Live Forever

Oasis, 1994, from Definitely Maybe. Solo by Noel Gallagher.

Noel Gallagher's solo is simple and singable, lifted by overdubbed harmonies and a slow, confident pace.

Noel Gallagher's solo on Live Forever is proof that you don't need speed to make a lead memorable. He plays at a slow, confident pace, choosing notes that could almost be sung, and doubles them with overdubbed harmony lines that thicken the sound into something anthemic. The solo works like a wordless extra verse, keeping the song's optimism aloft rather than stepping away from it. For many British guitarists in the 1990s, this was a model of how to write a lead that audiences would hum on the way home. Listen for the harmony guitars entering beneath the main line; they turn a simple melody into one of the song's biggest moments.

Live Forever by Oasis is featured in our Britpop (#5) list. The solo is played by Noel Gallagher and the song was released in 1994.

In our lists

• Beyond the Canon — #40
• The 25 Greatest Britpop Guitar Solos — #5
• The Best Oasis Guitar Solos — #2

Sources