Clarence Clemons
Tenor Sax Solo on
Night

About

Clarence Clemons's second tenor saxophone solo on "Night" arrives as a climactic instrumental break, the second of his two saxophone appearances on this track. Playing at 151 BPM in F, this solo stretches out with a full-bodied, honking intensity that recalls the great rhythm and blues saxophonists. Where his first solo served as a brief opening fanfare, this passage allows Clemons to build a more extended statement, his bold playing riding atop the E Street Band's churning rhythm section. The solo demonstrates how Springsteen integrated the saxophone into rock arrangements as a vehicle for raw emotional expression.

Clarence Clemons was 32 to 33 years old at the time.