His masterpiece, I think -- that middle sort of psychedelic section with the oohs and the Byrds-ish guitar stuff never fails to give me chills.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Gerry Rafferty 1947--2011
With Stealer's Wheel from 1973 -- the never released on LP or CD single version of "Everyone's Agreed That Everything Will Turn Out Fine."
His masterpiece, I think -- that middle sort of psychedelic section with the oohs and the Byrds-ish guitar stuff never fails to give me chills.
His masterpiece, I think -- that middle sort of psychedelic section with the oohs and the Byrds-ish guitar stuff never fails to give me chills.
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9 comments:
RIP Gerry.
Thanks. I've never heard such clean rip of this version. I've loved it since I got the single when it came out. (It got some airplay in LA at the time.) I never understood why it wasn't considered one of their Greatest Hits. It's right up there with Star (and, ok, That Other Song)
I had the 45 back in the day, too.
And I looked for it on the web for years before finally finding it....
I regret having to admit this, but when Steeler's Wheel was in ascendance, I just assumed it was Dylan-derivative plastic junk (though I still loved Raffery's Baker Street single). I can see now that they were keepers of the flame. The guitar/oohs & ahs break is like a five-second summary all of George Harrison's solos from Revolver.
(Sad to see 2011's list of significant obituaries starting up so soon.)
AP
Love that tune.
What an artist. City to City is a perfect album, beginning to end.
And how Stealer's Wheel's "Star" didn't become a smash hit, I'll never know.
From 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."
Aw, that's just sad.
This is a new song for me and yes,that break is pure Harrison and sweet as a psychedelic lump of sugar.
I remember the first time I heard "Stuck in the Middle With You" actually mistaking the vocal for John Lennon at first; then when I realized it wasn't John, wishing it was.
And as for Baker Street, well I can't talk rationally about that song because it recalls a summer, and a girl....
Does anyone know if the b-side is a totally different version than the album version from their first album?
Very much enjoy these posts and comments. I must say, however, that to me '(Beatle &)Dylan-derived plastic junk' does describe this song. It's not very good. Baker St. was a great song because it turned a simple lyric into an iconic image of the modern-day flaneur, and hooked that up with a very distinctive horn riff. I think 'Stuck in the Middle With You' is more typical of their mindset and their metier. I have a romantic affection for the idea of 'winding my way down on Baker St./light in my head and dead on my feet' but no such affection for being 'here...stuck in the middle with her (or him!)'
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