And also a reminder how each of them is pretty, pretty, pretty good. When you grow up listening to entire albums you tend to skip over tracks to get to the good stuff. But when you hear a song in isolation, as it were, it's apparent how great even the "weakest" song on any one of their albums is.
“In the night you hide from the madman you’re longing to be, but it all comes out on the inside eventually” is like the definition for why their music speaks to me. It’s like they’re saying we have a dark side that we’re totally aware of, but like indulging in it anyway, despite hating ourselves for it just a little bit. Their songs constantly walk that tight rope
Agree that it's a great lyric but my interpretation would be that we're afraid of that "dark side" and try to avoid it, but ultimately it has to be dealt with one way or another.
Hey .... you gotta play with the " dark side " of yourself......if you don't ...... well.... you'll be stuck in your " own hell " of self righteousness....ne c'est pas ?
I’m a mediocre pianist and all of their songs are really heard to play by ear, which is why I’ve already compared their music to Indian food, good luck making this stuff at home 😀
This is so awesome. I've searched youtube for *years* to find the boys playing this song live and come up empty handed until now. Is there a full length video of that performance anywhere?
Taking in the whole panoramic view of great songs made by great groups down through the past six decades, these guys rank so high, certainly among the very best. Superior talent, absolutely unique and compelling music.
I like that they quote Eric Dolphy at 1.44. Bits of Dolphy tunes show up in their shows, including a band playoff of Dolphy's 'Serene'. It's on at least one of the videos on TH-cam. 👍
This and FM are prolly the best tracks that didn’t make it onto original SD albums. So many others though - like The Second Arrangement - make ranking them really difficult. There’s at least one solid album of songs that didn’t make it onto one of SD’s nine studio albums.
While this rehearsal version sounds a bit shaky, Here at the Western World is one of their best songs IMHO because of how the lyrics and melody make you feel, they were such master musical storytellers, one of the few artists whose lyrics felt like novels or movies. It's one of the best Dan tracks that meld a beautiful tune and melody with the darkness of bad guys, drugs and nefarious happenings. Similar to Everyone's Gone to the Movies, Chain Lightning, happy, vibrant tune with some seriously dark subject matter. Donald and Walter were the masters of this device and it was one of their favorite songwriting techniques. I have a hard time thinking of many other popular musicians who successfully do the same. Much more common in jazz, opera and musical theater than in pop/rock music. They were musical geniuses.
Nice! The Walt and Don comedy routine at its deadpan finest. A discussion on the ephemerality of musical performance and the need to make a buck from it leads to them cheerfully labelling themselves hypocrites. The world is a poorer place now that Walter Becker is no longer with us, and Donald Fagen can no longer riff with him
Their lyrics are poetry. Superficially, individual lines are sometimes clever but the whole is obscure. They probably learned this style from Bob Dylan.
Nothing more deadpan funny than Don and Walter - together. You'd always see the best of them in those times. Miss you Walter.
Damn near any Steely Dan song becomes a nostalgic trip to a memory
And also a reminder how each of them is pretty, pretty, pretty good. When you grow up listening to entire albums you tend to skip over tracks to get to the good stuff. But when you hear a song in isolation, as it were, it's apparent how great even the "weakest" song on any one of their albums is.
Totally agree!
One of my all time favorite dan tunes
yeah me too
Ruthy will give you the silver key
“In the night you hide from the madman you’re longing to be, but it all comes out on the inside eventually” is like the definition for why their music speaks to me. It’s like they’re saying we have a dark side that we’re totally aware of, but like indulging in it anyway, despite hating ourselves for it just a little bit. Their songs constantly walk that tight rope
Agree that it's a great lyric but my interpretation would be that we're afraid of that "dark side" and try to avoid it, but ultimately it has to be dealt with one way or another.
I love them
Hey .... you gotta play with the " dark side " of yourself......if you don't ...... well.... you'll be stuck in your " own hell " of self righteousness....ne c'est pas ?
That dialogue at the end was the funniest thing I've heard all day!
That highly sophisticated and intellectual wit!! And that's why their music was so good!
Watching interviews with them is so entertaining. Never seen a drier sense of humor in my life than with Walter.
Miss Walter... These guys are the best.
One of my all time favourite Dan songs ❤
RIP Walter Becker. Adding something special to that Band In The Sky.
I’m a mediocre pianist and all of their songs are really heard to play by ear, which is why I’ve already compared their music to Indian food, good luck making this stuff at home 😀
This is so awesome. I've searched youtube for *years* to find the boys playing this song live and come up empty handed until now. Is there a full length video of that performance anywhere?
