Born Under a Bad Sign
Albert King, 1967, from Born Under a Bad Sign. Solo by Albert King.
Over the Stax house band, King bends strings further than seems possible and makes every held note sting.
Born Under a Bad Sign features Albert King's massive string bends over the Stax house band, including Booker T. & the M.G.'s. King, who played left-handed with his guitar strung upside down, bent strings further than seemed possible, making every held note sting. His Flying V tone is thick and cutting, perfect for the song's funky groove. The song became a blues standard, later covered by Cream. King's style influenced countless guitarists, from Eric Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan. Listen for the huge bends, where King pushes notes up by a full step or more, and for the way he holds them with controlled vibrato.
Born Under a Bad Sign by Albert King is ranked #285 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Albert King and the song was released in 1967.
In our lists
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on Born Under a Bad Sign?
Albert King played the solo on Albert King's Born Under a Bad Sign (1967).
What guitar was used on the Born Under a Bad Sign solo?
A gibson flying v, according to widely reported accounts.
Where does Born Under a Bad Sign rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#285 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 1 of them.