Mr. Soul

Buffalo Springfield, 1967, from Buffalo Springfield Again. Solo by Neil Young, Stephen Stills.

Built on a fuzz riff, with the lead guitar pushing the band well past its folk roots.

Mr. Soul is built on a gritty fuzz riff, and the lead guitar pushes Buffalo Springfield well past their folk roots. Neil Young's song has a tougher, more aggressive edge than much of the band's work, and the guitars snarl and bite throughout. The lead playing is raw and energetic, full of rough-edged bends that suit the song's restless mood. It points toward the heavier direction Young would later explore with Crazy Horse. Listen for the fuzz tone on the main riff, which gives the song a distorted, garage-rock grit that stands out sharply against the band's more melodic tracks.

Mr. Soul by Buffalo Springfield is featured in our Folk Rock (#16) list. The solo is played by Neil Young, Stephen Stills and the song was released in 1967.

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Folk Rock Guitar Solos — #16
• The Best Buffalo Springfield Guitar Solos — #2
• The Best Neil Young Guitar Solos — #13

Sources