@@NicknLex Reprint: You gotta be Kid Charlemagning, Fagen's smooth on I.G.Y. Morph the Cat is so phat, on a New Frontier NicknLex will find The Things I Miss the Most, like Time Out of Mind on the Shanghi Confidential watching Show Biz Kids flaunt the Glamor Profession at My Rival, Janie Runaway. Black Friday, Everything Must Go With a Gun, Night by Night as Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More. Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Only a Fool Would Say That I Got the News, Fire in the Hole can be Dirty Work(fun video) so Do It Again. I'm at a loss for a recommendation.
I'm 72 now, but whenever I hear Steely Dan it's like I'm right back there nearly 50 years ago, and it's just as fresh and energizing as my first hearing. Thanks for posting this. So cool to see young folks picking up the groove!
its the harmonies that remind of the 50s Big Bands stuff. Listen to Donald Fagens‘ (keyboard, singer, songwriter of Steely Dan) Solo album „The Night Fly“.
Aja was created by some of the most talented musicians, sound engineers, etc. in the business. It's about as near to perfection as anything a human could produce.
The album is pronounced like the continent Asia. Check out "Deacon Blues" on the album, as well as the title track. Steely Dan is a group, and at its heart are keyboardist/vocalist Donald Fagen and guitarists Walter Becker and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter.
Interesting fact about the guitar solo on "Peg". The song was done except for the guitar solo. Becker & Fagen had all the usual studio guitarist take a stab at it (about 10 guys), and were not happy with the results. One of the top session guitarists (Dean Parks) who did not give it a try recommended his friend Jay Graydon, as they had played many sessions together as part of the constantly evolving "wrecking crew". Dean was a mentor to Jay when he started out as an LA session guitarist. Graydon talked to Fagen on this session and Fagen told him vaguely what he wanted: "something a little oriental sounding to start, something jazzy in the middle, then something fast". Graydon came up with the solo quickly as expected of a top session player. If you notice, Graydon's lead guitar is featured in the balance of the song as well beyond the solo up until the end. Gibson ES 335 guitar was used. One of the best solos pieces in rock history.
You are entering one of the greatest rabbit holes! Kid Charlemagne, Caves of Altamira, Black Cow, Deacon Blues, Babylon sisters, Time out of mind, the list goes on and on.. just pick a song and I guarantee you’ll love it
Not the least of which is the studio god behind-the-scenes rabbit hole. There's a youtube video that shows the process for Peg, with Jay Graydon's guitar solo beating out the efforts of the other dozen A-list players brought in to take a wack at it, while King of Perfectiona Donald Fagan glared at them disappointingly
Steely Dan is a category unto themselves. They have no filler tunes. Every song is great, every album is different. You think u have them figured out, then here comes another one totally different. A joy to discover for the heart, soul & ears!
It is like a journey, all of their albums, I first heard them when i was 8 years old and i thought...who is this? And I am still learning and appreciating all the music they did
The closest to a filler that I can think of is "Through With Buzz," from PRETZEL LOGIC. It just feels incomplete and pointless. That is just my own opinion, of course, if it's your favorite SD song!
Their studio tapes are ridiculous. A hundred takes of the same song with 10 different bands and 10 different soloists. Pick any one of them and they'd be any other band's best recording.
Eh... I think Becker could have done it himself. But he and Fagen were in a zone and this was the way they did their music then, so who cares? They did it across the board. When it was what they heard in their head it was right. The proof's in the pudding, as they say.
Steely Dan = musician's musicians. It is so wonderful seeing people find the depth and quality of music in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Jazzy. You may really like the world of fusion!
Steely Dan are one of the greatest bands of all time. Amazing songwriting and musicianship. They had a run of 7 classic albums between '72 and '80. There is literally not one bad song on any of those albums so you guys have a lot to look forward to!
Nick and Lex, I was in a depression after I retired last year. Part of the depression was boredom. No one around to talk to anymore. But, i love music. Steely Dan, Yes, Moody Blues, Tears For Fears, Supertramp, etc, etc, etc. When i discovered I could watch folks react to the music I love, my depression lifted. Although it is not quite interactive, I feel what the reactor feels while they listen to my favorite music. I just discovered the two of you tonight. It is a pleasure watching you....so, I say Thank You! For Steely Dan - Aja is a seven minute long song. It is the finest written and performed peice of music in the rock era. (That is my opinion...but shared by many others.) I will subscribe to your channel and hope, someday to watch you react to Aja (pronounced A - ja, similar to the continent Asia) Have fun folks. Music is great!
Ken Dudley, I just retired in Nov. and I totally understand where you are coming from. I also get a thrill watching young people react to the great music of our youth! Cheers!
Steely Dan was basically a duo (Donald Fagan and Walter Becker) who would bring different session musicians into the studio; they were inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 2001
Yeah they started off as a band with a static membership but they gradually started incorporating more guest & session musicians until they just decided they didn't need a 'band' anymore and could just do the whole thing with hired guns.
@@d.s.9692 To expand on that just a bit more...even within the same album, they would use different musicians on different tracks to get just the exact feel that they wanted for the drums or a guitar part or bass line, etc. Donald Fagin and Walter Becker are perfectionists. They spent a ridiculous amount of time on some tracks (parts of tracks) that would drive some (many) of the musicians crazy - but as you can see, the end product was worth it.
Michael McDonald's distinctive voice ringing in the background is just one example of the best musicians being added to Steely Dan songs. Skunk Baxter, Jeff Porcaro, and several others hide in the credits.
@@NicknLex **LONG POST** Some notes for further edification: Steely Dan released a total of 9 original studio albums: seven from 1972 to 1980 and two more in the '00s. The two principals also put out several excellent solo LPs that should also be taken as part of the Steely Dan oeuvre, if for no other reason than to gain insight into what each of these perfectionist geniuses brought to the creative mix. Donald Fagen is the lead vocalist on virtually all their songs beyond their first album ("Can't Buy a Thrill" - 1972) and plays keyboards (primarily a Fender Rhodes). He had two solo albums -- "The Nightfly" (1982) and "Kamakiriad" (1993) during the band's interregnum -- and two more -- "Morph the Cat" (2006) and "Sunken Condos" (2012) -- after the final Steely Dan album "Everything Must Go" (2003). (All his fans hope he's got one more left in him.) Walter Becker (d. 2017) played bass guitar on their first three albums, but gradually from then he is heard more often on lead. He also had 2 solo LPs -- "11 Tracks of Whack" (1994) and "Circus Money" (2008). (With Walt's sad passing, sole claim to the title of "The Most Eminent Hipster on the Fricking Planet Earth" has duly devolved to Donald. When he goes, who knows?) ------------------------------- Ya gotta know right up front that you just hit the freakin' music motherlode -- Steely Dan is simply the biggest, deepest, richest, all-American rabbit hole there is. Seriously, The Dan never recorded a bad song. Even their deep tracks are better than most artists' best work. Virtually every single cut from every single album is airplay worthy and their work was often so ahead of its time that it still sounds fresh today. ------------------------------- Dan music is the music that musicians listen to, and it was The Dan who set all the standards for excellence in composition, lyricism, arrangement, performance, and production by which all recording artists may be critically judged. To fully appreciate their work, a college education helps, as does acquaintance with the high-living low-lives encountered in sundry precincts of NYC or L.A. where most of their song-stories are set. ------------------------------- Sadly, there are no Steely Dan music videos; their periods of activity neatly bracketed the MTV Era. However, three of Don's singles yielded MTV videos; all of them top-quality productions (as one would expect) with visionary sci-fi themes. (The boyz were into sci-fi almost as deep as they were music, as you'll discover as you go thru the catalogue. When those interests intersect, as in the cut "King of the World" from SD's second, 1973 LP "Countdown to Ecstasy", strap on your headphones and buckle up for an E-Ticket Ride!) th-cam.com/video/A1AnvM3udVs/w-d-xo.html ------------------------------- For years, a chap known as "Steely Ben" has been putting out excellent home-made TH-cam vids (most w/ lyrics) for much of the SD catalogue. I highly recommend his work for any future SD reaction/reviews you choose to do. Scores of live performance videos of varying quality exist on TH-cam. The best of these IMHO is the "Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party", originally broadcast in 2000 on PBS to promote the release of "Two Against Nature". (Their first album in 20 years, "2vN" went on to win four Grammys in 2001, beating out Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" and Radiohead's "Kid A" for Album of the Year.) ------------------------------- Steely Dan is one of four bands of which I consider myself quite knowledgeable. The others are the vanguard British prog rock bands Yes, Jethro Tull, and Emerson, Lake, & Palmer. If you haven't yet gotten around to them, you will...trust me.
