Girls, Girls, Girls – Mötley Crüe

Step into the gritty, glam-fuelled world of 1980s hard rock with our in-depth guitar lesson for “Girls, Girls, Girls” by Mötley Crüe, available exclusively at LickLibrary.com. This iconic track is a staple of the band’s catalogue and a perfect example of the sleazy, street-smart rock ‘n’ roll that defined an era. In this note-for-note guitar tutorial, we break down every riff, lick, and solo to give you the tools and technique to play it just like the original.

Whether you’re a seasoned player or a developing guitarist looking to expand your hard rock vocabulary, this lesson offers a comprehensive look at a wide array of essential techniques used by one of rock’s most notorious bands. Danny Gill breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

About the Guitarist: Mick Mars

“Girls, Girls, Girls” showcases the gritty and explosive guitar style of Mick Mars, the lead guitarist for Mötley Crüe. Known for his blues-inspired phrasing, heavy riffs, and killer tone, Mars brought a sense of danger and attitude to every track. Despite battling ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic spinal condition, Mars remained a powerhouse on stage and in the studio, inspiring generations of players with his resilience and raw, aggressive sound. His guitar work is marked by creative use of harmonics, controlled feedback, and riff-heavy rhythm playing—skills that are all on display in this classic track.

Song Breakdown & Featured Techniques

Our lesson dives into the song’s most important guitar parts—from the grinding, bluesy main riff to the high-octane solos—breaking each section down into manageable chunks that are easy to follow and fun to master.

Power Chords

The main riff of “Girls, Girls, Girls” is built around hard-hitting power chords. These chords form the backbone of rock and metal guitar, providing a thick, aggressive tone that’s perfect for rhythm work. Mastering power chords helps players develop accuracy and palm muting coordination—essential skills for tight, punchy rhythm playing.

Palm Muting

This song makes great use of palm muting to add percussive energy and control to the riffs. Palm muting involves resting the side of your picking hand lightly on the strings near the bridge to produce a choked, rhythmic sound. It's a foundational technique for any rock or metal guitarist, improving right-hand precision and dynamic control.

Slides

Throughout the intro and fills, you’ll hear tasteful slides between notes and chord shapes, which add a fluid, vocal-like quality to the playing. Slides are crucial for expressive phrasing and can enhance your ability to connect melodic lines across the fretboard.

String Bending

Mars’s solos feature signature string bending, a technique that adds emotion and drama to your lead playing. Bending involves pushing or pulling the string to raise the pitch of a note, often by a whole or half step. Learning proper bending technique improves intonation and finger strength.

Pinched Harmonics

Listen closely and you’ll spot aggressive pinched harmonics throughout the lead work. These create screaming, high-pitched overtones and are achieved by lightly grazing the string with the thumb or edge of the pick while striking the note. A staple of heavy rock soloing, pinched harmonics teach players how to manipulate tone and attack for more dramatic solos.

Trills and Hammer-ons

Some of the lead phrases incorporate trills and hammer-ons, which help build speed and fluidity. These techniques allow for smoother transitions between notes and create fast, fluttering passages without constant picking—ideal for developing finger dexterity and coordination.

Dive Bombs and Whammy Bar Tricks

True to 80s form, the solo features heavy use of dive bombs and other whammy bar tricks, using the tremolo system to create dramatic pitch drops and squeals. Mastering these techniques opens up a world of expressive potential and gives your solos an unmistakably aggressive edge.

Double Stops and Bluesy Bends

The blues-influenced nature of the solo is enhanced by double stops and bluesy bends. These techniques bring soulful articulation and a vocal-like feel to your lead playing, perfect for adding emotion and character to your licks.

Benefits of Learning This Song

Learning “Girls, Girls, Girls” gives you a well-rounded workout in classic hard rock guitar. You'll strengthen both your rhythm and lead playing by combining tight power chord riffs, precise palm-muted chugs, expressive soloing techniques, and a range of dynamic embellishments. This song also helps build a strong sense of groove, which is critical for locking in with a rhythm section and playing with confidence in any band setting.

Whether you're playing for fun or preparing for a performance, these lessons offer an authentic glimpse into one of the most exciting eras in rock history—complete with the swagger, style, and skill that defined Mötley Crüe.

Techniques Used in This Lesson

• Power Chords
• Palm Muting
• Slides
• String Bending
• Pinched Harmonics
• Trills
• Hammer-ons
• Dive Bombs
• Whammy Bar Tricks
• Double Stops
• Bluesy Bends

Dive into the lesson and capture the energy of Mötley Crüe—string by string, bend by bend.