Was "Down Under" by Men at Work the last UK number one to feature a flute solo?

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Asking, because I heard that again recently and I can't think of one since.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Probably, unless Jethro Tull, or Traffic had one. (The latter would probably before MaW in any case)

[caja-dglh]

Lizzo has been closest most recently.

[WOM]

As an aside, the flute riff on Down Under was a lift of a traditional Aussi song called Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree. Greg Ham, the flautist, believed it to be in the public domain when he used it. In 2010 (thirty years after it was a hit) the band was sued for copyright infringement and lost. Ham's death at 59 was believed to be in part due to the stress of the lawsuit and his despondency over being known as a plagiarist. He'd been using heroin, which apparently escalated in the lead up to the trial.

[Antepli Ejderha]

As an aside, the flute riff on Down Under was a lift of a traditional Aussi song called Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree. Greg Ham, the flautist, believed it to be in the public domain when he used it. In 2010 (thirty years after it was a hit) the band was sued for copyright infringement and lost. Ham's death at 59 was believed to be in part due to the stress of the lawsuit and his despondency over being known as a plagiarist. He'd been using heroin, which apparently escalated in the lead up to the trial.

I did not know this. So sad.

It's a cracking tune btw.

[Wouter D]

It's a cracking tune btw.

Men at Work's first two albums are well worth a listen IMO. Plenty more to enjoy.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Men at Work's first two albums are well worth a listen IMO. Plenty more to enjoy.

Definitely, some great pop songs and more.

[Hot Pepsi]

As an aside, the flute riff on Down Under was a lift of a traditional Aussi song called Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree. Greg Ham, the flautist, believed it to be in the public domain when he used it. In 2010 (thirty years after it was a hit) the band was sued for copyright infringement and lost. Ham's death at 59 was believed to be in part due to the stress of the lawsuit and his despondency over being known as a plagiarist. He'd been using heroin, which apparently escalated in the lead up to the trial.

That was absurd. There really needs to be a statute of limitations on that sort of thing. Like, when a song is a MASSIVE HIT on every radio station and you think you own part of it, you get no more than a year to work that out. That way, they can either cut you in on the royalties, fight it, rerecord the song, or just pull it from circulation.

[diggedy derek]

What was the solo on Cliff Richard's “Saviour's Day” from 1990 – a flute, maybe?

[caja-dglh]

What was the solo on Cliff Richard's “Saviour's Day” from 1990 – a flute, maybe?

Diggedy Derek hammering it home! With a great twist

"the [flute] played by Jamie Talbot, the fine jazz saxophonist who once soloed on Scritti’s A Slow Soul"

[diggedy derek]

No way! I was thinking about this on the TV that it had to be like a fife or something.

[caja-dglh]

Did I find the resource to answer this backing up DD?

Spice Girls "Mama" (1997)

[G-Man]

If it was up to me, The Cardigans' "Sick And Tired" should have been a #1 hit.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Did I find the resource to answer this backing up DD?

Spice Girls "Mama" (1997)

No flute on that

[Jah Womble]

Probably, unless Jethro Tull, or Traffic had one. (The latter would probably before MaW in any case)

Neither managed a UK number one (Traffic came closest with Hole in My Shoe) - but we'd be talking well over a decade before MAW with both of those acts’ brief business-end chart careers.

I’m not sufficiently au fait with enough chart-toppers since 2010 (and have little desire to be, tbh), so couldn’t really answer otherwise.

I will agree with G-Man on Sick and Tired, however - by a lightyear The Cardigans’s finest moment and one of my favourite singles from the musically-transcendent year of 1995.