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)
Take The Money And Run
Gerry Rafferty Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In that summer of '69
And my heart was cryin' out for change
And I knew time was comin' when I'd get away.
So I moved down to that city
Where I met a friend of mine
And I must admit he tried to warn me well
With all those bad luck stories he could tell.
Take the money and run
Believe it, in this town you can't trust anyone
You're gonna learn that lesson my son".
"Take the money and run,
Buy yourself a place in the sun
Don't be a fool, don't you trust anyone
You gotta take the money and run, take the money and run".
He was broken, he was wasted
He'd been brought down to his knee
And his heart was crying out for truth
You could see the whole world's sadness in his eyes.
So I took good care of business
At least as far as I could see
I could read the signs and I knew all the lines
But so many times his voice came back to me.
"Take the money and run,
Get it at the point of a gun
Believe it, in this town you can't trust anyone
You're gonna learn that lesson my son".
"Take the money and run,
Buy yourself a place in the sun
Don't be a fool, don't you trust anyone
You gotta take the money and run, take the money and run".
I've been wanderin' through this wasteland
Where the blind go leading the blind
And the only sound on the money-go-round
Was the million voices waiting to be found.
I could only hear a whisper
It was comin' from the one I loved
And her heart was saying this can't be right
All my wasted days and all her lonely nights.
Take the money and run,
Get it at the point of a gun
Believe it, n this town you can't trust anyone
You're gonna learn that lesson my son.
Take the money and run,
Buy yourself a place in the sun
Don't be a fool, don't you trust anyone
You gotta take the money and run, take the money and run.
The lyrics of Gerry Rafferty's "Take The Money And Run" are about the singer's experience of being caught up in a fever of wanting change in the summer of '69. He moves to the city and meets a friend who warns him to be careful and take the money and run. The friend tells him that he can't trust anyone in the city and that he should buy himself a place in the sun. The singer takes good care of himself and does well in business, but he always hears his friend's voice in his head reminding him to take the money and run, even if it means taking it at the point of a gun.
Throughout the song, the singer speaks of the wasteland he has wandered through and the sadness he has seen in the eyes of broken people. He can only hear a whisper from the woman he loves, who tells him that taking the money can't be right. The song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and the risks involved in trusting others.
One possible interpretation of the song is that it is about the pursuit of the American Dream and the corruption that can come with it. The singer moves to the city to chase his dreams, but he quickly realizes that it is a dangerous place where anyone can be taken advantage of. He is reminded that he must be ruthless and willing to do whatever it takes to get ahead. The song can also be interpreted as a warning against the dangers of abandoning one's values in pursuit of wealth and power.
Line by Line Meaning
I was caught up in a fever
I was overwhelmed and swept up in the excitement of the moment.
In that summer of '69
Referring to a specific time period.
And my heart was cryin' out for change
I had a strong desire for something different.
And I knew time was comin' when I'd get away.
I had a feeling that a time would come for me to leave.
So I moved down to that city
I relocated to a different place.
Where I met a friend of mine
I made a new acquaintance.
And I must admit he tried to warn me well
He advised me carefully.
With all those bad luck stories he could tell.
He had many unfortunate experiences to share.
He said "Take the money and run,
He suggested that I take the money and leave immediately.
Take the money and run
Repeating his recommendation
Believe it, in this town you can't trust anyone
He warned me that no one is trustworthy in this place.
You're gonna learn that lesson my son".
He cautioned me that I would have to learn this lesson eventually.
"Take the money and run,
Repeating his advice
Buy yourself a place in the sun
Use the money to secure your future.
Don't be a fool, don't you trust anyone
Do not make the mistake of trusting others.
You gotta take the money and run, take the money and run".
Repeating his urgent advice.
He was broken, he was wasted
He was in poor physical and mental condition.
He'd been brought down to his knee
He had suffered a great deal.
And his heart was crying out for truth
He had a desperate need for honesty.
You could see the whole world's sadness in his eyes.
His profound sadness was palpable.
So I took good care of business
I attended to my responsibilities.
At least as far as I could see
To the extent of my vision.
I could read the signs and I knew all the lines
I was familiar with the situation and knew how to handle it.
But so many times his voice came back to me.
I kept thinking about his advice.
"Take the money and run,
Repeating his urgent advice.
Get it at the point of a gun
Use force if necessary to obtain it.
I've been wanderin' through this wasteland
I have been aimlessly travelling.
Where the blind go leading the blind
People who are unaware are leading the similarly unaware.
And the only sound on the money-go-round
The only thing that mattered was money.
Was the million voices waiting to be found.
There were many voices yet to be heard.
I could only hear a whisper
I could only barely hear it.
It was comin' from the one I loved
It was originating from the person I cared about.
And her heart was saying this can't be right
She knew that things were wrong.
All my wasted days and all her lonely nights.
She was unhappy and I had been unproductive.
"Take the money and run,
Repeating his urgent advice.
Get it at the point of a gun
Use any means necessary to obtain it.
Believe it, in this town you can't trust anyone
Do not trust anyone in this place.
You're gonna learn that lesson my son.
You will eventually learn this lesson.
"Take the money and run,
Repeating his urgent advice.
Buy yourself a place in the sun
Invest your money wisely.
Don't be a fool, don't you trust anyone
Do not be foolish, and do not trust anyone.
You gotta take the money and run, take the money and run."
Repeating his urgent advice one last time.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: NASH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind