At some point in the 80s, popular music started incorporating saxophone solos as some kind of fad. Some of them are fine, but most of them are ridiculous to have in the songs. I have attempted to separate the quality and appropriateness of the solos from what I think of each song as a whole (I still really like most of these songs, even the ones with low grades).
110 Comments
JyuHachiNen Kid
Posted December 27, 2011 at 7:52 am
Missing a very good one: Boz Scaggs’ ‘JoJo’ from Middle Man (1980). Ray Parker worked the sax on it.
Thanks for the stroll down memory lane, a few complete unknown artists for me here but I ended up skipping through just to avoid any potential earworms from creeping in.
Great commitment putting all of this together, pretty spot on with your commentary and rankings overall.
A couple of suggestions from the band ABC:
S.O.S. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD0koiG5tQ0) Kicks in at about 2:40. Released: 1984.
North (from their album “Up”, released 1989.)
Cool web site. I love the sax. I used to play in high school along with the trumpet, but dropped both when I joined the military. This actually makes me want to pick the sax back up. Thank you.
In response to Liz’s question about the saxophone solo on Kool & the Gang’s “Cherish,” there are two mixes out there with the sax solo: the 12″ extended single version (5:43) and the alternate 7″ single version (the 4:22 mix, not the common 7″ single mix, running 3:58, also used for the music video).
Today I was having a conversation with a couple of friends who live in my building and it turned to sax solos. Then I recalled reading a interview with Foreigner about Urgent. They said Junior Walker came to the studio and they told him the general idea of what they were looking for. Walker did it in one take and said “Is that what you wanted?” They said “You got it. Thanks” I thought that was pretty cool to nail that solo in one take’ Just found this site. Great. Thanks.
no ones mentioned the film lost boys loads of sax , i still believe by tim cappello ,man if i could play this is the sort of thing id do i find it an excellent song made more so by the sax.
Nice and unique website. It must have taken you forever to compile all those sound clips, as it took me a while just to listen to them all. Lots of great music there. I had never heard the Fear song before. The chaotic sax parts remind me of those on Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden. I’m glad Pink Floyd got one of the A’s, as you seem not to give them away to just anybody. The god billboards made me laugh as well.
The reason I found your site is that I was looking for the name of a song. It was on the Sopranos last week. You can barely hear it in this clip starting at 0:41:
When it was on T.V. the sax was much more audible, idk what happened to the youtube clip. The melody sounds very familiar and I can almost think of the words that go along with the melody, but they are stuck in my subconscious. Does anybody here know what song that is? Thanks for any help.
As a middle/high school/college sax player during the 80′s, I can remember sitting for HOURS by the radio/cassette player/record player listening to songs over and over to figure out the solos to many of these songs. This was a fun walk down memory lane….although I don’t agree with all your assessments (I love the solos in “Urgent” by Foreigner and “Your Latest Trick” by Dire Straits (in the 82-85 category)). The 80′s was definitely a saxophone decade!
Since you included some TV theme songs, Cagney & Lacey ran from 81-88. You should check it out.
I’m amazed nobody’s mentioned ‘ Will You? ‘by Hazel O’Connor. The second half of the track is one big, beautiful sax solo which takes top spot for me. Give it a go, you’ll love it.
Katy Perry and Kesha both have singles out that feature the sax solo. In fact, Katy Perry got Kenny G to do the part in her music video. The 80′s sax solo returns.
Thanks for rating my two suggestions of “Electric Blue” and “Don’t Answer Me.” I heard this one in the supermarket (of course) yesterday, and I can’t believe we all missed it: “Some Guys Have All The Luck” from 1984. Here it is, all cued up:
Sorry for posting so much. My grocery store plays so many of these songs. You should also include Aretha Franklin’s “Freeway of Love” featuring the late, great Clarence Clemons.
