Gerry Rafferty RIP

Sometimes one is reminded of something which belongs to days gone by and finds out that the thing that once appeared so great, no longer is.
Then things reappear and its like meeting a blast from the past.
Recently I heard that Gerry Rafferty died. I dove into my vinyl-days memories and there it was. One of the best records I´ve ever bought.
Many of those who write about him see him as a one hit wonder and the writer of Baker street.
Bu there was more. So much more.
Gerry Rafferty was a Glaswegian and had a fairly rough childhood. He soon turned to music and formed a Glasgow band called The Mavericks with friend Joe Egan. They later went to London, formed a band called The Fifth Column. This band issued a couple of songs now long forgotten. He then joined Billy Connolly in a popular Glasgow band called The Humblebums. That band issued two LP´s that received a great deal of attention.
They're closest thing to a hit was Shoeshine boy. Here are two more - here and here! After a while Rafferty encouraged Connolly to go on the road as a standup artist and they parted ways.
His next task was an acclaimed solo album that didn't sell. It was called Can I have my money back. One song here and another here.
In 1972 Rafferty and Egan formed a band they called Stealers wheel. They toured a lot, received respect and promises of fame and fortune. They recorded three LP's and amongst several relatively famous songs the most famous is Stuck in the middle with you. It has been covered many a time and this is my favourite. Stealers were promised fame and fortune but realised they were being cheated. Rafferty left in 1975 and wowed not to record until everything was settled. It took three years.
So one day he turned up at the doorstep of UA with demos of songs recorded on a four track. UA soon realized what they had. This was in 1978. On the four track he had recorded several songs, on his own, and they souned good.
It was the single Baker street that dominated the album he called City to City. The magnificent saxophone, the huge sound, the cool songline. How ever many never listened to the rest of the album. The album was to me like Sgt. Pepper or Dark side of the moon or Aqualung. Not a dead beat, not a dull moment. Not a flaw. For some strange reason Rafferty fell off my wagon and I did not play this album for years.
So how does it sound?
The thing is that City to City is as good as it was and I´ve yet to find the weak spot. It gave two singles, Baker street that never reached first place but outlives most other songs, and Right down the line that made first on the US easy listening chart.
The rest of it could have made singles too. To name a few lets think of City to City (song) a masterpiece. As is Stealin' Time, Mattie's Rag and particularly Whatever's Written in Your Heart.
Rafferty wrote more songs with mild success and earned a great deal of respect. He unfortunately was a recluse and a drunk and very slowly drank himself to death.
But he was a top class musician and City to  City rocked. It still does.