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The Saxophone: 8 Songs That Show Off Rock's Underappreciated Horn

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6. The Cars, "All Mixed Up": The Cars might not have known it at the time but on their eponymous 1978 debut album they were helping to set the stage for countless New Wave sax solos in the '80s. "Good Times Roll" and "Just What I Needed" might be the best-known songs from the album and the synths the most prominent instrumental add-on, but there's an argument that "All Mixed Up" is equally important.

More than just the song forever attached to the end of "Moving In Stereo," the end of "All Mixed Up" is a reminder that the sax still had a place in New Wave.

5. The Cure, "A Night Like This": This isn't the only Cure song to feature a sax, but it may be the most famous, or infamous depending on your opinion. While some critics aren't fans of its appearance, I've never really had a problem with the sax solo in this song.

Sure, the live version that replaces the sax with a guitar solo is just as good, but that doesn't make the studio version bad. I don't know what made the band decide to go with the sax solo here, but it's an interesting experiment if nothing else.

4. Phil Collins, "I Missed Again": While he may have got his start playing weird prog-rock songs with Genesis, Phil always had a love for Motown and soul. While the R&B and funk sounds on Face Value may have been a surprise to audiences at the time, it was really just an extension of his natural loves.

When it came time to add horns to the songs on his debut album, he didn't just hire any group of horn players; he brought in the Phenix Horns, who played with Earth, Wind & Fire. Collins could have hired any studio hands, but he brought in some really talented players, which is probably why the sax solo in this track is so solid.

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Cory Garcia is a Contributing Editor for the Houston Press. He once won an award for his writing, but he doesn't like to brag about it. If you're reading this sentence, odds are good it's because he wrote a concert review you don't like or he wanted to talk pro wrestling.
Contact: Cory Garcia