Nice compilation! I grew up in the late 1980′s and early 90′s, playing the trumpet elem. school into high school. I remember how popular the alto sax was in the mid-to-late 80′s. (And how there were NEVER enough french horn, tuba, trombone and trumpet players in band! Always outnumbered us 8-12 sax to maybe 3 of any other, if we were that lucky.)
Heard Baker St. and Harden My Heart several times on the radio in the last couple weeks. It got me to thinking about how popular the saxophone was at the time, and the “Baker Street phenomenon” started by Raphael Ravenscroft’s solo. I can attest that the Baker St. phenomenon definitely influenced kids in my school district growing up–it was very evident!
Very thorough compilation! Great for trivia! Your page has been bookmarked for future reference. Thanks for putting it together! Love your logos, and the samples are a nice touch.
So frustrated that Supertramp’s “Logical Song” was released in 1979 and not 1980. Over-the-top sax! Guess I’ll just have to settle for Elvis Costello’s “I Wanna Be Loved.”
Man!!!! I was going crazy not knowing what song it was!!!!! I have been humming and “do- do- do dododododooooo”ing this song for like ten years and everyone thinks im crazy and that the song doesnt exist! But now I have proof and I am going to download it, favorite it, remember all the words… So this damn song NEVER will be forgotten again!!!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I owe you a nickle, kind sir!
BAKER STREET- GERRY RAFFERTY
Fear – New York’s Alright if You Like Saxophones is , in my opinion the best solo on the whole page here. I noticed that you rate jazz-like solos with D. Kind of strange perspective for a genuine jazz instrument…
The problem for me is not usually the solo itself; it’s usually the juxtaposition of the solo with “pop”. If all these songs were actual jazz, the ratings would be wildly different.
Ever heard “Freeway of Love” by Aretha Franklin? The saxophone at the intro and during the solo break was played by “The Big Man” Clarence Clemons, who passed away a few days ago.
R.I.P.
I’ve always loved this song, but somehow because the solo fits so well it never registered to me as a candidate until you mentioned it. It’s up there now, thanks!
Hi,
I you are the only one who make a website about saxophones solos, so a big THANK YOU !!!!!
By the way i love so much the solo saxophone of “the working hour” – Tears for fears
There is no accounting for taste. But this was very overdue and hugely entertaining. I must say that the player in Duran Duran’s Rio is actually playing a bit sharp if anything… But overall it’s a good job done, Ryan
I’m a big Queen fan and I forgot to look in the list for this song. The only Queen song I recall having saxophone in it is from 1986. It is called “One Year of Love”
How about a song by Taylor Dayne … I’ll Always Love You ??? Had a pretty good sax solo. The singer Taylor had a decent voice. I’ve heard that song played at weddings.
Congrats for the website. Great! Very fun comments and great collection of famous solos.
I would like to suggest the inclusion of Scott Page’s solo at Pink Floyd’s Dogs of War. The album version is one option but I’ll suggest to take from the live performances like in the “Delicate Sound of Thunder” concert video of the “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” tour.
Hey Ryan,
That’s funny how you came up with the formulas for the sax solos. I like your commentary. And to give you a little slack, a terrible sax solo like the one on ‘Hungry Eyes’ would have been better if it was played by a good musician on a synthesizer with saxophone sound. Your ears focus more on it being terrible, haha.
Have you heard the World Saxophone Quartet video of ‘Money’? That one’s pretty cool. And from an era of saxophone that you seem to prefer.
It’s all a matter of personal opinion. I didn’t like many of the ’80s saxes because they were so overproduced that they didn’t really sound like saxes – too much of the wrong kind of reverb, over-compressed, *wrong* EQ, set too far back in the mix and so on. See ….. I told you it was all a matter of personal opinion! And, to continue along that line, the sax solo in Men At Work’s “Who Can It Be Now” deserves an A ….. maybe an A+. It made the song!!! It doesn’t matter that he’s just playing a few easy notes ((middle school level?) – that’s allowed – it was a very effective solo and perfect for the laid back feel of the song. All good!
