Never Number One: Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street”

From the Cover of Gerry Rafferty's 1978 Album "City to City"

This might be the greatest Never Number One single of them all. Unique, unforgettable, still listened to today — but never the single most popular song in America.

After gaining notice with Stealers Wheel in the early ’70s, Gerry Rafferty released his second solo album in 1978. On April 22 of that year, the lead single, “Baker Street,” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at #81. It made steady progress up the chart, entering the top 40 in May. When it blasted from #14 to #5 early in June, it seemed destined for #1. It went from 5 to 3 to 2 — and there it sat.

For six straight weeks, “Baker Street” couldn’t get over the hump to #1. From late June to early August, it sat behind the same song: “Shadow Dancing” by Andy Gibb. And even during the week of August 5, when both songs fell from the peak to numbers 5 and 6, “Shadow Dancing” was still one spot ahead.

Rafferty would gain a small measure of revenge on the Gibb family when his album City to City dethroned the Bee Gees-powered Saturday Night Fever from the #1 slot. He would score several more hit singles in the next couple of years, but “Baker Street” remains the finest thing he ever did. Here’s a lip-sync performance from West German TV in 1978.

Learn more about other songs, albums, and artists who were Never Number One.