Baker Street (song)

February 3, 1978

Baker Street is a rock song by Gerry Rafferty from the year 1978. The distinctive saxophone solo in the form of a hook was played by Raphael Ravenscroft.

Genesis

Gerry Rafferty worked in 1978 after breaking up with his band Stealers Wheel on a solo LP. Because litigation he commuted in this time between Glasgow and London, where he often met with musician friends in Baker Street.

For the song Baker Street Rafferty was planning a long instrumental part, had not initially set to a particular instrument. Producer Hugh Murphy decided on a saxophone that should be played by Pete Zorn. However, was not available, and finally came across Raphael Ravenscroft. He built a well-known saxophone line that gives the whole song its high recognition value. For his performance Ravenscroft should receive only 27 pounds; the check over here blurted however. Rafferty himself received until his death in 2011 annually about £ 80,000 in royalties.

The song appeared on Rafferty's album City to City and was launched into a nearly two minutes shorter and thus radiotauglicheren version as a single.

Commercial success

• Rafferty's original version reached # 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and # 3 on the British and the German single charts in the U.S.. In Australia, the title came first the hit parade.

• On July 18 1978 Baker Street was awarded a gold disc.

• In October 2010, the song by the BMI for more than five million performances was excellent.

Occupation

• Vocals - Gerry Rafferty
• Saxophone - Raphael Ravenscroft
• Lead Guitar - Hugh Burns
• Drums - Henry Spinetti
• Bass - Gary Taylor
• Keyboards - Tommy Eyre
• Percussion - Glen Le Fleur
• Rhythm Guitar - Nigel Jenkins
• String arrangement - Graham Preskett

Cover versions

• The most commercially successful cover version was released in 1992 by the British pop band Undercover and reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart.
• In the animated series The Simpsons Lisa Simpson plays in the episode " The saxophone history," a cover version.
• The piece was used as theme song of the pilot episode of the TV soap Stella and The Dave Ramsey Show ( U.S. radio ) as well as in the soundtrack of Good Will Hunting and in the movies Kung Fu Hustle and Zodiac - used the track of the killer.
• The Foo Fighters took a hard rock version of Baker Street on the B-side of their single My Hero, which reached the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks No. 34 1998.
• Country singer Waylon Jennings, Rick Springfield and Jars of Clay played it well.
• Dance versions exist, among others, by DJ Octopus, Deejay Goldfinger feat. Felisha and by jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. Also, the German DJ duo Michael Mind coverte the song.