I had saxophone lessons for a year and half about 12 years ago, found my alt sax when I moved and would like to restart on my own. I hoped to find the sheet music with these songs. Did I miss them ?
Aaaah what can I say… I loved most of those songs, being an 8Os kid… And indeed, sometimes I wondered why I like one song or the other, and then I came across the fact that is was the sax in it That confirms your theory!
Usually I mean continuity to be how well the solo gels with the rest of the song, not the continuity within the solo. But you’re right, I can get carried away.
GOD DAMMIT FINALLY. seriously like dozens of failed search attempts haha. ive heard it on the classics station off and on over the years but couldnt figure it out till now. Baker street!!!! haha. like i almost went crazy this song was so stuck in my head haha.
Hello, thx for your infos about saxofone music. I am from Germany, so sorry for my bad english, but I want to ask you whether you know an artist or a compilation, where just a saxophone is playing the songs and no other instrument more. I am dreaming of that…but do not find one with good sometimes melancholic, sometimes heavy, somtimes happy saxofone – solo – pure – just one player! Please if you know…tell me!
My sister sent me the url to this about a year and a half ago, telling me that I’d love it. I must say that this is the funniest premise for a website I have ever seen. I never really thought about how many sax solos existed in 80′s popular music until I saw all the selections here. I even featured it for an Intro to Information Technology assignment. Thank you again for bringing to light the quantity of sax solos in 80′s popular music!
Hey, nice collection you’ve got here. I had been pondering this subject as of late and it appears you’ve put together the definitive resource.
I realized you’ve covered INXS extensively, but I thought I’d mention that it was the sax solo in “Mediate” that prompted to me to do the search that led me here.
I had been humming this song for years wishing i knew what it was called, many failed google and youtube searches later and i come across this link telling me finally the song is Baker Street, I am soo thrilled to have come across this!
Thank You for the list of songs and comments (although I do not agree with all the grades). I played Sax in the clubs all those years and am still stuck in the hole (but I love elevating the songs and the crowds to new levels by taking rides that make them stop dancing and take notice of what such a beautiful instrument can do when played correctly)!!! Again, thanks for the list! K.B.
[...] Now, the sax solo got killed off because it’s over-the-top. There’s even a web site that categorises the solo’s downfall: from the textbook, understated solo in OMD’s ‘If You Leave’ all the way through [...]
[...] cheese. Tipped off by a friend of mine (kudos, Rich), a fellow named Ryan Kelly has created a pretty thorough review of sax solos in songs from the decade of excess. From Billy Joel’s “It’s Still [...]
110 Comments
Missing a very good one: Boz Scaggs’ ‘JoJo’ from Middle Man (1980). Ray Parker worked the sax on it.
Huey Lewis and the News: “Do You Believe in Love?”
Thanks for the stroll down memory lane, a few complete unknown artists for me here but I ended up skipping through just to avoid any potential earworms from creeping in.
Great commitment putting all of this together, pretty spot on with your commentary and rankings overall.
Check out “Slave” from Tattoo You, the Rolling Stones.
A couple of suggestions from the band ABC:
S.O.S. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD0koiG5tQ0) Kicks in at about 2:40. Released: 1984.
North (from their album “Up”, released 1989.)
SOS was a bonafide charting single, but North was not so much, but definitely embodies the 80′s sax sound, even though by then it had become a bit passé.
LOL, this was so LOL. I love all the songs you compiled and the commentary on it! LOL!!!
Cool web site. I love the sax. I used to play in high school along with the trumpet, but dropped both when I joined the military. This actually makes me want to pick the sax back up. Thank you.
In response to Liz’s question about the saxophone solo on Kool & the Gang’s “Cherish,” there are two mixes out there with the sax solo: the 12″ extended single version (5:43) and the alternate 7″ single version (the 4:22 mix, not the common 7″ single mix, running 3:58, also used for the music video).
