The Beatles Guitar Solos 1968/1970

[@JB19504]

People always say or ask was George a good guitar player. Paul once said, "Well he's the lead guitar player for The Beatles." Enough said.

[@MarriedMindless]

Paul was also a great guitar player; doesn't take anything away from George.

[@Kinn700]

And the John?

[@Mike_B.]

@@Kinn700 He's a better rhythm guitarist in my opinion

[@MarriedMindless]

@@Kinn700 Also a great guitar player.

[@Kinn700]

@@Mike_B. Yes!

[@samuelmcandrew2125]

“The End” hits different now I know every Beatle had a solo on it.

[@pchelovekPV]

@@fartmachine7486 yeah, an ultimate showcase of each member's talent

[@gonzalopressenda9911]

O

[@jamesfetherston1190]

Yeah, and they apparently did it live, face to face in one take. I think they all know the end was near, but they wanted to show that they were all very good musicians.

[@yoqqen]

its one of the only times john lennon asked yoko ono to wait outside the studio

[@man0sm]

Their first and last guitar battle!

[@seagullshame]

George’s playing on Abbey Road is so good

[@cambium0]

Yeah I noticed that too

[@MarriedMindless]

George told Paul that if he criticized his playing, he would leave the band immediately.

[@hemingwaysbeards]

Exactly! That's when he really hit top-form George

[@mrs.featherbottom5901]

@@MarriedMindless do you have a source? I would like to read more about that

[@TheJayson8899]

His best work was on Revolver, Abbey Road and Let It Be imo. I really like his 1964 sounds too but he got better at the end I think.

[@thesilvershining]

George must have practiced his guitars a LOT once he finally gave up the sitar. He drastically improved between 1968 and 1969, like it's ridiculous how phenomenal he is on Abbey Road.

[@evansarzin6516]

When he got back to it, and when he learned slide, his playing developed a different sensibility.

[@arpitdas4263]

He jammed with Clapton, and after Hendrix everybody took their game to the next level

[@SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand]

when did he quit the sitar?

[@GuajoloteGonzales]

@@SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand In 1968, after he went on to L.A. with Ravi Shankar to continue his studies on sitar, but he released that he wasn't good enough for the instrument and Ravi convinced him to get back to guitar as his main instrument.

[@tyler-edic]

Another amazingly overlooked early George solo was Crying Waiting Hoping live at the BBC. Thank me later

[@tyrannosauruszeppelin2205]

George was a genius. His playing around this period was so great and beautiful.

[@smith5455]

all the solos are not george's

[@johnp515]

@@smith5455 he’s not talking about the solos that are not George’s. He talking about George.

[@smith5455]

@@johnp515 really? Are u reading his mind?

[@spalding.v1]

@@smith5455the first guy clearly said “his playing” following up what he said about George

[@prilljazzatlanta5070]

@@smith5455 🥇

[@PsychologyWorksOfficial]

So impressive. This guy has the right guitars, amps, and mic. So impressive. Thanks for making this.

[@PJmichelle]

None of these were originally recorded with a Vox. The Beatles were using Fender amps at this point.

[@woowah32]

@@PJmichelle This is correct 👍🏻

[@deanroddey2881]

@@PJmichelle Still though, his guitar collection is indicative of a serious Beatles fan (with a pretty good income.)

[@hamueramusic]

@@PJmichelle yes mostly on a 68 deluxe or twin reverb

[@softhelmetdiugh132]

I always felt like something was on the tele but everyone seems to have their own opinions on that lol

[@bettyswunghole3310]

Show this to anyone who thinks George wasn't a good guitarist. His sheer versatility was staggering for starters...

[@deanevangelista6359]

Post Beatles he became a great slide player. His tone and phrasing were sweet.

[@italozanoti7180]

@@deanevangelista6359 yes, I think he shines more on slide, cause George was all abot melody and not tons of blues licks and faster stuff

[@italozanoti7180]

one good example of his versatility is the jazyy solo in til there was you

[@MerijnH]

He's definitely a great influential guitar player. But at this time, people like Clapton, Freddie King and Hendrix did more impressive stuff imo. But yea, he's got that versatility going for him. No master in a specific genre, but great in various different ones.

