I Ran (So Far Away)

A Flock of Seagulls, 1982. Solo by Paul Reynolds.

Reynolds' chiming, echo-heavy guitar lines give the synth hit much of its spacey character.

Synthesizers get the credit for this hit, but Paul Reynolds' guitar is what makes it feel like it is drifting through space. His lines are simple, chiming figures drenched in echo, so each note repeats and blurs into the next until the part becomes a shimmering wash. Rather than a showy solo, he builds a hook out of texture, letting delay do much of the melodic work. That approach, treating the guitar as another atmospheric layer alongside the keyboards, became a common move in early-1980s new wave. Listen for how the repeats lock into the tempo, creating rhythmic patterns Reynolds never actually plays, and how the guitar cuts through without ever sounding heavy.

I Ran (So Far Away) by A Flock of Seagulls is featured in our New Wave (#16) list. The solo is played by Paul Reynolds and the song was released in 1982.

In our lists

• The Most-Taught Solos — #41
• The 25 Greatest New Wave Guitar Solos — #16

Sources