Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street | REACTION 

There used to be this thing we had called music. It was great. This is a phenomenal example of it.

The sax piece is generally regarded as one of the most famous sax pieces in any music.

This song is an absolute masterpiece. Everything about it is fantastic. That’s all that needs to be said.

Hardly anyone ever mentions it, but this has one of the greatest guitar solos of all time.

This is one of the ten greatest rock songs ever recorded. It is the perfect example of 1970s studio wizardry.

In November 2010, Rafferty was admitted to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital where he was put on a life-support machine and treated for multiple organ failure. After being taken off life support, Rafferty rallied for a short time, and doctors thought that he might recover.[69] Rafferty died of liver failure at the home of his daughter Martha in Stroud, Gloucestershire, on 4 January 2011, at the age of 63. Baker Street is a famous street in London. His alcoholism was out of control and this song was a cry for help. 😢

You guys could spend a hundred years analyzing the songs of the 60's and 70's alone. The 2 greatest decades of music ever.

It's not a song .. It's a symphony of modern instruments. It can be equated with a Classical masterpiece.

The very first time I heard this was in July of "78. 2 am, driving through Montana, not another car in sight in, my truck with specially installed headphones. Amazing...

The sax player is Raphael Ravenscroft sadly passed away In 2014 pretty much unknown until he played on Bakers Street then he was sought after by the likes of Pink Floyd, Abba, and Marvin Gaye among others.

Baker Street is one of the most important streets in London . . Sherlock Holmes lived at 221B Baker Street in the famous stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - fantastic song.

Oh you guys get it! One of the greatest songs ever. Every Brit aged over 60 knows this classic

Rafferty wrote the song during a period when he was trying to extricate himself from his Stealers Wheel contracts; he was regularly travelling between his family home in Paisley and London, where he often stayed at a friend's flat in Baker Street. As Rafferty put it, "everybody was suing each other, so I spent a lot of time on the overnight train from Glasgow to London for meetings with lawyers. I knew a guy who lived in a little flat off Baker Street. We'd sit and chat or play guitar there through the night."[10] Privately, Rafferty also spent a lot of time drinking, which he noted he mentions in the lyrics, "Light in your head and dead on your feet / Well, another crazy day / You'll drink the night away / And forget about everything." The resolution of Rafferty's legal and financial frustrations accounted for the exhilaration of the song's last verse: "When you wake up it's a new morning/The sun is shining, it's a new morning/You're going, you're going home."[11] Rafferty's daughter Martha has said that the book that inspired the song more than any other was Colin Wilson's The Outsider (1956). Rafferty was reading the book, which explores ideas of alienation and of creativity, borne out of a longing to be connected, at this time of travelling between the two cities.[12]

Dudes, when this song hit the charts in 1978, I was in US Coast Guard Boot Camp .. we were allowed 30 minutes RADIO time after exercises.. we heard this song ... and..went...KA-RAZEEEEE ..for the Saxophone!!

Awwww man , you guys GET IT !!! I’ve seen half a dozen people react to this masterpiece and you 3 just get it … your entertaining and thoughtful and that’s what reactions are all about in my book . I’m a fellow Scot and the tragedy of this guys death still haunts our country even today , he just could not kick the booze and it killed him way too early , he was a frickin genius . RIP GERRY … guys I’m impressed by your camaraderie and knowledge and willingness to be open to new sounds . Liked , Subscribed , Notified. Nuff said. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Its crazy but i was a six yr old kid sitting in my dads car in the 70's by myself in a suburb in Sydney, Australia and thid song came over the radio and i instantly loved it. This song always reminds me of my childhood, the 70's and the music were the best.

You can never have enough of Baker’s Street and Gerry Rafferty

1978 ghetto poor but bought this 8 track, 15 years old damn i had great taste in music 🎶😅

The sax is played by Raphael Ravenscroft, a session musician.

Gerry Rafferty "Right Down the Line" is another classic.

Gerry Rafferty Baker Street. =Sherlock Holmes.=Jubilee line=LONDON. What a masterpiece. Loved it to death.

As someone who used to travel through Baker St daily on my way to work this track means so so much to me

From a time when to be in music you had to be a musician, pure class.