I really get a kick out of watching young people listening to the greatest popular music ever made. There is no rock, R&B, soul, or modern blues better than what came from the 60s & 70s. I was so lucky to have been apart of that era just sad for all the young people that missed it. No better music has been made since then, Real instruments and no autotune.
Don't be too sad for today's youth as they have instantaneous access to a billion songs in crystal clear audio on a hand held device that they carry around whereas we had a relative trickle based on a record store purchase and a steady hand lowering that needle.
Now I realise I'm officially old, when someone hasn't heard of a band from my youth that I take for granted everybody is aware of. Well, Steely Dan will never disappoint you. One of the few bands who's music can attract listeners from across so many genres, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R+B. To be honest, pick any album, any track, and you'll love it. They simply could not produce a bad piece of music, and there's very few bands that can be said of.... Listen and enjoy.... Cheers Bob
@@Nittany100 Absolutely Kevin, and I think the act of buying a vinyl album was a more fulfilling experience than buying a CD. Maybe its an age thing.... Cheers Bob
Donald Fagen made me laugh when he was singing this song when I saw them in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl with Michael McDonald singing back up at this show! He said: and when you smile for the camera 🎥 THE CALIFORNIA CAMERA..Hahahahahaha 😛😝😜🤪😎🤩👍🏻
Hard-core Dan fans know the famous (infamous?) story behind the guitar solo here. The band's co-creators, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, had as many as eight guitarists give it a shot, but none of their performances were to their liking. Then Jay Graydon came in and turned in the solo you hear, nailing it in one take.
As far as production goes, it really doesn’t get any better than Steely Dan. And this album is the pinnacle of that fact. Audiophiles have been using SD for decades now to test and calibrate their sound systems. These guys were then ultimate recording artists and they got some of the greatest studio musicians to record on their albums as well. Top notch all around.
Steely Dan were the best! No one melded Jazz, R&B, and Rock like they did. Ya gotta listen to every track from Aja, their best album. But really, everything they did was amazing. Incredible grooves, incredible chord progressions, hilarious lyrics. Keep on listening to them!
Watch the Behind the Music episode 'Making of Aja' or something like that. It was awesome watching them show how the orchestrated the musicians performances, and then edited it. Awesome.
I really think Gaucho is their best album. But Aja is a close second. Try listening to The Second Arrangement from Gaucho. Fantastic. Strange ending though.
BTW guys, there are SO MANY FLAVORS of Steely Dan music! So many styles, ingredients, moves, rhythms, and different "story lines" in the lyrics...they are so rich in the ability to do so many styles of music! You will love the journey to discover their music!
There is a lot of variety, yes, but one thing they do exceptionally well: extremely slick songs with incredible vibes, depicting events in the lives of Los Angeles lowlifes and criminals
Been listening to Steely Dan for 49 years now! I remember standing in a long line at a Sam Goody's record store on 69th St in Upper Darby PA to buy their Can't Buy a Thrill Album. The Philly radio stations picked up on their sound from day 1, and played them frequently. They were the days!
If you listen to their song "Don't Take Me Alive" you will hear one of the most incredible opening guitar intros on record. It is soooooo tasty it stands the test of time.
Josie - Bodhisattva - Kid Charlemagne - Do It Again - Reeling In The Years - Rikki Don't Loose That Number - Dirty Work - Etc........ I think you would enjoy any random Steely Dan choice.
You are the first people I've found on TH-cam mentioning Tower of Power. I got to see them live in Oakland in the 70s, and I get the same vibe here, just like you.
I love watching young people react to Steely Dan for the first time. They are not like anyone else, everyone else is like them. Now you know why you've seen so many other reactors doing their music. It's just so good. I'm particularly fond of the "Can't Buy a Thrill" album, it was a constant in my youth. "Only a Fool Would Say That" is my top song of theirs. "Dirty Work", the list goes on. Enjoy the rabbit hole!
Meg, I also really enjoy "Only A Fool Would Say That", which throws cold water on starry-eyed, exploitive politics of the 70s--or any era that you care to think of. I have this unverified theory that they wrote it in response to John Lennon's Imagine, which I have always found exploitatively hypocritical--after fleeing to the US to avoid taxes, Lennon *sells* a song preaching no possessions. There are also possible Beatles references (Brown Shoe...) /rant. Oops, sorry! ;) PS: I just checked, and Imagine was released Sept 71, and Can't Buy A Thrill was released Nov 72, Hm... ;) Anyway, I love Only a Fool Would Say That too! :)
My wife and I have been bobbing our heads to The Dan, like you are now since 1977! Love to see the great music carry on through a generation. Thx for sharing - - My Big Three through the years are Deep Purple, Floyd and The Dan!! Rock on = = RIP to the musicians in each band that have passed - - your music lives on!! Merry Christmas - -
This album is a masterpiece.There are no bad songs on here.It's pronounced like Asia.They are duo but they had some of the best session musicians and vocalists on their albums.Their body of work is huge.Trust the comments for recommendations.
Nick & Lex - Today, March 5th, 2022, my friend Marilyn came over and I put reaction videos on the big TV to show her the joy of watching folks react to new songs. She asked, "what songs are on Aja, I am not sure I remember?". So, I chose Peg, and your reaction. She loved it...but that isn't why I am writing. Watching this again, your first reaction to my (our) favorite band, and having turned over my "Biggest Steely Dan Fan" crown to Nick, I laughed and laughed at seeing your first Steely Dan vid again. You both are terrific. Thanks for bringing me, and Marilyn now, so much joy. Ken
I absolutely loved this comment!! It really made us smile so wide! Thank you for all of your support and for sharing us with friends!! Much love to you and Marilyn! ❤️ - Lex
I've heard that song hundreds of times and love it every time. Jay Graydon's guitar solo is considered one of the best in rock. Every song on Aja is a classic-one of the greatest albums ever produced-it's on my desert island list!
