The Greatest Guitar Riff Ever: 1967

A few of the quote unquote greatest guitarists ever debut this week, who will come out on top?

The Best Riff of 1967

Hello, gang. I was in the Great State of New Jersey this weekend and barely listened to any music. What are y’all spinning? I’m excited to be listening to more riffs preparing for this here newsletter. We got more bass this week but we’re done with the sitar. Also, my BFF Andy’s brother asked me the other day what differentiates a riff from a lick. I don’t really have an answer. Much like the Supreme Court’s ruling on pornos, I know it when I see hear it. To point out a lick from 1967, The Grateful Dead’s version of “Morning Dew.” In the verses, there’s this little repeated guitar motif but it’s like three isolated notes and then mainly whole-note chord strumming. For another example and, an example of someone who we will discuss in Riff-form down below, Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing” has dozens of little licks in the verses. Yes, dude is a great riffer and maybe the all-time soloer, but he would also throw tons of little licks between vocal phrases. A lick kinda feels like the guitarist’s equivalent of a drum fill? Idk. I feel like I could devil’s advocate pretty much any of the songs here being a lick or a riff. I am the writer of this newsletter, I can only call it as I see it. Let’s get into it.

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Electricity

Look, I’m not going to try to convince you to become a Captain Beefheart diehard. I myself am not. It seems like an If You Know, You Know proposition. However, there is no debating Ry Cooder being an all-timer guitarist. The slide riff here in the verse absolute rules. Key in on that if the muppet guy singing bothers you. Good album.

Cream - Sunshine of Your Love

Sometimes with this here newsletter, I try to buck the trend of what Guitar Magazine Culture will tell you is the best riff and that would appear on some “The 100 Greatest Riffs of All-Time” Rolling Stone type list. I will not be doing this here. This is, like, the quintessential Baby’s First Guitar Riff riff. It’s Fuck Clapton still but this is eternal, sorry.

James Brown - Cold Sweat

I promised some more bass riffs and boy does this bass riff. The verse groove? Holy shit, brother. I, perhaps predictably as someone who tweets incessantly about Oasis and Weezer, am not necessarily the most well-versed person breathing air on funk music. However, I am the foremost Riff Scholar and I feel compelled to shoutout Bernard Odum’s playing here. Simply sensational.

Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit

For a little bit now, I’ve done a bit of a 180 on this song to where I just plainly don’t want to hear about Alice anymore. This is mainly due to music trailer soundtrack people having the least creative imaginations possible and being very on the nose using this track anytime there’s some sort of trippy movie trailer thing happening. Be for real. However, again, the bass is undeniable in the verses. Keying in on Jack Casady’s bass riff is giving me a renewed appreciation for this song.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Foxey Lady

What the fuck can even be said?

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Spanish Castle Magic

Like, really? This dude? Pretty good at guitar! You don’t need me to hold your hand through this one. Maybe the GOAT. Throw a Rat pedal on this same exact riff and you basically have the entirety of ‘90s alternative rock. Jimi walked so chain-wallet rock could run. Thanks for that. Also, this isn’t a solo newsletter but jesus christ the solo here lol. We focus on riffs here because, a lot of times, solos can seem like the guitarist jacking themselves off in audio form but it never feels that way when Jimi does it. A real one.

Pink Floyd - Lucifer Sam

I don’t think of the latter-day Pink Floyd that lives forever on classic rock radio as particularly riffy but on the band’s debut, and really kinda only on the band’s debut, they brought tons of riffs. I attribute this mainly to Syd Barrett’s involvement but also the band being a bit more garage rock-y than what they would become. Would Ty Segall have a career without this riff? The Ohsees or whatever the fuck they’re called now? King Tuff?? This album doesn’t really get the shine that their other records do but it also basically invented an entire genre of music and that is most obvious on this track and this riff, specifically. Props to them.

Sly & the Family Stone - Advice

Again, not well-versed in funk. Couldn’t really tell you any Sly song by name off the top of my head. I, however, could tell you Larry Graham’s name almost immediately. Mostly because I started playing the bass guitar before I ever dreamed of picking up the electric guitar and the dude is well-known as one of the GOATs on four strings. The verse groove on “Advice” is a great example of why. Maybe I’ll do a funk deep dive sometimes. If someone who is more of an expert wants to slide into the DMs with a bit of a primer for me, you are welcome to do so.

What is the Best Riff of 1967?

I kinda love all of these and especially some of the ones that were less familiar to me. And of some of the bigger songs chosen, I wouldn’t necessarily say they are my favorite songs on the albums. Hell, my favorite song of the year, wasn’t even a nominee because there isn’t really a riff. With that being said, I think the finalists are probably pretty clear. Cream, Jimi and Pink Floyd. The riff I’ve probably spent the most time playing myself on the guitar is probably “Sunshine of Your Love” because I was a 14-year-old taking guitar lessons taught by a 40-year-old once upon a time, just like everyone else who has ever played guitar. The riff I probably enjoy listening to the most is “Lucifer Sam.” But the best is “Spanish Castle Magic.” Like, come on. If I picked anything else, would you even bother reading this next week?

Does it top the previous Best Riff?

Best Riff of 1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Spanish Castle Magic

Best Riff Previous Champion: The Rolling Stones - Paint It, Black

Yes, indeed, it does. Sorry to the Stones. I’m sure they’ll have another winner eventually. But be serious. It isn’t close. You already knew Jimi was gonna take over, it was just a matter of which riff.