When you think of classic rock songs, a few instruments immediately come to mind. Heavy bass, walloping drums, shrieking guitars, and vocalists who sing like lightning bolts from the top of a giant mountain. One instrument that doesn’t exactly jump to the forefront when considering the genre, however, is the saxophone. That’s more for jazz, right?
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Well, the sax has played a central part in classic rock over the years. Here below, we wanted to examine three songs that prove that fact. A trio of tracks that would be much worse off without the reed instrument. Indeed, these are three classic rock songs that would be nothing without the presence of the saxophone.
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“Us and Them” by Pink Floyd from The Dark Side of the Moon (1974)
Where would this psychedelic song from one of the most important classic rock albums ever be without its dreamy saxophone. Never afraid to experiment, the British-born band Pink Floyd imbued their essential 1974 LP The Dark Side of the Moon with wild vocals, thought-provoking ideas, and instrumentation that at one time confounds and at another impresses. All of a sudden as this anti-war song rich with social discomfort kicks in, we hear a floating saxophone played by Dick Parry. Just try not to fall in love—strange as it may feel.
“Turn the Page” by Bob Seger from Back in ’72 (1973)
This song would be something completely different if it didn’t have the saxophone to accompany Bob Seger’s somber words of the road. The song sets the tone for what is going to be a sonic journey lamenting the lifestyle of a touring musician. It’s as if the saxophone is a ghost or the waning human spirit of the singer, who is beaten down by a late-night lifestyle. Played by the aptly named Alto Reed, the instrument is chef’s kiss perfect on this offering.
“Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen from Born to Run (1975)
Released on the 1975 album of the same name, Bruce Springsteen’s track “Born to Run” might just be his most important song. It helped make him a star that was seemingly larger than life in the 1970s and set a course for the next 50 years of Springsteen’s career. But the song, which is all about needing to leave wherever you hope of something better, hits its highest notes thanks to the saxophone played by the iconic Clarence Clemons. Maybe more than anyone, Clemons has helped to make the sax a staple in classic rock songs. All praise be to the master!
Photo By Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images
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