!

I would put these Beatles songs either higher or on the list. On a whole I think it's a very good list.

I would have "You Can't To That". I think this review of the song is interesting. “You Can't Do That" as rock critic Lester Bangs not always kind to the Beatles by the way wrote years later), "built on one of the bitterest and most iron-indestructible riffs ever conceived"

Also guitar riff I think it was an important step in the Beatles own style of guitar rock especially the use of the introductory 12 string jangled styled guitar riff which you hear later on "Ticket To Ride". A number of Byrds tracks start off this way also and janlge pop songs also. Also on a whole that style of guitar riff 12 string or 6 string appears at the beginning of the song played only by the guitar, after which the rest of the band kicks in to play the remainder of the song. The riff then becomes the prominent, identifiable feature of the song as its’ repeated throughout or in strategic places of the song “I Feel Fine,” “Ticket To Ride,” “Day Tripper,” “If I Needed Someone,” and “I Want To Tell You". I'm sure this was done way before in rock and roll but it seems that style of guitar riff or style was popular in the mid 60's The Rolling Stones ("Satisfaction” and “The Last Time”), The Yardbirds ("Heart Full Of Soul"), Paul Revere and The Raiders (“Kicks”) and The Monkees (“Pleasant Valley Sunday”).


"I Want You "She's So Heavy". The heavy circular guitar riff on this track has become like a staple in rock music. Listen to the song "Eclipse", the last track on Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" album, you can hear the unmistakable similarity to "I Want You She’s Heavy” outro progression. The end definitely makes me think of proto-Black Sabbath also. If you listen to what Eddie Van Halen “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)"

“Those monster riffs seem to go on forever and then suddenly drop you off a cliff”


"Taxman" is like post-punk guitar riff Jam "Start" for example, with it's staccato, slashing guitar lines; pronounced wobbly bass tone. Also the pronounced use of the distorted Hendrix chord actually pre-dates his own use though he knew about the chord a for a long time. I wonder if Hendrix was influenced by the track. I wouldn't be suprised

Come as You Are is a terrific song, but the riff in this case wasn't entirely Cobain's creation, he lifted it from a Killing Joke song. Oh and it's fucking awesome.



It's basically the same riff, Cobain just slowed it down and played it a few pitches lower, Cobain himself was wary about releasing Come as You Are as a single for this reason. Grohl even drummed on one of their albums as a sign of grattitude.

Not saying Come As You Are shouldn't be on the list of course, it's still a great riff and obviously the most recognisable version.

Cobain actually confirmed and admitted that he stole the riff from Killing Joke. That was the only reason Killing Joke didn't sue.

Hocus Pocus

I can see it top 50 at least especially after the Nike advert made it just about the most popular rift on the planet for a while !!

I really dont care for lists at all , but I certainly rank the entire song (especially the 73 live version ) as one of the best guitar songs I've heard ....

You have excellent taste my friend. For me, that indeed is the best guitar clip on YT.

I bought a 30 DVD box set of the 'Midnight Special' TV series where that clip comes from, just to get the Focus clip and a couple of Steely Dan performances. (There was plenty of other amazing material as well)

I again have teh complaint that his guitar always sounds too faint .... I mean in that clip , had his guitar sound not been drowned by that huge bass and drum sound, think it would have shone through even better.... its always the case in a lot of the videos that i have watched of his live, its always at a lesser volume than the other instruments, which is really frustrating ...

my favorite video as far as his guitar playing goes is this 10 and a half minute version of streetwalker .... absolutely fantastic ...

That whole DVD is excellent - It has 2 concerts on it - 1 acoustic and 1 electric - I can heartily recommend it

Nothing to do with riffs but try this one - One of Jans most emotive pieces called Prima Donna - I love the way the layers build. From the album 'Noise of Art' which I can send if you wish


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q6gti_O0n4&feature=related

I thought it was because of his death.

It might have also had something to do with accusations that Killing Joke themselves stole the riff from a Damned song called Life Goes On, but they claimed to have never heard it. And while they sound rather similar it's not the same chord progression and can really be attributed to coincidence, while the connection between Eighties and Come as You Are are uncanny.

I think it's wise that they decided not to sue since they might have been accused of being hypocrites, and also because Cobain never denied when he lifted ideas from other songs. Nirvana helped get a lot of younger people into more obscure bands simply by namedropping them as influences.

Cinnamon Girl needs to be higher. It's possibly NY's most covered song, and the riff is iconic. Neil pretty much invented grunge with that riff, there and then in 1969.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQl1aG93Tuw now this is a riff .... Take care

Hmmm, I think I Feel Fine is just as monumental a riff as Day Tripper.
I much prefer DT as a song though.