Larry Carlton was one of the most sought after session guitarists in the 1970s. He's prominent on the song Josie....also on Aja. He's appeared on hundreds and hundreds of tracks. A jazz connection can be made between Peg and Larry Carlton's " Room 335" As you further discover Dan , You'll find that the lyrics are filled with wit and are based on real people that Fagen and Becker encountered in LA. and NYC. Lots of irony , innuendo and Double Entendres. I've listened to the vast majority of Steely Dan tracks hundreds and hundreds of times. I never tire of them and I constantly hear something new in one of their songs that I didn't notice before !!! I know Nick is big on drum riffs. Please listen to Aja " I Got The News " You won't be disappointed.
I absolutely enjoy your love of music. Your graphic enjoyment of music you have never heard is so darn infectious. Of course it is impossible not to love Steely Dan. Their attention to detail and production value is second to none. Thanks for the post.
Here's a couple of old songs I'm almost positive you'll both love. TRAFFIC - THE LOW SPARK OF HIGH-HEELED BOYS- Steve Winwood on vocals and written by him as well and then - Blind Faith - Presence of the Lord - with Steve Winwood; as well as Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Rick Grech. They were considered a supergroup!
So awesome you discovered Steely Dan. Better late than never. I remember my first time/exposure to Steely Dan (Rikki Don't Lose That Number). I was 11 years old (1974) and riding with my mom in the car doing errands. We both fell in love with the song. I was hooked and started pilfering through both my older brothers' albums to find Steely Dan. They got tired of asking me for them back and bought me some albums for my own collection. Good memories. ☺️
The production on Steely Dan albums is always perfect. You can hear everything, clearly, so every time you listen to their music, you notice something new you never noticed before.
Steely Dan started out as a classic rock band then morphed into a band that morphed into a band that play different styles. Here is a guide. Classic Rock style - Reeling in the years, Black Friday Blues - Pretzel Logic, Chain Lighting Pop - Riki Don't Lose that Number, Any Major Dude, Country - Pearl of the Quarter, With a Gun Reggae - Haitian Divorce Jazz Fusion- Green Earrings Everything else from their last 5 records is pretty jazzy with a tinge of R&B
@@cl8onj388 Great song. Steely Dan was always an R&B band playing jazz with rock instruments. They were pigeonholed into classic rock. But they're not.
Can't wait until you do the title track of AJA. Best piece of music created in that decade. Drum solo alone will bend your brains.... Every bit of AJA track is just gorgeous.
First heard this song when I was a junior in college sitting around in a friend's dorm room. The lyric, "It's your favorite foreign movie" for some reason always stuck with me through my life. I've said this before, but I swear you two were simply born in the wrong era! You are 70's children!
My favorite reaction videos are done by musicians who know a lot about music and react from a players perspective. You along with Alex and Andy are the only reaction videos that are relevant to me. Thanks guys, so glad I found your channel. The Aja album, pronounced Asia, is a master class in production and musical excellence. Please do more from this band and especially the title track to this album. The playing is insanely good.
I have worked security in music venues for years and so so many professional sound engineers use Steely Dan to set the EQ for the huge sound systems because of the incredible quality of their recordings !
Steely Dan was comprised of two musicians; Donald Fagen(piano/keyboard and vocal) and Walter Becker(rhythm guitar) and then a whole collection of top notch studio musicians. Probably why all their songs sound different. I would recommend the songs “Reeling in the years”, “Do it again”, “Kid Charlamagne”, “Deacon Blues”, “Don’t take me alive”, “Rikki don’t lose that number”, and many more. Enjoy! 🎸
You picked a great song to react to by Steely Dan. This tune is a perfect example of the combined talents of Walter Becker, Donald Fagen and the talent that they were able to assemble for this recording. Of course some of the "magic" is done in the stellar engineering and production of this song. One note.... the background vocals were done by Michael McDonald. He showed up on several of their songs.
Steely Dan is right in your wheelhouse. great musicianship with jazzy elements. A few more to check out include: Do it again, reeling in the years, Black cow, Black Friday. Kid Charlemagne, Hey Ninteen, and Fm. That will keep you going for a while.
It may sound simple, but upon close inspection, the Dan (Fagen and Becker) were always putting in layers so smoothly mixed, they go unnoticed. Go back and listen to the chorus. McDonald's vocals are used like jazz chords syncopated with the lead vocal, wrapping around, going under, supporting and blending. Genius.
I am so happy to share the funk connections, the 70s were by far the most eclectic of musical generations, and SD was one of the real fusion outfits...jazz, bluegrass, rock, disco, funk...just try and pigeon hole this beyond "lovingkindness in sound" . Thanks for the share...come on my friends...Santana, "welcome" ...70s fusion with that Latin feel...sd1...SD in total. Love you so much
So precious, to see music enthusiasts exploring new music. Really enjoyed watching it happen!! The songs of this era are threads in the fabric of my life. I was 13. My sister spent all of her allowance on albums. Thankfully, we shared a room. THIS album happens to be EXTRA special!! #MichaelMcdonaldsingsbackup I would encourage you, if you have the time, to look up the video on the making of Aja (the album). It is SO worth the time!! #restinpeaceWalterBecker Btw, Josie is Donald Fagen’s favorite...mine too!! 🎼❤️🎼
Hi guys. I'm 55 years old and I've been listening to Steely Dan since I was 14. This is an anomaly being Spanish, but a blessed anomaly. I was obsessed with that fucking bassline and that guitar solo that sounds Hawaiian at first. I can only say that any rehearsal or sound check of Steely Dan is equivalent to an entire career of any guy who calls himself a musician. Fagen and Becker are and always will be absolute geniuses. By the way, you pronounce Spanish very well and your Charvel is the same as mine, hahaha. Thanks for giving me a good time.
Love your reactions guys. You really can't go wrong with Steely Dan. (named for a marital aid) The two main creators in the band are Water Becker (RIP) and Donald Fagan. They hired the best players and were able to record them with a quality that was leaps and bounds beyond most others at the time. Steely Dan songs are still the best way to make any speaker sound good. There is a video, on youtube, of the making of this song. You get to see them explain the mixes and the different choices of solos. Cheers
Do it again... Rikki dont lose that number... My old school... Great Steely Dan tunes to start with! All killer jazzy, rocky, top of the line guitar playing Excellent hit songs!!! Do it again!!! Lol.
Would suggest listening to the entire "Aja" album, considered the best technical produced album of all time for an analog era recording. I also recommend going down the "Steely Dan" rabbit hole! So much to take in and absorb.
One more thing, here..Everyone on here is so on point, which is ALWAYS the case with SD, but take a second and zero in on Chuck Rainey's bass here..Awesome!
Their most well known song is probably 'Reelin' In The Years' from their first album. It's the song that made them famous. I wouldn't be surprised if you had heard it before.
Every song on this album is off-the-charts brilliant. You will become SD fan-antics before long. I envy you for being new to them- Their first album came out in1972 and I was in high school -oh to be young again SD was loved by many, in their unique funky,jazzy vibe, but some critics and others hated them. I think that they saw the two as phony, pseudo-intellectual hipster wannabes. As you explore them you will see that their lyrics could come across as being too consciously smart and personal. I would love to see you react to every track on Aja and then take it from there.