Sadly like his father Rafferty became an alcoholic and despite having a liver transplant still couldn't control his alcoholism and this led to his death 10 years ago. One of the reason's Rafferty is not better known is that he famously hated the music industry and refused to do concerts or tv appearances to promote album sales for the CEO's of the record industry.

Beautifully crafted songs like this are timeless! One of the most memorable songs of the seventies.

The fantastically underrated Gerry Rafferty who’s music is absolutely fantastic and he’s from Scotland as well so what’s not to like but thanks for your appreciation of his music and hello from us all here in Scotland.

One of the single greatest musical tracks ever recorded. so much music packed into one 5 minute song. Masterpiece! You just can't hear artists make music like this anymore. And that sax riff is probably the most iconic sax riff in modern music history.

One of the best 1970s pop records. This was a massive hit here in Great Britain. Still played every week on our radio.

Baker Street is in London. When I used to go to the old US embassy to process my paperwork to emigrate to the US, I’d walk down Baker Street humming this song. If you like the sax, listen to Foreigner’s Urgent Live in Dortmund, Germany 1982. This live version is better than the album track.

The album is called City to City (Scottish city and London). At this time in his life he was embroiled in a lawsuit with his old record company for Stealers Wheels. As such he had to frequently travel to London to speak with his lawyers, while in London he would visit a friend (also a musician) who lived on Baker Street they would drink and Jam the night away and in the morning he would catch the train back to Scotland. Bakers street is a very famous street in London (the fictional Sherlock Homes lived at 221b Bakers St.) It's his friend that probably will not give up the booze and one night stands bc he is a rolling stone.

Yes that saxophone has been used many times… from The Simpsons to countless movies and TV. It’s iconic.

Gerry wrote this after being unable to put out any music for a few years because of legal disputes concerning the break up of his band "Stealers Wheel....He took many trips commuting between London and Scotland to try and resolve the matter, staying in London near or on Baker Street and would often visit a friend nearby, late at night just for a chat...Gerry suffered on and off with a drink problem for most of his life and eventually succumbed to it in the early 2000's......but he truly was an exceptional musician and songwriter..

One of the best guitar solos of all time

This song is a classic with one of the most iconic and brilliant sax. You are missed Gerry

This song has a lot of meaning for me. At the time I was in rehab kicking a serious heroin habit. I felt the lyrics were written just for me. Whenever I hear it now it reminds me of where I’ve been. A sad note about Gerry Rafferty, he suffered from mental illness in his later years and was actually homeless and died penniless.

What you're hearing in the beginning and later in a reprise is a synthesizer with a flute tone to get things warmed up. I miss the days when songs could have introductions like that to set a mood and get the groove going. And, yes, Rafferty had smooth, perfect-pitch vocals. Although everyone notices the famous, unforgettable sax lines, this song also has one of the all-time great, technically demanding electric guitar solos, with fantastic pitch bends. By the way, that descending growl you hear throughout the song is sliding electric guitar--a great touch.

I remember my boss hearing this and The Year of the Cat by Al Stewart and saying 'there must be a music renaissance going on'.

Absolute fire!!! Killer sax, killer guitar solo, great vocals and production

My aunt was a music teacher and played bass. She introduced me to this album when i was 10. The sax on this phenomenal!!! I have been a fan of his ever since. That christmas, she gave me my own copy. Please listen to "get it right the next time" this artist is sooo underrated!

The look y'all had on your face when that classic piece of saxophone came on ......priceless....

So many 'Baker Streets' around the world but there'll never be another Gerry. God rest his dear soul.

The percussion, particularly the bongos, is the secret weapon of this song. A masterful composition in every sense. Something in the water in Scotland…

It's so fun for me to watch young people listen to music I grew up with and appreciate it so much! Thank you.

Baker Street is in London England.

This is one of the best songs ever written it makes me think of my childhood and I have no idea why

Omg , what a reaction guys ,sublime, superb, stupendous ,👍👍👍👍👍🇬🇧

The wind up before the guitar solo! I'm like "They really don't know what's about to hit them!" It's safe to say that this track was a masterpiece! Want more? Check out "I'm Not In Love " by 10cc. God Bless!

