Great songs ruined by lousy sax solos.

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Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones

― may pang (maypang), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 18:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Songbird - Kenny G

― Huckleberry Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

If only "Blade Runner" were a song. No, wait, Spandau Ballet to thread.

― nestmanso (nestmanso), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 18:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Can't You Hear Me Knockin' - Rolling Stones

Jungleland - Bruce Springsteen

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Bruce Springsteen "Sherry Darling."
Actually, all of The River.

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 19:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Not the title track.

― man, Tuesday, 16 December 2003 19:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Corrected.

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

i think i would be able to enjoy sting's "an englishman in new york," on some pop level, if it weren't for the saxophone...

― Sean M (Sean M), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 19:45 (twenty-two years ago)

All of Young Americans/. Except "Across the Universe", that was terrible to begin with.

― Arthur (Arthur), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 20:45 (twenty-two years ago)

"Maneater" by Hall and Oates

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 20:46 (twenty-two years ago)

nick drake

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 20:47 (twenty-two years ago)

i like those solos on the stones records. and to some extent those on the bowie record too.

not the bruce ones though. clarence clemons just isn't very good, although i feel like i just stepped on someone's birthday cake for saying so.

i would say "the only flame in town" by elvis costello but actually i can't really imagine the song without the ultra-80s sax solo, it's ugly but it's right.

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 20:47 (twenty-two years ago)

haha nick drake otm

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 20:47 (twenty-two years ago)

although i wouldn't say "ruined," perhaps, docked one point

― amateur!st (amateurist), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 20:48 (twenty-two years ago)

"Baker Street"

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 20:49 (twenty-two years ago)

tatum as far off the mark as man has ever been

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 20:50 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah....I mean what are the good parts of Baker Street besides the sax solo?

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 21:02 (twenty-two years ago)

amateurist -- I guess it's not so much the sax I hate on Can't You Hear Me Knockin' as just the whole coda in general....it gets all boring jazz Santana after some super classic tuff stones rockin'

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 21:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I like the sax on "Chime of a City Clock"! But a few months ago I asked these questions in my blog: "Was Nick Drake able to get away with a smooth saxophone solo on "The Chime of a City Clock" because there was no smooth-jazz radio to negatively associate it with in 1969? How does our inevitable familiarity with smooth-jazz radio affect our current response? Would Drake not have done the solo today?"

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 21:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Insert early Clock DVA track here.

― Xii (Xii), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 00:40 (twenty-two years ago)

MONEY

― adam michel (adam michel), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 00:46 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know about the "great songs" part.

― adam michel (adam michel), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 00:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but Andy Mackay's sax in Roxy Music has always annoyed me.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 02:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmmm....

Iron Lion Zion would be much tougher sounding and more badass without the solo sax parts

I Can't Go For That

― DougD, Wednesday, 17 December 2003 02:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Most sax in rock music after 1965 or so annoys me. There're some exceptions but not too many that I can think of.

― may pang (maypang), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 02:46 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

Gerry Rafferty - Right Down The Line

(well, maybe not great, but ruins an enjoyable song none-the-less)

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 23 June 2005 13:30 (twenty years ago)

Psychedelic Furs, Pretty in Pink (the remake for the film)
and while we're on an 80s film tip -
Furniture, Brilliant Mind

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 23 June 2005 13:43 (twenty years ago)

I read this thread just to see how long it took someone to mention "Baker Street" (which of course is madness)

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 23 June 2005 13:44 (twenty years ago)

Can't You Hear Me Knocking. Some songs shouldn't be 7+ minutes.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Thursday, 23 June 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

Rip It Up - Orange Juice
Slap bass on there ain't too hot either.

I'm in two minds about Clarence's solos. On one level I find them crass and corny, but sometimes they work nicely in helping build the songs. Still, I'd much prefer some gnarly garage rockin' guitar solos from Silvio in most cases.

