I happened across a video of the closing number from Dire Straits' "Alchemy" live album this week. It's from the movie "Local Hero", for which Mark Knopfler wrote the music. The saxophone line gave me a nostalgic impulse to look up some other rock/pop numbers that used the same instrument, and that brings us to this morning's lineup.
Let's start with one of the best-known saxophone songs: Boots Randolph's 1963 hit "Yakety Sax". You may know it better as the theme from the Benny Hill TV series.
Here's Glenn Frey's "You Belong To The City".
Gerry Rafferty's "Baker Street" is one of the best-known saxophone tracks in rock and pop music. Here's the extended version.
Sade's "Smooth Operator" made good use of the saxophone as a melodic backing line to the vocalist.
Who could forget The Champs with "Tequila"?
And finally, here's the track that started my mind in that direction: a live performance by Dire Straits of "Going Home" from the movie "Local Hero". It's from their live album "Alchemy".
Lots of memories in those tracks . . . I'm sure you can nominate your own saxophone rock and pop favorites. Tell us about them in Comments.
Peter
12 comments:
No love for Clarence Clemon's sax solo in "Jungleland" ?
+1 jerseygirlangie
Not one Clarence Clemons piece?
Tsk, Tsk!
Local Hero is a great movie, counter-narrative, very relaxing, (except for the moped).
Careless Whispers
And, while the album version of Jungleland is really solid, there's nothing quite like the original E Street Band live.
For example, from the Live at the Hammersmith Odeon, London '75 video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMyXw35IgYA
For that matter, since, early in his career when he didn't have a lot of original material, the E Street Band usually had covers of both Detroit Medley and Quarter to Three as a part of their live performances. Here's an example of the latter, also from the Odeon concert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMyXw35IgYA
Of course, the sax part was completely appropriate (and sounded like the E Street Band) -- but there was a sax in the Gary (U.S.) Bonds original version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzyhogPKV54
Ahh, Sade.. I can understand selection of "Smooth Operator" as a good representation. I might have gone with either "Siempre Hay Esperanza" or "Your Love Is King" myself.
I like all of these, especialially the Gerry Rafferty, but my favorite sax piece is still John Coltranes' Lush Life
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-JqTFAIiAn4
John in Indy
After Baker Street and most of Sade's catalog:
Bad To The Bone
Lucy Was Here (anyone who's seen Candy Dulfer is just there for the sax, man)
You May Be Right (or any other Billy Joel song where Richie Cannata cuts loose)
Urgent
any Quarterflash track where Rindy Ross has a sax solo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVWb1DNM_eI
And of course, Jack Black playing the Sax-A-Boom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLmCJKT5ssw
As for "Careless Whisper", the only version worthy of comment is the masterclass effort by impresario Sergio Flores:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaoLU6zKaws
At this time of the year how could you miss out The Pointer Sisters and the E-street Bands version of Santa Claus is coming to Town?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ma9jgHhUt8
What Would You Say and several other songs by the Dave Matthews Band.
Phil Woods in Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel. Van Morrison Moondance.
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