Guitar, bass, drums, and the occasional keyboard have long been the extent of rock and roll’s instrumental formula. But the saxophone has been poking its curvy neck into the genre for decades. It is the misfit child of the woodwind family – too loud and grating for an orchestra, its dismal rasp seems fit only for dimly lit jazz clubs. Luckily, some artists have recognized its potential as a rock instrument. Here are a few times the saxophone popped up in the songs of your favorite rock and roll greats.

“Slave,” (Tattoo You) – The Rolling Stones

It was clear that “Slave” would be no ordinary Rolling Stones song when gospel chords snuck into the thumping blues track. Along with Billy Preston on the organ, the Stones collaborated with Sonny Rollins, ground-breaking jazz saxophonist and John Coltrane-contemporary. But Rollins’ blaring solo midway through the song has very little jazz influence – in fact, had it been a guitar instead, it would have sounded completely normal. His contribution illustrates how these different artists came to meet in the middle of two genres. Just as Sonny Rollins drifted away from his throne in jazz royalty to produce a brash and bluesy solo, Mick Jagger slips into low and soulful asides that pay homage to smooth-talking soul singers. They each inhabit the other’s musical domain, loaning their influences to the song. The saxophone brings the potential for the jazzy side of “Slave,” but it also adds another layer to the song’s rock and roll foundation, bringing genres together under a single roof.

“Us and Them,” (The Dark Side of the Moon) – Pink Floyd

Texture is the name of the game in this classic Pink Floyd tune. “Us and Them” puts the “dark” in "The Dark Side of the Moon" – it’s hazy and mysterious, and it sticks out from the rest of the album as a uniquely dissonant and gloomy track. But the saxophone takes this atmosphere to another level. The instrument crackles and rumbles as the saxophonist plays with an intentionally airy sound, easing the brittle notes into the listener’s ear. It adds a smoky ambiance to the song, as the saxophone seems to reminisce on the haze of a dark and sleepy jazz club. Rather than draw musical elements from its home in jazz, the saxophone evokes this larger mood associated with the genre. It brings the subtle mystery of a slow jazz song while still managing to meld perfectly with Pink Floyd’s unique rock and roll vision.

“Young Americans,” (Young Americans) – David Bowie

Bowie’s ninth studio album, "Young Americans," was a definitive marker of his love of black American music. Since he set foot on American shores, Bowie had been vocal about his fascination with soul and R&B, and "Young Americans" was a major stride in his efforts to contribute to those musical movements. On the album’s title track, the saxophone joins a choir of female background singers and lyrical commentary on issues of race in America as borrowed tropes from soul music. It’s a vehicle for his own classification of his music as “plastic soul,” a term that describes a crude imitation of another genre. Bowie understood he lacked the innate ability and experience to create authentic soul music, so he employed the saxophone as a specific reference to the genre. Only looking to celebrate soul, he manages to respectfully keep the song unique to him. If “Young Americans” is truly “blue-eyed soul,” then the saxophone is David Bowie’s other eye.

“Fun House” (Funhouse) – The Stooges

“Fun House” is just pure chaos. It is a rambling, spiraling, screeching mess of choreographed mayhem. The song is driven by simultaneous solos from the guitar and the saxophone that overlap and clash in unapologetic dissonance. They battle it out from below, while Iggy Pop shouts, wails, and screams from above them. The saxophone’s role on “Fun House” is simply to pile on one more layer of overwhelming pandemonium. Because the saxophone is almost exclusively heard in jazz, it has become an embodiment of the genre itself. To the untrained listener, jazz can sound as chaotic as “Fun House,” and many tend only to hear a bunch of instruments playing random notes at the same time – sound familiar? The Stooges use the reputation of jazz, employing a symbol of the same incomprehensible noise they want for their song. The Stooges’ seemingly aimless implementation of the saxophone only strengthens the madness they inflict upon the listener.