― Stew (stew s), Thursday, 23 June 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

Damn, I totally meant Baker Street.

So much for reviving a thread, then getting it wrong...

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 23 June 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

In what way is "Baker Street" even a notable song apart from the sax solo?

That's like saying "yeah, 'Eruption,' great song, shame about that guitar solo though"

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 23 June 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

I like the noodly-Santana parts of "Can't You Hear Me Knocking". However, the sax solo on Supertramp's "Logical Song" would be better left out.

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

ledge so, so OTM.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

oh, not that it's a great song by any means, but the wtf solo on Blur's "Jets" makes a mediocre song laughably bad.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:07 (twenty years ago)

billy ocean - when the going gets tough

wait, the sax solo makes the tune

oh well

― ambrose (ambrose), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

I don't think the playing is lousy, but the sound of Anthony Thistlethwaite's saxophone on the early Nikki Sudden solo records is incongrous enough that I would mix it all out if I had the chance. Also, the 1985 live take of "Under You" by The Sound on the BBC sessions 2CD has some really distracting / tension-ruining saxophone all over it.

xpost: I like the saxophone on "Chime of a City Clock", too.

― Pangolino 2, Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

i think i would be able to enjoy sting's "an englishman in new york," on some pop level, if it weren't for the saxophone...

No, I think it boosts the level of absurdity in a good way--paired with the bizarre reverb drum break down part the song is sort of inscrutably great.

But uh, 'Shut Down' sorta.

― Zed Szetlian (Finn MacCool), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:13 (twenty years ago)

Uncertain Smile 12" mix - The The
A Night LIke This - The Cure

― biz, Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

I might have enjoyed the Saturday Night Live "cowbell" sketch if it had been done with "Computer World"-era Kraftwerk in the recording studio with a real S.N.L.-Band-type sax player doing fills all over everything.

― Pangolino 2, Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:18 (twenty years ago)

a love supreme

― bel, Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

I'm glad this thread exists, I totally fucking hate the sax. It's just a fancy kazoo. Plus, it looks stupid.

― bg (creamolafoam), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:36 (twenty years ago)

I totally fucking hate the sax. It's just a fancy kazoo.

Friends. I am sorry. But I will be saying this daily, like every 15 minutes, from now on. I know, it will become annoying. Especially as I giggle to myself over it each time I say it. Please accept my apologies in advance. I may call everything a "fancy kazoo" from here on out.

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:38 (twenty years ago)

then why are kazoo solos so awesome?

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:46 (twenty years ago)

Like on Ringo's cover of "Your Sixteen"? Macca's kazoo is certainly preferable to what would have been there if they had brought in an actual sax player.

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:48 (twenty years ago)

The Kazoo sounds like a jar of wasps, but it knows its place. It's not all gilded like a fucking sax. And, despite what sax players probably think, you look way cooler playing a kazoo than you do playing a sax. With your fucking furrowed brow and hunched shoulders.

― bg (creamolafoam), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:55 (twenty years ago)

I am so with you on the sax hate.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:58 (twenty years ago)

Just for reference, what are the instruments that people look the coolest playing, so I can compare against the sax?

― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 23 June 2005 14:59 (twenty years ago)

speaking of fancy kazoos, you should all pick up one of these:
http://www.enorgis.com/Images/tn_saxxy.jpg

― Fetchboy (Felcher), Thursday, 23 June 2005 15:03 (twenty years ago)

o. nate, I think Fetchboy just answerd your question.

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 23 June 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

hahaha

There's something toward the end of The Verve's A Storm in Heaven where the sax just instantly makes me want to hit skip. It reminds me too much of DMB -- and I don't even hate DMB, but I don't want that vibe fucking with my 'gaze/spacerock, knamean? Doesn't mix.

― sleep (sleep), Thursday, 23 June 2005 15:27 (twenty years ago)

On the Pet Sounds Sessions box, there's an alternate take of "God Only Knows" with a sax solo. It doesn't exactly ruin the song, but it is superfluous.

