RIP Big Man - Part II

John was the one who first introduced me to Bruce in high school, so it doesn't surprise me that he picked the best Clarence Clemons sax solos for his list. "Jungleland" is my all-time favorite, but here are a few others that are definitely some of the Big Man's best:

1. Sherry Darling - The sax gets you from the opening in this one and never lets you go. Bruce has only a few songs where Clarence plays all the way through and this is one of the greatest. After CC's solo, Bruce busts back in: "Well let there be sunlight, let there be rain, let the brokenhearted love again, Sherry we can run with our arms open wide before the tide..." An absolute classic.

2. Bobby Jean - I have to admit this was never one of my favorite songs to hear live for the first couple years seeing Bruce, but that was because Clarence wasn't playing it then (on the Human Touch tour). CC's solo on this one really brings the joy (which Bruce intended) to an otherwise sad song about a failed relationship.

3. The Ties That Bind - One of my absolute favorite songs, and probably the best opening song for a concert. CC's sax interlude in this one breaks the song up from its hard driving rock intro, but once he's done, it goes right back and finishes up strong. That's what Clarence was best at, playing just enough to keep you interested and ready for the big finale you know is coming.

4. Spirit In The Night - Another sax-heavy track, and Clarence was always featured prominently in live versions. You could tell Bruce and CC enjoyed playing this one live because they always got into it. Much like John's comment on "The Fever," this song oozes sexuality, and the sax is a big part of that.

5. Drive All Night - A lesser known track from "The River" but a definite showcase for Clarence. This song goes some 5 plus minutes and includes CC coming in and fading out with solos. I saw Bruce do this live in Philadelphia, but without Clarence - I can only imagine what it would have been like.