Heavens 48 hrs. later, NPR is still memorializing Gerry Rafferty,

[hlthe2b]

who died January 4 and was memorialized throughout tbe day yesterday... I am glad they are remembering him, but I can't recall the last time a singer, actor, or other entertainer was given 48 hours worth of commemoration. I'm guessing an NPR producer was a real fan...

RIP, Gerry. Baker Street was a favorite of mine.

[vi5]

1. That is odd.

Make no mistake about it Baker Street is pretty much THE song that I identify with my childhood in the 70's. I mean an iconic tune in every way. But still, 2 maybe 3 if you're being generous hits is hardly the stuff of multi-day eulogies.

[Sonoman]

2. Well...

You know what they say about "when you don't have anything good to say".

Guys like Rafferty, Al Stewart, Phil Collins, etc., pretty much killed off real rock'n'roll.

Gimme some Little Feat (the Lowell George Little Feat, anyway) any day.

And crank it up.

Sonoman

[hlthe2b]

8. Actually, I think drugs pretty well "did in" 'real' rock' n' roll...

Think of the classic rock bands... How many did not lose at least one major member to drugs? Think of the best of the best rock solo performers.... I don't think you can necessarily blame "pop" for the death of 'real' rock'n'roll.

[Sonoman]

13. Pretty much did me in, too. nt

[Sonoman]

16. Ok, I went to the lyrics

I will send you a clip.

Brilliant lyrics.

My apologies.

Sonoman

[tularetom]

3. Interesting side story about Baker Street

The sax solo was originally written for guitar, but the day the recording took place the guitar soloist failed to show and a studio sax player offered to take the part.

Incidentally if you want to hear what it sounds like played on guitar, the Foo Fighters re-recorded Baker Street about 10 years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH5SFemG8CI

But my personal favorite version (by Waylon Jennings)

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

[hlthe2b]

4. That sax solo has to be among the most famous ones ever recorded...

It makes the song, IMO. But, happy to give a listen to the way it was intended (& Jennings' version). ;)

[frazzled]

9. Um, I don't think so

Let's consider, say, Coleman Hawkins, Body and Soul

Or Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Stan Getz, Benny Carter, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane . . .

I mean, really: Coltrane playing A Love Supreme has got to be one of the most famous saxophone solos ever recorded (maybe second to Coleman Hawkins playing Body and Soul).

[hlthe2b]

10. Sorry, I meant in Pop.... Don't bring in the jazz greats.. not what I meant

Famous, btw, implies well known, not necessarily the best.


I meant pop and was not excluding the jazz greats... (Believe it or not, I'm really not that much of an idiot)

[frazzled]

12. I figured that ...

But I had to put it out there, because others might not realize all the great saxophone solos that have come down over the years.

I'm a slut for tenor saxophones.

[Swamp Rat]

19. LOL! Here ya geaux, for sax sluts everywhere:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giCssJ9MyXo

[tabatha]

6. Way better as sax than guitar.

[hlthe2b]

7. for sure...

Serendipitous.

[tabatha]

5. Mike Malloy used (s) it as a theme song.

[Kat45]

11. I love Baker Street

Brings me back to the summer of '78, riding in the car to the beach with my boyfriend, "Baker Street" playing on the car radio. A great summer, happier and simpler times. I can almost smell the ocean air when I hear that song.

[Spirochete]

14. Pretty rare, I imagine

He was TWO one-hit wonders. Once as Stealers Wheel, and once as a solo artist.

[hlthe2b]

15. Sprochete, eh...

So, are you a species of Leptospire, Borrelia or syphilis?

I think I'm hoping you work on research into one or the other, but then we all have our fascinations.... ;)

[thelordofhell]

18. Right Down The Line

[HCE SuiGeneris]

17. I'm still eulogizing Marc Bolan

Er, T-Rex