# Your Favourite Rock/Pop/Jazz numbers with prominent brass section **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [November 6, 2020, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888 "2020-11-06T08:38:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/1 "2020-11-06T08:38:18Z")
Heh, wonder how many Chicago posts’d immediately spring to mind (considering, indeed, a good number of’em). Defining, exactly, how “prominent” said brass sections should be in a song might end up on the fluid side (if this thread gains any traction). At least featured at some point in a song, and, I’ll be lax enough to allow just a two-instrument minumum, like two saxes. Good memories of Ides of March’s [Vehicle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiLaNEFyCiM) Beatles - [Savoy Truffle](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9EaBjFvQpc) Might have to give the edge, though, to the feel-good in-your-face-ness of the Stones’ [Rocks Off](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lNP-x94-SE) If you’re still down after giving that number a spin, ask your doctor. (and a quick nod to [“Bitch” off _Sweaty Fingers_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=To7q0cn0Fk4) ) ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/2 "2020-11-06T08:51:25Z")
Tried to add on an ETA, but got a strange error message along the lines of ‘you cannot perform this action right now’, or something. Anyway just wanted to add that the concept of “feel-goodness” and the Stones’ _Rocks Off_ might not click lyrically, but instrumentally - damn straight. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum\_45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum_45/32/3385_2.png) [@eburacum\_45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum_45)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/3 "2020-11-06T08:54:15Z")
[Bolero](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XjIJi79O80&t=272s), from the album Lizard by King Crimson, has a pretty prominent brass section. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/4 "2020-11-06T09:01:20Z")
Indeed. Always loved that number, as well as that funereal, scorched earth processional (with that reckoning kettle drum) to trail off ‘Battle of Glass Tears’. Heh, or this [part](https://youtu.be/7XjIJi79O80?t=1116) ETA: cool - ETA worked that time! Getting snoozy, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum\_45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum_45/32/3385_2.png) [@eburacum\_45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum_45)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/5 "2020-11-06T09:18:13Z")
I didn’t realise it at the time, but the Prince Rupert stuff seems to have been inspired by the Battle of Marston Moor - which took place about five miles from where I live. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/6 "2020-11-06T10:29:26Z")
Although **Dexy’s Midnight Runners** are (probably) best known for the “Oirish” **Come On Eileen** I far preferred the earlier UK hit of **Geno**. Here they are on the **Top of the Pops** TV show: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z5KgMUgvtig/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHUBoAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgXChPMA8=&rs=AOn4CLC8iLG17lQHQ74do8vo8hKWS-rlPA "Dexy s Midnight Runners Geno TOTP 1980 HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5KgMUgvtig) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@Earl\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Grey)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/7 "2020-11-06T11:41:04Z")
I know ya got a 2-instrument minimum, but the sax in this one is so big that it might as well be two instruments! Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dU6w56epBdc/hqdefault.jpg "Gerry Rafferty Baker Street Long Version") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU6w56epBdc) Not a very complicated brass section, but it finds power in its’ simplicity and mixes well with the strings: David Axelrod - Holy Thursday [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8j8pSu3U7WM/hqdefault.jpg "David Axelrod - Holy Thursday") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8j8pSu3U7WM) The Count made his money almost exclusively off of horns: Count Basie Orchestra - This Could be the Start of Something Big [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4bwvQUl8AeE/maxresdefault.jpg "Count Basie - This Could Be The Start of Something Big") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bwvQUl8AeE) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/8 "2020-11-06T11:45:52Z")
Forever Live And Die by OMD. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/moFiaQPCl04/maxresdefault.jpg "Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - (Forever) Live And Die") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moFiaQPCl04) Can’t Get Enough by The Supergroove. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9gEy2FJ_AiA/hqdefault.jpg "Supergroove - Can't Get Enough") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gEy2FJ_AiA) ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/9 "2020-11-06T11:52:45Z")
Three brassy hits from bands I’ve always liked: The Saints - [Know your product](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9M3b9lh-7s) Hunters & Collectors - [Say Goodbye](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pp6hniAKHw) The Cat Empire - [Sly](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtFxo4mpiKg) ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/10 "2020-11-06T13:08:17Z")
