Top 5 Sax Songs

Yes, SAX, abreviated form of saxophone! Okay, some quid pro quo's: First of all, these selections are limited only to rock & roll. If I included jazz and blues, this wouldn't be a top 5. It would be more like a top 5000! I also cannot include the likes of Kenny G and the likes simply because that is what they do. I wanted to pick these songs from rock & roll artists who incorporated the saxophone into one of their songs, and it ultimately became the hook of the tune. With that in mind, in no particular order, here we go:





- 'Baker Street' by Gerry Rafferty
Baker Street was released in May of 1978, and topped the Billboard charts at #2. The sax player on this song is Raf Ravenscroft, and the story goes that the sax parts in this tune were originally meant to be guitar solos, much like you hear on the cover version by the Foo Fighters. A great sax intro, and a great hook kept throughout the song. "Did You Know?"..... Gerry Rafferty fronted the group Stealer's Wheel who brought you the infectious groove: Stuck In The Middle With You.





- 'You Belong To The City' by Glenn Frey
'City' was brought to you in 1985 as a hit for the Miami Vice soundtrack. This one also made it all the way to #2 before sliding backwards. Al Garth plays the saxophone in this memorable tune, and has also played live with The Eagles during several tours. This is another one of those tunes you gotta love, no matter who you are!





- 'Turn The Page' by Bob Seger
Alto Reed begins this tune on the saxophone, as cymbols shimmer in the background. Very hooking intro, and it surely hooked me! This song first appeared in 1973 on an album called "Back In '72", one of which Bob Seger NEVER released! So in fact, the song as we know, wasn't even known to mainstream listeners until three years later when it was first performed live, then released on the album 'Live Bullet'.




- 'Do You Believe In Love' by Huey Lewis & The News
Very simple saxophone part in this tune, and the reason it is on my list is because it takes the place of a guitar solo. Traditionally, especially in the 80's, a song was nothing without a bad ass guiatr solo somehwere in the middle. While Huey Lewis was definately not the first to replace the guitar during solo time, I give him mad props for doing it with this song. This song appears on 'Picture This' in 1982, with Johnny Colla playing saxophone.





- 'Just A Gigolo' by David Lee Roth
What kind of musician/songwriter would I be if I didn't give MAD props to Mr. Edgar Winter??? Although a remake, it still qualifies for this list! Another saxophone solo, that extends to the end of the song. Other horns appear on this tune throughout the whole song as well. This was released in 1985 as an Ep on 'Crazy From The Heat'. Edgar Winter also famed the song (instrumental) Frankenstein with the Edgar Winter Group.



Now is the perfect chance to comment on this blog, because there are tons of songs and sax players and bands with excellent sax parts in them. Let me know of some more, and what it is you like!

Honrable mentions also include Clarence Clemens from the E Street Band and Kirk Pingilly of INXS.

Peace!