Information here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherish_(Kool_%26_the_Gang_song)
Today I was having a conversation with a couple of friends who live in my building and it turned to sax solos. Then I recalled reading a interview with Foreigner about Urgent. They said Junior Walker came to the studio and they told him the general idea of what they were looking for. Walker did it in one take and said “Is that what you wanted?” They said “You got it. Thanks” I thought that was pretty cool to nail that solo in one take’ Just found this site. Great. Thanks.
no ones mentioned the film lost boys loads of sax , i still believe by tim cappello ,man if i could play this is the sort of thing id do i find it an excellent song made more so by the sax.
Nice and unique website. It must have taken you forever to compile all those sound clips, as it took me a while just to listen to them all. Lots of great music there. I had never heard the Fear song before. The chaotic sax parts remind me of those on Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden. I’m glad Pink Floyd got one of the A’s, as you seem not to give them away to just anybody. The god billboards made me laugh as well.
The reason I found your site is that I was looking for the name of a song. It was on the Sopranos last week. You can barely hear it in this clip starting at 0:41:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8YK–fPegI
When it was on T.V. the sax was much more audible, idk what happened to the youtube clip. The melody sounds very familiar and I can almost think of the words that go along with the melody, but they are stuck in my subconscious. Does anybody here know what song that is? Thanks for any help.
I think this is Badfinger – Day By Day….except I’m pretty sure the Badfinger version is just guitar, so this must be some cover of that.
That’s it! Thanks Ryan.
“It’s the Woman in you” by Charles Earland (1980). “Le restaurant” by Brenda Russell (1988) with David Sanborn playing.
It’s on Baz’s extensive list but I had to mention this one…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4pWcVPUybE
Solo to fade out
Ryan
Any in this list you dont have?
http://saxophonetranscriptions.rotorswings.com.au/80slist.html
Baz
As a middle/high school/college sax player during the 80′s, I can remember sitting for HOURS by the radio/cassette player/record player listening to songs over and over to figure out the solos to many of these songs. This was a fun walk down memory lane….although I don’t agree with all your assessments (I love the solos in “Urgent” by Foreigner and “Your Latest Trick” by Dire Straits (in the 82-85 category)). The 80′s was definitely a saxophone decade!
Since you included some TV theme songs, Cagney & Lacey ran from 81-88. You should check it out.
http://youtu.be/FJ-RDj_50oI
Billy Ocean–”When the Going Gets Tough (The Tough Get Going)”
Ever hear Material’s first EP?(with Bill Laswell) Check out “White Man” midway through…….(on Celluloid records)
or: LL Cool J “Goin’back to Cali” sax solo on the end
I’m amazed nobody’s mentioned ‘ Will You? ‘by Hazel O’Connor. The second half of the track is one big, beautiful sax solo which takes top spot for me. Give it a go, you’ll love it.
It’s already up under the “Sax 80-82″ heading.
I have rearranged things so now all the solos are together on one page, hopefully that will make it easier to browse.
The guy who played the solo in Floyd’s “Gunner’s Dream” is the same guy that played on “Baker Street”! Look it up!
Katy Perry and Kesha both have singles out that feature the sax solo. In fact, Katy Perry got Kenny G to do the part in her music video. The 80′s sax solo returns.
Thanks for rating my two suggestions of “Electric Blue” and “Don’t Answer Me.” I heard this one in the supermarket (of course) yesterday, and I can’t believe we all missed it: “Some Guys Have All The Luck” from 1984. Here it is, all cued up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTDtHw4fckk#t=145s
WTF?
Where is Possession Obsession by Hall and Oates? Not to mention One On One by the same group!
Was this in the Lost Boys?
Hi
Sheet music, I am trying to write up some of the good ones, love to see your rating of these songs.
http://www.saxophonetranscriptions.rotorswings.com.au
Baz
Sorry for posting so much. My grocery store plays so many of these songs. You should also include Aretha Franklin’s “Freeway of Love” featuring the late, great Clarence Clemons.
