Magic Man guitar solo

Heart, 1976, from Dreamboat Annie. Solo by Roger Fisher.

Roger Fisher's extended solo stretches the single into a showcase for Heart's early, psychedelic-tinged guitar sound.

Magic Man stretches out in a way few singles dared, and Roger Fisher uses the space well. After the dreamy, slightly mysterious verses, the song opens into a long instrumental section where his guitar winds through swirling, psychedelic-tinged lines over a hypnotic groove. His tone is warm and saturated, and he mixes fast flurries with bent, sustained notes that echo the song's seductive mood. It is a snapshot of Heart's early sound, before their later polish, when the band was still rooted in late-1960s rock exploration. Listen for how the synthesiser and guitar blur into each other during the extended break, and how Fisher leans on repeated phrases to build a trance-like feeling rather than a showy peak.

Magic Man by Heart is ranked #342 in our consensus of 80 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Roger Fisher and the song was released in 1976. It appears on 1 lists, placing as high as #31 (SiriusXM (countdown transcribed on PRS Guitars forum)).

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos — #13
• The Best Heart Guitar Solos — #3
• Top 20 Guitar Solos of 1976 — #17

Sources

• SiriusXM (countdown transcribed on PRS Guitars forum): 50 Baddest Guitar Solos — #31