4 Low-Key Brilliant Guitar Solos From 80s Classic Hits

What makes a great guitar solo? Certainly, showstopping technical precision, aka shredding, is part of the equation. But we’re also partial to the solos that get you from point A to point B without losing the plot of the rest of the song.

We looked back through the 80s to find guitar solos that fulfilled that brief. See if you remember them and agree with our choices.

“Gypsy” by Fleetwood Mac, Solo by Lindsey Buckingham

Lindsey Buckingham combined his dexterity as he glided over the frets with innovative studio techniques to become one of the most effective lead guitarists of his generation. Time and again, he served the song. Throughout most of “Gypsy”, Stevie Nicks’ wistful look back at her younger self, Buckingham mostly picks his way through a series of pinging notes that hang about in the margins. After the singing is mostly complete, Buckingham steps forward for an extended solo. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say solos, because it sounds like several parts tracked on top of each other. It creates a mesmerizing effect that keeps the bittersweet wonder of the lyrics intact.

“Overkill” by Men At Work, Solo by Colin Hay

Men At Work met with massive, instant success when their debut album, Business As Usual, churned out several singles. Lead singer and chief songwriter Colin Hay struggled a bit with all that sudden renown. It fed into the writing of “Overkill”, the lead single from Cargo, the band’s 1983 follow-up. Much of the instrumental attention in the song is steered towards Greg Ham’s saxophone, which sounds like it was pulled from a seedy film noir. But right after the second chorus, Hay tears into a strutting guitar solo. It covers a wide melodic range and captures some of the bluesier feelings to which the narrator confesses. And then it all leads back into Ham’s sax in seamless fashion.

“No More Lonely Nights” by Paul McCartney, Solo by David Gilmour

David Gilmour had a little bit of time on his hands circa 1984. Pink Floyd was on a bit of a hiatus as Roger Waters started to separate himself from the group. That left Gilmour open for session work here and there. And when you get a call from an ex-Beatle, you’re going to answer, even if you’re a part of one of the biggest groups in the world yourself. McCartney found himself knee-deep in making an ill-advised movie (Give My Regards To Broad Street) at the time. At least he put together a winner of a lead single in “No More Lonely Nights”. And he put lead guitar in great hands. Gilmour delivered a skyscraping solo that evokes the hopefulness of the narrator in his quest for romance.

“Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears For Fears, Solo by Roland Orzabal

For a moment, forget about the fact that Tears For Fears wrote a fantastic song in “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”. Instead, just focus on the recording, which doesn’t contain a moment that feels wasted or unnecessary. That’s certainly the case with the first guitar solo in the song, which is perpetrated by Roland Orzabal of the band. It comes at the end of an extended instrumental break that also includes a somber synth tune. Whereas the synths come off as sad and resigned, Orzabal’s guitar is fiery and cathartic, signifying a refusal to relent. Note also how it segues seamlessly into the return of the vocals and the angsty line, “I can’t stand this indecision.”

(Photo by Robin Platzer/IMAGES/Getty Images)

The post 4 Low-Key Brilliant Guitar Solos From 80s Classic Hits appeared first on American Songwriter.