Gerry Rafferty obituary - Singer and songwriter

The Guardian ^ | 01/04/11 | Michael Gray

[Ghengis]

Baker Street had one of the most haunting sax solos in popular music. It was one of the songs that defined my high school and young adult years.

[MarkL]

He was also a member of "Steelers wheel," their best known song, "Stuck in the Middle With You," I haven't been able to listen to since I saw "Reservoir Dogs!"

Mark

[PLMerite]

All God’s children get weary when they roam...

[patriot preacher]

“Baker Street” is one of my favorite songs for over 30 years — since Jr. High! Lots of memories attached to that song. He was a great songwriter. Thanks, Gerry...

[andy58-in-nh]

And Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do” was a blatant rip-off of that song.

Yes, it certainly was - same basic key changes and rhythm. "Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right..."

[ez]

As a professional sax player since 1978, I have played the lick to “Baker Street” more than a few times. It’s one of the greatest sax licks of all time, even if it is repeated a few too many times. Rest easy, Gerry...you made it to the top of the hill.

[Charles Martel]

Agreed. Knopfler on guitar=awesome, Knopfler on vocals=not awesome.

Yep, Mark's vocals are sort of an acquired taste. Almost more "talking on pitch" than singing. His guitar skills, though, just continue to richen with the passing years - like a fine, peat-smoked Scotch whisky.

[Cyber Liberty]

RIP, Gerry. You meant more to us than you know.

[BluesDuke]

He could have given nothing but "Baker Street" (which was, I think, actually his rather cynically wistful look back at his earlier years in the music business---the Beatles' Apple Boutique was located on the actual street, ) and he'd have been remembered. City to City was a terrific album and still is. All through the summer of 1978, you could have sworn you were hearing that beguiling saxophone line (maybe the second-most beguiling such line in pop music this side of the dangler that heralded and exited the Originals' Marvin Gaye-composed soul hit, "Baby, I'm For Real") even when "Baker Street" wasn't playing.

RIP, Gerry Rafferty. In a decade dominated mostly by musical dreck (there were exceptions, of course), you were a blessing.

[SuziQ]

I LOVE "Baker Street"!! That saxophone is just awesome, not to mention Rafferty's voice! All this time, and I never knew he'd been part of Stealer's Wheel! "Stuck in the Middle with You" is one of my favorite songs.

I hate to hear he went the way of his Dad.

[Charles Henrickson]

Gerry Rafferty, who has died aged 63 after a long illness, wrote the multimillion-selling hit Baker Street. . . .

One of my all-time favorite songs. The saxophone work on that song is FANTASTIC!

[buccaneer81]

One of his most overlooked songs is “Home And Dry.” Second best song on “City To City” after “Baker Street.”

[Moonman62]

There isn’t one bad song on City to City. It is indeed a classic and every note played by him.

I agree. It's one of those rare albums that can be enjoyed from beginning to end.

[CSM]

Dave Ramsey bump music ping......Blake will hold a wake.

Thanks Day10 for the heads up.

Dave Ramsey Fan Ping List.

If you would like to be added to the “Live like no one else, so that you can LIVE like no one else” list, feel free to Freepmail me.

[eddie willers]

He could have given nothing but "Baker Street" (which was, I think, actually his rather cynically wistful look back at his earlier years in the music business---the Beatles' Apple Boutique was located on the actual street, ),

Sherlock Holmes shared a flat there with a doctor fellow.....sorta.

[Para-Ord.45]

How good?

This good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKSeq_5ZyXI

[BluesDuke]

Dusty Springfield lived there during the 1960s, too.

[Patton@Bastogne]

.


Agreed ... the saxophone is incredible ...

Ever listened to Traffic's "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" ?

It's about 12 minutes long with an UNBELIEVABLE 5-minute sax interlude-solo right in the middle ...

Check it out ...



Then there's always "Europa" by Gato Barberri ... available to listen to at YouTube ...

That's the song that I want to dance with my beautiful bride at our wedding someday ... on Honeymoon Island Beach in Dunedin, FL ...

Her initials ? Won't put them all here ... but "Y" grows the best Earthbox tomatoes, is an incredible culinary master ... and once told me these words ...

"Well, if we're going to stay together, we might as well get married" on Valentine's Day 2010 ... and she then proceeded to (emotionally) run away the next day ...

I didn't deserve that ... especially after two marriage proposals in a two-year relationship ...

"The Lord" knows that I dearly love, cherish and adore that Woman ... My Cinnamon Girl ...



Patton-at-Bastogne

.

[Patton@Bastogne]

.


Traffic -- Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys

Sax solo from time mark 5:10 until 9:20 ...

Enjoy ...


.

[truth_seeker]

“Talented and yet, as the article discusses, crippled by severe alcoholism for the “last two decades” of his life. The last years of his life sound utterly miserable. From his miserable childhood onward, this man had a lot of ups and downs in life.”

And a lot of entertainers have problems, eventually get clean and sober, and stay that way.

Those with 20+ years clean and sober (reported-by good sources) include Eric Clapton, Elton John, Alice Cooper, Ringo Starr, Anthony Hopkins, Craig Ferguson, Paul Williams, ...and many, many more.