Greatest Guitar Songs: History Lesson

Sometime between making my way through the original 100 and getting into the comments, I decided that perhaps the most glaring omissions were Django Reinhardt and Robert Johnson. Some of that could have been that they are regarded for a larger body of work, without having particular songs stand out.

That reasoning kind of works, and actually Robert Johnson did make the list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists if I recall correctly, but Reinhardt is still left out, and this is just wrong.

(That list is on the Rolling Stone site, but navigation is a chore: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-guitarists-of-all-time-19691231)

With this post it is mainly that I want to pay some homage to them, but as it was turning in my mind it became more about the history. Thinking of the two lists, with "Johnny B. Goode" as the greatest song, and Jimi Hendrix as the greatest guitarist, I believe part of that is because of their impact. Hey, we didn't know a guitar could do that. There is an influence that comes not just because of being good, but of being new.

Part of the last go around, and I know I did mention is, was seeing via Wikipedia (which has been pretty helpful), that the intro to "Johnny B. Goode" was a note for note copy of the lead guitar riff on "Ain't That Just Like A Woman". The first time I listened, I did not hear it, but I tried again and I did.

It still sounds different when those notes are amplified and electrified. Chuck Berry heard something there and did something different with it, and it was something new. It was the lifted to open The Beach Boys' "Fun Fun Fun", which again is something I had not noticed on my own.

Knowing all that, maybe there also needs to be some credit given to Louis Jordan, or to Carl Hogan, who played the riff. Berry mentions both Jordan and Hogan when talking about it. It is also worth noting that a similar riff is used for "Roll Over Beethoven", leading to a larger pattern of taking music and innovating with it, learning from it, and remembering those who came before.

And you know, I do not know enough. I can't pick out which Django Reinhardt song should be added to the list. I lean towards "Djangology", because the name invites me to think of this as the class on him, and the way to get acquainted with him. Actually, the song does kind of work for that, but I don't think it's his best. Really, I don't know.

What I do know is that he saw something new. He created a new technique and a new sound, and it is really an intricate sound despite having two fingers that he could not use. Therefore he was not only an influence on his contemporaries, but is still an inspiration for various guitarists who have to overcome physical issues. And no, I don't listen to a lot of hot jazz, but it doesn't change the influence that he had, and as I want to understand music better, I can't ignore the history.

I also don't listen to a lot of blues, but that does not change the influence of Robert Johnson. You could argue that he was a bigger influence on rock than on blues, and Sam Dunn called him "the great grandfather to all things heavy metal" which sounds crazy to me, but I suspect if I start heading down that path, I'll discover that it's right.

There is innovation here too, with pulling a boogie bass line from the piano and playing it on the guitar for "Believe I'll Dust My Broom". You can do that? Why not? And sometimes all you need is someone to show the way.

I would like to be able to say something more profound here about them, and give them their due. Other people have, so maybe it's okay that I can't. What I do feel profoundly is this awe at how much can be done and has been done, and how there is always so much more to know and to hear.