the musical notes below the song title).

I don't know of anyone that sounds quite like him.

[WhiteGuy]

No Stevie Ray Vaughan?

This "vote" must have been counted by diebold.

[stainlessbanner]

Good choice with Medlock. Hughie Thomason could easily make the list, too (Outlaws). No mention of Warren Haynes!?!

[bondserv]

Watch the video on the website.

[Supernatural]

Thanks for the link. Even samples of the songs there.

[dfwgator]

My nomination to the list is the short but excellent Pete Townshend solo in Pure and Easy.

My favorite Townshend work was "Young Man Blues" on Live at Leeds.