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Gerry Rafferty. Help!

19 Sep 00 - 07:11 PM (#301036)
Subject: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Rick Fielding

Duckboots' Glaswegian Mudcat sister "McKees" is over for a visit, and to my delight, agrees that Gerry Rafferty's astonishing album "City to City" is an absolute masterwork.

Does anyone know who plays that evocative lead guitar on "The Ark, Right Down The Line, and Baker Street"

The sax solo on Baker St. is also amazing. Who played it?

My copy has virtually no liner notes.

Gawd, what a marvelous album. First to combine "Celtic" sounds with rock and folk.

Thanks for any info.

Rick


19 Sep 00 - 07:54 PM (#301063)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Karolina

Rick, here's what I've found on the net. The sax solo on "Baker Street" was played by Raphael Ravenscroft (see this page => scroll down, down, down...), but they say here that it was Gerry Rafferty himself who played it on the demo tape! Sounds interesting.

I must admit that I've never heard the song... Hope somebody will tell you more.

Karolina


19 Sep 00 - 08:08 PM (#301070)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Karolina

Here is a little bit more info about "Baker St."

Karolina


20 Sep 00 - 09:38 AM (#301314)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Lady McMoo

It was indeed Raphael Ravenscroft who played the sax solo. I have the details of who plays what on the album at home (I am at work at the moment) and will post them later if no-one beats me to it.

I agree...a masterpiece album and still one of my favourites. By the way for those who don't know Jerry Rafferty, he previously played with Joe Egan and Billy Connolly (the well known comedian)in "The Humblebums".

Peace

mcmoo


20 Sep 00 - 11:49 AM (#301402)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Roger in Sheffield

Also in Stealers Wheel
Roger


20 Sep 00 - 12:38 PM (#301435)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: SDShad

Rick--

The All Music Guide Entry for "City to City," (blicky) lists several guitarists, but doesn't break them out track-by-track. If I get home from work to check the sleeve of my old LP before mcmoo does, I'll post more.

Chris


20 Sep 00 - 01:14 PM (#301457)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Skipjack K8

Alas, Rick, I've only got the mans greatest hits, and theres always bugger all credits on those things. Have to agree with you, though, stonking stuff.

I've half an idea it was Gerry crooning "Stuck in the middle with you" in that Tarantino film when some hapless fellow is being doused with petrol. That was Stealers Wheel.

England beckons, Rick. How about a European Tour? The UK Mudcat contingent wants to pay back the New World for putting up with Bill Sables!!!!

Skipjack


20 Sep 00 - 05:41 PM (#301696)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Rick Fielding

That sounds great Skip. Wanna be the organizer?

Thanks for the Gerry info folks. What stands out to me is that they didn't have a clue they were creating a masterpiece. I know Declan O'dougherty, who was the engineer on the album and he says "oh it was an ok session, pretty good, no great anecdotes or anything".

T'is my fave pop record of all time.

Rick


20 Sep 00 - 09:25 PM (#301846)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: SDShad

Okay, Rick. I've got one of the two vinyl copies I've somehow accumutlated of "City to City" over the years right here in my grubby little hands, and the lead guitar credits for those three songs are:

Baker Street: Hugh Burns Right Down the Line: Hugh Burns, again The Ark: Jerry Donahue

Might could type up all the credits if you want 'em.

And you're right. It's one hell of an album. I was hooked from the intro to "The Ark."

Chris


21 Sep 00 - 03:28 AM (#302058)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Lady McMoo

Well done Shad, you beat me to it. I knew Jerry Donahue played on some of the tracks but I couldn't remember exactly which.

mcmoo


21 Sep 00 - 06:07 AM (#302077)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Noreen

mmmmmmm-Jerry Donahue! Bought 'Telecasting-Recast' after seeing him at Cropredy this year and I've hardly stopped playing it since. He can bend those strings! I didn't know he appeared on 'City to City', but it fits- thanks for the info.

More Gerry info:
Gerry Rafferty produced an album for Richard Thompson which was never released.

Noreen


21 Sep 00 - 06:51 AM (#302090)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Big Mick

One great album! Baker St. is one of those songs that just sticks to you. I am glad that I am in good company in loving this album. This is one of those that I had always been afraid to admit in the company of folkies was one of my fav's. One more demon demolished.

All the best,

Mick


21 Sep 00 - 09:20 PM (#302719)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: SDShad

Ya know....

After posting that last night, I got to thinking, and realized that my first copy of "City to City" was on 8-track. I was pretty much a Top-40 and AOR kid at the time, and had heard "Baker Street" on the radio, and got way more than I bargained for buying the tape.

Chris


05 May 05 - 03:45 PM (#1478885)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg

Baker Street has become so familiar that we are in danger of forgetting just what a good song it is. Its on the album City to City in all its glorious 6 minutes 8 seconds, replete with the memorable saxophone break, evocative and allusive lyrics, the sophisticated arrangements and painstaking production, and the strangely enduring nasally vocals of Gerry Rafferty. (Listening to this album, I was struck as to just how much Gerry sounds like Ronnie Lane.) Baker Street is the track to buy the album for, but there are other first class songs, as well: City To City, with its wonderful use of harmonica; the gospel influenced Whatever's Written In Your Heart; and the plainly stated but romantically felt Right Down The Line. There are quite a few fillers. Maybe half the songs struggle to make any impact; but there is enough here to make this album a worthwhile purchase. Gerry Rafferty may not be in the first rank of songwriters, but he is still an artist whose work, at its best, is worth getting to know. The cover painting by John Patrick Byrne is also excellent.


05 May 05 - 04:43 PM (#1478940)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: GUEST,Sleepless Dad

I was also a big fan of Steelers Wheel - Rafferty's earlier group. Those guys and a band called Hookfoot - made up of some of Elton Johns early bands were both high on my list.


06 May 05 - 07:59 AM (#1479292)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: GUEST

Somewhere back in the distant past I remember coming across the story about that sax break - Gerry Rafferty had played it in on lead guitar but the producer wasn't happy and felt it needed more "punch". They called in Ravenscroft and the rest is history ...

The only trouble is that I can't remember where I heard this or who told me it or whether I just dreamed it (although am not in habit of dreaming about Gerry Rafferty, it has to be said) - think it might have been on one of those 100 Greatest ... programmes.


06 May 05 - 03:47 PM (#1479583)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: akenaton

Regularly booked Billy Connolly and Tam Harvey (Humblebums)for our club in Dunoon,in the mid 60s'.

One night, Billy brought along this guy from Paisley who he said wrote amazing songs.
Billy and Tam did a lot of Bluegrass an comedy stuff in those days, and at first the audiance didnt take to the new guy with his thoughtful ballads, but the more they heard the more they wanted and of course that boy from Paisley went on to write Baker street, Night owl, Whatevers written in your heart,and dozens more wonderful songs,including my personal favourite "The right moment"...Ake


06 May 05 - 04:01 PM (#1479591)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Jeremiah McCaw

Ravenscroft? Thought it was Tom Scott (LA Express) who did that incredible sax riff. Anybody know for sure?


06 May 05 - 04:25 PM (#1479606)
Subject: RE: Gerry Rafferty. Help!
From: Wesley S

Y'all are going to force me to dig out my vinyl records.