Greatest Elvis guitar riff!!

Axe, I agree about "Hound Dog", although for years this song was so worn out for me. I had to give it a rest. Like Hendrix, you sort of have
to rest such songs and then come back to them later to here them
"fresh." (It's a pity neither Elvis nor Hendrix had the real freedom
to deny their fans the songs they most wanted, as Elvis obviously
grew bored with it and Hendrix was said to be handcuffed by fan
demand for warhorse liked "Purple Haze" which he tired of quickly.

In reality, there are some blues songs that were
equally blistering
that pre-dated Hound Dog" (Elmore James' "Dust My Broom" from
the early '50s and B.B. King's "Please Love Me" that certainly
laid the ground work for later psychodelia, but , I agree: Moore
knocked it out of the park on that one! (The cool thing about
Hendix is that he liked both early rock and blues and tackled
all of 'em.)

Yes, the other songs mentioned are outstanding too. Jeff, I always
loved "Too Much" for its guitar. Elvis' fifties rock really meant
a lot to me when I was a kid.

Come to think of it: for a relatively mild song doesn't
"Anyplace Is Paradise" really rock the house too?!

Hank on "I Need Your Love Tonight", I guess.

My favourite isn't up there .... that would be, of course, Scotty on "King Creole".

Hound Dog's guitar riff is exceptional, one of the best and most recognizable in Rock music history, but the "Ah's " in the middle by the Jordanaires kinda ruins it for me...

Another bashing of the Jordanaires? Is this a trend, folks?

Greg, maybe u didn't comprehend my reply correctly...

I said, "...kinda ruins it for me..."

This does not imply that I am "Bashing" The Jords, or EVERYTIME I hear Hound Dog, that their "AH's" actually ruins the whole tune.

my comment also has nuthin' to do with me liking Elvis' vocal or Scotty's solo, which, by the way, are BOTH phenomenol.
It could simply be the mood I'm in when it ruins it for me, you dig?

don't assume...I love The Jordanaires!

Has to be Hound Dog. The solo starts with a killer bass run and then just takes off. That was probably Scotty's finest moment, but I also love the solos on Good Rockin' Tonight, Baby Let's Play House, Blue Suede Shoes and the overall contribution to Mystery Train.

Perhaps the Big Hunk O' Love solo should also have been in the poll. That was Hank right, not Scotty?

Yes, "Big Hunk of Love" is Garland, and you're right: how was that left
out? That takes the cake, too.

Mink, okay, I hear you on the Jords on HOUND DOG.

Actually, I find it kind of funny / cool that they are "ahhh"-ing
away while Scotty abuses the guitar!

Greg -

You wrote [about The Jords on Hound Dog]:

Actually, I find it kind of funny / cool that they are "ahhh"-ing" away while Scotty abuses the guitar!

You are right !

They make the perfect counterpoint to Scotty's tremendous guitar work on this classic.

Good point! Do any of the '69 Memphis tapes show when that
riff was being worked out?

I'd love to hear the very first run-through
on it.

Unfortunately no. Reggie Young already knew how to play the riff already since he first playd it on Mark Jame's original 1968 version of SM released on Scepter Records. If you have the Finding The Way Home import, you can hear Reggie Fiddling with the riff between takes of the song.

The very first-run through of SM by Elvis ends in a LFS as he misses a line and slips in a risque version of See See Rider.

Good point! Do any of the '69 Memphis tapes show when that
riff was being worked out?

I'd love to hear the very first run-through
on it.

Unfortunately no. Reggie Young already knew how to play the riff already since he first playd it on Mark Jame's original 1968 version of SM released on Scepter Records. If you have the Finding The Way Home import, you can hear Reggie Fiddling with the riff between takes of the song.

The very first-run through of SM by Elvis ends in a LFS as he misses a line and slips in a risque version of See See Rider.

It might have been pointed out here before, but the Gibson guitar used by Reggie on Suspicous Minds, once belonged to Scotty Moore and was used on early Elvis recordings.

I didn't know that about the guitar!

Yes, I have FINDING THE WAY HOME and now I remember that.

I'd like to hear the James original. What is that on?

I didn't know that about the guitar!

Yes, I have FINDING THE WAY HOME and now I remember that.

I'd like to hear the James original. What is that on?

I think it would be neat to have a lot of the demos of songs that Elvis eventually made into records.

I think LTB once reviewed a CD compilation of Elvis demos.

Alas, that thread is history.

How can anyone not mention the intro to Burning Love - it absolutely rocks!!!!!

How can anyone not mention the intro to Burning Love - it absolutely rocks!!!!!

because technically, it does not fit into the "Greatest Guitar riff" example!!!

maybe it should have said "SOLO"!?

the beginning opening strumming guitar chord of BURNING LOVE is not a riff!

Is it just me or does Hound Dog stick out as soon as you see the list! That solo is awesome. That is what I put down with this poll because I believe that was the aim. Otherwise there are really not that many great examples here. When I think of riff..I think of the structure of the song.

Chips morman got the guitar and had it up on the wall in the studio...then yer man young came in to do a session and saw the Guitar and played it a few times for fun then used it on some sessions etc.

I meet him after a show with the HIGHWAY MAN in Aberdeen...he was/is pure class...he said in an interview that when he when back to do the 73 stax session,that JB played most??? of the lead parts and he understood that,with JB been the main man etc.

Sure would have liked to hear any?? jam session with that 2 pickers.

Great contributions everyone. For the sake of completeness here are the choices that didn't make my original, hastily compiled list.

