This album is an absolute masterpiece. There are no "fillers" on AJA. The recording, mixing and production are of the highest standard. It's pure magic.
Yes one of the few perfect albums -- no filler, nothing is skippable. Well written, arranged, and performed throughout. Blown away by this when I was in high school. Still love it.
@@sourisvoleur4854 I was still in college when this album came out so I had a horrible stereo system. It wasn't until I graduated ahd had a job that I was able to truly listen to them on a good system with a great set of headphones. I really noticed a HUGE difference with the headphones. I heard instruements that I did not even know were on the record. Take care.
@@maureenwagg5305 I first bought this on a regular vinyl then a couple of years later a company called Mobile Fidelity came out with this. It was supposedly the best version of a vinyl record at that time.
It's a crime that people are hearing this greatness for the first time after 46 years of being released..After all they were only the best LA studio and sessions players that ever walked the planet..
They are the finest musicians. I didn’t realize it as a child, but man, I grew up with the greatest music. Took it for granted, at the time. Something’s definitely been lost since then.
I mentioned in an earlier post that when Steely Dan was putting out great music like this... I had a cheap music system and did not realize just how talented the studio musicians they hired were. In fact some of the intruments sounded muddled on my crappy sytem.
Big fan of the Dan here. Love this song so much that I named my first daughter after it. My old lady was so cool about that, as long as we name our second daughter "Sadie." No problem here...I love the Beatles too...😄
From their 1977 album, Aja, this was the third single released. Josie is the popular girl in this blue collar neighborhood who all the boys desire. Timothy B. Schmidt sang backup vocals on this cut. The many jazz chords, the Funky steady beat, the quintessential Steely Dan vocals and the great hooks in the chorus made this a very memorable tune. It reached Number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100's chart. Great reaction Harri. Thanks Harri and Neal. 👏👏 Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦
Donald Fagen and the late Walter Becker were placed on this mortal plane to remind us how little the rest of us know about music composition and its execution.
You and me both! I can listen to SD all day, all night! The pleasure was mine - just being a messenger and sharing great music. Any nice words I mentioned regarding you are well-deserved. You're a lady, you got class, and you're thoughtful to leave nice comments. Thank YOU, Diane!
I have great memories of this album being played at many parties in 1977. The whole LP has such a groove and created such a great vibe at these parties. Another testament to its greatness is that this LP was played at so many, many concerts before and between acts.
I love seeing reaction,s, from the younger one,s! I bought this album in Sept 1977,I was 18, and man I wore that album out. They,ve been my favorite band since 74! I was fortunate to see them live in 2014 man what a show! The album AJA, has gone down as a masterpiece,of masterpieces/ The Gaucho album is also fantastic!! Clayton
The Dan has a jazz influence throughout their catalog to various degrees. Aja (the album) is drenched in jazz. Our local jazz/NPR station has (or at least used to when I was a more regular listener) the title track of this album on its regular rotation. That's how jazzy their program director finds it.
The Bass on this one is by the legendary Chuck Rainey & the electric piano is by jazz master Victor Feldman. The Dan were jazz aficionados and produced a great duet album by Pete Christlieb & Warne Marsh called Apogee you should check it out. Both are master saxophonists. The Aja album was what I consider to be My 20th birthday present. It hasn't been off My playlist for nearly 46 years.
One of The Dan's "rock-est" tunes even though it's vague flamenco seasoning comes from its forays into the Phrygian scale. One of the stand-outs on "Aja," their masterpiece. Walter Becker plays the solos even with Larry Carlton and Dean Parks also in the guitar chorus. Thanks Neal and Harri.
Harri your reviews are Spot On!👍I’ve been a fan of Steely Dan since I was 15 in 1972! I’d recommend checking out their album the. Royal Scam, another Masterpiece! A couple personal favorites I’d suggest are Black Friday, and The Fez
They were one of a kind. That entire album is great. SD is still my favorite driving music when I have many miles to cover. There a longer YT video that tells the tale of making this album. There was just the two main guys in SD, and the other musicians changed often (even just on this album), the list of which will amaze you.
Oh yah! Take me back to high school and my early 20's when I moved beyond my high school music. Steely Dan (Donald Fagen and Walter Becker) surpassed Lennon and McCartney in terms of song writing, with Donald and Walter way ahead of them in terms of sophistication. Be sure to listen to their final collaboration, "Everything Must Go". Perfection!!! They fused rock, soul, jazz, and then some. Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach were channeled through this unequaled duo. Donald Fagen is Mozart, and Walter Becker (RIP) fills in the rest. True musical genius! I am so blessed to have grown up during this era.