Donald's lyrics to me have all been pure genius.
Mesmerizing how they are so locked into the music and the pictures they weave.
If perfection exists, it’s in this tune
Cool! This is the only time I've seen them do any part of this song live. Thanks for the post!
Taking in the whole panoramic view of great songs made by great groups down through the past six decades, these guys rank so high, certainly among the very best. Superior talent, absolutely unique and compelling music.
love this film footage love the song too
Absolutely love this song! One of my favorites! ❤
call me weird but this track has always been my all time fav track by them
it's my favorite too! though this live rendition isn't the best, it's a standout track
CORRECT!!!! My fave as well!! N
CORRECT!!!! My fave as well!! N
same
You are definitely not weird, my friend.. Well, maybe you are, but not because of your reaction to this music ;-)
Love this. I remember when it aired as kind of an informercial for their stop at The Beacon in NYC nearly a dozen years ago. It aired on MSG Network.
That was magnificent!
And funny!
I like that they quote Eric Dolphy at 1.44. Bits of Dolphy tunes show up in their shows, including a band playoff of Dolphy's 'Serene'. It's on at least one of the videos on TH-cam. 👍
This and FM are prolly the best tracks that didn’t make it onto original SD albums. So many others though - like The Second Arrangement - make ranking them really difficult. There’s at least one solid album of songs that didn’t make it onto one of SD’s nine studio albums.
Thanks for uploading this, Eric.
I saved it to my SD Documentary page...
Great song !
Perfect alchemy of sadness and anticipation
Brilliant!
Great Dan tune. Like 'FM' - (another beauty) only ever saw it on 'Gold' compilation
Well after almost 60 years the jury is in.. SD, Pink Floyd, GD, there are classics and then there are the makers of classic itself
Sublime.
What a great deep cut - Where's the full version tho'?
Now that I would have liked to see and them playing it with Denny Dias
Dude this is awesome! Thank you!! Have any more? Where did you get this?
Denny Dias on fire
Saw them in London that year.
Incredible Tune, always thought they were referring to Western Philosophy
Awesome!
"But we certainly want them to commodify it..." Too funny
This song makes me want sausage and beer
Yooo! Where is this full video?! I remember it being aired on FuseTV back in 09 ahead of the tour!
The full thing is in 4 parts on TH-cam, somewhere
Yeah, this one and True Companion really show Fagen's harmonic genius.
Really funny dudes. The cool uncles I never had.
They are so funny 😂
This and Razor Boy.🗿🌴
Will you still have a song to sing?
Christmas time 1978...ha, much better times than now...
I wonder if Omartian played the keys on the recording?
While this rehearsal version sounds a bit shaky, Here at the Western World is one of their best songs IMHO because of how the lyrics and melody make you feel, they were such master musical storytellers, one of the few artists whose lyrics felt like novels or movies. It's one of the best Dan tracks that meld a beautiful tune and melody with the darkness of bad guys, drugs and nefarious happenings.
Similar to Everyone's Gone to the Movies, Chain Lightning, happy, vibrant tune with some seriously dark subject matter. Donald and Walter were the masters of this device and it was one of their favorite songwriting techniques. I have a hard time thinking of many other popular musicians who successfully do the same. Much more common in jazz, opera and musical theater than in pop/rock music. They were musical geniuses.
Mercurial….enough said.
This is the ghost that haunted the ' Scam
Nice! The Walt and Don comedy routine at its deadpan finest. A discussion on the ephemerality of musical performance and the need to make a buck from it leads to them cheerfully labelling themselves hypocrites. The world is a poorer place now that Walter Becker is no longer with us, and Donald Fagen can no longer riff with him
I have no idea what most of SD's lyrics are about. But I dont care.
Their lyrics are poetry. Superficially, individual lines are sometimes clever but the whole is obscure. They probably learned this style from Bob Dylan.
It’s about frequenting a house of I’ll repute, and the dark side of desire. These guys made made the descent into darkness cool and smooth.💜
“The silver key” = cocaine
“To open the red door” = heroin
Becker doesnt look like he's actually playing
Only the Dan could name check a pair of losers Klaus and the Rooster Genius
Nothing original here. This track just sounds like excerpts from other tracks.
Wow
@@ggrey5990 Not up to snuff by Dan standards
That's the effect of diminishing faculties.
@@casparuskruger4807 dude this track is a masterpiece...wish it was added to AJa!!
Wow
it must have been tough for those female background singers to have to listen to Fagan sing the lead vocal... he had a pretty horrible voice..