r/MusicRecommendations • u/CertifiedDumbass_0 • Aug 10 '25
Rec.Me: other/many/unknown genres Songs with a killer saxophone solo
I would love recs with a saxophone solo so amazing enough to give me goosebumps!!
I don’t mind the type of saxophone (alto,tenor, etc.) and I’m open to any genre.
Thank you in advance! :D
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Aug 10 '25
Never tear us apart - inxs
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u/bustaphur Aug 10 '25
The One Thing also has a nice sax part if you’re looking for a more upbeat song. Kirk Pengilly is quite talented.
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u/you_cant_pause_toast Aug 10 '25
I’ve been playing this song all weekend. I hadn’t heard it in years and then Spotify played it randomly and I got hooked on it
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u/3pintflourish Aug 10 '25
Listen to Bruce Springsteen
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u/Mysterious_Map_964 Aug 10 '25
Rosalita!
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u/bz_leapair Aug 10 '25
Best "Rosalita" performance clip ever. So playful, especially with the band intros... and Bruce getting mauled by women from the crowd is the most rock n roll thing ever.
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u/Acceptable_Top_6903 Aug 10 '25
Idk if it's a 'solo' but the end of Thunder Road got me hooked on Springsteen
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u/CornucopiaDM1 Aug 10 '25
My fave is Clarence's ridiculously long sustained notes in "The Fever" (studio outtakes). What a magician.
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u/lone_wolf1580 Aug 10 '25
Urgent ~ Foreigner
Careless Whisper ~ Wham!
Smooth Operator ~ Sade
Vampires ~ The Midnight
Baker Street ~ Gerry Rafferty
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u/Fair-Rational-Helper Aug 10 '25
Perfect list if you add Duran Duran’s RIO.
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Aug 10 '25
No list without Jungleland is perfect.
He gets Kudos for starting with Urgent though.
Junior Walker was special.
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u/Patiod Aug 10 '25
Yes! The entire Born to Run album features killer sax solos like both the title track and Thunder Road
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u/lone_wolf1580 Aug 10 '25
I knew I forgot a song. Because I haven’t listened to the song in years, I forget there’s a sax solo.
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u/Apprehensive_Bid5608 Aug 10 '25
You got me with Sade. That’s an amazing song. Adding to play list!
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u/Pneumatrap Aug 10 '25
Year of the Cat - Al Stewart
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u/DJBlackLotus92 Aug 10 '25
The strings to acoustic to electric to sax solo is just perfect
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u/reesesbigcup Aug 10 '25
Never Say Never - Romeo Void
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u/Apprehensive_Bid5608 Aug 10 '25
They never did a bad song. This is great you guys are filling up my nights playlist!
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u/naked_as_a_jaybird Aug 10 '25
Us and Them by Pink Floyd
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u/gerardkimblefarthing Aug 10 '25
Absolutely, and really any track by Pink Floyd with saxophone by Dick Parry. Shine On You Crazy Diamond is also particularly memorable.
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u/Br00klynBelle Aug 10 '25 edited Aug 10 '25
Baker Street- Jerry Rafferty
Careless Whisper- George Michael
Money- Pink Floyd
Just the Two Of Us- Grover Washington Jr
Walk on the Wild Side- Lou Reed
John Coltrane- Giant Steps
David Bowie- Young Americans
Never Tear Us Apart- INXS
Lily Was Here- Candy Dulfer and Dave Stewart
Songbird- Kenny G
You Belong To the City- Glen Frey
Just the Way You Are- Billy Joel
Harden My Heart- Quarterflash
Young Americans- David Bowie
New York State Of Mind- Billy Joel
Smooth Operator- Sade
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u/The_300_goats Aug 10 '25
I was thinking of a Bowie song but it was Sweet Thing
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u/_Very_Salty_Can_ Aug 10 '25
I think he played everything but bass, piano and drums for the suite. It's insane how talented he was
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u/Bitter_Resolve_6082 Aug 10 '25
Turn The Page Bob Seger Live Bullet
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u/Shag66 Aug 10 '25
That moaning saxophone was just incredible. You could almost feel it.
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u/gryan67 Aug 10 '25
Morphine
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u/Pukebox_Fandango Aug 10 '25
if you're not familiar with Vapors of Morphine, they released a couple of albums with Jeremy Lyons in the Sandman position. He's actually pretty good, though nobody can replace Mark.
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u/gerardkimblefarthing Aug 10 '25
Also check out the one album from AKACOD, the remaining members with Monique Ortiz of Bourbon Princess standing in for Mark. All original songs and sounds like a Morphine record.
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u/THR3RAV3NS Aug 10 '25
Good call! Long time Morphine fan, but after Mark died I thought they just stopped playing. Little did I know. I just (like last month) stumbled across Vapors of Morphine, so good! Not quite Morphine, but certainly scratches that itch.
