Pride and Joy

Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1983. Solo by Stevie Ray Vaughan.

SRV's shuffle is pure attack; the solo is short and joyous.

The real showcase here is how Vaughan merges rhythm and lead on his Stratocaster 'Number One', tuned down a half step. He plays the walking bass line, muted percussive chops and ringing open-string voicings at the same time, choosing fingerings that let as many open strings sound as possible. The solo choruses grow straight out of that groove with heavy bends and slides, all captured as a live band performance rather than pieced together. It is short and cheerful, and it made a Texas shuffle sound irresistible on rock radio. Listen for the ringing high E string underneath the licks; Vaughan keeps it sounding so the guitar feels bigger than a single instrument.

Pride and Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan is ranked #36 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Stevie Ray Vaughan and the song was released in 1983. It appears on 13 lists, placing as high as #18 (Guitar Tricks).

The story of Pride and Joy

"Pride and Joy" was one of Stevie Ray Vaughan's own songs, a bright, upbeat Texas shuffle he had been playing in clubs well before he ever cut a record. According to Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton, Vaughan wrote it about a woman he was seeing at the time, and a later falling-out with the same person led to another song, "I'm Cryin'". Songfacts notes that the dedication has been disputed over the years, with some accounts pointing to his wife Lenora instead.

The recording came together quickly and cheaply. Over the Thanksgiving weekend of 1982, Vaughan, bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton set up at Jackson Browne's Los Angeles studio, a warehouse rehearsal space. Engineer Richard Mullen captured the trio essentially live, running through their stage set and keeping the best takes; Mullen later estimated that nearly all of Vaughan's records were cut that way.

The tapes reached veteran talent scout John Hammond, who had championed Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin. He passed them to Epic Records, which signed Vaughan in the spring of 1983, and Hammond took an executive producer credit. Only minimal overdubbing followed, with some vocal work later done in Austin. The deal put Vaughan on a major label with a record that sounded almost exactly like his club shows, something rare for a debut at the time.

Texas Flood arrived on June 13, 1983, and "Pride and Joy" was chosen as Vaughan's first single. It climbed to No. 20 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, and the album reached No. 38 on the Billboard 200 before eventually going double platinum. The song quickly became Vaughan's signature and a fixture of almost every live show he played. Most of his later live albums and concert videos include it as well.

The solo

Vaughan plays everything on guitar himself, using his battered Fender Stratocaster known as "Number One", tuned down a half step so the E shuffle sounds in E-flat. Mullen recorded the amps with a single microphone, capturing a mix of Fender Vibroverbs and a Dumble amplifier, with an Ibanez Tube Screamer as essentially the only pedal. The song's real showcase is how Vaughan merges rhythm and lead: he plays the walking bass line, muted percussive chord chops and ringing open-string voicings at the same time, choosing fingerings that let as many open strings sound as possible, especially the high E. His solo choruses grow straight out of that groove, with heavy string bends and slides layered over the shuffle, all captured as a live band performance rather than pieced together.

Legacy

"Pride and Joy" introduced a largely unknown Texas guitarist to national radio and helped spark the 1980s blues revival that AllMusic credits to Texas Flood. The track remains a rite of passage for blues guitarists and was the first single of a career cut short by Vaughan's death in 1990. When Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, the song was played at the ceremony by Jimmie Vaughan with Gary Clark Jr., Doyle Bramhall II, John Mayer and the surviving members of Double Trouble.

Top 10 facts about Pride and Joy

Drummer Chris Layton said Vaughan wrote the song for a girlfriend, and a later argument with her inspired "I'm Cryin'" on the same album.
Wikipedia
Vaughan plays the song in E but with his guitar tuned a half step down, so it sounds in E-flat.
Guitar World
Texas Flood was recorded at Jackson Browne's Los Angeles studio over November 22–24, 1982, with engineer Richard Mullen using one microphone on everything.
Wikipedia
Richard Mullen estimated that about 98 percent of Vaughan's recordings were cut live, and the debut album's takes came from playing the live set twice.
Line 6 (Jas Obrecht)
Vaughan's main guitar on the sessions was "Number One", a vintage Fender Stratocaster.
Line 6 (Jas Obrecht)
John Hammond, famous for discovering Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin, took the tapes to Epic Records and served as executive producer.
Wikipedia
"Pride and Joy" was Vaughan's first single and reached No. 20 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.
Guitar World
A December 6, 1983 TV taping with Albert King in Hamilton, Ontario, including "Pride and Joy", was released in 1999 as In Session.
Wikipedia
Texas Flood reached No. 38 on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified double platinum in the US.
Wikipedia
Bonnie Raitt performed "Pride and Joy" on the 1996 album A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Robert Christgau

Live versions

Live at the El Mocambo (Toronto) (1983) Filmed July 20, 1983 on the Texas Flood tour; a celebrated concert video.
Live from Austin, Texas (Austin City Limits) (1983) December 13, 1983 taping; the song opens the video release.
In Session with Albert King (CHCH-TV, Hamilton) (1983) Vaughan, 29, trading licks with his hero Albert King, 60; released in 1999.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction (2015) Jimmie Vaughan, Gary Clark Jr., Doyle Bramhall II and John Mayer honored Stevie with Double Trouble.

Notable covers

Bonnie Raitt (1996) Recorded for the all-star album A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Jimmie Vaughan, Gary Clark Jr., Doyle Bramhall II and John Mayer (2015) Performed with Double Trouble at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.

In our lists

Sources

Who played the guitar solo on Pride and Joy?

Stevie Ray Vaughan played the solo on Stevie Ray Vaughan's Pride and Joy (1983).

What guitar was used on the Pride and Joy solo?

A fender stratocaster through a Fender amp, with Tube Screamer, according to widely reported accounts.

Where does Pride and Joy rank among the greatest guitar solos?

#36 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 13 of them.

Who wrote "Pride and Joy"?

Stevie Ray Vaughan wrote it himself; it is one of his original compositions on Texas Flood.

What guitar did Stevie Ray Vaughan use on "Pride and Joy"?

He used his main Fender Stratocaster, nicknamed "Number One", tuned down a half step.

What key is "Pride and Joy" in?

It is played as an E shuffle, but because Vaughan tuned down a half step it sounds in E-flat.

Who is "Pride and Joy" about?

Chris Layton said Vaughan wrote it for a girlfriend at the time; other accounts link it to his wife Lenora.

What album is "Pride and Joy" on?

It appears on Vaughan's 1983 debut album Texas Flood and was his first single.