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)
Hang On
Gerry Rafferty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When this old road gets rough
What happens to me and you
What do we do -- we hang on.
When you confess
Your life is in a mess
And only you can muddle through
What do you do -- you hang on.
What do you do when it leaves you behind
Like yesterday's papers -- like yesterday's news.
You don't want to be all by yourself
You don't want to be left on the shelf
When you're feeling small and tired of it all.
Those lonely days
Those sad and lonely days
Left sad and blue without a clue
What do you do -- you hang on.
Love is real -- love can heal
What do you do when the love that you feel
Turns out to be one dream that never came true.
You imagined it was so much more
Now you're stranded on another shore
And you don't expect to resurrect.
A love gone wrong
A love that was so strong
Left sad and blue without a clue
What do you do -- you hang on.
The lyrics of Gerry Rafferty's song "Hang On" are about persevering through tough times and holding on to hope. The singer acknowledges that life can be difficult and full of obstacles, but urges the listener to hang on through the ups and downs. The first verse describes the challenges that arise on life's journey, encouraging the listener to keep going despite the rough patches. The second verse speaks about the feeling of being lost or uncertain, and how one must "muddle through" the messiness of life.
The chorus describes the importance of love and connection in difficult times, but the singer recognizes that sometimes love can be disappointing, too. He encourages the listener to hold on to hope, even when it feels like things are falling apart. Ultimately, the message of the song is one of resilience and perseverance - that even when life is tough, the best thing to do is to keep going, to hold on and not give up.
Line by Line Meaning
When life gets tough
When things become difficult in life
When this old road gets rough
When the journey of life gets rough and challenging
What happens to me and you
What occurs to both of us
What do we do -- we hang on.
We persist and persevere through tough times
When you confess
When you admit to something
Your life is in a mess
Your life is disorderly and chaotic
And only you can muddle through
Only you can sort out your problems and get through it
What do you do -- you hang on.
You hold on and never give up
Love is blind, love is kind
Love can overlook faults and be compassionate
What do you do when it leaves you behind
What do you do when love fails and leaves you behind
Like yesterday's papers -- like yesterday's news.
You feel discarded and forgotten like yesterday's news
You don't want to be all by yourself
You don't want to be alone
You don't want to be left on the shelf
You don't want to be neglected and unloved
When you're feeling small and tired of it all.
When you are feeling insignificant and exhausted from life
Those lonely days
Those days filled with solitude and loneliness
Those sad and lonely days
Those days filled with sadness and isolation
Left sad and blue without a clue
Feeling forlorn and clueless without any direction
What do you do -- you hang on.
You remain steadfast in hope of better days ahead
Love is real -- love can heal
Love has the potential to be genuine and healing
What do you do when the love that you feel
What do you do when you experience a love that is not reciprocated
Turns out to be one dream that never came true.
It feels like love was just a wishful dream that never came true
You imagined it was so much more
You had high, unrealistic expectations for love
Now you're stranded on another shore
Now you are stuck in an unfamiliar, uncomfortable situation
And you don't expect to resurrect.
And you don't expect to recover or find love again
A love gone wrong
A love that has failed
A love that was so strong
A love that was once powerful and intense
Left sad and blue without a clue
Feeling forlorn and clueless without any direction
What do you do -- you hang on.
You remain hopeful and persevere through hardships
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GERRY RAFFERTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ken Swanston
"Hang On"
When life gets tough
When this old road gets rough
What happens to me and you
What do we do -- we hang on.
When you confess
Your life is in a mess
And only you can muddle through
What do you do -- you hang on.
Love is blind, love is kind
What do you do when it leaves you behind
Like yesterday's papers -- like yesterday's news.
You don't wanna be all by yourself
You don't wanna be left on the shelf
When you're feeling small and tired of it all.
Those lonely days
Those sad and lonely days
Left sad and blue without a clue
What do you do -- you hang on.
Love is real -- love can heal
What do you do when the love that you feel
Turns out to be one dream that never came true.
You imagined it was so much more
Now you're stranded on another shore
And you don't expect to resurrect.
A love gone wrong
A love that was so strong
Left sad and blue without a clue
What do you do -- you hang on.