@@catstone8589 Yes - and that may be why some disliked them. They were not classic rock or easily categorized. For me, they were unique, with lyrics puzzling at times, but always cool, danceable and with tip musicianship. They are great to listen to while driving.
I always thought of Steely Dan as a Jazz/Pop/Rock fusion band. They were an original concept band for sure. Steely Dan mostly consisted of Donald Fagan who mostly played piano/keyboards and did vocals, Walter Becker played guitar and did some vocals and then there was a one of a kind drummer named Bernard Purdie. Probably at least 6 or 7 other singers/musicians came in and out of band on different studio sessions. So glad you guys are giving us your reaction to newly discovered OLD school music. I was in my early twenties when this song and the album Aja came along...I'll be 70 in May this year....old stuff great stuff. Just subbed you BTW.
I found you guys listening to steely Dan on TH-cam takes me back,I’m 77yrs old so I have these albums.it is so warming see youth enjoying music I love.
enjoy da swim in STEELY DANS pool........its deep and clear....PEG is a great song and doesn't even make my top 20 songs by these guys.....cheers from oregon
You're embarking on a great journey with Steely Dan. All of their albums are amazing and perfectly produced. Personally I have a preference for 'Pretzel Logic,' one of their early albums. You should check out 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' and 'Pretzel Logic,' the title song. As far as the name of the band is concerned, it's probably not what you would have guessed, and a simple Google search would likely shine a light on that. Enjoy the trip.
It's disco?? Hah! Well, you can dance to it. These guys were absolute perfectionists in the studio. All of their songs are very polished progressive jazz influence. On this track, they took their sweet time auditioning for the perfect lead guitar part turning away some incredible talent before arriving at what you now hear. They have several really great tracks.
You know the great thing about watching your reactions ... I find myself listening as if for the first time and, maybe because I'm listening more attentively than usual, I hear new, small gems in many tracks. I've listened to 'Peg' more times than I can even guess at but I never heard those little voices way in the backgroound from around 6:45 onwards :) Steely Dan, the gift that keeps on giving !!
Just start with Steely Dan's first album "Can't Buy a Thrill" and listen to every single song they ever did. There are no fillers, no bad songs. All good. Steely Dan is Walter Becker, now deceased, and Donald Fagen. Everyone else on almost all of their songs is a studio musician chosen specifically for the skill set he/she brought to each song. Walter and Donald did tour and had other members of "the band" while on tour, but otherwise, the only members of the band were Walter and Donald.
If you really want to TRULY enjoy Steely Dan, get yourselves a bottle of wine, some candles, and dance barefoot on the carpet all evening. Start with "Babylon Sisters" and then play every album, all night long.
This is one of My all time favorites! Steely Dan hit this one right out of the park ! This was released in 1977 as a single & then in 1978 it reached number (11) on the US billboard & reached number (8) on the cash box chart ! With a chart box run of (19) weeks ! Peg is tied with Rikki don’t lose that Number !
Every time someone listens to steely dan for the first time, the world becomes a better place ♥️⭐
This is so sweet; thank you! :) - Lex
@@NicknLex Reprint:
You gotta be Kid Charlemagning, Fagen's smooth on I.G.Y. Morph the Cat is so phat, on a New Frontier NicknLex will find The Things I Miss the Most, like Time Out of Mind on the Shanghi Confidential watching Show Biz Kids flaunt the Glamor Profession at My Rival, Janie Runaway.
Black Friday, Everything Must Go With a Gun, Night by Night as Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More. Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Only a Fool Would Say That I Got the News, Fire in the Hole can be Dirty Work(fun video) so Do It Again.
I'm at a loss for a recommendation.
Check out "Gaucho" 👍🏼🔥
watching this made me smile!
@@cheerdiver You can't go wrong with pretty much any Steely Dan songs. If I don't love it, I haven't listened to it.
I'm 72 now, but whenever I hear Steely Dan it's like I'm right back there nearly 50 years ago, and it's just as fresh and energizing as my first hearing. Thanks for posting this. So cool to see young folks picking up the groove!
69 last April.......Dirty Work off Can't Buy A Thrill album (first album).
They never get old. Never.
I think I first saw Steely Dan on The Midnight Special (Black & White TV).
I'm 72 too, it really is a joy to see young people picking up on classic rock tracks like this. A pleasure to watch your reactions.
its the harmonies that remind of the 50s Big Bands stuff. Listen to Donald Fagens‘ (keyboard, singer, songwriter of Steely Dan) Solo album „The Night Fly“.
The entirety of Aja is a masterpiece, top to bottom.
Aja was created by some of the most talented musicians, sound engineers, etc. in the business. It's about as near to perfection as anything a human could produce.
BONAFIDE TRUTH
YEAH it is!
It really is. "Gaucho" And "Aja" are my favorites.
The album is pronounced like the continent Asia. Check out "Deacon Blues" on the album, as well as the title track. Steely Dan is a group, and at its heart are keyboardist/vocalist Donald Fagen and guitarists Walter Becker and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter.
Interesting fact about the guitar solo on "Peg". The song was done except for the guitar solo. Becker & Fagen had all the usual studio guitarist take a stab at it (about 10 guys), and were not happy with the results. One of the top session guitarists (Dean Parks) who did not give it a try recommended his friend Jay Graydon, as they had played many sessions together as part of the constantly evolving "wrecking crew". Dean was a mentor to Jay when he started out as an LA session guitarist. Graydon talked to Fagen on this session and Fagen told him vaguely what he wanted: "something a little oriental sounding to start, something jazzy in the middle, then something fast". Graydon came up with the solo quickly as expected of a top session player. If you notice, Graydon's lead guitar is featured in the balance of the song as well beyond the solo up until the end. Gibson ES 335 guitar was used. One of the best solos pieces in rock history.
You are entering one of the greatest rabbit holes! Kid Charlemagne, Caves of Altamira, Black Cow, Deacon Blues, Babylon sisters, Time out of mind, the list goes on and on.. just pick a song and I guarantee you’ll love it
So hard to believe you never heard of STEELY DAN!!!!?? But so be it. You are in for a great ride!!!
Couldn't agree more. What a great rabbit hole it is!
Don’t sleep on Doctor Wu!
Respect for naming Caves of Altamira! Only real SD fans know that tune.
Not the least of which is the studio god behind-the-scenes rabbit hole. There's a youtube video that shows the process for Peg, with Jay Graydon's guitar solo beating out the efforts of the other dozen A-list players brought in to take a wack at it, while King of Perfectiona Donald Fagan glared at them disappointingly
A thousand years from now Bach , Mozart, Beethoven and Steely Dan will still be played.
Amen
Not to mention the foursome from Liverpool.
More like Zappa and the Dead.
And Metallica and Pink Floyd and Queen and……😁
@@1BobsYourUncle The Beatles & The Beach Boys
When musicians get home and relax, they listen to Steely Dan.
😂👍
And Robert Palmer
Aja (Asia)
Just don't want the tune to end.
eh...me too! just the quality of sound makes me breathe...
Steely Dan is a category unto themselves. They have no filler tunes. Every song is great, every album is different. You think u have them figured out, then here comes another one totally different. A joy to discover for the heart, soul & ears!
