Mark Chatterton
Tue,11 Jan 2011
Mark Chatterton
1344
View Related
Gerry Rafferty 1947 - 2011
Many of you reading this will know the singer-songwriter, Gerry Rafferty from his songs, Baker Street and Stuck in the Middle with You. Baker Street was released at the height of Punk and Disco in 1978, yet it still managed to be a top 3 hit on both sides of the Atlantic. With its catchy saxophone riff and deep lyrics, it has been played regularly on radio stations throughout the world ever since. Stuck in the Middle with You was released a few years earlier in 1973, when Gerry was in the group Stealer’s Wheel. That too was a top 10 hit, but its use in the Quentin Tarantino film, Reservoir Dogs, led to it becoming popular with a younger generation of listeners.
However, there was a lot more to Gerry Rafferty than these two songs. He was a gifted and talented singer-songwriter who shunned the limelight, yet he had a spiritual side to him, which came out in many of his songs.
He was born to an Irish father and a Scottish mother in the town of Paisley, just outside Glasgow in Scotland. He was originally partnered with Scottish comedian, Billy Connolly in a folk group called the Humblebums, but Billy’s love of gags on stage led to a parting of the ways. Whilst he had commercial success with Stealer’s Wheel after that, the legal problems that the group got into meant that he couldn’t record or tour for almost three years. This all came out in the song, Baker Street, which was ostensibly about the bright, but deceptive lights of the Music Industry, yet many listeners of the song, identify it with the ups and downs of life itself… “Just one more year and then you’ll be happy”.
After the success of Baker Street, Gerry continued to record and occasionally tour, yet it was difficult for him to create another monster hit. Gerry chose to stay at home rather than tour and promote his album releases, which meant a decline in record sales. Also, his need of drink got in the way of his creativity and led to his marriage breaking up in 1990 and ultimately his death last week. His divorce affected him greatly, and the
Another World album cover
angst and heartache of this came out in the two albums he released in the 1990’s - On a Wing and a Prayer and Over My Head.
Yet by 2000 he had found love again and some semblance of peace, with his Italian girlfriend, Enzini Fuschini, who appeared with him on his last studio album, Another World. Listening to this album is very uplifting for any spirituality minded person. Songs like All Souls, The Land of the Chosen Few, and especially Conscious Love all point to someone who had found spiritual stability. The infectious melodies and harmonies of his earlier work were back and his fans were hopeful that he would be playing live once more. He did release some more new tracks on a compilation album, Life Goes On in 2009, but Gerry continued to be as elusive as ever, with occasional tabloid reports of his alcohol-fuelled exploits. When I read in November last year that he had been admitted to hospital in Bournemouth with kidney failure and he was on a life support machine, I knew it wouldn’t be long. He lost his battle with this life on 4th January this year, dying of liver failure at home surrounded by his family. I am sure he is finally at peace now, yet his music lives on. I will leave the final words to Gerry from his song, All Souls off the Another World album:-
The only reason I’m in this world
Is to wake up from this sleep.
Another World -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-2LmAl_IDE
Children of the Sun -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys1jCPX9iSo&feature=related
Wise as a Serpent -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0slOnBelr8
Whatever’s Written on Your Heart -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwZaw0Cvc0U
Gerry Rafferty : Baker Street : Stuck In The Middle With You :
Gerry Rafferty : Baker Street : Stuck In The Middle With You :
What are Tags?. View articles or events that contain the above words.
Post Article:
Submit Your Own Article