Famous Guest: Legends Playing on Someone Else's Record · #1 of 22
#1

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

The Beatles · 1968 · solo by Eric Clapton
Everything about this song →
Gear, tickets & merch
Guests & session players · 22 solos

Famous Guest Guitar Solos: Legends Playing on Someone Else's Record

Some of the most famous guitar solos were played by someone whose name is not on the record sleeve. Eddie Van Halen on Michael Jackson's Beat It, Eric Clapton on The Beatles' While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Slash on Give In to Me, Stevie Ray Vaughan on David Bowie's Let's Dance: here are the guest spots where a guitar legend walked into someone else's session and left the most memorable part of the song. Every video starts right at the solo.

  1. 1
    While My Guitar Gently Weeps
    The Beatles · solo by Eric Clapton · 1968
  2. 2
    Beat It
    Michael Jackson · solo by Eddie Van Halen · 1982
  3. 3
    Give In to Me
    Michael Jackson · solo by Slash · 1991
  4. 4
    Dirty Diana
    Michael Jackson · solo by Steve Stevens · 1987
  5. 5
    Let's Dance
    David Bowie · solo by Stevie Ray Vaughan · 1983
  6. 6
    China Girl
    David Bowie · solo by Stevie Ray Vaughan · 1983
  7. 7
    Private Dancer
    Tina Turner · solo by Jeff Beck · 1984
  8. 8
    You and I
    Lady Gaga · solo by Brian May · 2011
  9. 9
    No More Lonely Nights
    Paul McCartney · solo by David Gilmour · 1984
  10. 10
    Always on the Run
    Lenny Kravitz · solo by Slash · 1991
  11. 11
    Fields of Joy
    Lenny Kravitz · solo by Slash · 1991
  12. 12
    Lookin' for Another Pure Love
    Stevie Wonder · solo by Jeff Beck · 1972
  13. 13
    To Zion
    Lauryn Hill · solo by Carlos Santana · 1998
  14. 14
    When Love Comes to Town
    U2 · solo by B.B. King · 1988
  15. 15
    The Ghost of Tom Joad
    Bruce Springsteen · solo by Tom Morello · 2014
  16. 16
    (Nothing But) Flowers
    Talking Heads · solo by Johnny Marr · 1988
  17. 17
    Time Out of Mind
    Steely Dan · solo by Mark Knopfler · 1980
  18. 18
    Pyramids
    Frank Ocean · solo by John Mayer · 2012
  19. 19
    Mustang Sally
    Buddy Guy · solo by Jeff Beck · 1991
  20. 20
    The Healer
    John Lee Hooker · solo by Carlos Santana · 1989
  21. 21
    Outside
    Foo Fighters · solo by Joe Walsh · 2014
  22. 22
    Paraguay
    Iggy Pop · solo by Josh Homme · 2016

Quick answers

Who played the guitar solo on Beat It?

Eddie Van Halen played the guitar solo on Michael Jackson's Beat It (1982). It is #15 in our Consensus Top 100 and features his tapping technique.

Who played the guitar solo on While My Guitar Gently Weeps?

Eric Clapton played the lead guitar on The Beatles' While My Guitar Gently Weeps (1968), as a guest on George Harrison's song. It ranks #12 in our Consensus Top 100.

Did Slash play on Michael Jackson songs?

Yes. Slash plays the guitar solo on Give In to Me (1991). He also guests on Lenny Kravitz's Always on the Run and Fields of Joy (1991).