― mike a, Thursday, 23 June 2005 15:42 (twenty years ago)

Probably because i find my self thinking "WHY WHY WHY would you EVER put that sax there?!", I can't think of a single one.

― b b, Thursday, 23 June 2005 16:25 (twenty years ago)

my favorite use of the sax outside of jazz is probably david Sanborn on Paul Butterfield's The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw

― Gear! (Ill Cajun Gunsmith) (Gear!), Thursday, 23 June 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

Anything by Steely Dan except Wayne Shorter's part on "Aja."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 23 June 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

Even Phil Woods solo on "Dr. Wu"? Now you've gone too far, Alfred.

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 23 June 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

For a more even-handed approach to the subject, here's a thread I started Yakety-Yak, Let's Talk Sax, which also links to some other interesting threads.

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 23 June 2005 17:04 (twenty years ago)

OMG just this morning I heard "Maneater" on the radio and, yeah, that doubletracked solo IS pretty weak.

(And personally, I question the usefulness of posting here if you hate the instrument entirely - there's gotta be a "Saxophones: C/D?" out there, right? But the hell with it, I'll read it anyways.)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 23 June 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)

There's something toward the end of The Verve's A Storm in Heaven where the sax just instantly makes me want to hit skip.

You're probably thinking of "The Sun, The Sea" (track 5) and I've never liked that sax solo either. I don't know why they didn't record it as a sax-free, all-out eight-minute jam, like the live versions they used to do. Fortunately, they straightened themselves out in this respect by the time they recorded "Come On".

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 23 June 2005 18:55 (twenty years ago)

I second (or third?) "Maneater." Most H&O songs featured inessential sax solos.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 23 June 2005 18:58 (twenty years ago)

The Maneater sax solo is very Miami Vice cool-breeze-on-a-hot-night sax (despite pre-dating Miami Vice).

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:01 (twenty years ago)

yeah, why the fuck would you ever want to put a sax solo in anywhere in rock music.

there's at least one neil young song on Freedom that has awful sax. and what is it, decomposing trees by G500? that's about as tolerable as it gets, and its still pretty intolerable.

― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

yeah, why the fuck would you ever want to put a sax solo in anywhere in rock music.

Because Cravats Blurt X-Ray Spex, that's why!

― Pangolino 2, Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

Born to Run?

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

And goddamned James Chance?

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

xpost and Van Der Graaf Generator.

― Pangolino 2, Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:10 (twenty years ago)

Born to Run
The topic of this thread came up on
this thread.

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

Born to Run is ALL ABOUT the sax, and it works great. Galaxie 500's Blue Thunder [w/Sax], however, is simply laughable.

― Jena (JenaP), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

And I might as well put the link for this thread blazin sax

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:17 (twenty years ago)

Also, I was so excited to hear Dirk Leyers' Wellen 12" on Kompakt last year, after years of complete silence from anyone in Closer Musik... the bass and the beats and everything sounded so good, until halfway through the track when the damn sax comes in to send my excitement all to hell.

― Jena (JenaP), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:19 (twenty years ago)

soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo OTM about "Blue Thunder"

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:20 (twenty years ago)

right right, knew i was missing that version of Blue Thunder.

― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:24 (twenty years ago)

I'll YSI it and post the link up here when i get home, so get ready.

― Jena (JenaP), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

sax-hating is for young boys, and girls afraid of body hair and HOT NIGHTS

― jones (actual), Thursday, 23 June 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you Galaxie 500' - Blue Thunder [w/Sax]

http://s47.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=12X8KDGFAOOSJ0WHPWKBBG3E5I

― Jena (JenaP), Thursday, 23 June 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

You're probably thinking of "The Sun, The Sea" (track 5) and I've never liked that sax solo either.

That's the one! I guess it's not really "toward the end" at all, but you knew what I meant.

