Gerry made 11 solo albums, this being his 2nd. Born in ’47 in Paisley, Scotland, his father and grandfather were both coal miners. His Irish father died when Gerry was 16. Both his parents influenced him by singing traditional songs. He worked in regular jobs but played in a group that included Joe Egan singing pop tunes by the Beatles and the Stones. He busked in London and was in a band called The Fifth Column (with Egan) that had one single released without success.
In ’69 he joined The Humblebums, a folky trio that included future comic Billy Connolly that soon became a duo of just the 2 of them. They supported Fotheringay (included Sandy Denny) along with the other support, Nick Drake, at the RAH in ’70. They made 2 albums but separated in ’71.
Rafferty went solo for the same label (Transatlantic) that led to his first album Can I Have My Money Back (’71). It got good reviews but had little commercial success (I’ve not heard it). It’s cover was by John Patrick Byrne who would go on to make many others for him.
In ’72 he and Joe Egan formed Steelers Wheel. Produced by US song writers Leiber & Stoller, their first eponymous album (’72, US 50) contained Stuck in the Middle With You (8 UK 6 US) which sold over 1M and led to a 2nd L&S produced album with another minor hit called Star (UK 25, not the Kiki Dee song).
Despite this the 2nd album Ferguslie Park (’73) sold poorly and after disagreements with Egan, Rafferty left just prior to the 3rd album Right or Wrong (’75) coming out.
I have the first 2 on a double comp and they’re fairly good albums albeit having that big standout in the 70s classic SITMWY (later made famous again in Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs).
Legal disputes put Rafferty’s career on hold until they were worked out and he could release City to City on United Artists in ‘78. Rafferty and producer Hugh Murphy (who remained his producer until ’97 when Murphy died) had trouble convincing the record company to release Baker Street as a single. They thought it was ‘too good’ for the general public. It went on to reach 3 UK 2 US. It’s overplayed of course but I actually played it twice in a row today as I thought it would sound better on CD (it does). A total classic with a sophisticated arrangement and some top sax by Raphael Ravenscroft for which he received £27.50 (musicians union flat rate). Ravenscroft’s sax break was worked out and played on guitar in demo form by Rafferty beforehand and in fact he was 2nd choice to play it.
City to City starts with the traditional folky sounding The Ark which has Aussie folk band the Bushwackers playing a nice intro. After Baker Street is the other big single Right Down The Line. This really reminds me of Pat bringing back this single from the US (12 US, weirdly didn’t chart UK), probably in ’78. It has a great rhythm to it and a clever middle eight. I never tire of it.
The other big song on this album for me is Whatever’s Written in Your Heart. This is a slow song with a gospel flavour that’s very powerful. I’d like to hear a big choir sing it. Maybe with Viv included 🙂
I didn’t really hear this album in it’s entirety at the time and thought for years that the rest was rather average but It’s grown on me.
Steelin’ Time is another good track and the last track, Waiting For The Day, is a strong song. The remainder is at least enjoyable. There’s nothing bad here.
The album sold 5.5M and so his next album Night Owl (’79) is unsurprisingly similar. It’s standouts are the singles Night Owl (5 UK) and Get It Right Next Time (30 UK 15 US) but Days Gone Down (Still Got the Light in Your Eyes), which starts the album, is another strong track.
The backing on both albums is standard 70s soft rock with an English slant. It’s quite a warm sound but it’s left to the song to shine and I suppose that’s the problem for me; it stands or falls on the quality of the songs as there’s nothing special to grab onto music-wise for me on some tracks. The rest of Night Owl kind of drifts along.
This album also sold well (9 UK). Barbara Dickson sang BVs on the 2 albums. Both albums (and the next one) again had lovely covers (just like all 3 Steelers Wheel albums) by John Patrick Byre who simply signs them ‘Patrick” :).
Snakes and Ladders (‘80`) is more of the same but without standout singles although Royal Mile, Syncopatin Sandy and Bring it all Back Home are good songs. This album does have a nicer production on it with more prominent guitar which reminds me of Chris Rea on the song I Was a Boy Scout. Of his other 6 albums released in his lifetime I did recently hear North and South (’88) via a CD from work but it’s bland production didn’t suit his songs for me.
Rafferty wasn’t comfortable with fame and the music industry in general and this was reflected in the lyrics. He sang a Mark Knopfler song, The Way It Always Starts, for the Local Hero soundtrack in ’83 (must listen to that).
In ’87 he produced (with Murphy) The Proclaimers first single Letter From America. Perhaps his 90s albums are better, I should give them a try. He apparently poured a lot of effort into the 2000 album Another World which was released on his own website.
Rafferty had gradually succumbed to alcoholism and in ’90 his 20 year marriage ended. A move to Ireland from California in ’08 didn’t help. After smashing up a posh hotel room in London in ’09 after a binge he spent 6 months in Tuscany which led to some new songs and the album Life Goes On (’09) but he died in ’11 from liver failure. A sad end.
In ’21 his daughter put together and released Rest in Blue made up of completed demos. He’ll of course be remembered for Baker Street and Stuck in the Middle With You which isn’t a bad legacy. He was affected by his attitude to the music business and alcohol but still made some great records, some I’ve yet to discover.
15/20. Fave tracks: Baker Street, Right Down The Line, Whatever’s Written in your Heart.