Kid
Pretenders, 1979, from Pretenders. Solo by James Honeyman-Scott.
Honeyman-Scott's short, graceful solo shows why he was one of the most melodic guitarists of the era.
Kid, from the Pretenders' debut album, features James Honeyman-Scott's short, graceful solo, a perfect example of his melodic gift. His lines are clean and lyrical, echoing the song's bittersweet mood with sweet bends and carefully chosen notes. The solo sits neatly within the song's arrangement, adding emotional depth without disrupting its flow. Honeyman-Scott's style blended '60s pop sensibility with new wave energy, making him one of the era's most admired melodic players. Listen for how the solo seems to sing a wordless version of the song's feelings, and how each phrase resolves gently, like a sigh at the end of a thought.
Kid by Pretenders is featured in our New Wave (#11) list. The solo is played by James Honeyman-Scott and the song was released in 1979.
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Who played the guitar solo on Kid?
James Honeyman-Scott played the solo on Pretenders's Kid (1979).