Singer Gerry Rafferty Dead at 63
- Thread starter cigaretteman
- Start date
I liked his music.
On a side note, I want to be a one-hit-wonder song writer. I read that he still earns about 80,000 british pounds (~$120,000) per year for writing and singing "Baker Street" 32 years ago. I can't even fathom how much in royalties that McCartney must be making.
Heard a couple of interesting things on the radio (98.7 KLUV) this morning as the DJs were discussing Rafferty's death.
According to DJ Jody Dean, back in the 1970's, LPs and 45s were recorded to carts (type of tape storage) and the carts were played and broadcast instead of the records. DJs would often speed up the turntable a little bit while recording the cart to make the songs sound "brighter". Apparently this had a dramatic effect on the "Baker Street" song. Many listeners who bought the album to get "Baker Street" ended up returning the album because it didn't "sound right", relative to what was being played over the radio, making that album one of the most returned albums in history. I haven't found a link for that, but it is interesting.
Also, they stated the cause of death as liver failure.
According to DJ Jody Dean, back in the 1970's, LPs and 45s were recorded to carts (type of tape storage) and the carts were played and broadcast instead of the records. DJs would often speed up the turntable a little bit while recording the cart to make the songs sound "brighter". Apparently this had a dramatic effect on the "Baker Street" song. Many listeners who bought the album to get "Baker Street" ended up returning the album because it didn't "sound right", relative to what was being played over the radio, making that album one of the most returned albums in history. I haven't found a link for that, but it is interesting.
Also, they stated the cause of death as liver failure.
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According to this there are actually different versions. Which could still account for album buyer dissaticfaction.
Baker Street (song) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I just checked out two versions on youtube and there is a noticable difference in the pace of the radio cut and the album version. I also was reminded of another good song of his, "right Down the Line," which should definitely cement the not a one hit wonder.
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I didn't necessarily mean it that way, but I can see how you read it that way. I was just saying that the article stated that he made a lot of money off of that one song and I would like to do the same.
Agree, this is his best.
His solo popularity was peaking while I was at ISU in the late 70's. So it always brings back memories of living in now-destroyed Knapp Hall.
Too lazy to look it up, but isn't there a Baker Street in Ames right near the towers? I seem to remember a few people parking over there. You could only leave your car there a while or else get ticketed. Either that or it was an alternate day parking thing. I remember people getting tickets because they didn't move their cars in time.
...real sad to hear of his passing.
Baker Street came out just before I graduated high school in '78 and it has become the song that triggers all of my memories of that fun period.
Stuck in the Middle with You is still my favorite Rafferty song with Baker Street second followed by Right Down the Line.
A few months ago I heard that he was ailing but I guess he made it through for a while longer after that.
Baker Street came out just before I graduated high school in '78 and it has become the song that triggers all of my memories of that fun period.
Stuck in the Middle with You is still my favorite Rafferty song with Baker Street second followed by Right Down the Line.
A few months ago I heard that he was ailing but I guess he made it through for a while longer after that.
