In 1972, Rafferty and his old school friend Joe Egan formed the outfit Stealers Wheel, a group that proved beset by legal wranglings yet brimming with talent. They had a huge hit with "Stuck in the Middle With You", a pop/rock track deliberately aping the style of Bob Dylan that has had massive airplay for decades. That song also was immortalized in the infamous torture scene in the motion picture 'Reservoir Dogs', the film's soundtrack introducing the group to a new generation. Despite their knack for The Beatles-like melodic rock, Stealers Wheel disbanded in 1975.
Rafferty spent quite a while in a sort of forced legal limbo before he could record again, spending his time wisely as he developed his sound. In 1978, Rafferty cut a solo album, 'City to City', which would catapult him right into international stardom. Earning praise from many music critics, the release included the song with which he remains most associated: "Baker Street". Known for its gripping lyrics and haunting saxophone solo by Raphael Ravenscroft, the single reached #3 in the U.K. and #2 in the U.S. The album itself also received a boost as another single, "Right Down the Line", picked up major attention.
"Baker Street" has remained a mainstay of radio airplay for decades and popped up several times in popular culture, an example being its placement in the 'Good Will Hunting' soundtrack. Notable cover versions include a release by Undercover that also made the Top 3 in the U.K .singles chart in 1992. American rockers Foo Fighters also made their own version, swapping the saxophone solo for a guitar solo.
His next album, Night Owl, also did well, and the title track was a UK No. 5 hit in 1979. The follow-up single "Get It Right Next Time", made the UK Top 40.
Subsequent albums, such as Snakes and Ladders (1980), Sleepwalking (1982), and North and South (1988) all fared less well, due partly to Rafferty's general reluctance to perform live. "Don't Give Up On Me", from his 1992 collection On A Wing and a Prayer, is a much-featured oldie on BBC Radio 2. In 2021, a posthumous album, Rest In Blue, was released to positive reception.
DISCOGRAPHY
With the Humblebums
First Collection of Merry Melodies (1969)
The New Humblebums (1969)
Open Up The Door (1970)
With Stealers Wheel
Stealers Wheel (1973)
Ferguslie Park (1974)
Right Or Wrong (1975)
Solo
Can I Have My Money Back? (1971)
City To City (1978)
Night Owl (1979)
Snakes And Ladders (1980)
Sleepwalking (1981)
North And South (1988)
On A Wing And A Prayer (1992)
Over My Head (1994)
Another World (2000)
Rest In Blue (2021)
Children of the Sun
Gerry Rafferty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are legion, we are many
A seed is sown in everyone (seed is sown in everyone)
A silent prayer that was given in compassion
We are the children of the sun
Oh sun sun, oh sun sun sun
We are the children of the sun
Oh sun sun, oh sun sun sun
Well, we were lost and alone in a desert so dry
Without a trace of water
So we prayed for the rain and we looked to the sky
But not a trace of water
Crying in the wilderness underneath the sun
The rainmaker came to wake up everyone
Sleeping, since time has begun
Crying out for water, water
Oh spirit of the world
Crying out for water
Oh spirit of the world
Crying out for water
Oh spirit of the world
Cries to someone
Cries to someone
Oh spirit of the world
Crying out for water (water, water, water)
We are not one
We are legion, we are many (crying out for water)
We are the children of the sun
Oh sun sun, oh sun sun sun
The lyrics to Gerry Rafferty's "Children of the Sun" speak to the idea of community and our shared human experiences. The song opens with the lines "We are not one, we are legion, we are many." This suggests that although we are all unique individuals, we are also part of something larger - a community of people with whom we share common hopes, dreams, and struggles. The idea of community is reinforced in the chorus, which repeats the phrase "We are the children of the sun" over and over again. This could be interpreted to mean that we are all children of a larger, universal force - whether that force is God, nature, or simply the shared human experience.
One of the most intriguing parts of the song is the repeated reference to water. In the second verse, the singer talks about being lost in a desert without any water - a situation that is both physically and metaphorically dire. Water is often associated with life, and the lack of it can be seen as a metaphor for a personal or societal crisis. The fact that the people in the song "pray for the rain and look to the sky" but still find themselves without water suggests the limits of human power and the need for something outside of ourselves to intervene. This is where the idea of the "rainmaker" comes in. The song suggests that there is someone or something in the universe that has the power to wake us up and bring us the water we need to survive - whether that water is physical or metaphoric.
Line by Line Meaning
We are not one
We are not just individuals, we are a multitude of forces that come together in one common goal.
We are legion, we are many
Our strength comes from our diversity and our ability to act as a collective, rather than as solitary beings.
A seed is sown in everyone (seed is sown in everyone)
We all have the potential within us to affect change and make a difference in the world, if we choose to nurture that seed within ourselves.
A silent prayer that was given in compassion
Sometimes our deepest desires and hopes are expressed through silent prayers of empathy and understanding for those we wish to help or support.
We are the children of the sun
Our connection to the earth and to each other is enhanced and strengthened by our collective awareness of the power of the natural world around us.
Oh sun sun, oh sun sun sun
The sun, as a powerful source of energy and light, reminds us of our own potential and ability to radiate positive change and growth in the world.
Well, we were lost and alone in a desert so dry
We have all experienced moments of isolation and despair, where it seems that hope and possibility have disappeared from our lives.
Without a trace of water
In these moments of challenge and adversity, it can feel as if we are completely cut off from the resources and support that we need to survive and thrive.
So we prayed for the rain and we looked to the sky
Even in our darkest moments, we can find hope and connection by looking towards the natural world and our own inner strength and resilience.
But not a trace of water
Despite our efforts to find relief and solace, it can seem as if the world has turned its back on us and there is no respite to be found.
Crying in the wilderness underneath the sun
We may feel alone and exposed in our moments of deepest need, as if we are calling out to an uncaring universe for help and support.
The rainmaker came to wake up everyone
Sometimes, out of nowhere, someone or something arrives to provide us with the relief and support we need to keep going and thrive in the face of adversity.
Sleeping, since time has begun
This support may have been present all along, but it's only in the moments when we are most vulnerable that we become aware of it and are able to access its benefits.
Crying out for water, water
Our desperation for relief and support can be all-encompassing, and we may feel like we cannot survive without the sustenance that we need to keep going.
Oh spirit of the world
Our interconnectedness to the wider world and the natural world can provide us with comfort and support in the face of difficulty and challenge.
Crying out for water
We may feel as if we are shouting into the void, but by reaching out to the world around us, we can find the relief and support that we need to grow and thrive.
Contributed by Savannah B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.