1. Baby I Don't Care – Scotty Moore
2. Baby What You Want Me To Do - Elvis
3. Merry Christmas, Baby – James Burton
4. Too Much - Scotty Moore
5. Blue Suede Shoes - Scotty Moore
6. Suspicous Minds – Reggie Young
7. Little Sister – Hank Garland
8. Promised Land - James Burton
9. What'd I say - James Burton
10. A Fool Such as I - Hank Garland
11. Baby Let's Play House - Scotty Moore
12. King Creole - Scotty Moore
13. Good Rockin' Tonight - Scotty Moore
14. Big Hunk O' Love - Hank Garland
15. Burning Love - James Burton

Any others deserve to be up there? Note how nothing much from the American Sound sessions springs to mind. 'Stranger in the Crowd' has a neat riff from James.

Great contributions everyone. For the sake of completeness here are the choices that didn't make my original, hastily compiled list.

1. Baby I Don't Care – Scotty Moore
2. Baby What You Want Me To Do - Elvis
3. Merry Christmas, Baby – James Burton
4. Too Much - Scotty Moore
5. Blue Suede Shoes - Scotty Moore
6. Suspicous Minds – Reggie Young
7. Little Sister – Hank Garland
8. Promised Land - James Burton
9. What'd I say - James Burton
10. A Fool Such as I - Hank Garland
11. Baby Let's Play House - Scotty Moore
12. King Creole - Scotty Moore
13. Good Rockin' Tonight - Scotty Moore
14. Big Hunk O' Love - Hank Garland
15. Burning Love - James Burton

Any others deserve to be up there? Note how nothing much from the American Sound sessions springs to mind. 'Stranger in the Crowd' has a neat riff from James.

Great list. The only issue may be Merry Christmas Baby, becasue in Tunzi's Sessions books, he notes that Eddie Hinton claimed he layed the solo on the song. It makes sense since the solo was recorded directly on to the 2-track master. I think this was done on June 21st or 22nd of 1971.

How can anyone not mention the intro to Burning Love - it absolutely rocks!!!!!

because technically, it does not fit into the "Greatest Guitar riff" example!!!

maybe it should have said "SOLO"!?

the beginning opening strumming guitar chord of BURNING LOVE is not a riff!

I know what John meant, but Mink is right about this and SUSPICIOUS
MINDS: it's a riff, not a solo.

Time for a new poll...

P.S. No "Amen's" for my pick of "Anyplace Is Paradise?!

Sheesh!

How can anyone not mention the intro to Burning Love - it absolutely rocks!!!!!

because technically, it does not fit into the "Greatest Guitar riff" example!!!

maybe it should have said "SOLO"!?

the beginning opening strumming guitar chord of BURNING LOVE is not a riff!

I know what John meant, but Mink is right about this and SUSPICIOUS
MINDS: it's a riff, not a solo.

Time for a new poll...

P.S. No "Amen's" for my pick of "Anyplace Is Paradise?!

Sheesh!

Anyplace is a pretty solid solo, buts its very reminscent of the solo in Too Much, though the latter is in the key of Ab, while Anyplace I believe is in A.

One of my favorite Scotty riffs is the one he placed on "My Baby Left Me." That was a killer track and should have the A-side follow up to Heartbreak Hotel - not I Want You, I Need You, I Love You.

I'd forgotten the Paradise/ TOO MUCH connection...or never thought
of it. The latter is more of a rocker to begin with, so on
Paradise , it really knocks you upside your head.

And you're right (speaking of singles and flipsides on another thread),
MY BABY LEFT ME was phenomenal. (Here's the 78 version:



I remember flipping the 45 over (my mom's copy) and loving
MY BABY LEFT ME.

That's a true desert island tune for me. I'll never tire of it.

I'd forgotten the Paradise/ TOO MUCH connection...or never thought
of it. The latter is more of a rocker to begin with, so on
Paradise , it really knocks you upside your head.

And you're right (speaking of singles and flipsides on another thread),
MY BABY LEFT ME was phenomenal. (Here's the 78 version:



I remember flipping the 45 over (my mom's copy) and loving
MY BABY LEFT ME.

That's a true desert island tune for me. I'll never tire of it.

Thanks for sharing the 78 photo. No worries about missing the Too Much/Paradise Connection.

My baby Left Me sounds great and is slightly longer on the 2005 reissue of Elvis Presley.

I'm Left You're Right She's Gone - Scotty Moore

Burning love, 1:37 into the song, I don`t know if it`s by James or John, but it`s really evident on 30#1 hits, superb

What about the solo in what'd I say Live 1969...Especially the editted version from the CD/LP Elvis greatest hits volume I ( in the UK it was released as The Sound Of your cry) Fantastic!

Yes that one is simply fantastic. JB just makes that guitar talk... stunning! I remember hearing it for the first time and thinking that no-one else could equal those energy levels. Elvis must have really been inspired by what James and the rest of the band did. The whole of that album (Sound Of Your Cry) just seemed to flow so well, esp side 1.

Great list. The only issue may be Merry Christmas Baby, becasue in Tunzi's Sessions books, he notes that Eddie Hinton claimed he layed the solo on the song. It makes sense since the solo was recorded directly on to the 2-track master. I think this was done on June 21st or 22nd of 1971.

Well Mike C, I know its taken a year and 5 months for someone to say this but the original form of Merry Christmas Baby is undubbed and has James Burton all over it.

Since we're discussion a really old poll I notice all the options are blues or upbeat. For me one of the all time best solos is James' dobro work during Funny How Time Slips Away.