Nice compilation! I grew up in the late 1980′s and early 90′s, playing the trumpet elem. school into high school. I remember how popular the alto sax was in the mid-to-late 80′s. (And how there were NEVER enough french horn, tuba, trombone and trumpet players in band! Always outnumbered us 8-12 sax to maybe 3 of any other, if we were that lucky.)
Heard Baker St. and Harden My Heart several times on the radio in the last couple weeks. It got me to thinking about how popular the saxophone was at the time, and the “Baker Street phenomenon” started by Raphael Ravenscroft’s solo. I can attest that the Baker St. phenomenon definitely influenced kids in my school district growing up–it was very evident!
Very thorough compilation! Great for trivia! Your page has been bookmarked for future reference. Thanks for putting it together! Love your logos, and the samples are a nice touch.
So frustrated that Supertramp’s “Logical Song” was released in 1979 and not 1980. Over-the-top sax! Guess I’ll just have to settle for Elvis Costello’s “I Wanna Be Loved.”
Man!!!! I was going crazy not knowing what song it was!!!!! I have been humming and “do- do- do dododododooooo”ing this song for like ten years and everyone thinks im crazy and that the song doesnt exist! But now I have proof and I am going to download it, favorite it, remember all the words… So this damn song NEVER will be forgotten again!!!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you thank you Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I owe you a nickle, kind sir!
BAKER STREET- GERRY RAFFERTY
Fear – New York’s Alright if You Like Saxophones is , in my opinion the best solo on the whole page here. I noticed that you rate jazz-like solos with D. Kind of strange perspective for a genuine jazz instrument…
The problem for me is not usually the solo itself; it’s usually the juxtaposition of the solo with “pop”. If all these songs were actual jazz, the ratings would be wildly different.
Ever heard “Freeway of Love” by Aretha Franklin? The saxophone at the intro and during the solo break was played by “The Big Man” Clarence Clemons, who passed away a few days ago.
R.I.P.
I’ve always loved this song, but somehow because the solo fits so well it never registered to me as a candidate until you mentioned it. It’s up there now, thanks!
Check out “One Year Of Love”, it’s the ONLY song by Queen to have a sax solo in it. In fact, the solo is performed by Phil Woods.
^ Already suggested
You picked the wrong Phil Collins song.
“I Missed Again” has a tremendous solo.
The idiot that posted these judgments is a freaking moron.
That’s fair.
Hi,
I you are the only one who make a website about saxophones solos, so a big THANK YOU !!!!!
By the way i love so much the solo saxophone of “the working hour” – Tears for fears
PS: Sorry for my english writting, i’m french…
That one was new to me too and I agree.
I know I’m posting a lot on here, but here’s a song with a great duet:
Tom Waits– Walking Spanish
A bit earlier but Saxophone Song – Kate Bush
The Simpsons – Springfield Soul Stew – tasty
Wow. Apparently my chronological memory is way off. I seem to recall watching the video for “I Got My Mind Set On You” in 1985.
This may be the greatest website ever, BTW. Or at least this week.
Though I’m a little surprised someone who plays the sax can’t tell the difference between a synth sax and a real one! (Not that I can!)
It’s funnier to me if I imagine that none of them are synth.
I’ll take best in a week.
OMG. DOUBLE. I always forget about “Captain of her Heart,” and then someone comes along and reminds me I had horrible taste in music when I was 9.
There is no accounting for taste. But this was very overdue and hugely entertaining. I must say that the player in Duran Duran’s Rio is actually playing a bit sharp if anything… But overall it’s a good job done, Ryan
Thanks. I can’t really account for my own taste either.
Madonna- Think of Me
How about LL Cool J – Goin’ Back To Cali? Nice sax solo in 80s hip-hop, not too common.
sorry! I was not paying attention to the seperartion of years, but still…
You’re right, it’s not. I put it up, thanks!
A great solo number is “Lily was here” By Candy Dulfer. Post ’80s, but worth checking out.
One of the best/worst ones not on this list: “The Toughest Man in the World” by Mr. T.
