I'll Be Alright Without You
Journey, 1986. Solo by Neal Schon.
Schon's solo on this Raised on Radio ballad is a study in restraint, singing the melody over sustained notes.
I'll Be Alright Without You is a soft, reflective ballad, and Neal Schon matches its mood with a solo built on restraint. Instead of shredding, he plays long, sustained notes that follow the shape of the vocal melody, almost singing a verse without words. His tone is warm and rounded with gentle sustain, and he uses vibrato and slow bends to carry the feeling. It is a reminder that great melodic rock soloists know when to pull back. Listen for the notes Schon lets hang across the chord changes, and notice how he adds just a small flourish at the end rather than a big climax, keeping the song's quiet heartache intact.
I'll Be Alright Without You by Journey is ranked #321 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Neal Schon and the song was released in 1986. It appears on 1 lists, placing as high as #85 (Classic Rock (Louder)).
In our lists
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on I'll Be Alright Without You?
Neal Schon played the solo on Journey's I'll Be Alright Without You (1986).
Where does I'll Be Alright Without You rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#321 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 1 of them.