Heartbreaker

Led Zeppelin, 1969. Solo by Jimmy Page.

An unaccompanied solo break that inspired a generation, EVH included.

About two minutes in, the band drops out and Page launches into a roughly 46-second unaccompanied solo before the others slam back in. It is built from rapid blues-scale runs, cascades of pull-offs, trills and fast repeated licks that sound almost reckless. Because it was cut separately, its tone differs from the rest of the track, which adds to the sense of a spotlight suddenly switching on. The idea of a solo guitar break dropped into the middle of a rock song inspired many players, and its approach has been traced to Johnny Guitar Watson's 'Space Guitar'. Listen for the pull-off cascades, where Page lets notes tumble down the neck so fast that the guitar seems to be running ahead of him.

Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin is ranked #33 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Jimmy Page and the song was released in 1969. It appears on 15 lists, placing as high as #2 (Guitar Tricks).

The story of Heartbreaker

"Heartbreaker" opens the second side of Led Zeppelin II and is one of the few songs credited to all four members of the band. It is built on a heavy, distorted riff with an oddly lurching rhythm that producer Rick Rubin later praised for its magical awkwardness, and its third verse climbs through a series of key changes. Critics have described it as undisguised heavy rock with some unconventional twists.

Like much of the album, the song was pieced together on the run while Led Zeppelin toured North America in 1969. The main band track was recorded at A&R Studios in New York in May 1969, with Eddie Kramer engineering, as the group squeezed studio time between concerts. Sessions moved between several New York studios, and the band often had to record parts wherever and whenever they could find a free room on the road.

The guitar solo came later. Page described it as an afterthought, recorded after the rest of the song was finished and at a different New York facility, Atlantic Studios, before being dropped into the middle of the track. In a 1998 Guitar World interview he said the change of room gave the solo a noticeably different sound from everything around it, and listeners have long noted that it seems pitched slightly higher than the rest of the song.

Led Zeppelin II was released on October 22, 1969, and "Heartbreaker" was not issued as a single, yet it quickly became a concert staple. In 1971 and 1972 the band often opened shows with "Immigrant Song" crashing straight into "Heartbreaker", and Page used the solo spot to stretch out at length. A live take recorded for the BBC in April 1971 shows how quickly it had become a showpiece for Page's improvising.

The solo

Jimmy Page plays the roughly 46-second solo completely alone: about two minutes in, the band drops out and he launches into an unaccompanied showcase before the others slam back in. He built it from rapid blues-scale runs and cascades of pull-offs, with bursts of trills and fast repeated licks that sound almost reckless. Page has said he used a Gibson Les Paul through a Marshall stack, calling it the first time he recorded with that pairing, though others involved recalled a worn-out Rickenbacker amplifier whose poor condition gave the tone its grit. Because it was cut separately at Atlantic Studios, its sound differs from the rest of the track. Its approach has been traced to Johnny Guitar Watson's 1954 instrumental "Space Guitar", and on stage he expanded the passage with quotes from other pieces.

Legacy

The solo is one of the most influential in rock. Eddie Van Halen said watching Page play it in the early 1970s gave him the idea for two-handed tapping, and Steve Vai called it the definitive rock guitar solo, bold and edgy. Guitar World ranked it No. 16 among the greatest guitar solos, and Rolling Stone included "Heartbreaker" at No. 320 on its 2004 list of the 500 greatest songs. Nick Hornby wrote about it in his book 31 Songs.

Top 10 facts about Heartbreaker

Page's solo was recorded at Atlantic Studios, while the rest of the song was cut at A&R Studios in New York.
Wikipedia
The unaccompanied solo lasts about 46 seconds and begins around the two-minute mark.
Wikipedia
Page claimed this was the first recording on which he used a Les Paul with a Marshall stack, but other participants remembered a battered Rickenbacker amp.
Wikipedia
Page described the solo as an afterthought that he simply felt like doing, recorded well after the main track.
Far Out Magazine
The solo's style drew on Johnny Guitar Watson's 1954 instrumental "Space Guitar".
Wikipedia
Eddie Van Halen said he got the idea for tapping from watching Page play the "Heartbreaker" solo; Songfacts places it at a 1972 Long Beach Arena show.
Songfacts
In concert Page expanded the solo with fragments of "Greensleeves", "The 59th Street Bridge Song" and Bach's Bourrée.
Songfacts
Rick Rubin called it one of rock's greatest riffs, citing the magical awkwardness of its timing.
Wikipedia
The How the West Was Won version, mixed from the June 1972 Los Angeles and Long Beach shows, runs 7:25.
Wikipedia
Nirvana's live cover of the song was released on the 2004 box set With the Lights Out.
Wikipedia

Live versions

BBC Sessions (Paris Theatre, London) (1971) Recorded April 1, 1971, right after "Immigrant Song", mirroring the band's usual set opener.
How the West Was Won (L.A. Forum and Long Beach Arena) (1972) A 7:25 version mixed from two June 1972 shows, with an extended solo.
Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert (1988) Reunion performance with Jason Bonham on drums.
Live at the Greek (Jimmy Page & the Black Crowes) (2000) Page revisited the song with the Black Crowes on this live album.

Notable covers

Dread Zeppelin (1990) Reggae-flavored parody version on Un-Led-Ed.
Alvin Youngblood Hart (1999) Blues treatment on Whole Lotta Blues: Songs of Led Zeppelin.
Nirvana (2004) Raw live cover released on the box set With the Lights Out.
Steve Morse (2008) Recorded for the tribute Led Box: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Tribute.
Train (2016) Part of the band's full remake album Train Does Led Zeppelin II.

In our lists

Deep Cuts — #8
The Greatest Solo of Every Year — #26
The 25 Greatest Hard Rock Guitar Solos — #6
The Pioneers: 1950s & 60s — #8
Best of Jimmy Page — #3
Played on a Les Paul — #9

Sources

What guitar was used on the Heartbreaker solo?

A gibson les paul through a Marshall amp, according to widely reported accounts.

Where does Heartbreaker rank among the greatest guitar solos?

#33 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 15 of them.

Who played the guitar solo on "Heartbreaker"?

Jimmy Page played it, completely unaccompanied, in a solo lasting about 46 seconds.

Why does the "Heartbreaker" solo sound different from the rest of the song?

Page recorded it later at a different studio, Atlantic, and inserted it into the track recorded at A&R Studios.

What guitar did Jimmy Page use on "Heartbreaker"?

Page said he used a Gibson Les Paul through a Marshall stack, though some recall a worn Rickenbacker amp.

Did the "Heartbreaker" solo inspire Eddie Van Halen?

Yes, Van Halen said watching Page play it gave him the idea for his tapping technique.

What album is "Heartbreaker" on?

It opens side two of Led Zeppelin II, released in October 1969.