I have railed against solo saxophone on a few occasions on this board. While I do stand by my original conviction that solo sax is quite painful and unneccesary, I must say that every once and awhile, there is a golden moment of relevancy.

Case in point: The sax in Buster Poindexter's "Rocket 88".

Daniel Ash on "It Could Be Sunshine".

Solo sax painful? I just think individual players are painful, not the instrument as a whole,

Any song by The Choir that has a sax solo by Dan Michaels.

I suspect the sax was ruined for a whole generation (or two) by Clarence Clemmons and, to a greater degree, his many imitators. The cheeseball sax that simply busts into a song for a dramatic solo has become an annoying cliche, but that's not the only option for the instrument. Consider:

Andy MacKay's work in Roxy Music
the Stooges Funhouse
Mott the Hoople "All The Way From Memphis" (Andy MacKay again)
The Saints
American Death Ray Music Smash Radio Hits

The sax was primarily a rhythm instrument in early r'n'r and r'n'b, and that's how most of the bands above smartly used it, occasionally allowing the momentum to propel the sax into a good old fashioned wig-out. When it's done right, it's a total thrill - and when it's done wrong it's the same difference as a good guitar solo vs. a wheedly deedly guitar solo.

Just occassionally Radcliffe talks sense and this is one of those occassions. This common ground on saxophone is something I chernish dearly.

I'll chip in a sax that doesn't suck - Madness 'One Step Beyond'

Look no further than Morphine. Perfect use of sax as a primary instrument.

I'll throw in Steve, too. Well, except for those throwing problems.

Check out some Naked City.

I like the sax in that X-Ray Spex album. And the Dexy's Midnight Runners ones.

I don't like it on the Only Ones song "The Whole of the Law"

INXS' "Shabooh Shoobah" had sax on several songs and sounded great.

Duran Duran Rio
Fear New York's Alright If You Like Saxophones (the Enon cover of it is good too)

go forth and speaketh truth.

You'll thibnk I'm joking, but I'm not when I say:
"Careless Whisper" - Wham

Great song, great sax.

[questionable self-promotion?]And I like Matt's playing on the HoP album. (On "I Do". It just seemed right.)[/questionable self-promotion?]