Rosanna

Toto, 1982, from Toto IV. Solo by Steve Lukather.

Lukather's melodic, perfectly placed lines show how a session ace can make a radio hit sound effortless and still thrilling.

Rosanna is famous for its half-time shuffle groove, but Steve Lukather's guitar is equally important to its appeal. His lines are melodic and perfectly placed, weaving through a dense arrangement of horns, keyboards and vocals without crowding anything. The solo sections show his session-player discipline: strong, singable phrases, a warm, sustaining tone and fast runs used sparingly as punctuation rather than showpieces. It is a model of how to be both tasteful and exciting on a radio hit. Listen for how Lukather builds toward the end of the track, letting his phrases grow longer and more intense as the arrangement opens up, while still keeping every note tied to the song's melody.

Rosanna by Toto is ranked #232 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Steve Lukather and the song was released in 1982. It appears on 3 lists, placing as high as #9 (Nomad Diary).

In our lists

• The Road Trip 50 — #47
• The 25 Greatest Pop Guitar Solos — #3
• The 25 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos — #5
• The Best Toto Guitar Solos — #1
• The Best Steve Lukather Guitar Solos — #1

Sources

• Nomad Diary: ギター歴17年の僕がおすすめする、ギターソロが最高にかっこいい17曲 — #9
• Guitar Tricks: 200 Best Guitar Solos of All Time — #161
• Muse Academy: 【邦楽＆洋楽】講師おすすめギターソロがかっこいい名曲10選｜奥山アキラ先生