Lazy
Deep Purple, 1972. Solo by Ritchie Blackmore.
'Lazy' opens as a showcase for Jon Lord's overdriven organ, then settles into a relaxed shuffle where Ritchie Blackmore gets room to stretch. His solo is blues at heart, but he plays it with sharp, clipped articulation, quick hammer-on runs and bends that pop out of the groove. The song is a good reminder that Blackmore's style drew on jump blues and early rock and roll as much as on the classical ideas he's often credited with. Live, it tended to grow longer and looser, becoming a vehicle for improvisation. Listen for how he mixes quick, stabbing phrases with sustained notes that ride the swing of the shuffle, never letting the band's easy pocket slip.
Lazy by Deep Purple is ranked #98 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Ritchie Blackmore and the song was released in 1972. It appears on 6 lists, placing as high as #23 (Radio Beat).
In our lists
- See Them Live — #32
- The 25 Greatest Hard Rock Guitar Solos — #20
- Epic-Length Solos — #23
Sources
- Radio Beat: 88 kytarových sól na Beatu — #23
- Digital Dream Door: 250 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos — #25
- Guitar Tricks: 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time — #42
- Bombay Lives (Substack): 100 Greatest Guitar Solos — #74
- Topito (now 10h26.com): Top 100 des plus grands solos de guitare de l'histoire (Benoit Floyd) — #74
- Guitar Solo Legends: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — Ranked (2026) — #78
Who played the guitar solo on Lazy?
Ritchie Blackmore played the solo on Deep Purple's Lazy (1972).
What guitar was used on the Lazy solo?
A fender stratocaster, according to widely reported accounts.
Where does Lazy rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#98 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 6 of them.