Sorry Harry if you know SD, Their lyrics are never disclosed, its up to you to take as you interpret them. I can remember back in the 80's a critic for Rolling Stone Magazine put it well, something like; "We never really know whats going on in a SD song, but what we do know is that someone is doing something that they shouldn't be doing"...LOL Thanks for your reactions always enjoy it. ....please do more SD
LIVE SD has to be listened to to really appreciate them. Jorge Watanabe live sittiung in on 3rd World man, greatest guitar work and solo ever. Hard to find
Donald Fagan + Walter Becker and the best studio musicians available at the time = MAGIC. Larry Carlton, Steve Gadd, David Palmer and Michele McDonald are just a few that added to their sound and success.
I'd like to request, or suggest, another group, clasically trained- Emerson Lake and Palmer, not "Lucky Man", but a deeper cut, (First) Take a Pebble. I have I think seen only two others react to this.
Typical Steely Dan. Steely Dan has only two permanent members. (Walter Becker and Donald Fagan) They would gather the best musicians and record an album. They rarely used the same people on different records albums. Skunk Baxter was an exception who also played with The Doobie Brothers.
You sit through the intro riff, one of the most creative and alarming riffs in modern music, with no reaction. I'm laughing. Just another person who thinks their "reaction" provides some kind of insight.
This album is an absolute masterpiece. There are no "fillers" on AJA. The recording, mixing and production are of the highest standard. It's pure magic.
Yes one of the few perfect albums -- no filler, nothing is skippable. Well written, arranged, and performed throughout. Blown away by this when I was in high school. Still love it.
@@sourisvoleur4854 I was still in college when this album came out so I had a horrible stereo system. It wasn't until I graduated ahd had a job that I was able to truly listen to them on a good system with a great set of headphones. I really noticed a HUGE difference with the headphones. I heard instruements that I did not even know were on the record. Take care.
I have it in yellow vinyl lol Great album. Total classic.
@@maureenwagg5305 I first bought this on a regular vinyl then a couple of years later a company called Mobile Fidelity came out with this. It was supposedly the best version of a vinyl record at that time.
No fillers, just thrillers 😂
Kid Charlemagne, My Old School, Peg, FM, Deacon Blues, Black Cow and way to many more to mention. The Steely Dan catalog is endless!
Harri has reacted to several of the songs you listed...do a search on his channel's page.
Steely Dan: beautiful music, cryptic lyrics , incredible musicianship and brilliant production.
It's a crime that people are hearing this greatness for the first time after 46 years of being released..After all they were only the best LA studio and sessions players that ever walked the planet..
Steely Dan is a Rock/Jazz fusion Band. with Funk and Soul as well.
Love this Band.
They are the finest musicians. I didn’t realize it as a child, but man, I grew up with the greatest music. Took it for granted, at the time. Something’s definitely been lost since then.
So much great music released in the 70's just didn't realise at the time that it wouldn't get any better.
I mentioned in an earlier post that when Steely Dan was putting out great music like this... I had a cheap music system and did not realize just how talented the studio musicians they hired were. In fact some of the intruments sounded muddled on my crappy sytem.
Donald Fagen's voice is unique. He's a songwriting genius as well.
"Josie" was a big hit in the 1970's. I'm very happy that a band like Steely Dan is successful here in the United States.
Big fan of the Dan here. Love this song so much that I named my first daughter after it. My old lady was so cool about that, as long as we name our second daughter "Sadie." No problem here...I love the Beatles too...😄
Aja album is one of the best pop albums of all time production values are insane that’s Steely Dan !
Steely Dan music. Bring it on!
No matter what album is ,I can listen to Steely Dan over an over again ... Great song!!!
Back in those days I was a hard rocker, but it was impossible to not be into the groove, and musicianship of steely Dan. Great memories!
Legendary album with the finest session musicians of the day. "Break out the hats and hooters" for this one.
Hooters can be taken literally or a hooter is a joint. Lol js
The album Aja is a masterpiece!
💖🎶
The entire Album is ear candy
You got that steely Dan look when you’re listening, into their groove instantly. An inexplicable comfortable feeling 💕
Huge Steely Dan fan, and this is one of my favorites. Nothing like it.