― sleep (sleep), Thursday, 23 June 2005 20:38 (twenty years ago)

http://www.enorgis.com/Images/tn_saxxy.jpg - does anyone else think that looks vaguely like a bong?

― chris andrews (fraew), Friday, 24 June 2005 00:49 (twenty years ago)

Another gag title for a saxophone thread: You Saxy Thing.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 24 June 2005 00:51 (twenty years ago)

saxxy k/l. SAXXY

― chris andrews (fraew), Friday, 24 June 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

This is the thread where think up names for saxophone albums (and hopefully get some neat photoshop pics)

Somehow, nobody thought of "You Saxy Thing". Nice work, Ken!

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 24 June 2005 01:02 (twenty years ago)

It's not the album version, but there's an alternate recording of Galaxie 500's otherwise celestial track, "Blue Thunder" featuring a honking, squealing, caterwauling sax solo that sounds like a fetal pig being ripped apart by famished hyaenas......and not in a good way.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 24 June 2005 01:06 (twenty years ago)

Are you referring to Blue Thunder [w/Sax] celebrated 5 or so posts above?

― Jena (JenaP), Friday, 24 June 2005 01:11 (twenty years ago)

Hahaha....that's what I get for not reading a thread before posting.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 24 June 2005 01:12 (twenty years ago)

Every song that ever had a sax solo w/the exception of Zorn related oddness and James Chance (Sorry PappaWheelie, may we agree to disagree?)

Fucking Quarterflash put me right over the top on sax-hatred back in 1981. Blecchh.

― John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 24 June 2005 01:19 (twenty years ago)

Bowie's "Young American"

― Suzy Creemcheese (SuzyCreemcheese), Friday, 24 June 2005 01:22 (twenty years ago)

say what you will, 'baker street' is ALL hook. and i mostly HATE rock-sax

― chris andrews (fraew), Friday, 24 June 2005 01:22 (twenty years ago)

Fucking Quarterflash put me right over the top on sax-hatred back in 1981. Blecchh.
-- John Justen

Expect to bhe hearing from Chuck Eddy soon...

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 24 June 2005 10:36 (twenty years ago)

Haha, that's exactly what I was thinking.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 24 June 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

yeah, why the fuck would you ever want to put a sax solo in anywhere in rock music.

Because Cravats Blurt X-Ray Spex, that's why!

Yup, and then Essential Logic after Susan Whitby was kicked out! And I like James Chance's sax solos! And anyone who hates the sax on The (English) Beat's songs, a slough of Psychedelic Furs tracks, Scritti Politti's "A Slow Soul", and the last track on KoD's Strange Free World must die! (Okay, okay, I'm exaggerating my hostility.)

― Ian Riese-Moraine eats nation-states for breakfast! (Eastern Mantra), Friday, 24 June 2005 11:48 (twenty years ago)

If this thread is turning into "Rock Bands with Sax: C or D" then I would have to nominate the following as classics: Capt. Beefheart Magic Band (on songs like "Hair Pie (Bake 1)"), X Ray Spex (duh), Plastic People of the Universe, Naked City, um... there have to be more.

― o. nate (onate), Friday, 24 June 2005 12:48 (twenty years ago)

john justen, i think pappawheelie was responding to "why the fuck would you ever want to put a sax solo in anywhere in rock music?" when he posited james chance.

― Fetchboy (Felcher), Friday, 24 June 2005 14:52 (twenty years ago)

john justen, i think pappawheelie was responding to "why the fuck would you ever want to put a sax solo in anywhere in rock music?" when he posited james chance.

Can I use OTM as a reponse to thread clarification?

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Friday, 24 June 2005 14:56 (twenty years ago)

So why all the hate for the sax version of "Blue Thunder?" It adds some dramatic tension to the track, amazingly without seeming out of place (and sax solos, I agree, almost never belong in rock songs).