Great brass in Steely Dan’s [Caves of Altamira](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE2L3KZWkpc) (pretty cool unofficial video here too) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/11 "2020-11-06T13:21:49Z")
“Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6sIjSNTS7Fs/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gJCgTMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAtL0bnUJf0JVNoWEFqGCAWZqk3tA "Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sIjSNTS7Fs) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/12 "2020-11-06T14:06:47Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Although **Dexy’s Midnight Runners** are (probably) best known for the “Oirish” **Come On Eileen** I far preferred the earlier UK hit of **Geno**. Here they are on the **Top of the Pops** TV show: > > [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5KgMUgvtig](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5KgMUgvtig) > > TCMF-2L Good call! And don’t forget There, There My Dear\*. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/l1e9YRXMrTQ/hqdefault.jpg "Dexys Midnight Runners -There, there my dear") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1e9YRXMrTQ) Though I confess my first thought was Osibisa - Music For A Gong Gong [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IALpmwOm8Vs/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gNSgTMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDtSQjS83Qpot_3NkY7-RTH5dDFeQ "Osibisa - Music For Gong Gong") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IALpmwOm8Vs) j \*NB There’s a potential quiz question in this one as well. Which hit single includes the lyric: > [@](#): > > Keep quoting Cabaret, Berlin, Burroughs, JG Ballard, Duchamp, Beauvoir, Kerouac, Kierkegaard, Michael Rennie, and I don’t believe you really like Frank Sinatra… ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/13 "2020-11-06T14:39:59Z")
I remember this one from many years ago. **Ashton, Gardner and Dyke** and **Resurrection Shuffle**. Seen here on Top of the Pops and, yes, lead singer Ashton is almost certainly drunk. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VFCoaNjZqUM/hqdefault.jpg "Ashton,Gardener&Dyke-Resurrection Shuffle-#11.\*Top Of The Pops 70s\*") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFCoaNjZqUM) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/14 "2020-11-06T14:45:11Z")
As far as I’m concerned Dexy’s were great while they wore black Donkey Jackets. I didn’t like them in denim dungarees and I was long gone when Kevin started wearing a dress… TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/15 "2020-11-06T14:54:30Z")
“Got To Get You Into my Life” Beatles AND Earth, Wind and Fire ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/16 "2020-11-06T15:03:21Z")
There’s a nice bit of solo saxophone (by **Wesley Magoogan** who fought for and eventually got a co-song writing credit) in **Hazel O’Connor** ’s **Will You?** https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ou96vLl--e4?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RDOu96vLl--e4 O’Connor is underrated as a singer / pop star in my opinion. Probably because she found fame portraying a pop star in the film **Breaking Glass** (which used Will You? in the soundtrack) so I think she was perceived as fake and manufactured. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/17 "2020-11-06T15:18:18Z")
Beulah - Hey Brother [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/iKzVa_UCniQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Hey Brother") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKzVa_UCniQ) Brian Setzer Orchestrra - As Lonog As I’m Singin’ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LiVB9QBSpOE/hqdefault.jpg "As Long As I'm Singin") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiVB9QBSpOE) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/18 "2020-11-06T15:28:22Z")
The Who - “My Wife” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W0iA_rOcn9Y/hqdefault.jpg "The Who - My Wife") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0iA_rOcn9Y) Blood Sweat and Tears - “I Can’t Quit Her” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/J2VAefm330Q/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHeA4AC4AOKAgwIABABGHIgRChLMA8=&rs=AOn4CLA8-nzdesDBFoz8B0T1U1oZZmh2pA "Blood, Sweat & Tears - I Can't Quit Her") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2VAefm330Q) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/19 "2020-11-06T15:47:19Z")
“Vehicle” - Ides of March ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888/20 "2020-11-06T17:50:28Z")
There was a fad for rock groups with horn sections in the late 1960s. Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears were best known, and Vehicle by Ides of March got a lot of airplay. But they also included the Electric Flag (“Groovin’ Is Easy”), Lighthouse ("One Fine Morning), late Quicksilver Messenger Service ("What About Me?), the Buckinghams, (“Kind of a Drag”), Ten Wheel Drive (“Stay With Me”), and just about every rock soul group: The Commodores, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Kool & The Gang, The Ohio Players. Tower of Power and the Average White Band came around a few years later but by that time the craze was dead. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favourite-rock-pop-jazz-numbers-with-prominent-brass-section/924888.md?page=2)