“Only the Lonely” by The Motels.
I think you need to add “Love Theme from St Elmo’s Fire”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXSmXthmkvo
Sax at 1:45!
I’m a big Queen fan and I forgot to look in the list for this song. The only Queen song I recall having saxophone in it is from 1986. It is called “One Year of Love”
How about a song by Taylor Dayne … I’ll Always Love You ??? Had a pretty good sax solo. The singer Taylor had a decent voice. I’ve heard that song played at weddings.
Love the site! I come back looking for updates, and always end up re-listening to almost all of them…
I can’t believe you don’t have Phil Collins “One More Night” on the list though – that last minute of that song (including the fadeout) is a sax solo
Keep up the great work!
I have the same problem. “One more night” is up there now, thanks!
Another solo: “Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington, Jr. and Bill Withers.
Just thought of another one:
“Arthur’s Theme” by Christopher Cross
Sorry,
I just found it in the 86-89 page.
Anyway, maybe to include the live concert as second option. It becames a truly “pop” solo…
congrats again for the website.
best
Erik
Dear Ryan,
Greetings from Brazil!
Congrats for the website. Great! Very fun comments and great collection of famous solos.
I would like to suggest the inclusion of Scott Page’s solo at Pink Floyd’s Dogs of War. The album version is one option but I’ll suggest to take from the live performances like in the “Delicate Sound of Thunder” concert video of the “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” tour.
Best
Erik
Hey Ryan,
That’s funny how you came up with the formulas for the sax solos. I like your commentary. And to give you a little slack, a terrible sax solo like the one on ‘Hungry Eyes’ would have been better if it was played by a good musician on a synthesizer with saxophone sound. Your ears focus more on it being terrible, haha.
Have you heard the World Saxophone Quartet video of ‘Money’? That one’s pretty cool. And from an era of saxophone that you seem to prefer.
Yes, I definitely approve of that.
Yes, Tears For Fears has a song with saxophone off the album mentioned above- The Working Hour.
It’s up there now. Tough to decide what to include in the clip, there’s so much good stuff.
Agreed – I figured out later in life that many of the 80′s songs I really enjoyed shared this common link… they were dipped in saxophone gold!
Does Ray Parker Jr.’s “The Other Woman” count as a solo? I need to know?!
Close enough! I posted it, thanks!
fabulous
think you forgot double – ‘captain of her heart’ though
I had never heard this one-hit-wonder before you mentioned it, fortunately for me. It’s up there now, 1985.
It’s all a matter of personal opinion. I didn’t like many of the ’80s saxes because they were so overproduced that they didn’t really sound like saxes – too much of the wrong kind of reverb, over-compressed, *wrong* EQ, set too far back in the mix and so on. See ….. I told you it was all a matter of personal opinion! And, to continue along that line, the sax solo in Men At Work’s “Who Can It Be Now” deserves an A ….. maybe an A+. It made the song!!! It doesn’t matter that he’s just playing a few easy notes ((middle school level?) – that’s allowed – it was a very effective solo and perfect for the laid back feel of the song. All good!
yeah….its really perfect …..man i love it
man, I LOVED this song!!
somehow it all sounds like David Sanborn to me. I wonder how many of these songs he played on?
the lady that sang in Quarterflash and wrote Harden My Heart also played the sax parts. Does she get an extra credit point for that?
Yes, but it doesn’t change the letter grades.
Have you checked out “Little Jeannie” by Elton John (1980) for another sax solo? It’s short and goes a little flat, but it fits nicely.
I added it. I love this one, thanks!
hmmm,
I had saxophone lessons for a year and half about 12 years ago, found my alt sax when I moved and would like to restart on my own. I hoped to find the sheet music with these songs. Did I miss them ?
No sheet music here, but if anyone wants to write them up I’d be glad to post them.
Feel free to use my stuff.
Baz
i would have to say that some pink floyd songs should be included here such as Money
I trying not to get into the 70′s. I’ll never get any work done. Plus, the 70′s had many more actual good solos.
