The Greatest Guitar Riff Ever: 1960

The decade of The Beatles, the Stones and a billion other bands begins. Who has the best riff of 1960?

The Best Riff of 1960

Sure, the electric guitar existed before 1960. Riffs did too. But it’s like saying the three-point shot existed before Steph Curry. Sure. The game and the importance of the three totally changed though after him. And riffs and “guitar rock” totally changed in the ‘60s. While it took a few years into the decade to see the results of this shift, once the riffs started coming, they kept cooking with gas for decades. Here’s the nominees for 1960.

Duane Eddy - Because They’re Young

The first few years of the 1960s seem to have an understandable carryover from the previous decade, with most of the guitar rock seeming pretty surfy. Obviously, a certain Californian band to come will continue that, but most of these songs follow a similar formula of a reverb-heavy guitar carrying what would normally be a vocal melody with single-note little riffs. Eddy is a great guitarist but he has better songs and this is one of the more obvious “if you could sing, this would simply be the vocal part” guitar riffs of the era.

Johnny Kidd & the Pirates - Shakin’ All Over

This one was new to me and what the fuck man. This rules. I love the little muted harmonic-type guitar part keeping the rhythm in the background with the more pronounced riff kinda recalling “Rumble.” There’s also a great solo in the bridge to help differentiate the riff from the rest of the guitar parts. Love.

The Shadows - Man of Mystery

There’s another The Shadows song from this year that is probably more instantly recognizable but I went with “Man of Mystery” because a) it avoids me having to unpack a racially insensitive song title (cmon man simply don’t name it that???) and b) the riff in this song is better, plain and simple. Kinda in the Eddy camp here of following what the vocal melody would likely be doing but as the song continues, the riff expands and gets more cool. Surf rock is hardly my main bag but I’m into this one.

The Ventures - Walk, Don’t Run

A real and true riff. This rules. Similar again to Eddy and The Shadows in terms of carrying the main melody of the song but Bob Bogle, the lead guitarist of The Ventures, keeps the riff moving with some pace in a way the others didn’t that is appreciated. I can almost hear it as a blueprint for ‘80s riffs in a way I can’t really with the others.

What is the Best Riff of 1960?

I really want to give it to Johnny Kidd & the Pirates here. What a name, first of all. I love the double d Kidd. Do we think Jason Kidd has listened to “Shakin’ All Over?” Is there a non-zero chance of this?? I really loved discovering this track and plan to check out some of their albums but choosing them over The Ventures seems like a misstep. I’m giving it to The Ventures even if Johnny Kidd & the Pirates seem more ““““punk”””” and thereby more cool/riff-dependent. Ho hum.

Does it top the previous Best Riff?

Best Riff of 1960: The Ventures - Walk, Don’t Run

Best Riff Previous Champion: Ritchie Valens - La Bamba

Be for fucking real. No. Lalalalalalabambaaaaaa. This is gonna be a tough one to top. Better luck next time.