What's your favorite RIFF?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Aaron Cheney
  • Start date Start date
Aaron Cheney

Aaron Cheney

Favorite Chord: C 6/9
Well, since the SOLO thread is doing so well, I figured I'd give this a try. What's your favorite opening riff? This, to me, is even harder than a solo. There are so many to choose from.
Here goes:

Money for Nothing - Mark Knoplfer
Lay it Down - Warren deMartini
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love or Panama - EVH

And all time champion:

Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) - Hendrix

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
In no particular order:

Mean Streets - Van Halen
Beating Around the Bush - AC/DC
Zero the Hero - Black Sabbath (which GnR completely ripped off for Paradise City)
Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
Let It Loose - Savage (version off of the Metalic-era)
Loud Love - Soundgarden
Gasoline - Paw
Voodoo - Black Sabbath
Bring it on Home - Led Zeppelin
Trooper - Iron Maiden
Custard Pie - Led Zeppelin
I Feel Fine - The Beatles
Hall of the Mountain King - Savatage
Be Quick or Be Dead - Iron Maiden
Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin
Where the River Goes - Stone Temple Pilots
Day Tripper - The Beatles
Bad Religion - Godsmack
Powerslave - Iron Maiden
Noose - Sentenced
Nobody's Fault but Mine - Led Zeppelin
 
Texas Twister - Little Feat
Roundabout - Yes

My 8 year old son's favorite is Thunderstruck by ACDC... :D
 
Great call, Cyrokk, on "Voodoo" and "Beating Around the Bush," and a tip o' the hat to you, Mr. Cheney, for "Lay It Down."

Man, so many good ones, so little time. But I'll take a rip at it:

"Princess of the Night" by Saxon
"Bloodstone" by Judas Priest
"China Cat Sunflower" by Grateful Dead
"Fairies Wear Boots" by Black Sabbath
"Man on the Silver Mountain" by Rainbow
"Great White Buffalo" (live version) by Ted Nugent
"Breathing Down Your Neck" by Malice
"Curse of the Pharoahs" by Mercyful Fate

These next few aren't technically opened with guitar, but close enough for me:

"I Want You (She's So Heavy)" by the Beatles
"Wrathchild" by Iron Maiden
"Heavy Metal" by Sammy Hagar
"Jump in the Fire" by Metallica
"Crazy Train" by Ozzy
 
In NO particular order:

Crazy Train-RR
Soldiers Under Command-Stryper
Panama-EVH
Highway To Hell-AC-DC
Strong Arm Of The Law-Saxon
Smoke On The Water-Deep Purple
Drop Dead Legs-EVH
Mean Streets-EVH
Paperback Writer-The Beatles
Saturday Night Special-Skynard
Beating The Odds-Molly Hatchet
Rock and Roll Aint Noise Pollution-AC-DC
Cold Sweat-Thin Lizzy
Espresso Love-Dire Staits
Firehouse-Kiss
Black Diamond-Kiss
All Right Now-Free
The Immigrant Song-Led Zep
D'yer Maker-Led Zep
Spirit In The Sky-Norman Greenbaum
Helter Skelter-The Beatles
 
I think I posted this in the other thread, but for OPENING leads my all time favorite is "Mississippi Queen" by Leslie West. It's not something that sets the world on fire especially by todays standards, but back in the days it made that tune!


bd
 
So many great riffs to choose from...

TNT - ACDC
She - Kiss
The Cowboy Song - Thin Lizzy
Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars) - REM
Just Got Paid - ZZ Top
Cinnamon Girl - Neil Young
Ticket to Ride - Beatles
Cynical Girl - Marshall Crenshaw
There She Goes - The La's
Oh Well - Fleetwood Mac
 
Favourite Opening Riff

Whole Lotta Love Led Zep.

And What's wrong with ...

(when it gets going )
Foxy Lady by my favourite Tranatlantic tinted cousin
Does " Jump " Count here ??
 
Spirit of Radio-RUSH
Detroit Rock City-Kiss
Crazy Train-Ozzy
Children of the Grave-Black Sabbath
Scit scat Wah-Racer-X
Mary had a Little Lamb-SRV
Surfing with the Alien-Joe Satriani
Edgar Winter-Frankenstein
Bark at the Moon-Ozzy
Ain't talking about Love-VH

Well, that off the top of my little head.


SoMm
 
Round and Round - Ratt
Panama - EVH
Welcome to the Jungle - G n R
Sweet Child o Mine - G n R
When I Come Around - GD
Calling On You - STryper
Degeneration X theme
Crazy Train - Randy
Wind Cries Mary - Jimi
Wnated Dead or Alive - Richie
Back in Black - ACDC
You Shook Me All Night Long - acdc

list too long :

best riff bands overall
Ratt
White Lion
Guns n Roses
AC DC
Van Halen
 
Man when you are talking about 80's riffage you gotta check out Stryper. Now I know some of their stuff is kinda poppy and you may not be a fan of the lyrics, but...their album SOLDIERS UNDER COMMAND is awesome. It has it all...riffs galore, harmony leads, trade off leads, whammy dive bombs, speed runs...the works. It just flat out rocks!!!
 
Forgot 2 of my all time favs:

Funk 49 - James Gang
Life's Been Good - Joe Walsh.
 
freshmattyp said:
Forgot 2 of my all time favs:

Funk 49 - James Gang
Life's Been Good - Joe Walsh.

You CANT forget ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAY!!!
 
Here's my Top 5:
5 - Earth Wind & Fire - Got to Get You Into My Life
4 - Skynyrd - I Know a Little
3 - Allman Bros. - Statesboro Blues
2 - Mark O'Connor (New Nashville Cats) - Restless
1 - Jeff Beck Group - Situation


the rest (from when riffage was king):
Les McCann & Eddie Harris - Compared to What
Band of Gypsys - Them Changes
LTD - Back in Love Again
Ohio Players - Skin Tight (cool, cool beat turnaround)
Rose Royce - Car Wash (also cool beat turnaround - rest of the song sucked)
Headhunters - Watermelon Man
Sly - If You Want Me to Stay
Trammps - Disco Inferno
Procol Harum - Whiskey Train
Wailers - Lively Up Yourself
Trower - Day of the Eagle
Mountain - Mississippi Queen
Stooges - 1969
Zappa - I'm the Slime
Blind Faith - Sea of Joy
Blind Faith - Had to Cry Today
Cream - Crossroads
Cream - Sunshine of Your Love
Robert Palmer - Every Kind of People
Steve Miller - The Gangster's Back
Stones - Shattered
Stones - Miss You
Stones - Live With Me
Zep - Whole Lotta Love
Derek & Dominoes - Layla
Steely Dan - Don't Take Me Alive
Genesis - Abacab
Spirit - I Got a Line on You
Jeff Back Group - New Ways
 
Oh yeah, forgot...

...Green Manalishi BY FLEETWOOD MAC.All you Judas Priest wankers can kiss my hairy ass.

And Oh Well, by the Mac - that should be in my top 5 somewhere, but I'm not redoing it.:p

Daf
 
King Elvis said:
You CANT forget ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAY!!!

DOH!

May I also add:

Mystery Train - Scotty Moore
Train Train - Blackfoot
Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
Ever Fallen in Love - Buzzcocks
 
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Nevermore-The Heart Collector,Believe In Nothing)
King Diamond-Welcome Home(drums&guitars)
King Diamond-Abigail(Voice, Keys)
Metallica-Enter Sandman, Unforgiven, Sanitarium, Nothing Else Matters, Fade To Black, Battery(guitars)
Anthrax-Intro To Reality(Guitars)
Megadeth-High Speed Dirt, A Toute le Monde(guitars)
Pantera-Cowboys From Hell(guitars)
Slayer-Dead Skin Mask(guitars)
Carcass-Blackstar,Heartwork(guitars)

And a couple non-metal ones for good measure!


Garth Brooks-Thunder Rolls(guitars)
Led Zepplin-Stairway To Heaven(guitars)
 
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