From their 1977 album, Aja, this was the third single released. Josie is the popular girl in this blue collar neighborhood who all the boys desire. Timothy B. Schmidt sang backup vocals on this cut.
The many jazz chords, the Funky steady beat, the quintessential Steely Dan vocals and the great hooks in the chorus made this a very memorable tune. It reached Number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100's chart. Great reaction Harri. Thanks Harri and Neal. 👏👏 Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦
Tim sung for a few songs of Steely Dan background, also for America and Toto at that time. Aja was a real masterpiece !!
Yes, I agree. Finest musicians. This is a killer album.
Donald Fagen and the late Walter Becker were placed on this mortal plane to remind us how little the rest of us know about music composition and its execution.
The great Jim Keltner on drums. SD are immaculate.
Love this one. So funky!!’
I love Steely Dan and such a fantastic song by them. Thank you Neal and for the nice words that I received from a mutual friend.
You and me both! I can listen to SD all day, all night! The pleasure was mine - just being a messenger and sharing great music. Any nice words I mentioned regarding you are well-deserved. You're a lady, you got class, and you're thoughtful to leave nice comments. Thank YOU, Diane!
Heard this on the way home from work a few hours ago! 😚👍👍👍👍👍
Yep i am proud boomer, and thats from my era real music and rock to Rb !
I have great memories of this album being played at many parties in 1977. The whole LP has such a groove and created such a great vibe at these parties. Another testament to its greatness is that this LP was played at so many, many concerts before and between acts.
Fm,josie,peg...my 3 fave Dan songs after 50years of listening to them.
I love to see young people discovering Steely Dan, I been listening to Steely Dan since 1977 and my first " cassette " was AJA .
I love seeing reaction,s, from the younger one,s! I bought this album in Sept 1977,I was 18, and man I wore that album out. They,ve been my favorite band since 74! I was fortunate to see them live in 2014 man what a show! The album AJA, has gone down as a masterpiece,of masterpieces/ The Gaucho album is also fantastic!! Clayton
The Dan has a jazz influence throughout their catalog to various degrees. Aja (the album) is drenched in jazz. Our local jazz/NPR station has (or at least used to when I was a more regular listener) the title track of this album on its regular rotation. That's how jazzy their program director finds it.
It's just beautiful.
Best jam going by the DAN!
such a great album. My favorite song on AJA
Thanks for keeping great music alive!
Background singing also the voice of Tim B. Schmit of the Eagles. He was BTW background singing on 3 songs of the epic and amazing album "Aja" !!!
The Bass on this one is by the legendary Chuck Rainey & the electric piano is by jazz master Victor Feldman. The Dan were jazz aficionados and produced a great duet album by Pete Christlieb & Warne Marsh called Apogee you should check it out. Both are master saxophonists.
The Aja album was what I consider to be My 20th birthday present. It hasn't been off My playlist for nearly 46 years.
DEACON BLUES & HOME AT LAST
Great tunes !!!!!!! 😘
One of The Dan's "rock-est" tunes even though it's vague flamenco seasoning comes from its forays into the Phrygian scale. One of the stand-outs on "Aja," their masterpiece. Walter Becker plays the solos even with Larry Carlton and Dean Parks also in the guitar chorus. Thanks Neal and Harri.
Neal - Terrific choice for submission, especially for those who have never heard of Steely Dan. 👋 Well done, Harri, you're the best!
Such a great song Neal and not a bad reaction from Harri either.
The mystery of Josie lives on
Harri your reviews are Spot On!👍I’ve been a fan of Steely Dan since I was 15 in 1972! I’d recommend checking out their album the. Royal Scam, another Masterpiece! A couple personal favorites I’d suggest are Black Friday, and The Fez
Jammmmm!!!!!
They were one of a kind. That entire album is great. SD is still my favorite driving music when I have many miles to cover. There a longer YT video that tells the tale of making this album. There was just the two main guys in SD, and the other musicians changed often (even just on this album), the list of which will amaze you.
I have always thought of this as Punk Rock Steely Dan style.
You're gonna love it....!
Steely Dan isn't pop music. You feel jazz because it is jazz influenced. It's only one of many jazz influenced songs they do on this album.
Oh yah! Take me back to high school and my early 20's when I moved beyond my high school music. Steely Dan (Donald Fagen and Walter Becker) surpassed Lennon and McCartney in terms of song writing, with Donald and Walter way ahead of them in terms of sophistication. Be sure to listen to their final collaboration, "Everything Must Go". Perfection!!! They fused rock, soul, jazz, and then some. Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach were channeled through this unequaled duo. Donald Fagen is Mozart, and Walter Becker (RIP) fills in the rest. True musical genius! I am so blessed to have grown up during this era.
