That Lady, Pts. 1 & 2

The Isley Brothers, 1973, from 3 + 3. Solo by Ernie Isley.

Fuzz and phase from the family's youngest.

Ernie Isley's solo turns this smooth soul groove into something far more psychedelic. He uses heavy fuzz and a swirling, phased sound, with long, sustaining lines that float over the Latin-tinged percussion. The Hendrix influence is easy to hear, but Ernie's phrasing is more melodic and relaxed, riding the groove instead of fighting it. It showed that a soul hit could carry a rock guitar solo without losing its sweetness, and it widened the Isleys' audience. Listen for the long, held notes that seem to melt into the arrangement, and for how the solo keeps returning to a few simple ideas, reshaping them each time.

That Lady, Pts. 1 & 2 by The Isley Brothers is ranked #129 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Ernie Isley and the song was released in 1973. It appears on 3 lists, placing as high as #28 (uDiscover Music).

In our lists

• See Them Live — #46
• The Road Trip 50 — #30
• The 25 Greatest Funk and Soul Guitar Solos — #3
• Whammy, Fuzz & Feedback — #10
• Rolling Stone vs. Everyone — #25
• The Best The Isley Brothers Guitar Solos — #1

Sources

• uDiscover Music: The Best Guitar Solos Of All Time: 108 Amazing Moments — #28
• Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #30
• RAG Music: ギターソロがかっこいい洋楽の名曲まとめ