Posted on 01/04/2011 11:57:47 AM PST by Borges
I wonder if it's the same guy who played sax on Al Stewart's "The Year of the Cat"? I always seemed to have Rafferty and Stewart linked together for some reason in my mind.
Me too. But, after all, both about the same age, both Scottish, both popular around the same time. I would guess we're not the only ones who associate the two.
I looked it up in Wikipedia:
Raphael Ravenscroft from Dumfries is a Scottish professional saxophone player and author on saxophone play.
He is best known for his work with Gerry Rafferty, performing the iconic saxophone solo on “Baker Street.” Ravenscroft was paid £27 for the session, with a cheque that bounced.[1]
Stewart’s Time Passages was another great sax solo as well.
Gerry Rafferty, who has died aged 63 after a long illness>>>>>
Means cancer in case you didn’t know. One of my favorites. What a shame
Winding your way down on Baker Street
Light in your head and dead on your feet
Well another crazy day, you?ll drink the night away
And forget about everything.
This city desert makes you feel so cold
It?s got so many people but it?s got no soul
And it?s taken you so long to find out you were wrong
When you thought it held everything.
You used to think that it was so easy,
You used to say that it was so easy
But you?re tryin?, you?re tryin? now.
Another year and then you?d be happy
Just one more year and then you?d be happy
But you?re cryin?, you?re cryin? now.
Way down the street there?s a light in his place
You open the door, he?s got that look on his face
And he asks you where you?ve been, you tell him who you?ve seen
And you talk about anything.
He?s got this dream about buyin? some land
He?s gonna give up the booze and the one night stands
And then he?ll settle down, it?s a quiet little town
And forget about everything.
But you know he?ll always keep movin?
You know he?s never gonna stop movin?
Cause he?s rollin?, he?s the rollin? stone.
And when you wake up it?s a new morning
The sun is shining, it?s a new morning
But you?re going, you?re going home.
Raphael Ravenscroft ..... who can forget a name like that? Bounced check? lol lol lol
In heavy rotation on my CD player is my compilation of Traffic’s greatest hits and Winwwod/Clapton live from the last year or two.
The Ark is somewhere near the top. Home and Dry is wonderful, though.
What’s your point? to beat up a dead alcoholic?
Sure glad she visited Memphis.
Now wait a minute!
I wanna hear you blow now
Go ahead, go ahead, I want you to blow for all the men whose women who don't keep a true love now
I want you to blow for all the people who have to face an empty bed now
Go ahead, blow one for yourself
Blow one for me too
“What’s your point? to beat up a dead alcoholic?”
No. I know alcoholism up close and personal. It drives home the fact that it is a life and death condition (or disease as some call it). I have had friends and relatives die before their time.
It is sad that some can’t accept the help offered, and for that nobody has enough answers. Some get sober and stay sober. And some never do.
I merely gave examples of those in entertainment that have recovered. Those I mentioned have been fairly public about their sobriety; others not so much.
We know G.W. Bush’s public, spiritual story, and that he did it without AA. So did Alice Cooper. The others I believe went the AA route, which is also spiritual in nature.
Clapton has funded a recovery program in the Caribbean, and he may very well have approached the dead musician. But often intellectual pride or other factors prevent the alcoholic from accepting help.
I will mark 17 years sober a month from today, thanks to AA.
Far from beating up the guy. It makes me sad, for him and his loved ones.
Holy Crap!! I’d completely forgotten that he did “Right Next Time”!
ANOTHER great Rafferty song. Man, what a loss.
Rock and Roll Ping for those who missed it.
Very sad.
Done no bad fur a wee laddie fae Paisley, ken.
My personal favorite from “City to City” was a song called “Island” that has a wonderful sax solo and a rhythm that makes you feel like you are floating on a ship.
The song is about a man who is reconciling with his wife and he realizes just how much he wants to be with her but realizes they’ll be returning from their trip the next day and he just wants to spend as much time as he can with her.
Knowing Mr. Rafferty’s personal struggles, it puts a different slant on some of his songs.
“Days Gone Down’ Was a good Gerry Rafferty song too. Still is.
Good music is just timeless.
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