Famous and Popular Songs by Yngwie Malmsteen
Let me introduce a piece by the Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen.
Yngwie Malmsteen is famous as a master of lightning-fast playing and is a revolutionary guitarist who incorporated elements of classical music into rock guitar performance.
He started playing guitar inspired by Jimi Hendrix, but gradually began listening to classical music as well, and it’s said he even practiced playing violin sheet music on the guitar.
His Fender Stratocaster and Marshall amp are iconic—he totally looks the part of a rock star.
Now, immerse yourself in Yngwie Malmsteen’s technique.
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Yngwie Malmsteen’s Classic and Popular Songs (11–20)
Dreaming (Tell Me)Yngwie Malmsteen
Not only is he known for blistering, full-throttle metal tunes, but Yngwie’s appeal also lies in his beautiful ballads that showcase his extraordinary melodic sense.
Among them, “Dreaming (Tell Me)” from the album Odyssey stands out with a unique charm, thanks in part to Joe Lynn Turner’s bluesy vocals on that record, setting it apart from the typical metal band ballad.
By the way, the short guitar solo might catch you off guard, but don’t worry—there’s a furious, extended solo toward the end of the track.
Icarus Dream FanfareYngwie Malmsteen
Though Yngwie sometimes quotes phrases from classical pieces, the opening section of Icarus Dream Fanfare is an arrangement of Albinoni’s Adagio.
He’s often spotlighted only for his speed picking, but even on his first album he had already mastered the soulful, “weeping guitar” style that delivers a tender, moving performance.
The opening phrase is also often played live as a prelude to Far Beyond The Sun.
Motherless ChildYngwie Malmsteen
Among Yngwie’s high-speed tracks, this one in particular has incredibly satisfying hits and accents! The drums come in at an unexpected moment right from the intro, and the sparkling keyboard gives it a distinct charm compared to his other speed tunes.
The long guitar solo, too, is meticulously constructed even while being thoroughly shred-focused: ripping over the signature phrases, then a decisive one-shot bend before more ripping, back to shredding over the signature hits again, and even tearing it up on acoustic guitar.
It’s relentless fast playing, yet carefully and intricately arranged.
LiarYngwie Malmsteen
It’s fair to call this one an early classic from his straight-ahead metal period, featuring Mark Boals’s soaring high-register vocals in top form.
The blistering sweep-picking at the start of the guitar solo is one of his signature licks and stands as a textbook example of neoclassical metal.
By the way, the title “Liar” refers to the late bassist Marcel Jacob, who had a falling-out with Yngwie; knowing that the song carries that grudge can give you a different way to listen to it.
VengeanceYngwie Malmsteen
There’s a phrase that often uses a guitar’s open strings in neoclassical metal.
The intro of “Vengeance,” which kicks in after the acoustic guitar intro, could be called a textbook example of that phrase.
Not only is this melodic phrase played in the intro, but it’s also used behind the chorus and coexists brilliantly with the vocal melody—an impressive display of songwriting technique.
The unison accent phrase by the guitar and bass is cool, too!