@G.Ward you speak the truth. Steely Dan is the number one rated band ever. Faultless.
It is like a journey, all of their albums, I first heard them when i was 8 years old and i thought...who is this? And I am still learning and appreciating all the music they did
The closest to a filler that I can think of is "Through With Buzz," from PRETZEL LOGIC. It just feels incomplete and pointless. That is just my own opinion, of course, if it's your favorite SD song!
Btw, the album is pronounced like Asia.
I was 22 and completely blown away when I discovered these guys. It makes me SO happy to see young people discovering this.
That guitar solo was the seventh session player they had brought in to try to land that solo. Jay Graydon absolutely killed it.
Their studio tapes are ridiculous. A hundred takes of the same song with 10 different bands and 10 different soloists. Pick any one of them and they'd be any other band's best recording.
I SAW that documentary on them making "Aja"! They were a little snotty about some of the other guitarists' auditions, lol.
@@kennethlatham3133 yeah they definitely had a prima donna thing going on.
I love how that last note fades right into the next verse.
Eh... I think Becker could have done it himself. But he and Fagen were in a zone and this was the way they did their music then, so who cares? They did it across the board. When it was what they heard in their head it was right. The proof's in the pudding, as they say.
Steely Dan = musician's musicians. It is so wonderful seeing people find the depth and quality of music in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Jazzy.
You may really like the world of fusion!
Just start with their first song - “Do it Again” - and keep going, album by album.
Good advice!
Reelin' In The Years was the first one I ever heard that Steely Dan and remains my favorite.
Showbiz Kids grabbed me first, Aja never let me go...
Do it again has a great trippy hypnotic groove.
Sound advice, my friend. I always give the same recommendation
I love the way you two let the music move you naturally. Steely Dan was a revelation the first time I heard it way back in the day.
Steely Dan are just class...never made a bad song, let alone a bad album....
True.....and as Fagen and Becker were perfectionists ...it took time.Aja took a year.
Close enough.
Steely Dan are one of the greatest bands of all time. Amazing songwriting and musicianship. They had a run of 7 classic albums between '72 and '80. There is literally not one bad song on any of those albums so you guys have a lot to look forward to!
Steely Dan is God. AJA is the bible. You guys have about 999 more great Steely Dan songs to check out. Prepare to be blown away.
AJA is certainly a great album, but Katy Lied is the bible for Steely Dan in my opinion
@@donjerue558 Man, I love them all.
Guest musicians see recording with Steely Dan as a major asset on their CV's.
EXACTLY!😸😸😸
Nick and Lex, I was in a depression after I retired last year. Part of the depression was boredom. No one around to talk to anymore. But, i love music. Steely Dan, Yes, Moody Blues, Tears For Fears, Supertramp, etc, etc, etc.
When i discovered I could watch folks react to the music I love, my depression lifted. Although it is not quite interactive, I feel what the reactor feels while they listen to my favorite music.
I just discovered the two of you tonight. It is a pleasure watching you....so, I say Thank You!
For Steely Dan - Aja is a seven minute long song. It is the finest written and performed peice of music in the rock era. (That is my opinion...but shared by many others.) I will subscribe to your channel and hope, someday to watch you react to Aja (pronounced A - ja, similar to the continent Asia)
Have fun folks. Music is great!
Ken Dudley, I just retired in Nov. and I totally understand where you are coming from. I also get a thrill watching young people react to the great music of our youth! Cheers!
Music reactions are just magical
Steely Dan was basically a duo (Donald Fagan and Walter Becker) who would bring different session musicians into the studio; they were inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 2001
Awesome, thank you so much!
Yeah they started off as a band with a static membership but they gradually started incorporating more guest & session musicians until they just decided they didn't need a 'band' anymore and could just do the whole thing with hired guns.
@@d.s.9692 To expand on that just a bit more...even within the same album, they would use different musicians on different tracks to get just the exact feel that they wanted for the drums or a guitar part or bass line, etc. Donald Fagin and Walter Becker are perfectionists. They spent a ridiculous amount of time on some tracks (parts of tracks) that would drive some (many) of the musicians crazy - but as you can see, the end product was worth it.
Michael McDonald's distinctive voice ringing in the background is just one example of the best musicians being added to Steely Dan songs. Skunk Baxter, Jeff Porcaro, and several others hide in the credits.
@@NicknLex **LONG POST**
Some notes for further edification:
Steely Dan released a total of 9 original studio albums: seven from 1972 to 1980 and two more in the '00s.
The two principals also put out several excellent solo LPs that should also be taken as part of the Steely Dan oeuvre, if for no other reason than to gain insight into what each of these perfectionist geniuses brought to the creative mix.
Donald Fagen is the lead vocalist on virtually all their songs beyond their first album ("Can't Buy a Thrill" - 1972) and plays keyboards (primarily a Fender Rhodes).
He had two solo albums -- "The Nightfly" (1982) and "Kamakiriad" (1993) during the band's interregnum -- and two more -- "Morph the Cat" (2006) and "Sunken Condos" (2012) -- after the final Steely Dan album "Everything Must Go" (2003).
(All his fans hope he's got one more left in him.)
Walter Becker (d. 2017) played bass guitar on their first three albums, but gradually from then he is heard more often on lead.
He also had 2 solo LPs -- "11 Tracks of Whack" (1994) and "Circus Money" (2008).
(With Walt's sad passing, sole claim to the title of "The Most Eminent Hipster on the Fricking Planet Earth" has duly devolved to Donald. When he goes, who knows?)
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Ya gotta know right up front that you just hit the freakin' music motherlode -- Steely Dan is simply the biggest, deepest, richest, all-American rabbit hole there is.
Seriously, The Dan never recorded a bad song.
Even their deep tracks are better than most artists' best work.
Virtually every single cut from every single album is airplay worthy and their work was often so ahead of its time that it still sounds fresh today.
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Dan music is the music that musicians listen to, and it was The Dan who set all the standards for excellence in composition, lyricism, arrangement, performance, and production by which all recording artists may be critically judged.
To fully appreciate their work, a college education helps, as does acquaintance with the high-living low-lives encountered in sundry precincts of NYC or L.A. where most of their song-stories are set.
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Sadly, there are no Steely Dan music videos; their periods of activity neatly bracketed the MTV Era.
However, three of Don's singles yielded MTV videos; all of them top-quality productions (as one would expect) with visionary sci-fi themes.
(The boyz were into sci-fi almost as deep as they were music, as you'll discover as you go thru the catalogue. When those interests intersect, as in the cut "King of the World" from SD's second, 1973 LP "Countdown to Ecstasy", strap on your headphones and buckle up for an E-Ticket Ride!) th-cam.com/video/A1AnvM3udVs/w-d-xo.html
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For years, a chap known as "Steely Ben" has been putting out excellent home-made TH-cam vids (most w/ lyrics) for much of the SD catalogue.
I highly recommend his work for any future SD reaction/reviews you choose to do.
Scores of live performance videos of varying quality exist on TH-cam.
The best of these IMHO is the "Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party", originally broadcast in 2000 on PBS to promote the release of "Two Against Nature".
(Their first album in 20 years, "2vN" went on to win four Grammys in 2001, beating out Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" and Radiohead's "Kid A" for Album of the Year.)