Amazing song has everything will always be one of the best songs ever. The sax and guitar are amazing

Great production of a fantastic song!

Not a harmonica - a synth keyboard SO.........true story. I was on my way to the Old Dominion University bar in 1981 when campuses had beer bars. Had my labrador dog with me - we went everywhere together. This song came on and I cranked the volume. At the first sax break, I heard a really odd siren - OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH........I was looking around for an emergency vehicle and saw that my lab had taken up a wolf posture and was howling with the saxaphone..........good times.

That was a WORK OF ART!

I feel Gerry's song depicts the sad echoes of a man's soul clinging to faded dreams of youth as time slowly drips off the beer bottle of life.

While I’ve heard this song from a young age(I’m 33 but my parents are in their 70s and grew up in the 60s and 70s so this is the kind of music we’d listen too when I was growing up) a lot of my friends had never heard of this song until it was featured in Grand Theft Auto 5 so it was awesome that they could experience the kind of music I grew up with. The saxophone is classic.

Every time I hear this song, I want to wrap myself up in it like a warm blanket.

The sax in this song gives me chills

I think you guys hit on a lot of the meaning. I think it's a song you feel and interpret and that the lyrics leave it open enough for each person to fill in some of the blanks from their own experience. In the beginning he's talking about another lazy day, drinking and forgetting about everything, and the unfulfilled promise of the city that he thought "held everything". Instead of easy and happy, he's trying and crying. Then it speaks of his hopes and dreams - although he' isn't likely to follow up on them. "He's the rolling stone". I've known a lot of people this could relate to and, at times, I think we can all relate as we're making our way through life; regrets, chances we didn't take, etc. The song has been one of my favorites for 40 years. It has melancholy undertones, but with glimmers of hope.

The 70s had the greatest music ever!

I love this song, and it had just the right amount of 🎷 sax. I'm 70 one of my top 5 of all time.

Baker Street is a real street, in London, England. It is also the street where the fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, was supposed to live.

Sophisticated rock has always been here..Glad you discovered

One of the greatest songs....ever...

it's great to see younger people enjoy the music I grew up listening too, thanks.

One of the best rock songs of the all the times!!!! The performing is out of this world!!!!!!

Hey guys, I'm 70 years old, and I love the fact that you're reacting to these older songs. From the 502 myself, I'm especially grateful you've reacted to Nightwish music too. Keep it true to yourselves, as you are.

There's no song that better captures the feeling of city streets at night, lights rolling past the windows, the stripes in the road going by.

Thanks, guys - this is a great song -- takes me back to my youth - I'm 60 now - but when this song came out, I remember leaving work a little early on a Friday afternoon - spring or early summer, paycheck cashed - weekend ahead - driving down the lakefront in Milwaukee, heading home... windows down, sun shining... blasting this song... happy days! I appreciate your appreciation... lol

Songs like these are why I love the 70's! I also played sax in school! Love!!

Flashback to lying on my stomach on the hot sand, listening to this on a portable radio....

This song is a personal song of Gerry's life in the music industry. He wanted out and when he went on his own, he reached that point of buying some land and settling down in a quiet little town. When you listen to Stuck in the Middle withYou, he is talking about the music industry that he hated.

Y'all are adorable; you look like kids enjoying this music; so happy, nice to see!👍🏼

This is one of those songs that you just want to crank the volume up, roll the window down and just let the wind blow through your hair!! A true and very iconic masterpiece of a song by a very underrated singer/songwriter!!

Gerry Rafferty was one of my favorite artists, great to see you young guys reacting. Also try Al Stewart Year of the Cat. Im in Cleveland, home of the RRHF. I am 60 years old and have been to over 420 concerts, i have all my stubs. First concert was Rush in cleveland 1974 when i was 12 yrs old, my cousin took me and got me very high!!

RIP Gerry Rafferty We love You and We miss You. and RIP you too Raphael Ravenscroft the man on the saxophone.