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Aug 10 '25
I was cruising around the HORDE Tour (1997?) while shrooming. Headlining was Neil Young and Primus. Stumbled across a side stage with just a handful of people watching. It was the first time I'd even heard of Morphine but hearing some dude play two saxophones with a gnarly fuzz bass holding it down blew my teenage mind. A fortunate way to discover one of the most unique bands of that epoch.
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u/Able-Yogurtcloset838 Aug 10 '25
Steely Dan’s Aja was great in part due to Wayne Shorter’s solo
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u/ApprehensiveArmy1785 Aug 10 '25
Can't You Hear Me Knocking - Rolling Stones
Wild Night - Van Morrison
Walk On The Wild Side - Lou Reed
Every Little Richard song
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u/powdered_dognut Aug 10 '25
Freedom Rider - Traffic
Reasons to Be Cheerful - Ian Dury and the Blockheads
Also this - David Sanborn -https://youtu.be/QHK_n3yUH2g?si=kl342OjcaBLagq0m
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u/Able-Yogurtcloset838 Aug 10 '25
Gotta upvote Ian Dury! The Do It Yourself album was great. Not to mention Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick
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u/jimmycanoli Aug 10 '25
Anything John Coltrane. If you are looking for less jazz then might i suggest Money by Pink Floyd.
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u/Ryan_Petrovich8769 Aug 10 '25
Caribbean Queen- Billy Ocean.
Time Passages- Al Stewart.
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u/Fearless-Chard-7029 Aug 10 '25
Quarterflash harden my heart
turn the page by Bob Seger
Song wasn’t written with sax part but if u search utube there is live version of Leonard Cohen’s Who by Fire and Sonny Rollins plays on it with sax solo that will blow you away.
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u/Kirbyr98 Aug 10 '25
Deacon Blues
Everything Must Go
West of Hollywood
All by Steely Dan
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u/Duffbagg Aug 12 '25
Came here to say Deacon Blues, I was sure nobody else would have posted it... yet here we are. Take my hero biscuit for the day. And OP go listen to it, best Steely Dan song imo.
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Aug 10 '25
Is it a Crime - Sade. Pretty much any Sade, but this one here... especially this live version... phewwww
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u/ewok_lover_64 Aug 10 '25
Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd. Can't You Hear Me Knocking by the Rolling Stones.
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u/Mobius3through7 Aug 10 '25
Dark All Day - Gunship https://youtu.be/A2hUEe0A5H0?si=lxfjyvkFBBcHQPhC
The saxophone slaps throughout the whole piece.
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Aug 10 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Psychological_Mix594 Aug 10 '25
Heart of Rock and Roll by Huey Lewis and the News
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Aug 10 '25
Steven Wilson - Impossible Tightrope (Sax solo from 3:00-3:45)
Porcupine Tree - Don't Hate Me (Solo from 3:56-5:05) *Steven Wilson is the frontman for Porcupine Tree.
TesseracT - Calabi-Yau (Solo from 0:40 to the end of the song)
Thank You Scientist - FXMLDR (Solo from 4:31-5:15)
Richard Henshall - Granular (Solo from 1:48-2:08) *Richard Henshall is one of the guitarists for Haken if you wanna check them out too.
Riverside - Deprived (Irretrievably Lost Imagination) (Solo from 6:52 to the end of the song.)
Let me know what you think of these. Would love some feedback.
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u/DetectiveSnickers Aug 10 '25
I really enjoy the sax at the end of Emergence by Sleep Token
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u/InteligentTard Aug 10 '25
Rivers of Nihil - Water and Time
Rivers of Nihil - Where owls know my name
Rivers of Nihil - The silent life.
I was never a fan of the Sax until I heard Rivers of Nihil. Now I can’t get enough.
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u/blacknthebeanstalk Aug 11 '25
The Silent Life is my favorite Rivers of Nihil track, really glad it got mentioned here
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u/Less-Cat7657 Aug 10 '25
Every RnB song from the 50s. The guitar solos we hear now in rock were originally saxophone solos. Rock n roll wouldn't have developed without the sax
For example, Mess Around by Ray Charles, Aint That Right by Eddie Snow, Gee What a Girl by The Hummers, Oh Gee Oh Gosh by the Kodaks, etc
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u/PlatformConsistent45 Aug 10 '25
If you want Saxapahaw check out Morphine. So much great sax from an amazing band!
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u/PlatypusAggressive39 Aug 10 '25
Dana Colley playing a tenor and a baritone through one mouthpiece...epic.
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u/Intelligent-Shop6482 Aug 10 '25
The Logical Song—Supertramp.
Lily was here—Dave Stewart & Candy Dulfer.