I love you. You are best man I know.
We all have a Josie...
Definitely a jazz influence
You're listening to music of perfectionists, but I feel my words are not necessary.😉
Sorry Harry if you know SD, Their lyrics are never disclosed, its up to you to take as you interpret them. I can remember back in the 80's a critic for Rolling Stone Magazine put it well, something like; "We never really know whats going on in a SD song, but what we do know is that someone is doing something that they shouldn't be doing"...LOL Thanks for your reactions always enjoy it. ....please do more SD
Josie -Steely Dan
We're gonna break out the hats and hooters
When Josie comes home
We're gonna rev up the motor scooters
When Josie comes home to stay
We're gonna park in the street
Sleep on the beach and make it
Throw down the jam till the girls say when
Lay down the law and break it
When Josie comes home
When Josie comes home
So good
She's the pride of the neighborhood
She's the raw flame
The live wire
She prays like a roman
With her eyes on fire, oh
Jo would you love to scrapple
She'll never say no
Shine up the battle apple
We'll shake 'em all down tonight
We're gonna mix in the street
Strike at the stroke of midnight
Dance on the bones till the girls say when
Pick up what's left by daylight
When Josie comes home
When Josie comes home
So bad
She's the best friend we ever had
She's the raw flame
The live wire
She prays like a roman
With her eyes on fire
When Josie comes home
So good
She's the pride of the neighborhood
She's the raw flame
The live wire
She prays like a roman
With her eyes on fire
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Donald Jay Fagen / Walter Carl Becker
Josie lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Hard to find fault with the girl of the neighborhood who takes care of everyone orally.
Lyrix...sex, drugs (smuggling, dealing , usage) R&R and surely politrix (The Royal Skam), I've been extremely immersed in SD land since 70's..NJOY😎👏🏽🦊
Reminds me of The Outlaw Josey Wales
mozart
Beethoven
bach
would all say... look what we've done.... love it
" Bad Sneakers " on another brilliant album.
LIVE SD has to be listened to to really appreciate them. Jorge Watanabe live sittiung in on 3rd World man, greatest guitar work and solo ever. Hard to find
Donald Fagan + Walter Becker and the best studio musicians available at the time = MAGIC. Larry Carlton, Steve Gadd, David Palmer and Michele McDonald are just a few that added to their sound and success.
Aja is their masterpiece, however, Gaucho, which followed it is pretty special too.
I'd like to request, or suggest, another group, clasically trained- Emerson Lake and Palmer, not "Lucky Man", but a deeper cut, (First) Take a Pebble. I have I think seen only two others react to this.
It would be great if you would listen to Deacon Blues by Steely Dan Love your reactions to bands and their music legacies :)
th-cam.com/video/Ctuft_c7N2M/w-d-xo.html
Excellent Band.. Julian Lennon really liked them
"Any Major Dude Will Tell You" to listen To "Black Cow" and "Night By Night"....!
th-cam.com/video/Ctuft_c7N2M/w-d-xo.html
Not a bad song on this album. 😂
Is it jazz? Is it funk? Is it pop? Is it rock? It’s Steely Dan! The lyrics are scandalous by the way…🖖🏼
He likes it. Harri likes it!!!! Apologies to Mikey and that cereal commercial.
Dive headfirst into SD.
Try Marcus King Band "Rita's Gone"
how about Green Earrings by Steely Dan ?
Careful! There are several tracks on this album that are better in my opinion. It's not a rabbit hole, it's a canyon!
A lot of them have already been reacted to! Dig a little deeper into the rabbit hole!!
Oh now you've gone and picked a rabbit hole and a half. Dive on in. They don't make a bad song.
Harri has reacted to at least half of Steely Dan/Donald Fagen catalog
Very much Jazz infused
Typical Steely Dan. Steely Dan has only two permanent members. (Walter Becker and Donald Fagan) They would gather the best musicians and record an album. They rarely used the same people on different records albums. Skunk Baxter was an exception who also played with The Doobie Brothers.
You sit through the intro riff, one of the most creative and alarming riffs in modern music, with no reaction. I'm laughing. Just another person who thinks their "reaction" provides some kind of insight.
your beard is weird
Harri has impeccable taste always living the music and incisive critiquing ut as only he can. Keep it up dude. ❤