OTM on Verve, though the song that sticks out in my mind as featuring sax is "Butterfly." Are there two tracks on ASIH with sax solos?

― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Friday, 24 June 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

john justen, i think pappawheelie was responding to "why the fuck would you ever want to put a sax solo in anywhere in rock music?" when he posited james chance.
Can I use OTM as a reponse to thread clarification?

-- PappaWheelie (pappawheeli...), June 24th, 2005.

Oh. Well god bless then, sir...I, apparently, don't like to read...

― John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 24 June 2005 23:09 (twenty years ago)

"Maneater" by Hall and Oates
-- Kenan Hebert (edito...), December 16th, 2003.
it's even worse than the "can't hurry love " bassline at the start.

― lookout boy, Saturday, 25 June 2005 01:57 (twenty years ago)

It doesn't solo, but I always found the sax parts in "(Get a) Grip (on Yourself)" by my beloved Stranglers to be strikingly out of place. (It's also the only usage of a sax --- if I recall correctly --- in their entire catalog).

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 25 June 2005 01:59 (twenty years ago)

I think my problem with the sax on "Blue Thunder" is that it's just so over the top. I suppose that was probably the intention, and yes -- it certainly adds a degree of tension that is pleasantly absent from the album version.

It reminds me of a quote on the original Spinal Tap soundtrack liner notes. To paraphrase, the sax solo in "Blue Thunder" fills a much-needed void.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 25 June 2005 02:01 (twenty years ago)

classic: the sax solo on foreigner's "urgent"

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 25 June 2005 04:15 (twenty years ago)

Xpost: I must apologize for the Dirk Leyers post above, it's not a sax part at all that comes in halfway through the track, rather, an ill inspired synth track that ruined the songfor me. There was no sax, thank goodness.

― Jena (JenaP), Saturday, 25 June 2005 04:34 (twenty years ago)

Oh my god, "Medley: Ike's Rap II/Help Me Love" is absolutely put to death by the sax solo in it. And it's such a shame, because the song is amazing until that solo comes in. Perhaps that is why all the trip-hop bands went and sampled it, to embrace it but avoid the sax.

And all these people bitching about saxophones need to listen to some god damn funk music.

― Laszlo Kovacs (Laszlo Kovacs), Sunday, 26 June 2005 06:06 (twenty years ago)

OTM on Verve, though the song that sticks out in my mind as featuring sax is "Butterfly." Are there two tracks on ASIH with sax solos?

Yeah, that one has it too. I didn't have the album handy and was just going on memory.

― sleep (sleep), Sunday, 26 June 2005 21:54 (twenty years ago)

xpost

there is NO problem in my book with sax in jazz, funk, etc. sounds great there (although i happen to like trumpet more). It just does not fit into guitar rock. I dont know why, i have no answers, i just know that I've never heard a sax sound good in that context.

― AaronK (AaronK), Monday, 27 June 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

Alex, you're slipping! "Hey Hey Rise of the Robots"!!!!!!!!!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 27 June 2005 12:00 (twenty years ago)

Virtually all of Hawkwind's "Space Ritual" album. Admittedly it's not very prominent and just sort of tootles way tunelessly in the background, but has there ever been a worse saxophone player in recorded music than Nik Turner?!?! I mean, one who, day in day out, does it for a living?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Monday, 27 June 2005 12:03 (twenty years ago)

Alex, you're slipping! "Hey Hey Rise of the Robots"!!!!!!!!!

Oh fuck, you're right. Forty push-ups for me, then.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 27 June 2005 12:22 (twenty years ago)

I read this thread just to see how long it took someone to mention "Baker Street" (which of course is madness)

-- The Good Dr. Bill (fadeout9...), June 23rd, 2005.

You are incorrect. "Baker Street" was by Geri Rafferty, not Madness. But certainly all Madness songs qualify for this threads! :)

― Comstock Carabinieri (nostudium), Monday, 27 June 2005 12:24 (twenty years ago)

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