Current Events > Quarantine Boredom: A Review of Every Steely Dan Song

(+) Yeah! (+)

I love Steely Dan. Gonna go through their discography in order of release. Hopefully you haven't heard some of their stuff and this will be an introduction to some of the lesser known, but higher quality tunes they've done.

First Album is Can't Buy A Thrill which is also one of my favs...not a bad song anywhere really.

#1: Do It Again
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmdiKePVUy8

Okay this one is always a good way to start. I have fond memories of sitting in the backseat of our car heading out to the beach and this song always playing at some point. My parents were beach bums so it was every weekend.

The song itself has a nice groove to it. The guitar solo rocks but when the organ solo comes in, it shines. Donald [last name redacted because it contains a slur] is such a great key player. It's pretty simple, but deceptively intricate (like most Dan) and the lyrics are playful as always. My fav verse:

Now you swear and kick and beg us that you're not a gamblin' man;
Then you find you're back in Vegas with a handle in your hand
Your black cards can make you money so you hide them when you're able
In the land of milk and honey you must put them on the table

All that said, this is not even a top tier SD song imo. It's cool and it has a nostalgia for me, but I rarely listen to it anymore...probably because it was a radio hit so its overplayed.

Overall rating: 7/10

I'll update the topic whenever I have slow moments at work...so maybe once or twice a day...maybe more in the beginning. Who knows. Learn some new music during quarantine!

#2: Dirty Work
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrE_cDvcgJg

One of my favorite songs on the album. It's a song about infidelity.

You'll notice the singer is different on this one. Donald fa*an (gotta censor his name) was scared to sing live, so they called in David Palmer who has that nice high pitched vibrato-y voice which works perfect for the song.

Fav lyrics

When you need a bit of lovin'
'Cause your man is out of town
That's the time you get me runnin'
And you know I'll be around

The saxophone solo contains my favorite part...or actually its right when the solo ends and the organ has this great glissando and holds the note while it goes into the chorus for the final few times.

Rating: 8/10 this one is a top song on the album imo

Yeah it's because Fa*an was scared to sing live back then...didn't have confidence in his strange voice but it works so well for later Dan songs.

Slow day at work so I'm gonna spend it listening to the album haha

#3: Kings
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1lBLFeCgHo

Here we start to get a bit more of the "Dan sound" that is ubiquitous in later albums. It's those jazzy changes, and for my fellow musicians out there, the Mu major chords show up lightly (used very heavily in later albums).

To me, this song is a bit boring EXCEPT for that hook on the chorus. Best lyrics too

We seen the last of Good King Richard
Ring out the past his name lives on
Roll out the bones and raise up your pitcher
Raise up your glass to Good King John

The outro is strange too. Not sure if there is any significance or if its a call back to something else

Rating: 6/10 so-so but the most forgettable song on the album imo that chorus is so groovy though

#4: Midnight Cruiser
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD_DyoB4Cjs

Alright, I confess this is actually my favorite song on this album. Everything is kickass about it. The verse is melodic, the chorus is catchy and very simple and pop-y, and the guitar solo is rockin'

When the guitars harmonize...oh yeah baby. This is also the only song on the album sung by the drummer.

Best lyrics:

The world that we used to know
People tell me it don't turn no more
The places we used to go
Familiar faces that ain't smilin' like before
The time of our time has come and gone
I fear we been waiting too long

The song is about letting your prime slip by and asks where all the cool hip people are now that time has passed.

Rating: 10/10 top tier Dan song imo. Not my favorite out of their entire collection, but it's up there. They have a lot of 10/10 songs so be prepared for some biased ratings

#5: Only a Fool Would Say That
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06a19-S77F4

This one is nice a breezy. Reminds me of sippin' some cocktails in Hawaii or something. Lot of latin influence in here as well.

However it's not top tier for me. The hook is nice but it lacks the punch that comes with a lot of SD songs.

Best lyrics

I heard it was you
Talkin' 'bout a world
Where all is free
It just couldn't be
And only a fool would say that

Rating: 6/10

#6: Reelin' In The Years
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaH25Sghoqc

Okay so this is probably one you've heard if you've heard any Steely Dan. I think this was the biggest hit on the Can't Buy A Thrill album.

First, let's talk about that intro solo. I believe Elliot Randall is the guitarist there and it's so tasty. It's one of my favorite little solos to play on the guitar. The swing-y background holds it all together. The solo later on is amazing as well and Donald Fa*an's vocals work perfectly.

Lyrically, it's typical SD stuff. Favorite:

The weekend at the college
Didn't turn out like you planned
The things that pass for knowledge
I can't understand

Those last two lines are something I think about all the time lately haha.

Rating: 10/10 its a radio hit, but man is it good.

This is going to be a long topic lol.

Aint gonna do it without the fez on......

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Romes187 posted...

#6: Reelin' In The Years
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaH25Sghoqc

Okay so this is probably one you've heard if you've heard any Steely Dan. I think this was the biggest hit on the Can't Buy A Thrill album.

First, let's talk about that intro solo. I believe Elliot Randall is the guitarist there and it's so tasty. It's one of my favorite little solos to play on the guitar. The swing-y background holds it all together. The solo later on is amazing as well and Donald Fa*an's vocals work perfectly.

Lyrically, it's typical SD stuff. Favorite:

The weekend at the college
Didn't turn out like you planned
The things that pass for knowledge
I can't understand

Those last two lines are something I think about all the time lately haha.