[@ScarletVoodoo]

@@italozanoti7180 That solo is nuts

[@micahbell4514]

I just noticed that during "the end" solo he mirrored himself when he was playing paul's sections because paul's is left handed

[@RubberSoulBeatlesCover]

That's right!

[@386Clarke]

He’s also dressing like each member during the End as well. It’s a well done performance. Though I think he substitutes a Gibson Les Paul in the solos where George would have played an SG.

[@softhelmetdiugh132]

@@386Clarke I think George had given away his sg at this point

[@ScarletVoodoo]

That last solo on The End by George, for all its simplicity, I think is the most moving and beautiful of them all. The notes are just so tasteful and melodic.

[@gerhardprasent3358]

Agree, one of his greatest achievements, always bringing tears to my eyes (+ the lyrics by Paul)

[@trevorganoe748]

Man, George KILLED it on Abbey Road!

[@deanroddey2881]

He really did. Uber-tasty melodic solos. it's not about speed or mega-technique, it's about the right notes at the right times.

[@glumfounded3046]

George and Paul hit their peak as musicians on that album in my opinion

[@MrViking541]

@@deanroddey2881 And playing them the right way with the right tone. George always sounded so crystal clear and transparent - except when he wanted to sound naughty.

[@ScarletVoodoo]

@@deanroddey2881 My favorite kind of guitar playing is the melodic stuff and George was the best at that, in my opinion.

[@Uetti]

Some pretty big omissions here: Revolution, Sexy Sadie, Helter Skelter, Savoy Truffle, Get Back, Old Brown Shoe and I Want You (She's So Heavy) all have great solos. Old Brown Shoe's one is probably my favourite Beatles guitar solo ever

[@dansalvati9557]

Uetti, absolutely! George let go for a minute on Old Brown Shoe!

[@albanlambert9692]

Wasn't Paul McCartney playing solo on Back in the USSR ?

[@fullofwork]

@@albanlambert9692 i think he was playing the drums

[@poopjew3649]

@@fullofwork correct! Ringo left for a few weeks and paul played the drums for the first 2 songs on the white album

[@chrisw4567]

@@albanlambert9692 Paul plays the solo on USSR

[@exessex3522]

8:25 I'm not a musician but am a life-long Beatles fan. When I first read many years ago that the guitar solos in The End were all three of them I listened to it at once. You can hear straight away which part is Lennon but I could only hear 1 player before that. That meant I thought soloist 3 was after Lennon and so everything went out of whack. I thought about this every time I heard it. It took me ages and many listens (and probably reading somewhere that the order was M-H-L) to realise that the first bit was 2 bits and not one bit. They seemed to flow into each other so well that they sounded like one person to me. Now I wonder what the problem was. Anyway, I've now seen them played, so well done. I wish you (and the internet) had been around a few decades ago.

This has to be the best Beatles cover I've seen in a while.

[@ManlaySound]

Incredible care for detail, the playing, the sound, the guitars used, the outfits. Congrats!

[@-rubbersoul-]

it would be better rec via fender amp type

[@davidkarr4632]

When I first heard the Beatles and saw them on Ed Sullivan, I was impressed with John Lennon's banjo type playing on All My Lovin and George Harrison's lead guitar playing through their history...

