10 Most Distinctive Opening Saxophone Lines In Rock Music

Feature Photo: Manuel Martinez Perez, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our list of the 10 Most Distinctive Opening Saxophone Lines in Rock Music showcases some of the best opening saxophone licks in rock music history. This isn’t an argument about the best saxophone solos, but a list of saxophone introduction lines at the start of these songs. There are many, but these are ten of the most compelling and distinctive ones that came to mind first.

#10 – You’re a Friend of Mine

We open up our 10 Most Distinctive Opening Saxophone Lines In Rock Music list with a song by one of the greatest rock and roll saxophone players of all time. It’s only fitting that we celebrate and honor the music of the Big Man, Mr. Clarence Clemons, at the start of this list. This is the first of two appearances the Big Man makes on this list. “You’re a Friend of Mine” was released on Clarence Clemons’ 1985 solo album entitled Hero. The song was performed as a duet between Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne.

#9 – Urgent

Continuing with our 10 Most Distinctive Opening Saxophone Lines In Rock Music list, we showcase the smoking Foreigner song called “Urgent.” Mark Rivera, known for his longtime role in the Billy Joel band, played the non-solo saxophone parts on the recording, while Junior Walker performed the famous saxophone solo. Many people probably don’t realize that Thomas Dolby also played synthesizer on the track. Foreigner’s “Urgent” was released on the band’s fourth album, simply titled 4. The album was released in 1981.

#8 – Harden My Heart – Quarterflash

If you had your eyes glued to MTV in the early 1980s as most of us did, you must remember this song. Quarterflash’s “Harden My Heart” was home to one of the most iconic saxophone intros of the decade. The song was released on the band’s debut album entitled Quarterflash. The album was released in 1981. The song was a massive hit on both MTV and the radio. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100. Lead vocalist Rindy Ross played the intro saxophone line.

#7 – Tender Years – John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band

Yes, I know the band sounds exactly like Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. For them, it was both a blessing and a curse. The constant comparison to Springsteen hurt them early on during their bar band days. Eventually, they caught their big break when they were offered the opportunity to write the music for the motion picture Eddie and the Cruisers. The film fueled the big hit “On the Dark Side.” Most music fans who enjoyed the film and began following the band fell in love with the song “Tender Years.” While there is a bit of a novelty behind all this, I remember really enjoying this song, too, back when I was 19 years old when this film first came out. Michael “Tunes” Antunes played saxophone on the recording.

#6 – Turn the Page

Landing in the number six spot on our 10 Most Distinctive Opening Saxophone Lines In Rock Music list is one that there was no way we could leave off this list. It may not be one of the longest lines, but it’s definitely one of the most distinctive. Bob Seger’s classic “Turn the Page” was released on the album Back in ’72. However, the version that most people know is the phenomenal live version from Live Bullet, released in 1976. Alto Reed played the unforgettable opening saxophone line.

#5 – Us and Them

At the halfway point on our 10 Most Distinctive Opening Saxophone Lines In Rock Music list is the exhilarating Pink Floyd song entitled “Us and Them.” It takes over a minute before the sax line begins, but since it’s before the vocals, it counts as a legendary saxophone introduction, and legendary it is. Dick Parry played saxophone on the recording. Like a few others on this list, the saxophone solo in the song is also to die for. One of the best ever. I saw them perform the song live in 1977 at Madison Square Garden as an encore. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. It was the final encore after most people had already left the arena because they took so long to come out for the final song.

#4 – Night – Bruce Springsteen

At the number four spot on our 10 Most Distinctive Opening Saxophone Lines In Rock Music list, we present the classic Bruce Springsteen song entitled “Night.” The song was released on the album Born to Run. The album was released in 1975. Born to Run was one of the most influential rock albums ever released. It turned Bruce Springsteen into a megastar. There was no weak song on the album. Clarence Clemons played a major role on the record. His solo in “Jungleland” may be the greatest saxophone solo ever. However, this list is about opening saxophone lines, and “Night” has one of the best.

#3 – You Belong to the City – Glenn Frey

Everyone loved Glenn Frey. We still do. It’s just so sad that he is no longer with us. He gave us so many great songs as a member of the Eagles. He also gave us some true classics in his solo career. “You Belong to the City” has always been one of our favorites. Part of the reason is that breathtaking introduction, fueled by that sexy saxophone line that sets it all up. It didn’t hurt that the song was also used for one of the best Miami Vice episodes ever released. Bill Bergman performed the saxophone.

#2 – Young Americans – David Bowie

Just off the top spot on our 10 Most Distinctive Opening Saxophone Lines In Rock Music list, we celebrate the high-spirited David Bowie song entitled “Young Americans.” The song was released on the album also entitled Young Americans. The album was released in 1975. The man behind the saxophone line was the cool jazz music legend David Sanborn. Also appearing on the song’s iconic backing vocals was soon-to-be soul music all-star vocalist Luther Vandross.

“Young Americans” was the first single released from the album. The song was a hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number twenty-eight. It would also become one of David Bowie’s most popular songs ever released.

Read More: Top 100 David Bowie Songs

#1 – Baker Street – Gerry Rafferty

We close out our 10 Most Distinctive Opening Saxophone Lines In Rock Music list with the monumental Gerry Rafferty song entitled “Baker Street.” I have never heard a saxophone line sound as big as this one in the song’s opening and, of course, in between verses and choruses throughout the song. I recently took a trip to London and found my way to Baker Street. All I kept hearing was the song in my head as I visited the fabulous stores along the street. There was the Sherlock Holmes museum, great record stores, and rock concert T-shirt stores. It is a place I highly recommend visiting if you ever get to London.

The song “Baker Street” was released on the City to City album. The album was released in 1978. It was the second single released from the album. The song was a hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number two. Raphael Ravenscroft played the legendary saxophone line.