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Steely Dan is one of four bands of which I consider myself quite knowledgeable.
The others are the vanguard British prog rock bands Yes, Jethro Tull, and Emerson, Lake, & Palmer.
If you haven't yet gotten around to them, you will...trust me.
Steely Dan is the reason why we are all here. Aja is a masterpiece. Damned it.
Oh my gosh...this is such a good day for you guys!! Steely Dan is one of the most amazing bands of all time!! You will LOVE THIS!!!
I really get a kick out of watching young people listening to the greatest popular music ever made. There is no rock, R&B, soul, or modern blues better than what came from the 60s & 70s. I was so lucky to have been apart of that era just sad for all the young people that missed it. No better music has been made since then, Real instruments and no autotune.
Don't be too sad for today's youth as they have instantaneous access to a billion songs in crystal clear audio on a hand held device that they carry around whereas we had a relative trickle based on a record store purchase and a steady hand lowering that needle.
We've been on a slide ever since.
There’s no global sensation of “first” any longer.
Now I realise I'm officially old, when someone hasn't heard of a band from my youth that I take for granted everybody is aware of. Well, Steely Dan will never disappoint you. One of the few bands who's music can attract listeners from across so many genres, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Blues, R+B. To be honest, pick any album, any track, and you'll love it. They simply could not produce a bad piece of music, and there's very few bands that can be said of.... Listen and enjoy.... Cheers Bob
You are NO such thing, Bob! :) Thanks for your recommendations and support! - Lex
Hey Bob, 61 and remember buying these when they actually were albums 😂😷
@@Nittany100 Absolutely Kevin, and I think the act of buying a vinyl album was a more fulfilling experience than buying a CD. Maybe its an age thing.... Cheers Bob
@@Nittany100 I was 17 and in High school when this came out.
@@bobford100 I remember the cool artwork of the albums and then being disappointed when CD cases just couldn't compete with that.
Donald Fagen made me laugh when he was singing this song when I saw them in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl with Michael McDonald singing back up at this show! He said: and when you smile for the camera 🎥 THE CALIFORNIA CAMERA..Hahahahahaha 😛😝😜🤪😎🤩👍🏻
Hard-core Dan fans know the famous (infamous?) story behind the guitar solo here. The band's co-creators, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, had as many as eight guitarists give it a shot, but none of their performances were to their liking. Then Jay Graydon came in and turned in the solo you hear, nailing it in one take.
As far as production goes, it really doesn’t get any better than Steely Dan. And this album is the pinnacle of that fact. Audiophiles have been using SD for decades now to test and calibrate their sound systems. These guys were then ultimate recording artists and they got some of the greatest studio musicians to record on their albums as well. Top notch all around.
Aja was one of my tests for the souns systems, many years ago.
Steely Dan were the best! No one melded Jazz, R&B, and Rock like they did. Ya gotta listen to every track from Aja, their best album. But really, everything they did was amazing. Incredible grooves, incredible chord progressions, hilarious lyrics. Keep on listening to them!
Watch the Behind the Music episode 'Making of Aja' or something like that. It was awesome watching them show how the orchestrated the musicians performances, and then edited it. Awesome.
And then there’s Cousin Dupree! 😸😸😸😸 Oh, Donald!!! 😲😸😸😸
I really think Gaucho is their best album. But Aja is a close second. Try listening to The Second Arrangement from Gaucho. Fantastic. Strange ending though.
Ive seen Steely Dan in concert and they are not to be missed! Awesome musicianship! Catch them if you can!
BTW guys, there are SO MANY FLAVORS of Steely Dan music! So many styles, ingredients, moves, rhythms, and different "story lines" in the lyrics...they are so rich in the ability to do so many styles of music! You will love the journey to discover their music!
There is a lot of variety, yes, but one thing they do exceptionally well: extremely slick songs with incredible vibes, depicting events in the lives of Los Angeles lowlifes and criminals
Clean no distortion ,all the right notes in all the right places ,and really tight timing
Been listening to Steely Dan for 49 years now! I remember standing in a long line at a Sam Goody's record store on 69th St in Upper Darby PA to buy their Can't Buy a Thrill Album. The Philly radio stations picked up on their sound from day 1, and played them frequently. They were the days!
You may recognize the distinct voice singing "Peg". It's Michael McDonald of Doobie Bros. fame.
Yes! On backing vocals
Ya know....now that you say that. I'm surprised I never noticed that.
Those clustering harmonies nearly killed him! ;)
Never knew that! Love MM!
And Larry Carlton played the guitar solo.
The world is full of people who love Steely Dan……….and who are going to love Steely Dan….God bless all of you out there……cheers
If you listen to their song "Don't Take Me Alive" you will hear one of the most incredible opening guitar intros on record. It is soooooo tasty it stands the test of time.
Agreed.
I also like the solo on Night by Night
The great Larry Carlton!
Larry Carlton is the master! Don't Take me Alive is probably my favorite SD song because of Larry's incredible work....
@@royaljones5237 totally! And same here.
Can't imagine going through life without the deeply satisfying grooves of Steely Dan. This music is timeless.
Josie - Bodhisattva - Kid Charlemagne - Do It Again - Reeling In The Years - Rikki Don't Loose That Number - Dirty Work - Etc........ I think you would enjoy any random Steely Dan choice.
You are the first people I've found on TH-cam mentioning Tower of Power. I got to see them live in Oakland in the 70s, and I get the same vibe here, just like you.
steely dan, another very deep rabbit hole......LET'S GO !!!!!! I guarantee I'll follow this journey just like I'm all in for Rush !!!!
I love watching young people react to Steely Dan for the first time. They are not like anyone else, everyone else is like them. Now you know why you've seen so many other reactors doing their music. It's just so good. I'm particularly fond of the "Can't Buy a Thrill" album, it was a constant in my youth. "Only a Fool Would Say That" is my top song of theirs. "Dirty Work", the list goes on. Enjoy the rabbit hole!
YES!!!
Meg, I also really enjoy "Only A Fool Would Say That", which throws cold water on starry-eyed, exploitive politics of the 70s--or any era that you care to think of.
I have this unverified theory that they wrote it in response to John Lennon's Imagine, which I have always found exploitatively hypocritical--after fleeing to the US to avoid taxes, Lennon *sells* a song preaching no possessions. There are also possible Beatles references (Brown Shoe...) /rant. Oops, sorry! ;) PS: I just checked, and Imagine was released Sept 71, and Can't Buy A Thrill was released Nov 72, Hm... ;)
Anyway, I love Only a Fool Would Say That too! :)
Aja is pronounced like Asia. The whole album is amazing. Check out Black Cow, Deacon Blues, and Josie from this same album.
My wife and I have been bobbing our heads to The Dan, like you are now since 1977! Love to see the great music carry on through a generation. Thx for sharing - - My Big Three through the years are Deep Purple, Floyd and The Dan!! Rock on = = RIP to the musicians in each band that have passed - - your music lives on!! Merry Christmas - -
Keep digging into Steely Dan. They are the gift that keeps on giving.
There is no group tighter than Steely Dan. Aja is one of their best tunes.
This album is a masterpiece.There are no bad songs on here.It's pronounced like Asia.They are duo but they had some of the best session musicians and vocalists on their albums.Their body of work is huge.Trust the comments for recommendations.