[@zman4539]

Thank you for taking the time to make this gem and putting it up! I have just finished Geoff Emerick's book "Here There and Everywhere". Mr. Emerick very harshly criticized George as a guitar player in this book. Emerick was fortunate enough to be the Beatles sound engineer at EMI from the beginning of their career and is responsible for many innovations in the Beatles unique sound. He later stated George became a better musician with each passing year of album recording. Emerick was extremely biased in the book and constantly praised Paul as the only natural talent in the band on any instrument. My opinion has always been that George Harrison was always the better natural musician. They pushed each other to achieve excellence. George is arguably the best slide guitar player of his time, along with being a master songwriter, arranger, singer and producer. His process was much different. Your extremely well played demo of Harrisons most iconic riffs is proof positive for me. His cord progression, timing and natural feel for what sound works best is unmatched. His success as the lead guitarist for the Beatles and as a superstar solo artist represents musical intelligence coupled with many thousands of hours of practice to get each lick perfect. His standards were very high and he worked hard at it until the best musical compliment was achieved in every song. Your note for note playing on the original guitars clearly demonstrated this and really did him justice. Just watching George Harrisons perfect touch on his slide guitar solo on Lennon's "How do you sleep at night' video further highlights his absolute brilliance as a guitar player like no other!

[@flewawayandaway4763]

spot on

[@elrabeechum5180]

Such a great description of George’s talent. He wasn’t flashy or great at improvising, by his own admission. He was a great composer, and took *time* to feel out the best melodic pathway for his part to fit the song. I find his solos with the Beatles to be the kind you can sing to yourself note-for-note, with a perfect tone and feel for the song. The Emerick book is largely a bunch of made-up shit anyway, he admitted he couldn’t even remember when things were recorded or with whom.

[@thesilvershining]

I wouldn't take anything Emerick says as gospel.... a lot of his book is fictional and he was called out for it by more than one person who were also eye-witnesses in the studio. Paul being the better musician isn't true or false because at the end of the day it's all different opinions from different people. Even if (**IF**) some of Emerick's recollections of George are fully or partially true, the guy was the youngest Beatle and had a much less forceful personality compared to John and Paul. George just needed extra time to blossom, and blossom he did!! People forget he wanted to stop being a Beatle in '66 but Brian more or less forced/coerced him to stay. Good thing too since it was to George's benefit that he stayed a Beatle--because he vastly improved as both a songwriter and a guitar player in those three years. By the end of '69 he didn't need to be a Beatle anymore, and the rest is history.

[@ags8294]

Is there one single solo played by George that couldn't be played by any other semi profesional guitar player? His solos sound great, sure, but they're not complex or too difficult.

[@scottandrewbrass]

Geoff Emerick 's book was ghost written by Howard Massey and should be thrown in the bin.

[@claudefazio]

You nailed them all. Great job! Your string bending is pitch-perfect.

[@ringohendrix9659]

Savoy Truffle and Old Brown Shoe have two of my absolute favorite Beatles solos... especially Old Brown Shoe!

[@d0ntletmed0wn]

George is amazing 🤩 Always loved the Let it be solo 💖

[@JB19504]

Geoff Emerick insisted it was George who played the solo for Hey Bulldog. He said he had his amp cranked extremely high and did play the solo.

[@SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand]

makes sense, john never plays the solo

[@JFFM730]

@@SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand he does in a few songs

[@venedenn1]

Would have loved to see George’s solo on Savoy Truffle. Absolute biting guitar notes!

[@FreeSociety1]

What about "I Want You/She's So Heavy" ? John Lennon does the solo break in the middle. Harrison does the intro solo.

[@observatoriogeral9456]

George Harrison era um gênio!

[@Neptunestef]

Paul played many of the solos including the first one you demonstrated: Back in The USSR was Paul on lead.

[@bjrnsigurdullebust9453]

This is one of the most authentic versions I have ever heard. And so great too. The details are incredible, and very much like the originals. I Wonder if Hey Bulldog was a duette or if George played it himself?

[@sallykohorst8803]

Great guitar solos. Thanks.

[@beanpeterjohn]

God Bless you. What a gift and great scholarly work. I feel enlightened.

[@alanpiedra4672]

It Is Because Of This Kind Of Solos That George Harrison Is My Favorite Guitarist(Along With Brian May).

[@justiceforall6412]

FYI, that's Harrison on the solo for 'Bulldog.' I know there's some controversy around it, but studying their playing styles it's George hands down. John did not have that kind of technical skill. BTW you handled the solo to Something masterfully and your version of 'Maxwell' is spot on!

