“They don't give a damn about any trumpet playin' band/It ain't what they call rock and roll”
- Sultans of Swing/Dire Straits
I've always identified with the above sentiment. I'm not real big on horns in my rock and roll. I mean, in select spots they can be tasty, but still, small doses for me, please.
When I think of brass in rock music (other than Chicago), it's usually the saxophone that comes to my mind. I'll admit, there are some iconic songs that would not be the same songs without the sax: Baker Street, Born to Run, Who Can it Be Now?, Urgent, Jungleland, Money, Harden My Heart. You can name others.
Well, now maybe I'm rethinking my argument…maybe I like the sax more than I always thought I did. As I dug around a bit, I realized there's some saxophone tucked into places that I apparently didn't pay attention to. It could be that the sax is like an umpire or referee; if they're doing their job you don't really notice them…they blend seamlessly into the proceedings.
Are their sax songs that you embrace?