# I Could Have Lied guitar solo

> John Frusciante's guitar solo on I Could Have Lied by Red Hot Chili Peppers (1991) starts at about 1:50. From the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

Canonical URL: <https://greatestsolos.com/song/red-hot-chili-peppers-i-could-have-lied/>

Red Hot Chili Peppers, 1991, from *Blood Sugar Sex Magik*. Solo by *John Frusciante*.

This quiet ballad showcases a gentler, more vulnerable side of John Frusciante's playing. After acoustic verses, his solo arrives as a short, raw outpouring, full of vocal-like bends and slightly unpolished phrasing that make it feel intensely personal. It's not about technique but about feeling, and the imperfections are part of its charm. The solo stands out on an album better known for its funk grooves, showing the band's emotional range. Listen for the moment where Frusciante pushes the bends a little too far, letting the notes wobble and crack, as if he's struggling to hold back emotion, before the song settles again.

I Could Have Lied by Red Hot Chili Peppers is ranked #147 in our consensus of 80 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by John Frusciante and the song was released in 1991. It appears on 4 lists, placing as high as #8 (TopGuitar.pl).

## In our lists

- [The Modern Canon: Best Since 1990](https://greatestsolos.com/list/since-1990/) — #34
- [The Most Beautiful Guitar Solos of All Time](https://greatestsolos.com/list/most-beautiful-guitar-solos/) — #21
- [The 25 Greatest Alternative Rock Guitar Solos](https://greatestsolos.com/list/alternative/) — #7
- [Ballad Solos](https://greatestsolos.com/list/ballads/) — #21
- [The Best John Frusciante Guitar Solos](https://greatestsolos.com/list/john-frusciante-guitar-solos/) — #15
- [The Best Red Hot Chili Peppers Guitar Solos](https://greatestsolos.com/list/red-hot-chili-peppers-guitar-solos/) — #12
- [Top 20 Guitar Solos of 1991](https://greatestsolos.com/list/best-guitar-solos-1991/) — #8
- [The Greatest Acoustic Guitar Solos](https://greatestsolos.com/list/acoustic-guitar-solos/) — #2

## Sources

- [TopGuitar.pl: 25 najbardziej emocjonalnych solówek wszech czasów](https://topguitar.pl/topspecial/25-najbardziej-emocjonalnych-solowek-wszech-czasow/) — #8
- [Magazyn Gitarzysta: 100 solówek wszech czasów \[100 solos of all time\]](https://magazyngitarzysta.pl/muzyka/wywiady/1928-100-solowek-wszech-czasow) — #35
- [Classic Rock (Louder): The 100 greatest guitar solos in rock](https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-100-greatest-guitar-solos-in-rock) — #95
- [Digital Dream Door: 250 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos](https://digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_guitarsolo.html) — #129

### Who played the guitar solo on I Could Have Lied?

John Frusciante played the solo on Red Hot Chili Peppers's I Could Have Lied (1991).

### What guitar was used on the I Could Have Lied solo?

A fender stratocaster, according to widely reported accounts.

### Where does I Could Have Lied rank among the greatest guitar solos?

#147 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 80 published lists; it appears on 4 of them.

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