Didn’t Tears For Fear have some sax in “Songs From the Big Chair”. I don’t have a copy but I seem to remember sax, unless it was a synthesizer.
Wait… is that an A there???? Wow…. finally someone made it to the hall of fame as it seems… all hail to OMD
Aaaah what can I say… I loved most of those songs, being an 8Os kid… And indeed, sometimes I wondered why I like one song or the other, and then I came across the fact that is was the sax in it
That confirms your theory!
This is great.
And your theory is pretty tight.
But you get carried away with a couple of these examples…..
Those solos in “Waiting On a Friend” are hot.
Go figure- it’s Sonny Rollins.
And the Men at Work solo is a nice little composition. The “continuituy” is fine.
I mean, I wish I could have played that in middle school.
Thanks for the research!!!
Usually I mean continuity to be how well the solo gels with the rest of the song, not the continuity within the solo. But you’re right, I can get carried away.
Love the site. Would suggest including 1985′s ‘Cherish’ by Kool and the Gang.
I have tried to find the sax in this track many times; maybe I don’t have your version?
Nice sax playing all around.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXxxWJ-yDfM
This is awesome. I was making a video montage of 80′s sax solos and your site was an excellent resource!
Also, check out “Take Me to Heart” by Quarterflash (1983). I’ll let you know if I think of any others.
Thanks!
I added it, thanks!
GOD DAMMIT FINALLY. seriously like dozens of failed search attempts haha. ive heard it on the classics station off and on over the years but couldnt figure it out till now. Baker street!!!! haha. like i almost went crazy this song was so stuck in my head haha.
Hello, thx for your infos about saxofone music. I am from Germany, so sorry for my bad english, but I want to ask you whether you know an artist or a compilation, where just a saxophone is playing the songs and no other instrument more. I am dreaming of that…but do not find one with good sometimes melancholic, sometimes heavy, somtimes happy saxofone – solo – pure – just one player! Please if you know…tell me!
My sister sent me the url to this about a year and a half ago, telling me that I’d love it. I must say that this is the funniest premise for a website I have ever seen. I never really thought about how many sax solos existed in 80′s popular music until I saw all the selections here. I even featured it for an Intro to Information Technology assignment. Thank you again for bringing to light the quantity of sax solos in 80′s popular music!
Hey, nice collection you’ve got here. I had been pondering this subject as of late and it appears you’ve put together the definitive resource.
I realized you’ve covered INXS extensively, but I thought I’d mention that it was the sax solo in “Mediate” that prompted to me to do the search that led me here.
Gorgeous Solo !
I had been humming this song for years wishing i knew what it was called, many failed google and youtube searches later and i come across this link telling me finally the song is Baker Street, I am soo thrilled to have come across this!
Interesting website. I would recommend the Waitresses “I Know What Boys Like” with the wonderful Mars Williams.
It’s up there now, thanks!
Thank You for the list of songs and comments (although I do not agree with all the grades). I played Sax in the clubs all those years and am still stuck in the hole (but I love elevating the songs and the crowds to new levels by taking rides that make them stop dancing and take notice of what such a beautiful instrument can do when played correctly)!!! Again, thanks for the list! K.B.
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[...] Now, the sax solo got killed off because it’s over-the-top. There’s even a web site that categorises the solo’s downfall: from the textbook, understated solo in OMD’s ‘If You Leave’ all the way through [...]
[...] http://imacomputa.org/sax/ [...]
[...] For a more complete guide to 80′s sax solos see Imcomputa. [...]
[...] cheese. Tipped off by a friend of mine (kudos, Rich), a fellow named Ryan Kelly has created a pretty thorough review of sax solos in songs from the decade of excess. From Billy Joel’s “It’s Still [...]
[...] I came across http://imacomputa.org/sax/, I had no idea how prevalent the ‘Sax Solo’ was in 1980′s Pop music. Ryan, the [...]