Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street. It’s 40 years old!

Baker Street (song) - Wikipedia

Released 3rd February 1978, according to Wikipedia. The song reached #2 in America and #3 in the UK. It was held off the top spot by Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights and Blondie’s Denis in the latter. Baker Street is a nigh on perfect song and the album it’s from, City To City, is pretty darn perfect too. Rafferty never again had a hit the size of Baker Street, but did return to the charts with a few great singles over the next couple of years.

So, did you like Baker Street? Any special memories? Do you think it’s worn well over the last 4 decades? Do tell



I’d forgotten how much the single was speeded up. Best play the extended album version instead.

 

WOW!!! Honestly I wore that 45 out that spring and whole year 1978.

 

Seen Gerry with Steelers Wheel a couple years earlier. Baker Street has to have the best saxophone solo in the history of pop music.

 

The sax solo made it, didn’t it? The best remembered thing about the record.

 

To me it never gets old, I prefer the extended album version. Absolutely love title track and, of course, Gerry Rafferty.

 

Held off the top by Andy Gibb’s Shadow Dancing in the States. I love Andy, but that does seem wrong.

 

The session sax player just got a fixed session fee as well.

 

The sax. The man.



Raphael Ravenscroft

Ravenscroft in 2014

 

The musicians:

Personnel:

• Gerry Rafferty – lead vocals
• Raphael Ravenscroft – saxophone
• Hugh Burns – lead guitar
• Nigel Jenkins – rhythm guitar
• Tommy Eyre – keyboards
• Gary Taylor - bass
• Henry Spinetti – drums
• Glen Le Fleur – percussion
• Graham Preskett – string arrangements

 

What a song. That sax line!!! Definitely a staple of my am radio youth, up there with Fly Like an Eagle, Feeling Stronger Every Day and Ebony Eyes.

 

Baker Street"

Italian single picture sleeve

 

One of the first songs I remember from when it was just released and hearing how great everyone said it was... I totally had agreed and ended up with the single, somehow. Must have been one of the very first records I was given!

He made some lovely albums around this time (well, all the ones I've heard before and since have been too - just that this is from when he is best remembered) and it's hard not to put City To City at the top; as it contains the unedited (unlike the 45) version, that makes it even better IMO.

 

Think Gerry was the only artist not to go disco.

 

My favorite version of Ebony Eyes:

:

 

City to City is one of the greatest albums ever released. Period.

 

His Sgt Pepper.

 

The UK top 25 from the week Baker Street peaked at #3. Sorry for the poor scan.

 

Didn't know that Rafferty was just the singer and was not also the lead guitar player. With that album's cover image, you'd think that he had also been the axeman on that track.

 

I have this version with outtakes etc.

 

Ahhh that's showbiz.

 

It's not really a solo though is it? Not in an improvised sense. Its a riff that was written by Rafferty on guitar which was then played by the sax player. Lots of talk through the years about Ravenscroft being hard done by, not given a writing credit but the demo proves it was Rafferty who came up with the sax line. The guitar solo at the end is excellent.

I love the song, just perfect, forever to be played on the radio and never get tired of it. For me the title track of his next album, Night Owl, comes pretty damn close to the level of Baker Street in itself. Quality.

Here's the original Baker St demo.

 

Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the raiders has claimed in various interviews that he had a hand in Baker Street and the album city to city as he was an a&r guy at United artists records at the time.

 

Publishing on that song alone would keep us all happy I think.

 

Sounds like the gtr uses a phase pedal. The saxophone really brought character and soul to the song, that's a good thing.

 

Here is your long version what have you.