Just What I Needed

The Cars, 1978, from The Cars. Solo by Elliot Easton.

Easton's crisp, perfectly structured solo shows new wave did not have to abandon the guitar break.

Just What I Needed proved that new wave did not have to give up the guitar break, and Elliot Easton's solo is a model of economy. In a handful of bars he states a clear, singable idea, develops it with a couple of crisp bends and quick runs, and hands the song back without wasting a note. His tone is bright and clean-edged, sitting neatly alongside the synths and the band's tight, choppy rhythm. The solo feels composed rather than improvised, which suits the Cars' polished, deliberate style. Listen for how each phrase leads logically into the next, almost like a second vocal hook, and for the tidy way Easton lands the final notes right back into the chorus.

Just What I Needed by The Cars is ranked #308 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Elliot Easton and the song was released in 1978. It appears on 1 lists, placing as high as #75 (Rolling Stone).

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest New Wave Guitar Solos — #2
• The 25 Greatest Power Pop Guitar Solos — #8
• Rolling Stone vs. Everyone — #3
• The Best The Cars Guitar Solos — #1

Sources

• Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #75