Shyboy guitar solo

David Lee Roth, 1986, from Eat 'Em and Smile. Solo by Steve Vai.

Vai and bassist Billy Sheehan race through unison runs before a solo that defined the Eat 'Em and Smile lineup.

Shyboy is a showcase for the instrumental firepower of David Lee Roth's Eat 'Em and Smile band, and it plays almost like a dare. Steve Vai and bassist Billy Sheehan, who had written the song for his earlier band Talas, race through rapid unison runs, matching each other note for note at a tempo that leaves little room for error. Vai's solo then takes off with fast legato, whammy tricks and precise, slightly mischievous phrasing. The track helped define the lineup's reputation and pushed the limits of mainstream rock virtuosity in the mid-1980s. Listen for how the guitar and bass lock together so tightly in the unison passages that they seem to become a single, very fast instrument.

Shyboy by David Lee Roth is ranked #339 in our consensus of 80 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Steve Vai and the song was released in 1986. It appears on 1 lists, placing as high as #3 (Consequence).

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Glam Guitar Solos — #9
• The Best Steve Vai Guitar Solos — #6
• Top 20 Guitar Solos of 1986 — #6

Sources

• Consequence: 10 Classic Guitar Shredding Songs — #3
• Classic Rock (Louder): The 100 greatest guitar solos in rock — #54