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Is Baker Street the perfect pop song?


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Old 28-11-2014, 21:38
Biffo the Bear
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Now, you lot know me. I'm a bit of a perfectionist as it stands.

However, the other day I revisited 'Baker Street' as a musical entity in its own right, and what occurred to me was that it's actually perfect.

I cannot find a single fault in the song in respect of its beat, pitch or meter; it just flows from beginning to end.

Is it the perfect pop song perhaps?

Link for the uneducated:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSIw...ature=youtu.be
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Old 28-11-2014, 22:55
floog
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Now, you lot know me. I'm a bit of a perfectionist as it stands.

However, the other day I revisited 'Baker Street' as a musical entity in its own right, and what occurred to me was that it's actually perfect.

I cannot find a single fault in the song in respect of its beat, pitch or meter; it just flows from beginning to end.

Is it the perfect pop song perhaps?

Link for the uneducated:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSIw...ature=youtu.be
No doubt to some people it's a classic but to me it's too slow, funkless and a bit bland.
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Old 28-11-2014, 23:11
performingmonk
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Nope, the greatest pop record ever is Safety Dance - http://youtu.be/T7hHx7gdN68
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Old 28-11-2014, 23:51
Pointy
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It's always been far too drab for my tastes.
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Old 29-11-2014, 03:34
mgvsmith
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It has a fabulous sax riff and some sweet sounds on the verses but the lack of any real interesting lyrical hooks spoils the overall effect.
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Old 29-11-2014, 07:36
mushymanrob
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No doubt to some people it's a classic but to me it's too slow, funkless and a bit bland.
thank goodness im not the only one who thinks like this....

i always thought it was music for 'squares', falling in between the cool sounds of punk/new wave, of no interest to the disco dancers, too bland for the rockers, and too 'adult' for pop lovers. so who did like it?.... think it was mums n dads or christians (lol) who had little interest in what was going on in the bigger scene.
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Old 29-11-2014, 07:38
mushymanrob
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ps...id nominate spencer davis groups 'keep on running' as the best pop song ever!
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Old 29-11-2014, 09:31
floog
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I'm going to say The Isley Brothers This Old Heart of Mine.
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Old 29-11-2014, 10:21
mgvsmith
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I know there are a few contenders but this is hard to beat.
A wondrous riff that builds and could last forever, a brilliant melody,
a bit of melodrama, a kiss, a girl group, awesome, pop at its best....

This is top Premier League compared to Baker Street's mid-table Championship!

The Crystals 'Then He Kissed Me'

( The Ronettes - 'Be My Baby' is up there too.)
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Old 29-11-2014, 13:43
Gulftastic
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I think 'Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)' by Steve Harley is pretty perfect pop.

Not to mention 'Dancing Queen' by Abba.

They should have the iconic sax riff played on every tube train as it approaches Baker Street station.
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Old 29-11-2014, 14:00
starry_rune
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What do people define as the perfect pop song?

catchy?
http://youtu.be/0coygxMWniU?t=1m1s

able to dance to it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2k

Sing along to?
http://youtu.be/moSFlvxnbgk?t=46s

envoke emotions from deep inside?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNyKDI9pn0Q
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Old 29-11-2014, 18:20
mgvsmith
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What do people define as the perfect pop song?

catchy?
http://youtu.be/0coygxMWniU?t=1m1s

able to dance to it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2k

Sing along to?
http://youtu.be/moSFlvxnbgk?t=46s

envoke emotions from deep inside?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNyKDI9pn0Q

All of those things and maybe none of them.
The perfect pop song has to have a hook of some sort.
A hook that will stand up to repeating to different audiences over time.

Like this - The Temptations - 'My Girl'
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Old 29-11-2014, 19:09
cody jarrett
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Now, you lot know me. I'm a bit of a perfectionist as it stands.

However, the other day I revisited 'Baker Street' as a musical entity in its own right, and what occurred to me was that it's actually perfect.

I cannot find a single fault in the song in respect of its beat, pitch or meter; it just flows from beginning to end.

Is it the perfect pop song perhaps?

Link for the uneducated:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSIw...ature=youtu.be
....do we?
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Old 29-11-2014, 19:26
starry_rune
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All of those things and maybe none of them.
The perfect pop song has to have a hook of some sort.
A hook that will stand up to repeating to different audiences over time.

Like this - The Temptations - 'My Girl'
Thanks So what the OP meant was " A perfect pop song" as opposed to "THE perfect pop song" which suggests there is only one.
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Old 29-11-2014, 20:07
Ollie_h19
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Its good but a bit 'of its time'. I think the sax solo ages it a bit (as classic as it is)

IMO, the most perfect pop song is One Day Like This by Elbow, closely followed by Never Forget by Take That.
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Old 30-11-2014, 08:37
mushymanrob
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All of those things and maybe none of them.
The perfect pop song has to have a hook of some sort.
A hook that will stand up to repeating to different audiences over time.

Like this - The Temptations - 'My Girl'
prefer otis reddings version!
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Old 30-11-2014, 10:53
Deep Purple
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Dreaming by Blondie.
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Old 30-11-2014, 23:46
Pea1
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It has a brilliant intro.

I love "Sittin' on the dock of the bay" - Otis Redding.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PyxLaHmOaYM
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Old 01-12-2014, 14:57
Arcana
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I'm old enough to remember it being in the charts and as I recall it was massively overplayed on the radio. I can appreciate it more now.
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Old 01-12-2014, 15:10
Makson
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Blimey, I feel like a proper spring chicken here
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Old 01-12-2014, 17:56
JessTheCat
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Foo Fighters version of Baker Street is fabulous
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Old 01-12-2014, 19:16
barbeler
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The saxophonist in Baker Street admitted that his playing was out of tune. Apart from that it's a bit dreary anyway.
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Old 01-12-2014, 22:49
ML11
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Undercover's version of Baker Street is more upbeat and makes a good pop song.
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Old 01-12-2014, 23:38
LaVieEnRose
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i always thought it was music for 'squares', falling in between the cool sounds of punk/new wave, of no interest to the disco dancers, too bland for the rockers, and too 'adult' for pop lovers. so who did like it?.... think it was mums n dads or christians (lol) who had little interest in what was going on in the bigger scene.
I liked it! and certainly didn't fall into any of those categories.

While I had been a rock fan, embraced punk/new wave and enjoyed a bit of disco (not so keen on the pop of the time), I liked "Baker Street" as a laid-back track, something to chill out to. It's the sax that does it, mind.
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Old 02-12-2014, 08:44
mushymanrob
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I liked it! and certainly didn't fall into any of those categories.

While I had been a rock fan, embraced punk/new wave and enjoyed a bit of disco (not so keen on the pop of the time), I liked "Baker Street" as a laid-back track, something to chill out to. It's the sax that does it, mind.
you must have been one of the few exceptions1
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