I just discovered you guys and your reactions, Jerry Rafferty and Al Stewart are artists I grew up with and love. It’s amazing watching you young guys find it and find the enjoyment I have! Keep it up. You’re fun to watch

I wish I could go back to the first time I heard this song. Changed my life

I recently started listening again to a lot of Jerry Rafferty. I remember when City To City was released n there's not a bad song on that album. I played it until I wore it out. Same with Night Owl. Jerry Rafferty was phenomenal, his music speaks to the soul. There'll never be another like him. There was something magical about his music and the time era he made those golden tunes in. Multi talented guy. Totally kick ass deeply felt song too. ❤️❤️🎶🎶 PS yes, he did those amazing guitar riffs! One helluva musician.

Released as a single in the UK, it was Single of the Year, and one evening I was standing in his Manager's London office, just staring at the framed Gold Disc for this, three feet away on the wall - plus his album gold discs either side. Magic moment.

this song is timeless. I loved it the first time I heard it in 1977. If you really like a great sax in a song, then listen to Al Stewarts "Year Of The Cat" and "Time Passages" if you havent heard them, you'll really enjoy them

one of the very best songs from the late 70s

This is absolutely a GREAT song!

Who needs to have 20 hit singles the three songs that he did that we’re number one could never be outdone by anyone “stuck in the middle with you “Baker Street” down the line “brilliant masterpieces. A true musical genius

♥️🙏 i am a very big fan of Gerry Rafferty best music ever 💥

The way that drum part comes in to support the sax entrance is genius!

Thanks guys. Great appreciation of amazing music.

The "harmonica" the dwoop sound when the sax plays, and that electric piano sound are all the Minimoog Synthesizer. This album Is awesome, my dad gave me his copy on vinyl when I turned 16. This is like life in the city, or yacht rock.

Wish they would check the lyrics. Soundtrack to my life for five years when living on Baker Street london. The pathos of this song is heartbreaking.

This song was written by Gerry as he was travelling to and from Scotland to London to lawyers offices to deal with the Stealers Wheel band split, he wrote a few songs on the train journeys. There was a long standing argument about who wrote the solo that was eventually done on saxophone. The sax player Raphael Ravenscroft claimed it was his work, but this was later found to be untrue because Gerry had originally done the solo on guitar. Raphael Ravenscroft received 20 pounds for his solo but the cheque bounced. R.I.P Gerry Rafferty 1947 - 2011, Rip Rapheal Ravenscroft 1954 - 2014.

A tiny portion of this gem was used to phenomenal effect in the movie Good Will Hunting, just as the group were about to give another group a beat-down. The sound came out of nowhere and packed a wallop. Great reaction vid.

If you were around in the spring/summer of 1978, you couldn't escape this song and you didn't want to. I was only four and loved this song so much.

That guitar - sax transition is fucking unreal

This song was and is huge in australia. Played it round my mum and she told me about hearing it on the radio out in the desert flying along in a flat bed ute smoking joints 👌👌

This drives me straight to a point in time. I was 19 years old and hanging down in Fells Point in Baltimore, walking down those city streets between the bars, playing this on the juke box! Man, were those the days!

I was 23 and it became my ex husband and mine song, beautiful ❤️ l really enjoy watching young guys like you enjoy one of my favourites,!!

Lots of people bought saxophones on the basis of Raphael Ravenscroft's sax solos on this album. Another track on the City to City album with Sax is called 'Island' and another good track is 'Waiting For the day'.

Utter quality. Takes me back to London every time I hear it.

Okay guys, after watching your reaction to Baker Street and hearing Shizel saying anything with a great sax is what he’s looking for l’m requesting you to play “Billy Joel - Just the Way You Are - Live - Crystal Clear. My love of music is what keeps me alive and happy. I’m nearly 79 years old and started listening to music at 10. Love your reaction April Wine - Roller, one of my all time favorite bands along with Pink Floyd. You guys rock.

Baker street is a classic. I would say it's in my top 10 best songs.

R I P Gerry ! Amazing Artist ,thank you for the Tribute Guys, each note, each syllable in Gerry Rafferty’s songs are, a sedative against anxiety

I remember this released around spring 1978 and was a good song as usual in the charts , right now it's a classic, glad you young guys enjoyed it

I am so happy to see other people exposed to this amazing work of art. Do you know how horrible it’s been to not have anyone to share this with because they just didn’t get it and now you do!