The Guitar Man
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| "The Guitar Man" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Bread | ||||
| from the album Guitar Man | ||||
| B-side | "Just Like Yesterday" | |||
| Released | July 1972 | |||
| Genre | Rock, soft rock[1] | |||
| Length | 3:46 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Songwriter | David Gates | |||
| Producer | David Gates | |||
| Bread singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"The Guitar Man" is a song written by David Gates and originally recorded by the rock group Bread. It first appeared on Bread's 1972 album, Guitar Man. It is a mixture of the sounds of soft rock, including strings and acoustic guitar, and the addition of a wah-wah effect electric guitar, played by Larry Knechtel. The song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States and was their third No. 1 hit on the easy listening chart,[2] (following "If" and "Baby I'm-a Want You").
Record World called it a "superfine superhit" with a "beautiful tune, apt lyric, full, rich production."[3] Cash Box said "this ballad proves [Bread's] versatility and ability to handle a lyric that says a bit more than 'I love you.'"[4] Cash Box also said the song "is about performers, but is bound to be a listener's dream."[4]
| Chart (1972) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (KMR) | 22 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5] | 6 |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[6] | 7 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[7] | 14 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[8] | 8 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[9] | 16 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[10] | 11 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[11] | 1 |
| US Cash Box Top 100[12] | 10 |
