In this lesson I take you through the Rolling Stones classic “Dead Flowers”. This is one of my favorite stones tunes, it has a country feel and killer guitar solo by Mick Taylor. This song is perfect for the total beginner because the entire song only has three chords D, A and G. I break the guitar solo down into 8 licks / phrases that both imply the chords and build off several main phrases with variations. The guitar solo is based on a D major pentatonic scale but also utilizes the fourth (the G note) in some of the licks. This is so perfect for someone learning how to solo thanks to Mick’s masterful yet simple approach to playing for the song. I highly recommend learning some of the filler licks by ear as they can be heard throughout the song in between Jagger’s vocal and utilize many of the same type of ideas as the solo. The backing track I created is perfect for practicing the solo over and just getting a feel on how to create your own ideas with some of the concepts from the lesson.
About
“Dead Flowers” is a song by The Rolling Stones, featured on their 1971 album Sticky Fingers. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it blends elements of rock, country, and folk, showcasing the band’s ability to experiment with different genres. The song is often noted for its melancholic and somewhat dark lyrics, with themes of love, loss, and disillusionment.
The lyrics of “Dead Flowers” tell the story of someone reflecting on a past relationship, expressing a sense of abandonment and emotional decay. The metaphor of “dead flowers” symbolizes something that was once alive and beautiful but is now withered and forgotten. Despite the heavy emotional themes, the upbeat, honky-tonk piano riff gives the song a catchy, almost ironic tone.
“Dead Flowers” became one of the more beloved tracks from Sticky Fingers and has been performed live numerous times by the band, becoming a staple in their concerts.