Move It
Cliff Richard and the Drifters, 1958. Solo by Ernie Shear.
Session guitarist Ernie Shear's cutting riff and solo gave Britain its first convincing home-grown rock and roll record.
Move It is widely regarded as Britain's first convincing home-grown rock and roll record, and session guitarist Ernie Shear's playing is central to its impact. His opening riff is sharp and cutting, instantly grabbing attention, and his solo follows with tight, rhythmic phrases that capture the energy of American rock and roll. Shear's playing gave the song authenticity at a time when British rock often sounded tame. Listen for the punchy, clipped tone of the riff and how it drives the song forward, and for the way the solo keeps the momentum high, proving that British musicians could deliver rock and roll with real bite.
Move It by Cliff Richard and the Drifters is ranked #271 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Ernie Shear and the song was released in 1958. It appears on 1 lists, placing as high as #40 (uDiscover Music).
In our lists
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on Move It?
Ernie Shear played the solo on Cliff Richard and the Drifters's Move It (1958).
Where does Move It rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#271 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 1 of them.