Stone in Love
Journey, 1981, from Escape. Solo by Neal Schon.
Schon's closing solo is one of his most melodic, built from long sustained lines over the band's bright arena sound.
Neal Schon saves some of his most lyrical playing for the closing stretch of Stone in Love. After the band's crisp, bright verses and big chorus, he takes over with long, sustained notes that sound almost like a second vocal line, singing over the groove rather than cutting against it. His phrases rise and fall in arcs, with smooth bends and a creamy lead tone that never gets harsh. The approach shows why Schon was so admired among melodic rock players: he builds tension through melody and sustain rather than sheer speed. Listen for how he holds notes across the chord changes and lets vibrato do the emotional work, then drops in a quicker run only when the moment calls for it.
Stone in Love by Journey is ranked #314 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Neal Schon and the song was released in 1981. It appears on 1 lists, placing as high as #49 (Digital Dream Door).
In our lists
- The 25 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos — #7
- The Best Journey Guitar Solos — #1
- The Best Neal Schon Guitar Solos — #5
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on Stone in Love?
Neal Schon played the solo on Journey's Stone in Love (1981).
Where does Stone in Love rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#314 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 1 of them.