"I Got the News" could have been trimmed, but yes . . .
Nick & Lex - Today, March 5th, 2022, my friend Marilyn came over and I put reaction videos on the big TV to show her the joy of watching folks react to new songs. She asked, "what songs are on Aja, I am not sure I remember?". So, I chose Peg, and your reaction. She loved it...but that isn't why I am writing.
Watching this again, your first reaction to my (our) favorite band, and having turned over my "Biggest Steely Dan Fan" crown to Nick, I laughed and laughed at seeing your first Steely Dan vid again.
You both are terrific. Thanks for bringing me, and Marilyn now, so much joy.
Ken
I absolutely loved this comment!! It really made us smile so wide! Thank you for all of your support and for sharing us with friends!! Much love to you and Marilyn! ❤️ - Lex
@@NicknLex Thank you Lex. I passed on your good wishes to Marilyn. I have a feeling we have brought her into the fold of Reaction Video fans.
Ken
I've heard that song hundreds of times and love it every time. Jay Graydon's guitar solo is considered one of the best in rock. Every song on Aja is a classic-one of the greatest albums ever produced-it's on my desert island list!
"Aja" is pronounced "Asia." And it is one of the absolutely greatest albums ever released. You owe it to yourself to listen to the entire album.
Ay jah
Larry Carlton was one of the most sought after session guitarists in the
1970s.
He's prominent on the song
Josie....also on Aja.
He's appeared on hundreds and hundreds of tracks.
A jazz connection can be made between
Peg and Larry Carlton's " Room 335"
As you further discover Dan ,
You'll find that the lyrics are filled with wit and are based on real people that Fagen and Becker encountered in LA. and NYC.
Lots of irony , innuendo and
Double Entendres.
I've listened to the vast majority of
Steely Dan tracks hundreds and hundreds of times.
I never tire of them and I constantly hear something new in one of their songs that I didn't notice before !!!
I know Nick is big on drum riffs.
Please listen to
Aja " I Got The News "
You won't be disappointed.
Steely Dan has a way of getting every song he does absolutely perfect the sign of old school devotion and dedication to quality music.
The ENTIRE Steely Dan discography is a “can’t miss”!
Do it, you’ll love it!
I absolutely enjoy your love of music. Your graphic enjoyment of music you have never heard is so darn infectious. Of course it is impossible not to love Steely Dan. Their attention to detail and production value is second to none. Thanks for the post.
Here's a couple of old songs I'm almost positive you'll both love. TRAFFIC - THE LOW SPARK OF HIGH-HEELED BOYS- Steve Winwood on vocals and written by him as well and then - Blind Faith - Presence of the Lord - with Steve Winwood; as well as Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Rick Grech. They were considered a supergroup!
YES! Great idea!!
So awesome you discovered Steely Dan. Better late than never. I remember my first time/exposure to Steely Dan (Rikki Don't Lose That Number). I was 11 years old (1974) and riding with my mom in the car doing errands. We both fell in love with the song. I was hooked and started pilfering through both my older brothers' albums to find Steely Dan. They got tired of asking me for them back and bought me some albums for my own collection. Good memories. ☺️
Another great one from the Aja album is "Josie". Good stuff.
The production on Steely Dan albums is always perfect. You can hear everything, clearly, so every time you listen to their music, you notice something new you never noticed before.
Steely Dan started out as a classic rock band then morphed into a band that morphed into a band that play different styles. Here is a guide.
Classic Rock style - Reeling in the years, Black Friday
Blues - Pretzel Logic, Chain Lighting
Pop - Riki Don't Lose that Number, Any Major Dude,
Country - Pearl of the Quarter, With a Gun
Reggae - Haitian Divorce
Jazz Fusion- Green Earrings
Everything else from their last 5 records is pretty jazzy with a tinge of R&B
Thanks so much for this list - super helpful! :) - Lex
@@NicknLex Chain Lightming sounds like a song you'd hear in a strip club (not that I've ever been in one)😉
@@cl8onj388 Great song. Steely Dan was always an R&B band playing jazz with rock instruments. They were pigeonholed into classic rock. But they're not.
Their music is so rich with sounds. Every note on every instrument counts. Nothing wasted or frills.
Since you guys like rock, react to Bodhisattva by Steely Dan!
The lead solo(s) on that song is/are simply amazing.
Great album from start to finish. Love the reactions to the Musicology of it all,,,,Thank you for being peaceful and open minded,
Can't wait until you do the title track of AJA. Best piece of music created in that decade. Drum solo alone will bend your brains.... Every bit of AJA track is just gorgeous.
First heard this song when I was a junior in college sitting around in a friend's dorm room. The lyric, "It's your favorite foreign movie" for some reason always stuck with me through my life. I've said this before, but I swear you two were simply born in the wrong era! You are 70's children!
We are 70’s kids at heart that’s for sure!! Thanks for your constant support! ;)
My favorite reaction videos are done by musicians who know a lot about music and react from a players perspective. You along with Alex and Andy are the only reaction videos that are relevant to me. Thanks guys, so glad I found your channel. The Aja album, pronounced Asia, is a master class in production and musical excellence. Please do more from this band and especially the title track to this album. The playing is insanely good.
Thank you for you support!
I agree. Alex n' Andy and now Nick n' Lex!
I have worked security in music venues for years and so so many professional sound engineers use Steely Dan to set the EQ for the huge sound systems because of the incredible quality of their recordings !
I can imagine!
Steely Dan was comprised of two musicians; Donald Fagen(piano/keyboard and vocal) and Walter Becker(rhythm guitar) and then a whole collection of top notch studio musicians. Probably why all their songs sound different. I would recommend the songs “Reeling in the years”, “Do it again”, “Kid Charlamagne”, “Deacon Blues”, “Don’t take me alive”, “Rikki don’t lose that number”, and many more. Enjoy! 🎸
I remember hearing all of these songs when I was a teenager in the 70’s. They still sound great.
"FM" or "AJA" the song....some of my favorites. Jazz / funk......just never call it disco! 😊
If he's Euro, Disco doesn't mean chart topping music of 77-79. It's not an insult like it is in the US.
Roger that!
@@brianmiller1077 mea culpa! I was just kidding a bit.
FM!!
You picked a great song to react to by Steely Dan. This tune is a perfect example of the combined talents of Walter Becker, Donald Fagen and the talent that they were able to assemble for this recording. Of course some of the "magic" is done in the stellar engineering and production of this song. One note.... the background vocals were done by Michael McDonald. He showed up on several of their songs.
Steely Dan is right in your wheelhouse. great musicianship with jazzy elements. A few more to check out include: Do it again, reeling in the years, Black cow, Black Friday. Kid Charlemagne, Hey Ninteen, and Fm. That will keep you going for a while.
It may sound simple, but upon close inspection, the Dan (Fagen and Becker) were always putting in layers so smoothly mixed, they go unnoticed. Go back and listen to the chorus. McDonald's vocals are used like jazz chords syncopated with the lead vocal, wrapping around, going under, supporting and blending. Genius.