Rating: 10/10 its a radio hit, but man is it good.

The guitar tone on this song is one of the most polarizing for guitar players, I find. Some think it sounds amazing, others think it sounds like he's trying to play through a kazoo lol. I think I read once that the guitarist came into the studio and they had a bass amp there and he just plugged straight into that and played, maybe just cranked the amp up and that's it? Which is weird to me because it sounds a bit like a fuzz pedal is being used or something else. The bass amp part isn't that weird because it wasn't uncommon for guitarists to play through the Fender Bassman and it was later repurposed as a guitar amp too.

Obviously some great leads either way, and a very fun driving bassline.

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Fuck yeah, this is my kinda topic.

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Just enough time before my meeting to get one more in

#7: Fire In The Hole
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PwkU4nsJM8

I think Fire In The Hole is the Hidden Gem of the album (I'll do one hidden gem per album). The piano work is the best and it's so sinister sounding, especially that intro and piano solo.

This song is actually about people ditching 'nam back then...didn't know that until recently. But I could listen to those piano lines all day long when the piano solo hits.

Fav lyrics:

I decline
To walk the line
They tell me that I'm lazy
Worldly wise
I realize
That everybody's crazy
A woman's voice reminds me
To serve and not to speak
Am I myself or just another freak

Rating: 9/10 won't be for everyone but I think its an underrated SD tune

lol steely dan. the most nondescript band ever. don't really hear anyone say they love the band. or hate them. they just are steely dan.

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Conflict posted...

Rate Black Friday next

I'm going through in order of album and in order of song on album so you'll have to wait a bit. But we'll get there

krazychao5 posted...

lol steely dan. the most nondescript band ever. don't really hear anyone say they love the band. or hate them. they just are steely dan.

Eh in musician circles they're pretty unanimously appreciated. The song writing is just too intricate not to enjoy.

I won five bucks off an old dude because he didn't believe me when I said Michael McDonald was in Steely Dan

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DuranOfForcena posted...

uh well this is just plain wrong

you know people that hate them?

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jeffhardyb0yz posted...

Do it again is my favorite song from them. I also have a guilty pleasure for Peg

No guilty pleasure needed, "Peg" is a great song

#8: Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO4I10PeweI

The steel guitar in this one is what makes it so great imo. This is one of those songs you can put on with some rain outside and browse the web. Nice easy listening background music. I really like how this one jumps right into it, very similar to Reelin' in the years.

David Palmer again on the vocals which gives that nice high pitched vibratos throughout

Best lyrics

A tower room at Eden Rock
His golf at noon for free
Brooklyn owes the charmer
Under me

Rating: 8.5/10 I want my golf at noon for free

Tag. I love Steely Dan. Found an Aja vinyl at a flea market in perfect condition a little while back

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Almost done with this album so I'll finish up the last two songs now

#9: Change of The Guard
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roLIYw8Ov_I

The subject of this song is deep and interesting for the time, but the music itself is just okay. I like the tambourine in this song for some reason. Really stands out to me when it comes in. And the intro riff is definitely alluding to some of their later tunes.

I'd say much of the song is a bit boring...nothing too fancy in the verse. But the guitar solo is groovin' and ends with a p badass pick slide...and those are always cool with me

Fav lyrics

All you cowboys and your neighbors
Can you swallow up your pride?
Take your guns off, if you're willin'
And you know we're on your side

Rating: 6/10 thankfully it's near the end of the album so you can't be turned away too early thinking all their songs are of this quality

#10: Turn That Heartbeat Over Again
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSfiPrhpeF8

Yikes I'll have to admit these last two songs on the album really fall flat compared to the earlier tunes. Seems as though they wanted to start strong and end softly. Maybe its because people actually listened to entire albums back then, instead of being so single focused like we are now, so they figured give a good first impression and that's all you need.

Favorite lyrics:

I don't even know because I can't really tell what this song is about...I think it's about someone who wants to commit a robbery and maybe ends up killing someone on accident but hard to tell

Rating: 5/10 Feel free to skip it if you listen through the album

Album rating: 8/10. Great premier with some classic songs. However, we haven't gotten to the true "Steely Dan" sound yet.

Next Album (probably start tomorrow): Countdown to Ecstasy

Meh, got a good workout in, did my webcast presentation, and done with today early. Let's jump right into it

A quick word on the album and it's name (which flows into the first song). Countdown to Ecstasy is a jokey title about people's attempt to gain spiritual enlightenment. Also, I am spelling Donald Fa*en's name wrong...had it as "an" but its "en".

Song #1: Bodhisattva
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRdj9eTp6X0

They open hard on the album baby. The bluesy driven bass...the clapping...the ridiculous guitar solo. You might be wondering what the song is about. SD tends to have a lot of ironic lyrics discussing (making fun of)...hmm coastal elite life back in the 70's. Almost a bonfire of the vanities esque style. And so with the countdown to ecstasy theme, we see someone who wants to sell all of their property in hopes that it'll get them to the state of enlightenment they so desperately want.

Favorite Lyrics:

Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva
I'm gonna sell my house in town
Bodhisattva
I'm gonna sell my house in town

But really, just listen to it for the dirty ass guitar solo. I remember learning the first 30 seconds or so and really having to build up to speed since some of those runs are ridiculously difficult. Great tune.

Rating: 9/10 Love this one.

Oh...and that outro riff at the very end...yeah bby

Taggity tag tag

Kings is probably my fave from their first album.

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