TOP 10: Sax Solos in Pop Music
For years on this podcast I have said, “I want to do a list of the best saxophone solos in pop music.” I never found the time. While working on our Best Song of 1978 episode, I finally made it happen, especially after at least ONE scorching sax song from that year was shamefully left out of the Top 16.
Read on for my picks for the best sax solos in pop music, which focus largely on the 70s and 80s — arguably the golden era for saxophones in pop culture. But let’s all put out into the universe that what we need now, more than ever, is a return to searing sax lines in pop music. That will certainly make the world a brighter place, at least for 3 to 5 minutes.
Did we forget your favorite sax solo in pop music? Drop the song title and artist in the comments!
You Might Also Like…
Honorable Mention: “The Glamorous Life” by Sheila E. (1984)
Only an honorable mention because the sax isn’t really a solo, just a prominent ingredient in this impossibly funky song. The 1980s really kept us fed with great instrumental performances.
10. “Yakkity Yak” by The Coasters (1958)
The sax is present for almost this whole song, punctuating the verses before coming in for basically its own verse. It’s basically a call-and-response, but there is no denying that the sax is a main character in this song, just as much as the deep bass voice saying, “Don’t talk back.”
9. “True” by Spandau Ballet (1983)
This supple 80s ballad is made for slow dancing, and when the sax comes in at 2:59 you can’t help but sway. It’s a beautiful melody line that remains as effective today as it did when it was released more than 40 (!) years ago. I know THAT much is true!
8. “Smooth Operator” by Sade (1984)
The sax comes in before the singer in this sensual r’n’b classic. “Smooth Operator” arguably deploys the saxophone’s sensual qualities better than any other song on this list, as it duets with Sade’s iconically come-hither vocals for the entire song, taking control of the melody around 2 minutes for a driving, potent thrust.
7. “Urgent!” by Foreigner (1981)
The sax solo coming in at 3 minutes FEELS urgent, with a screeching, alarming quality that raises the stake of this already-intense rock song.
6. “You Belong to the City” by Glenn Frey (1985)
This song starts out with a slow, low sax solo, and after the electronic bass shows up, the sax comes back for more, hungrier, more insistent. This song was featured on Miami Vice, and it feels decadent and sweaty, just like a Miami night.
5. “Just the Way You Are” by Billy Joel (1977)
Probably the sweetest sax solo on this list, this romantic ballad wouldn’t be nearly as effective if that sax line didn’t come in at the bridge, sweeping us up in its rise and fall, and then twirling us around until the end of the song, when it plays out with a thrilling lilt.
4. “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen (1975)
One of the most fiery solos on this list comes in at around 1:53, with E Street Band member Clarence Clemons arguably wresting control of this song from The Boss for whole stretches as he dominates the wall of sound. It’s spectacular.
3. “The Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga (2011)
The most recent track on this list, but heavily inspired by 80s rock, features probably the best sax-focused bridge on the list. The whole song is glorious, but when that sax comes in 2/3 of the way through – AGAIN played by Clarence Clemons! – it takes this song into the stratosphere. Are you not entertained?
2. “Careless Whisper” by George Michael (1984)
This song basically starts with that searing sax line, written by George Michael and performed by Steve Gregory, which slaps you across the face. Intensity! Burning desire! Guilt! It’s all there in those alto-sax notes. It rips back in after the second verse, an indictment of the singer’s crimes against love. The pathos! You can feel it! They don’t make ‘em like this anymore.
1. “Baker Street” by Gerry Rafferty (1978)
I think most people would assume “Carless Whisper” would take the top spot, but if so, they probably have never listened to Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street.” I cannot think of a more potent sax solo in the history of pop music. Rafferty wrote the sax line in this jazz-rock tune, and the performance by Raphael Ravenscroft (great name) is so rich, so commanding that it genuinely takes over the song entirely. I couldn’t tell you what the actual lyrics of this song, but I can sing every note of those sax runs. It is thrilling, it is exquisite, and it is a reminder of the incredible musicianship that used to be found in pop music.
What are YOUR favorite pop songs with saxophone solos? Leave a comment below!
