Favorite Rock Riffs of All Time
Scott Kirwin
Riff: A short, repeated, memorable musical phrase, often pitched low on the guitar, which focuses much of the energy and excitement of a rock song. - Rikky Rooksby
I like all kinds of music, but growing up in the midwest during the 1970s listening to album rock has left me with a lifelong appreciation for electric guitar rock. Even though my musical tastes have evolved and broadened to cover everything from African to Zydeco, there are times when I'll hear the riffs from one of these songs that I can't resist blasting my car stereo like a teenager.
Barracuda by Heart is now used in, of all things, a commercial for a minivan (the commercial got me started thinking about this post).
Van Halen has two of the greatest rock riffs: You Really Got Me, and Runnin with the Devil No surprise considering who the guitarist is.
Rush - Working Man. Rush. You either love them or you hate them. Working Man was their first big hit in the US, and probably their most straightforward, non-artsy, rock song. Ever debate Rush vs. Led Zeppelin? I have. Call it white trash Crossfire or Point/Counterpoint.
U2 - I Will Follow. The Edge is up there with some of the greatest guitarists of the late 20th century, and the opening riff to this song sets the level of energy for the rest of the song. U2 has always been a bit preachy, but in my opinion their best work also tends to be their simplest.
ACDC - Back In Black. I love AC/DC for the same reason I love Mel Brooks movies: the art may not be the most intellectually stimulating, but so what! They're both a lot of fun.
Rolling Stones - Satisfaction. This song has been forever "corrupted" by the river rat scene in Apocalypse Now. However, I like that movie and in my view the scene just adds to the power of the song. From the very first note, you know you are on a sinister ride. The song has suffered from being overplayed, although not nearly as much as Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven, a song I can no longer listen to.
The Cult - Rain. The Cult is a band out of the UK that never achieved much success on this side of the pond. In fact I remember seeing one of their songs clear a dance floor in a trendy club in Chicago in October 1985. However after the Trendy Gods deemed the band "cool," that same song crowded the floor within a few weeks. It seems stupid now, but when you're 18 there's little that you know or think you know that doesn't turn out later to be stupid.
I'm not a guitar player but I still appreciate a good riff - whether it's Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" or the Sex Pistol's pulse pounding opening to Anarchy in the UK.
Got any favorite riffs?
Dave Price Adds: I'd never heard of The Cult before a few months ago, but after stumbling across a few of their songs they're suddenly one of my favorites. Breathe (how can you not love a song with lyrics like "55,000 flowers for the hero, scattered at his feet to satisfy his ego"), Shape The Sky, Speed Of Light, Sanctuary, Take The Power, American Horse, all rifftastic classics imho.
I associate that riff with drums.
My husband is a guitarist, and I asked him what his favorite riffs are: Bill Nelson/Be Bop Deluxe, "Crying to the Sky" and "Swan Song" (I agree w/both). Also, Queen's Brian May, "Stone Cold Crazy."
There are many, many others...
Definitely without a doubt one of the best riffs of all-time. I forgot that one.
And please, please not to forget:
Hotel California.
So what's a riff, already ?
I hated it when the guys across the hall played it in college, but it's one of those songs that just can't be denied. Although that might be more a hook than a riff.
Another killer riff is Living Colour's Cult of Personality. Vernon Reid is definitely one of the greatest rhythm guitarists ever.
And I think Led Zeppelin and Rush and the Stones have done far better and far more interesting riffs than you mentioned, but that's just me.
I like the BOC riffs, Hotel California, some by Kansas, Styx, Steely Dan, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Roy Orbison, (a lot of Blues guitarists are excellent, untouchable really - Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker), Pink Floyd was the master of the extended concept album riff (Welcome to the Machine), Werewolf of London, the Moody Blues, Bad Company, Neil Young (certainly), ELO, Cheap Trix, Grand Funk, REO Speedwagon, Yes (of course, like no other), Stanley Jordan, Dan Fogelberg, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimi Hendrix, Cream, the Who, America, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, Peter Frampton, Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh, Golden Earring, American Woman, (of course I'm mixing songs and artists who have produced numerous good riffs), etc.
I think though that about the one guitar riff I can listen to when I'm in practically any mood, happy, melancholy, pensive, alert, daydreaming, peaceful, etc. is "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." But nearly all of Abbey Road should qualify as well. As a matter of fact it should be in a class by itself.
From the 80s I like The Romantics' "What I Like About You"
I'll agree to disagree with Jack G on AC/DC, as every other band on his list covers my selections pretty well.
And cardeblu nails it with "Long Time"
And yes, The Cult is a great band. Been a fan for years. So in honor of them, I'll nominate "Star" in the great riffs contest.
Hey, you just reminded me of a more recent example. Shinedown's "Fly From The Inside"
Great riff.
I actually looked for a good Sun King video but couldn't find one. The riff at the beginning of the album version of the song, as well as in the chorus, well it just puts me in My Happy Place - what more can I say?
The Cult in my opinion is one of the most underrated bands of all time. Alot of bands that I like are. While the pop charts in the US were topped by George Michael and Klymaxx, bands like the Cult were producing some of the best rock music of the era.
Congratulations on your discovery, Dave.
"Babybaby ba-ba-ba-baby ba-ba-ba-baby"
In a song about B-52 bombers...
I am still partial to "Smoke on the Water." "Cult of Personality" is another great one. Also "Safe European Home" from the Clash's unjustly maligned Give 'Em Enough Rope--and while we're on the Clash, how about "Spanish Bombs" from London Calling or "Police On My Back" from Sandinista!,aka Give 'Em Enough Vinyl ;-).
Next, let us turn to Minneapolis for Soul Asylum's "Sometime to Return" and Sugar's two brilliant singles, "If I Can't Change Your Mind" and "Helpless."
Finally, and if anyone else on this board has ever heard this I'll be amazed, the brain-pureeing goodness of "Bye Bye Baby," by Cleveland band The Wombats circa 1984, from their album Zontar Must Die!
Of course we all lose our tempers now and then. Dean freely admits to being imperfect in this regard, which is why regulars to this establishment will generally be cut more slack than people who we don't know very well.
Still: behave like an adult, or go find somewhere else to play. Thanks.