Non-Metal Songs With AWESOME Guitar Solos

What non-metal songs (any genre) can you name that have memorable, very tasty guitar solos?    

There are some obvious ones that are big show-stoppers (Beat It, Freebird, All Right Now, November Rain, Hotel California, Sultans Of Swing, Time, Maniac, etc.) which are fair game to list, but see how many others you can come up with.

Here are a few that I think are awesome.  Most are in the pop / rock genre.  Feel free to list any of these yourself if you also like them:

1.  Quarterflash - Harden My Heart

2.  Steely Dan - Peg, Reelin' In The Years

3.  Eddie Money - Shakin',  Two Tickets To Paradise

4.  Natalie Merchant - Carnival

5.  Squeeze - Pulling Mussels From A Shell

6.  Bryan Adams - Cuts Like A Knife

7.  Alannah Myles - Black Velvet

8.  The Cars - Candy O

9.  Journey - Who's Cryin' Now, Separate Ways

10. Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower

11.  Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps

12.  The Police - Driven To Tears

13.  Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

14.  Bob Seeger - Her Strut

15.  Henry Paul Band - Grey Ghost

16.  38 Special - Hold On Loosely

17.  Isley Brothers - Who's That Lady

18.  Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper

19.  ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin'

20.  Alans Parsons Project - I Wouldn't Want To be Like You, Games People Play

Dirty Laundry - Don Henley (Steve Lukather)

Sounds - Phil Keaggy

I could list a million more, since most the guitar solos on 'best of' lists are non-metal.

Michael W Smith - Secret Ambition

David Meece - When I was Seventeen

If I remember right early DC Talk had some good guitar work.

Billy Idol- rebel yell (and also white wedding)

Heart has a few songs with some great guitar solos(Magic man, barracuda, if looks could kill. For example)

Loverboy has a number of cool solos in songs too.

Michael Jackson had several songs w/some pretty killer guitar solos

Irene Cara-Fame

Foreigner - Hot Blooded

Prince had some pretty killer solos in a few of his songs

classic rock is loaded with godly guitar solos

Here are some solos I like. To me, a solo doesn’t necessarily have to be flashy... I like well placed notes and feeling too. 


The Power Station - Some Like it Hot

Yes - Owner of a Broken Heart (very unique!)

David Bowie - China Girl & Let’s Dance (both Stevie Ray Vaughan)

Billy Idol - Rebel Yell

Toto - Hold the Line

Journey - Send Her My Love & Anyway You Want It

Cutting Crew - I Just Died in Your Arms

TZ75 wrote:Here are some solos I like. To me, a solo doesn’t necessarily have to be flashy... I like well placed notes and feeling too. 


The Power Station - Some Like it Hot

Yes - Owner of a Broken Heart (very unique!)

David Bowie - China Girl & Let’s Dance (both Stevie Ray Vaughan)

Billy Idol - Rebel Yell

Toto - Hold the Line

Journey - Send Her My Love & Anyway You Want It

Cutting Crew - I Just Died in Your Arms

I mentioned rebel yell too above.
Love that solo, it slays everytime I hear it!

Rebel Yell is one of those rock songs that could easily be translated to metal. Several bands have attempted it, but I still haven’t heard anyone do it right.

Damn Yankees - Rock City

Night Ranger - Don’t Tell Me You Love Me

ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin

AC/DC - Shake A Leg

Al Stewart - Year Of The Cat
Al Stewart - On The Border

Constantine wrote:
19.  ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin'

TZ75 wrote:
ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin

 on the same wavelength.

La Grange is #1 though, unless there's some deep track I'm not familiar with.

Personally, my favorite solo breaks of all time are Great White "Congo Square," Thin Lizzy "Emerald" and Tesla "Don't De-Rock Me." The former is pure class and feel. The middle Thin Lizzy track is legendary in my life. The latter song isn't one of Tesla's best but what a break in the middle! Such a talented band.

WildWorld wrote:Irene Cara-Fame

She did the Flash dance song too.

I like Buck rogers guitar melody and lead.  I think also the greatest American hero.

Black Crowes - Hard To Handle

Candlebox - Far Behind

Pink Floyd - Time

Golden Earring - Twilight Zone

Santana - Smooth

Santana - She's Not There (Zombies cover)

G 'N R - November Rain

Yeah, Phil Keaggy has a ton.

- Salvation Army Band, album and looper versions
- Strong Tower, album and looper versions
- John the Revelator
- Play Thru Me
- Time 


Solo: 3:48


Solo: 2:50


Solos: 3:25

Here's a few:

- Amaran's Plight - Shattered Dreams (progressive rock)
- Visual Cliff - All Things New (progressive rock)
- Glass Hammer - So Close, So Far (progressive rock)
- Affector - Overture Pt. 2 Prologue (progressive rock)

Freddy Jones Band - In A Daydream
Freddy Jones Band - Texas Skies

Michael Jackson - Beat It
Weird Al Yankovic - Eat It
Janet Jackson - Black Cat

Cool to see a Glass Hammer mention. You could list tons of prog songs with great guitar solos.

Garth Brooks - "Shameless"
Clint Black - "Summer's Comin'"

The Jacksons-Torture