I am so happy to share the funk connections, the 70s were by far the most eclectic of musical generations, and SD was one of the real fusion outfits...jazz, bluegrass, rock, disco, funk...just try and pigeon hole this beyond "lovingkindness in sound" . Thanks for the share...come on my friends...Santana, "welcome" ...70s fusion with that Latin feel...sd1...SD in total. Love you so much
So precious, to see music enthusiasts exploring new music. Really enjoyed watching it happen!! The songs of this era are threads in the fabric of my life. I was 13. My sister spent all of her allowance on albums. Thankfully, we shared a room. THIS album happens to be EXTRA special!! #MichaelMcdonaldsingsbackup I would encourage you, if you have the time, to look up the video on the making of Aja (the album). It is SO worth the time!! #restinpeaceWalterBecker Btw, Josie is Donald Fagen’s favorite...mine too!! 🎼❤️🎼
Hi guys. I'm 55 years old and I've been listening to Steely Dan since I was 14. This is an anomaly being Spanish, but a blessed anomaly. I was obsessed with that fucking bassline and that guitar solo that sounds Hawaiian at first. I can only say that any rehearsal or sound check of Steely Dan is equivalent to an entire career of any guy who calls himself a musician. Fagen and Becker are and always will be absolute geniuses. By the way, you pronounce Spanish very well and your Charvel is the same as mine, hahaha. Thanks for giving me a good time.
70's magic...... Some even put it into disco music.... Just love when youngins finally hear our music........
Love your reactions guys. You really can't go wrong with Steely Dan. (named for a marital aid) The two main creators in the band are Water Becker (RIP) and Donald Fagan. They hired the best players and were able to record them with a quality that was leaps and bounds beyond most others at the time. Steely Dan songs are still the best way to make any speaker sound good. There is a video, on youtube, of the making of this song. You get to see them explain the mixes and the different choices of solos. Cheers
Do it again... Rikki dont lose that number... My old school... Great Steely Dan tunes to start with! All killer jazzy, rocky, top of the line guitar playing Excellent hit songs!!! Do it again!!! Lol.
Would suggest listening to the entire "Aja" album, considered the best technical produced album of all time for an analog era recording. I also recommend going down the "Steely Dan" rabbit hole! So much to take in and absorb.
Their music makes us smarter!!
Also! Listen to the guitar work in this band!! Some of the most incredible guitar leads you will ever hear!!
This song will forever remind me of my mother, she just loved it. I miss her.
One more thing, here..Everyone on here is so on point, which is ALWAYS the case with SD, but take a second and zero in on Chuck Rainey's bass here..Awesome!
Their most well known song is probably 'Reelin' In The Years' from their first album. It's the song that made them famous. I wouldn't be surprised if you had heard it before.
Listen to Aja . The whole album is a blast of virtuosism , simplicity and groovy complexity .
Can't believe it's been almost a year since you discovered this Jam, so cool watching you guys, so real, not pretentious at all
Every song on this album is off-the-charts brilliant. You will become SD fan-antics before long. I envy you for being new to them- Their first album came out in1972 and I was in high school -oh to be young again
SD was loved by many, in their unique funky,jazzy vibe, but some critics and others hated them. I think that they saw the two as phony, pseudo-intellectual hipster wannabes. As you explore them you will see that their lyrics could come across as being too consciously smart and personal.
I would love to see you react to every track on Aja and then take it from there.
They were intellectuals ....with a great bent. Enviable ! ☺️☺️☺️
@@catstone8589 Yes - and that may be why some disliked them. They were not classic rock or easily categorized. For me, they were unique, with lyrics puzzling at times, but always cool, danceable and with tip musicianship. They are great to listen to while driving.
I love it you were both blown away by the greatest rock/jazz band who ever played music. They never made a bad one. EVER.
I always thought of Steely Dan as a Jazz/Pop/Rock fusion band. They were an original concept band for sure. Steely Dan mostly consisted of Donald Fagan who mostly played piano/keyboards and did vocals, Walter Becker played guitar and did some vocals and then there was a one of a kind drummer named Bernard Purdie. Probably at least 6 or 7 other singers/musicians came in and out of band on different studio sessions.
So glad you guys are giving us your reaction to newly discovered OLD school music. I was in my early twenties when this song and the album Aja came along...I'll be 70 in May this year....old stuff great stuff. Just subbed you BTW.
I found you guys listening to steely Dan on TH-cam takes me back,I’m 77yrs old so I have these albums.it is so warming see youth enjoying music I love.
If no one is aware, that is Michael McDonald doing all the background vocals. ALL of them, multitracked and layered together.
And Paul Griffin on this track!
Yeah he did. He said Fagen and Becker worked his butt off!
@@liraloo YES they did! Especially in PEG....PEG.... PEG.... 😸😸😸
How has anyone who is a music fan not heard of Steely Dan. But welcome to a whole new world.
enjoy da swim in STEELY DANS pool........its deep and clear....PEG is a great song and doesn't even make my top 20 songs by these guys.....cheers from oregon
Congratulations on your discovery of one of the most accomplished bands of all time, Steely Dan. Welcome to our bliss.
You're embarking on a great journey with Steely Dan. All of their albums are amazing and perfectly produced. Personally I have a preference for 'Pretzel Logic,' one of their early albums. You should check out 'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' and 'Pretzel Logic,' the title song. As far as the name of the band is concerned, it's probably not what you would have guessed, and a simple Google search would likely shine a light on that. Enjoy the trip.
It's disco?? Hah!
Well, you can dance to it. These guys were absolute perfectionists in the studio. All of their songs are very polished progressive jazz influence. On this track, they took their sweet time auditioning for the perfect lead guitar part turning away some incredible talent before arriving at what you now hear. They have several really great tracks.
You know the great thing about watching your reactions ... I find myself listening as if for the first time and, maybe because I'm listening more attentively than usual, I hear new, small gems in many tracks. I've listened to 'Peg' more times than I can even guess at but I never heard those little voices way in the backgroound from around 6:45 onwards :) Steely Dan, the gift that keeps on giving !!
Just start with Steely Dan's first album "Can't Buy a Thrill" and listen to every single song they ever did. There are no fillers, no bad songs. All good. Steely Dan is Walter Becker, now deceased, and Donald Fagen. Everyone else on almost all of their songs is a studio musician chosen specifically for the skill set he/she brought to each song. Walter and Donald did tour and had other members of "the band" while on tour, but otherwise, the only members of the band were Walter and Donald.
And now, Fagen’s NIGHT FLY. Not as full bodied as the oldies....but still great!
Chuck Rainey on bass. He was their go to bassist on the albums Pretzel Logic, Katy Lied, Royal Scam, Aja, and most of Gaucho. Rick Marotta on drums.
If you really want to TRULY enjoy Steely Dan, get yourselves a bottle of wine, some candles, and dance barefoot on the carpet all evening. Start with "Babylon Sisters" and then play every album, all night long.
I love seeing reactions too the music of my youth. . We had it all.
Great Rock/Jazz fusion Band. So much soul in the music. One of my favorite Bands. Such smart Lyrics.
That entire Aja album is a work of art.
This is one of My all time favorites! Steely Dan hit this one right out of the park ! This was released in 1977 as a single & then in 1978 it reached number (11) on the US billboard & reached number (8) on the cash box chart ! With a chart box run of (19) weeks ! Peg is tied with Rikki don’t lose that Number !