Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
Writing by richard on Wednesday, 3 of October , 2007 at 1:09 pm
Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street is to the air saxophone as Deep Purple’s Smoke on the Water is to the air guitar. Undoubtedly, there are more than a few songs featuring saxaphones, but none of them have ever made me want to play the air saxophone. This is no small feat, I imagine.
Although I have many memories of playing the air guitar and feeling like a rock star, playing the sax on Baker Street gives me an intangible type of coolness that no guitar rock has ever given to me. And in a strange way, it is arguably even cooler than a Wayne Shorter solo… well, maybe not.
Living in Southern California, but working in Orange county often leads to my driving in the desert, and during the commercials on talk radio when I can find nothing else, the wonderful saxophone hook creeps in.
And perhaps these lyrics are the reason why…
This city desert makes you feel so cold
It’s got so many people but it’s got no soul
Along with the saxophone hook, I am intrigued by the timbre of voice as Gerry sings
Another year and then you’ll be happy
Just one more year and then you’ll be happy
But you’re cryin’
You’re cryin’ now
It always catches me at awkward moments and I left to repeat You’re cryin’ now in my head over and over. It affects me much in the same way as Brian Wilson singing Caroline No, only with a saxophone instead of a passing train and barking dogs.
I am unsure if I always liked this song, I always caught it at odd moments when someone would happen to have an easy listening station on and I would just hear that hook. Was I originally annoyed by it? Did the song simply grow on me due to my brain making requests for it over and over? I am left to ponder… with a saxophone playing in my head.
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Category: Gerry Rafferty
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