Songs of Summer, #12 - "Baker Street" (1978)

The late Gerry Rafferty will always have a small corner of his own in the pantheon of great pop music, thanks to two songs: the first being "Stuck in the Middle With You," lifted from "interesting obscurity" to "legendary oldie" by Quentin Tarantino, who used it as the soundtrack for the almost unbearable to watch (but at the same time, grossly amusing) torture scene in "Reservoir Dogs."

The second song is "Baker Street," a great song lifted to legendary status thanks to a remarkably memorable (but simple) saxophone riff contributed by one Raphael Ravenscroft.  This started to hit the airwaves when I was in my last month of high school, and it seemed like everyone liked it - even the guys who normally wouldn't listen to anything that might have even a small chance at being played on AM radio.

And even though it would be a fine song without it, there's little doubt that what carries the song is that sax solo.  That's not to meant to disrespect Rafferty, a fine songwriter and performer who had a strong, if uneven career.  But when I hear that sax, I'm immediately transported back to those carefree times, when I thought I was the bee's knees just for having graduated from high school.

"Baker Street," Gerry Rafferty, from the summer of 1978.