City to City

Gerry Rafferty | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000007O5H
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (87 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,379 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It took Quentin Tarantino's using "Stuck in the Middle with You," the 1973 hit of Gerry Rafferty's former band Stealers Wheel, in Reservoir Dogs to make Rafferty hip again. But City to City, his 1978 solo breakthrough, has long been worth rediscovering--and not just because it contains "Baker Street," one of the biggest and best singles of the 1970s. Rafferty brilliantly modernizes his Scottish folk-rock background on such pop treasures as the churning title track, the minor follow-up hit "Right Down the Line," the bouncing ditty "Mattie's Rag," the enchantingly churchy "Whatever's Written in Your Heart," and others. It's as rewardingly refreshing a change of pace now as it was when it emerged in the midst of the disco era. --Peter Blackstock

Product Description

What can we say? Probably one of the finest audiophile rock recordings of all time makes it appearance for the first time on 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl...Gerry Rafferty's classic CITY TO CITY. Featuring the haunting and HUGE smash hit BAKER STREET, as well other hit singles like RIGHT DOWN THE LINE, CITY TO CITY and HOME AND DRY. Mastered from the original United Artists/Capitol Records tapes by Joe Reagoso, this will be one of the most anticipated audiophile releases of the season. Complete with the original art elements & a 5 star mastered LP as you would expect from Friday Music! --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

94 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Forget the "classic oldie" label, this is just plain classic, July 7, 2004

By 

Tim Withee "Tim Withee" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: City to City (Audio CD)

Like a lot of the reviewers, I first heard this album when it came out and of course, the magical, mythic megahit, "Baker Street," was what prompted me to buy the album.

After opening with "The Ark," followed by "Baker Street" and "Right Down the Line," the rest of the song lineup -- which has the tunes placed in perfect sequence, by the way -- is great all the way through.

Everyone who loves the album has their own memories and mine began with the anthemic sax intro of "Baker Street" as I drove through southern Idaho on my way to Colorado on a blistering hot day in 1978. The Idaho AM radio stations must've played that song every hour as I drove along I-80N as it was known then.

The lyrics resonated with me then and still do to this day. I always like to play it when I'm driving on remote, lonely roads in the West -- I always get that old vibe time after time. In fact, I never get tired of hearing "Baker Street," or the rest of the tunes on the album -- which is a pretty rare thing, considering that I've listened to consistently for 26 years!

Why Gerry Rafferty didn't become a superstar is kind of a mystery to me, but this album will always stand out as one of the very best rock albums recorded. A desert island disc for sure.

Five stars plus.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One Of The Best Albums Of 1978, November 28, 2004

By 

Robert I. Hedges - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: City to City (Audio CD)

"City to City" is one of the most underrated albums of the 1970s. Of course the album is primarily known for the huge number one hit "Baker Street" and "Right Down The Line," but many of the other songs on the album are great as well, particularly the interesting instrumental arrangement on "City to City," the strong interaction of lyrics and music in "Mattie's Rag" (which is my second favorite song on the CD behind "Right Down The Line"), and the purity of piano and vocals with an almost gospel feeling on "Whatever's Written In Your Heart." I deducted a star because there are several weaker filler songs on the CD, but the strengths of the album make them well worth listening to (or skipping.)

Gerry Rafferty is not one of the names most people remember from the 1970s, but that's a shame, because this album and "Night Owl" (my favorite Rafferty album) are excellent. I recommend this CD to anyone, particularly anyone pining for 1978.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You don't know what you're missing, June 5, 2000

By 

Digilante - See all my reviews

This review is from: City to City (Audio CD)

Everyone should be familiar with the massive hit "Baker Street" which rocketed the folk rock singer and writer Gerry Rafferty into the halls of fame. This may be unfortunate, since it is generally the only song of his that people know. Get this album and you won't be disappointed! In addition to the aforementioned "Baker Street", the other hit from the album is "Right Down The Line". There are a few more very strong tracks such as "Stealin' Time" and "Whatever's Written In Your Heart".

If you love folk rock, then this will surely become one of your favourites. If you are more of a pop and rock fan, then this is sure to be a most worthwhile buy - definitely recommended. Also, take a peek at the *fantastic* album "North And South" - you may not recognise any tracks from it, but I rate "North And South" above this album in terms of all tracks being solid, thoughtful, and well executed.