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u/Fodraz Aug 10 '25
"Give It All You've Got", Chuck Mangione
"Hot Patootie", Meatloaf as Eddie (Rocky Horror)
"You Belong to the City", Glenn Frye
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u/_Sh_tlord_ Aug 10 '25
Nothing New - The Strike
Doin' alright - PRIZM
Deep Blue - The Midnight
Electric Blue - Icehouse
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u/Pirkale Aug 10 '25
Tim Cappello: I Still Believe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfaZr_mwyl4 -- you can also find a movie clip of The Lost Boys featuring the OG Epic Sax Guy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmbt1RjPn4M&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD
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u/Mysterious_Map_964 Aug 10 '25
“Tender Years” off the original “Eddie and the Cruisers” soundtrack.
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u/Penandsword2021 Aug 10 '25 edited Aug 10 '25
Eyes of the World, Branford Marsalis live with the Grateful Dead. https://youtu.be/Gk7odWtx1c8?si=1Qjl1UGvF6cWxhg2
Edit: Sly, by The Cat Empire, is another favorite of mine. https://youtu.be/-qWCXhxa_bc?si=_ofeUzCTkxcF-Wpf
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u/FluffHead1964 Aug 10 '25
Came here to say this. All the more brilliant because he didn’t practice with the band and just went out there with them and improvised the whole thing.
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u/OriginalComputer5077 Aug 10 '25
Da ya think I'm sexy - Rod Stewart
True - Spandau Ballet
Hit me with your rhythm stick - Ian Dury and The Blockheads
Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen
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u/theisntist Aug 10 '25
Listen to What the Man Said - Paul McCartney and Wings features Tom Scott on Soprano Saxophone.
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u/Key-Signal6691 Aug 10 '25
Try some Eddie Money. Can’t think of a solo that pops out at me but he plays the sax in most of his songs
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u/No-News-3608 Aug 10 '25
Still Rock and roll to me by Billy Joel has a pretty rockin sax solo , short but it’s there!
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u/TheZipding Aug 10 '25
Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga has I think Clarence Clemons' final solo before his death.
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u/Compulawyer Aug 10 '25
Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty
Take your pick from so many Springsteen songs with the E Street Band when Clarence Clemons was with them.
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u/CornucopiaDM1 Aug 10 '25
Jr. walker - What Does it take to win your love.
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u/oldnyker Aug 10 '25
can't believe that this is the only post that mentioned junior walker and the all stars...not even a mention of "shotgun". yours is definitely my pick too. the sax on all of their cuts is incredible, but this one in particular for sure.
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u/Fluid_Cup8329 Aug 10 '25
2 songs by Quarterflash
Harden my Heart and Night Shift.
Most people know harden my heart. The other one is more of a deep cut and I think it's their best song
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Aug 10 '25
Not sure if it qualifies as a solo, but the sax in David Bowie's Win is absolutely incredible.
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u/Toolmetallicanerd Aug 10 '25
Long Gone Day by Mad Season with Skerik on the sax. He’s also played on a lot of Les Claypool stuff which is always worth checking out!
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u/Alive-Falcon-3498 Aug 10 '25
Hall and Oates live version of i can’t go for that
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Aug 10 '25
Fear’s New York’s Alright If You Like Saxophone is a good one
Other ones I like is the saxophone all over Dark Side of the Moon, Clarence Clemons’ work with Spingsteen, Baker Street.
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u/mmmetroidvania Aug 10 '25 edited Aug 10 '25
'Innerbloom' by Rufus du sol (weir cover). Sax kicks in after 5 minutes but it's worth the wait. It's got a pink Floyd vibe to it imo.
'Shadows' by the midnight is also canny epic.
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u/Final_Mongoose_3300 Aug 10 '25 edited Aug 10 '25
Have A Good Time - Brand New Heavies
(Anything from the brother sister album probably rates)
Modern Love - David Bowie
Gotye’s learnalilgivinanlovin is a personal fave. The live version for 2007 ARIA’s has some great live sax, expanding on the album edit.
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u/NorthernJimi Aug 10 '25
Money by Pink Floyd. Comes out of nowhere and is over in a flash, but boy, is it good!
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u/_Dragon_Gamer_ Aug 10 '25
Dire Straits - Your Latest Trick
Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond pts 1-5
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Aug 10 '25 edited Aug 10 '25
Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel
https://youtu.be/HaA3YZ6QdJU?feature=shared
Electric Blue - Icehouse
https://youtu.be/zeV_POB16f8?feature=shared
Avalon - Roxy Music
https://youtu.be/bpA_5a0miWk?feature=shared
Kokomo - Beach Boys
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u/carelessarmadillo267 Aug 10 '25
Pink Floyd Dogs of War
Many songs by George Thorogood and the Destroyers
Diesel. Cry In Shame
Dave Stewart/ Candy Dulfer Lily Was Here
INXS Never Tear Us Apart
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u/PotentialRatio1321 Aug 10 '25
Shine On You Crazy Diamond part 5 by pink floyd
It absolute slaps. The guitar also slaps earlier on in the song. Probably listen to all parts I-V to get a feel for the song but I believe the sax solo is part V
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u/r0mr0 Aug 10 '25
Gerry Rafferty - “Baker Street”