[@RubberSoulBeatlesCover]

Must be. I just follow what I've found in the books.

[@richard9858]

@héctor escobar medina Escobar pero en el caso de hey bulldog se refiere al solo como tal, no al riff de la canción; un ejemplo de Lennon tocando un solo es en you cant do that, the end y get back; la última siendo donde se luce mas por que ha adquirido mas experiencia, pero sus solos pasados siempre eran muy rítmicos y mas en base a acordes en vez de melódicos y precisos como los de Harrison

[@markhewitt3157]

It's 2 guitars in unison, one George the other John! They used this technique quite a few times.

[@justiceforall6412]

@@markhewitt3157 Its possible. It's also possible that George overdubbed the guitar. Either way we really dont know because we weren't there. However the style and technique are Harrison all the way

[@ronrotunno-jh6hw]

George gave “ Maxwell” a better solo than that song deserved.

[@charlavenant3857]

A really great collection of solos from someone who obviously loves the Beatles as much as I do. Well done man, you rock!

[@MR-gx3gc]

Thank you for your perfect presentation in every way. Your performance illustrates George Harrison's outstanding contribution to the typical sound of the Beatles. Even many connoisseurs of the music of the Beatles were or are not aware of this elementary fact. These melodies have accompanied me for more than 50 years. So far, I have not experienced a music group whose repertoire covers a comparably broad spectrum. I experience the sound and melodies today as modern and invigorating as they were when they were first released. With your top-class performance, you have made an extremely valuable contribution to the preservation of these musical treasures. Do you know a group that distinguishes a comparably wide range of melodies?

[@eagleheadterraceia2803]

Awsome playing dude...just like the underrated genius of George Harrison my favorite lead guitarist of all time.

[@JJ-qt8zb]

Amazing! I've been obsessed with The Beatles since 94, and your playing is perfect. Beautiful guitars as well, love that Telecaster. 🎸✌️

[@pedropablosecofernandez5390]

Muchas gracias!!! Fabulosos los solos historicos de una increible y fructifera banda como The Beatles...felicitaciones!!

[@zapdunga12]

Immediately after Lennon's third solo, the piano chords of the final line "And in the end ..." begin. Then the orchestration arrangement takes over with a humming chorus and Harrison playing a final guitar solo that ends the song. So the final lead at the end of THE END was by George. How fitting. ❤

[@rudycramer225]

What a snappy solo that is in The End. Has lots of punch!

[@mikiegood]

Love your rosewood tele. Magnificent

[@danh8101]

Awesome video but you left out "Get Back"! One of my favorites and a rare Lennon solo.

[@paulmccartney6386]

Once again , EXCELLENT!!!!!

[@thing3781]

I know I’m a couple years late. But you’re rendition of One After 909 is perfect, it felt like I was listening to the actual song on Spotify. Good job and keep it up

[@grinsko6741]

What a magnificent video. Many thanks for your significant effort and care in making it, and for your flawless and accurate playing.

[@jimmyt410x]

Brilliant understanding and devotion of the Liverpool text. Kudos.

[@rodo8947]

Gracias! tremendo trabajo!! Gracias Beatles!!! ✌️

[@moozartney]

The solo at the end of Come Together is one of my favorite solos from the Beatles, how it climbs and returns.

[@petrevdokimov7216]

Классно сделано. Спасибо, пробудили во мне битломана. А и отдельная благодарность за прекрасное исполнение Hey Bulldog и The End Well done. Thank you for awakening the beatleman in me. And special thanks for the wonderful performance of Hey Bulldog, The End

[@Rshoot_]

Paul played back in the USSR solo

[@RubberSoulBeatlesCover]

Must be. I just follow what I've found in the books.

[@Rshoot_]

@@RubberSoulBeatlesCover okay okay. I think it’s Paul because of the fast/little vibrato and the bends. The guitar used also sounds like paul’s Casino

[@tyrannosauruszeppelin2205]

You missed Come Together's first guitar solo (you just played the 2nd), the outro solo's of You Never Give Me Your Money (you just played the main one). Other than, very well and accurately played!

