The Great Curve
Talking Heads, 1980, from Remain in Light. Solo by Adrian Belew.
Belew's wild, elephant-like whammy squalls ride a dense Afrobeat-inspired groove, one of the era's most inventive guitar moments.
The Great Curve rides a dense, Afrobeat-inspired groove on Remain in Light, and Adrian Belew's guitar provides some of the most inventive sounds of the era. Using the whammy bar and effects, he produces wild, elephant-like squalls that bend and swoop across the polyrhythms. His solos are unpredictable and textural, more about sound and gesture than traditional melody. The contrast between the tightly locked groove and his chaotic outbursts creates a thrilling tension. Listen for the moments when Belew's guitar seems to trumpet and roar, pulling the pitch far beyond normal limits, and notice how the band keeps the groove steady underneath, letting the guitar run free.
The Great Curve by Talking Heads is ranked #204 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Adrian Belew and the song was released in 1980. It appears on 2 lists, placing as high as #4 (Medium (Dondestan)).
In our lists
- The 25 Greatest New Wave Guitar Solos — #10
- Whammy, Fuzz & Feedback — #19
- Hidden Gems — #12
- The Best Talking Heads Guitar Solos — #1
- The Best Adrian Belew Guitar Solos — #1
Sources
- Medium (Dondestan): Greatest Guitar Solos, Ranked — #4
- Gibson.com (via Georgia Straight): Gibson.com's Top 50 Guitar Solos of All Time — #48
Who played the guitar solo on The Great Curve?
Adrian Belew played the solo on Talking Heads's The Great Curve (1980).
Where does The Great Curve rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#204 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 2 of them.