Mayonaise
The Smashing Pumpkins, 1993, from Siamese Dream. Solo by Billy Corgan.
A slow, grinding lead line that carries the song's aching melody through a haze of distortion.
Mayonaise is one of the Smashing Pumpkins' most beloved songs, and its lead guitar carries the song's aching melody. Billy Corgan's lead line is slow and grinding, with a thick, fuzzy tone that sounds almost like a voice straining to be heard. Rather than a flashy solo, the guitar plays long, sustained notes that follow the vocal melody, adding emotional weight. The layered guitars create a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere. It is a perfect example of how Corgan used texture and tone to convey emotion. Listen for the way the lead guitar bends and slides between notes, giving the melody a yearning, fragile quality that matches the song's bittersweet lyrics.
Mayonaise by The Smashing Pumpkins is ranked #330 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Billy Corgan and the song was released in 1993. It appears on 1 lists, placing as high as #94 (Rolling Stone).
In our lists
- The 25 Greatest Alternative Rock Guitar Solos — #18
- Rolling Stone vs. Everyone — #1
- The Best The Smashing Pumpkins Guitar Solos — #4
Sources
Who played the guitar solo on Mayonaise?
Billy Corgan played the solo on The Smashing Pumpkins's Mayonaise (1993).
Where does Mayonaise rank among the greatest guitar solos?
#330 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 1 of them.