[@michaelamato2714]

You're the best I've seen on youtube (along with Mike Pachelli)! And I've seen a lot of Beatles videos. Your guitars are beautiful too

[@josephbrazzo4600]

At 68. I’ve had arthritis in my fingers since early teens A skilled mason. But crappy guitar playing my fingers lock🎸 up and it hurts. So I’ve been playing 🥁drums all the years But my fav is guitar.. Thanks for ur great work.

[@gdholmfirth]

Good job. It always amazes me that out of all the chaos, bickering, boredom and everything else going on at the time, they somehow managed to get serious long enough every few days to crank out a song any other group would have given their left nut to have released.

[@FreeSociety1]

What about "Get Back"? John Lennon does the lead guitar solos.

[@cuauhtemocoliver6673]

The last one Paul McCartney played a very good solo, incredible Paul played a lot of instruments.

[@lilianmiura2750]

Muito bom arrasou no SOMETHING 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼, o George ia gostar de ouvir.

[@praketingrichraft6181]

Thank you for this series of videos. You ended it beautifully as well.

[@L0REN0R2Z0RR0]

George was an amazing guitarist in the way that Ringo was an amazing drummer. They felt what the song needed and figured out a way to make it fit. That's what made the Beatles great. Great minds with great ideas, but also the quality to arrange and play it in a way that served each song the best.

[@CraigfromLA]

Love it, beautiful. Like when all your face is on the video like in the one from the previous years' solos.

[@ustheserfs]

the minute flourishes George added and was given no equal writing credit for are the things we often look past but they do make the songs as memorable as they have become in our collective consciousness.

[@ScarletVoodoo]

Absolutely! Just think about And I Love Her without George's guitar riff.

[@victorarena23]

there are a number of songs George should have gotten writing credit for. not solos but signature riffs and hooks that became main parts of the song, and I love her, you can't do that ticket to ride, in my life eleanor rigby drive my car etc

[@pieromarenco5138]

George is a great guitarist, perhaps the most stimulating in the search for sounds in solos. Thanks for this amazing video and congratulations on the guitarist's skills

[@Voxac100b]

What a talent this fella has 👏👏

[@TheFreedom35s]

Fantastic work! Really enjoyed this. Always knew George could play, but when you see it like this, it's magical! Thanks so much! Also ditto for the other 2!

[@alberteinsteinthejew]

Wow Eric Clapton played for the Beatles! Mind-blowing!

[@kennethkelly5709]

Everyone knows that. Just on While My Guitar Gently Weeps!!

[@zapdunga12]

Great lead guitar work by George on Free As A Bird and Real Love❤

[@ClueSign]

I played this version of The End about five times, so well done here! I enjoyed hearing McCartney play it with his current band's guitarists (Brian Ray and Rusty Anderson) a few years ago; he really gets into ripping out a solo.

[@thebookofeli849]

I love the George Harrison outfit while playing the end

[@dafisbilal31]

Great!!!! This video should be more views!

[@RubberSoulBeatlesCover]

Thanks mate!

[@halfgermanantony]

Just saw this for the first time. Well done.

[@terrybono5995]

thanks for including YNGMYM the solo at the beginning is overlooked by a lot of people

[@darkotrenevski9888]

Hey bulldog is so underrated

[@yammark25]

Totally agree it is a very groovy song

[@Tombitus]

that colection men is just amazing ! nice job love seen the video

[@colinnuttall9579]

That was just the best. Well done ! Loved the fact that you had some of the guitars, and a Vox amp. Thought I was a Beatle nut !

[@carlosvillar50]

George tocava muita guitarra, depois dos Beatles, provou isso em trabalhos solos, também em várias apresentações em grupos diferentes, quem não viu a formação dos Traviling Wilburis, tem que ver, só ícones

[@pabloterc182]

Extraordinario…soy fan de los Beatles a mis 72 años y sigo tocando mi hoffner bass violín con ellos…gran guitarrista felicito…lo mejor que he visto..regards Pablo Terc Santiago de Chile…

[@westfield90]

Superb

[@RubberSoulBeatlesCover]

Thanks mate!

[@buffalobraves9]

It bothers me when people say George brought Clapton in to play the lead on WMGGW because “he couldn’t play it”. Baloney. He brought Clapton in to stop the bickering. George could have played that solo himself but knew by bringing in EC it would send a message to the other two.

[@georgeharrison243]

Wish you'd been around in the 60s....i could have had a rest!!😂😆👍👍👍👍💕💖💓

[@tobisteffen]

Ringo played the guitar solo on Hey Bulldog.

[@rudern8]

Very good! Maybe you forget the 1964 Gibson SG, George Harrison played it very often.

[@mcelsem]

Wow, amazing! Thank you!!!

[@thegunth169]

Nice touch flipping the camera for paul’s part on The End. Haha

[@hugobustos4321]

The Beatles los maestros de todos

[@jeff196330]

George's guitar work on Dear Prudence is my favorite

[@leesanna7835]

These videos are outstanding 👏 can you please do another one 🙏

[@albertoelua7866]

This guy, on top of having stolen George's guitars Rocky, Lucy and the rosewood Telecaster, has devoted endless hours to get the tone, the feel and nearly the exact lead guitar parts of the Beatle songs. Great job!

[@observatoriogeral9456]

George Harrison é o escultor do Rock. Cada nota está absolutamente onde deveria estar, sem sobrar ou faltar. É um recheio de trufas que é o que fica depois de comermos um bolo, é a parte da música que define a grandeza do que ela é, é outra melodia que enriquece a composição e praticamente cria uma música dentro da outra. É muito brilhante!!!

[@ricardocarvalho2899]

Very elegant. Thank you!

[@joebersik9846]

great job!! nailed it!! you area great player!

[@davedocker1195]

Greatest Band Ever

[@kenchovan5910]

It was great to hear and watch the stand-in for George with your given talents too. I often wonder though, although it's never come out -- if the Beatles didn't have any outside help in the creating so many of the guitar leads! (Hard for me to imagine all created by these four guys). And as mentioned in other comments, Paul was also a guitarist whom I've heard contributed many guitar parts. Nothing in disrespect of course - And, I wouldn't hold anything against them if they did. I heard George say once, that Paul created the intro to Day Tripper, etc. George wasn't a flashy guitarist, but so dedicated and cool. No doubt, together were sensational and FAB! KEN

[@thesilvershining]

Hmm... I'm not saying you're wrong but I'm pretty sure Paul didn't create the intro to Day Tripper--he created/played the intro to "Paperback Writer" tho.

[@victorarena23]

John created the daytripper lead

[@gcschirato]

Muito bom, excelente. Você é fera.

[@jasonsnusberry3654]

You didn't do Old Brown Shoe! That's one of my favorites!

[@Kossman58]

What about Happiness is a warm gun, Helter skelter, Savoy Truffle, Old Brown Shoe, Golden Slumbers, Get Back?

[@RubberSoulBeatlesCover]

There are a lot of great songs that I didn't record. maybe later!

[@jackpayne5101]

Just brilliant thanks ❤

[@davidcedeno6155]

John Lennon played the You Never Give Me Your Money solo. George was playing the arpeggio part in a Tele through a Leslie.

[@drewcampbell8555]

Lovely stuff. One question: Why no solos from 'Revolution', 'Get Back' or 'For You Blue'?

[@shortandcurl]

yes that is sounding very nice!! Bravo!

[@justanotherrandomcrit8115]

Back In the U.S.S.R was played by Paul, and only George played on Hey Bulldog.

[@juliosanchez95]

George plays the main solo, Paul only plays piercing guitar accompanying the third verse

[@jeffduggan387]

Great performance! You really know your stuff!

[@ericstewart9742]

You’re very accurate. Thank you.

[@jacobh9344]

What the Let it Be single version? Also Maxwell and 909 are great.

[@SomervilleBob]

Amazing. Thanks for this.