This is what happens when you bring together the best session musicians selected for their individual skills applied where they are best suited to the structure and style of a song. I've heard this album took a long time to put together because they sought perfection first and foremost, but then wanted it to sound less rigid and forced. The result is the smoothness you refer to. The entire album is a delight to listen to for that reason. It's the essential jazz/rock fusion album from the band that stood at the forefront of the movement.
If you haven't seen it, that BBC documentary on this album is KILLER. I've seen it a few times, well worth your time brother! Also Rick Beato's "What makes this song great!" look at this song from a producers POV is brilliant!!
This is my favorite Steely Dan song and I've heard it a million times and it still gives me chills and makes me want to cry when I see someone new digging it for the first time.
I crawl like a viper through these suburban Streets Make love to these women languid and bittersweet is one of the best lines in any song Languid means "(of a person, manner, or gesture) having or showing a disinclination for physical exertion or effort." The perfect word for that sentiment.
FINALLY!!! I listen to this entire album each morning on my drive to work. It keeps me relaxed and the Carpool Karaoke puts me in a good mood for the hell of working. Between Aja and The Royal Scam their two best albums, IMO. I prefer Aja cuz I’m really a jazz guy at heart. Thank you for posting this before the holiday weekend. Nice way to start. On another subject, check out Starcastle, Lady of the Lake. They are almost a clone for a group we love with a name that is the opposite of the word. NO.😄😄👍👍🔥🔥. Have a great July 4th and don’t forget to wash your hands and don’t touch your face.
@@realbser1956 Wow....Starcastle. I haven't heard anyone mention THAT name in, literally, decades. The only album of theirs I ever heard was Fountains of Light - the recording was given to me by a fellow Yes fan precisely because of their similarities...but I was never driven to seek out more because they struck me as just a very thin-sounding, pale imitation.
I love this song so much. Steely Dan is the group of my life. Particularly with this song. I heard it so many times on the radio when I was a teenager ... after I put on a big sound from Public Enemy, because at this age you want to prove that you are a great man who likes hard sound, not a smooth music lover.
Don't ever listen to something because others think one way or another. I know you're citing your youth when you say that.... but old habits die hard. How many chicks did I potentially chase off listening to Frank Zappa, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Nice, The Kinks, The Doors, ect. ? WHO CARES !!!!! LOL 😎
Oh wow! I definitely bought this album! I mean,, 8 TRACK. LOL Soo good. I was 17 that summer, ahh, good times! This was the summer my friends and I drove to the beach every Saturday in July and August to either Newport Beach, or Costa Mesa. About 100 miles from home, Palm Springs CA. I had bought a nice 68 Mustang the previous fall. We always took the stang because it was nicer than my buddies cars, and it was absolutely reliable. Heard this song SOO many times on those drives to the beach. I still have the car, 44 years now! Still in great shape, still on the road. LOL. Every song on this album is fantastic. Love Steely Dan. Another song out at the same time was BAKER STREET by Gerry Rafferty, you definitely should check that out.
I grew up in the 70s, and I love these guys for so many different reasons. As a musician myself, I'm not only in awe of their musical abilities, but the lyrics are never what you think they're going to be. The Jazz/ Rock fusion is unmatched in my opinion. People say you'll either love Steely Dan, or Hate them. I've already said on which side of the issue I'm on. Thanks JP
I love watching reactions of this song. This is the pinnacle of songwriting to me. The flawless sound and instrumentation coupled with lyrics that tells a story you just happily sink deeper into for each new phrase, all delivered in such a classy and relaxed (but groovy) manner. It's like a fine but understated wine, it takes 'something' from the listener to really notice the brilliance on display. The essence of true romance - to my ears!
You may want to get hold of Donald Fagen's 1st solo album 'The Nightfly' lay down and listen to it in it's entirety, you will thank him. Nice reaction to a great song!
Yay! You need to listen to this whole album for sure. My personal favorites are Aja, The Royal Scam, and Gaucho, but their whole catalog is worth listening to !
Used to pop this in my 8-track player, go see an artist friend with a massive record collection ( which I spent tons of cash reproducing in the 90s, worked near a great record shop) and he’d be playing it too. From then on it was in my DNA, I gotta play it periodically. Like today. Many blame SD in this time period for birthing smooth jazz, for better or for worse, a sound that was everywhere. My purist praise for choosing this song, others have done it and loved it but none have had the personal connection you felt. Yes, my shoulders were swaying and my head bopping to drums, guitar or sax, so good. Sorry if you don’t care for this song, more for me! Any song from Aja is a welcome treat and an album review would be heaven. Afterward, seeing the making of Aja video is a must... even with the issue a missing drummer, Steve Gadd. Any info on that situation would be cool. Have a great day erbody, With defunding and other weird choices going on, masks are proven to help against the virus. So pls wear them for you and your peeps, Peace and smooth Music
I'm on Steely Dan overload these days, they play at the supermarket all the time. When Aja first came out I thought the whole album was weak. What did I know, I was a kid. Today I can count on three fingers how many Steely Dan songs I don't like. Excellent group. You're doing a great job, good luck with the dishwasher. I have 2 words for you, paper plates.
The Dan were renowned for meticulousness. They would hire a well-known guitar player, let him play an entire afternoon in their studio and afterwards used a snippet of maybe twenty seconds. Another thing is Fagen doesn't like synths very much, they make him feel like his head is in a vise. So it's down to super musicians like Purdie, Wayne Shorter, Dean Parks and a host of others to come up with the goods. For a structurally interesting song, check out "West of Hollywood" from Two Against Nature (2000), which features a smoking sax.
I used to put this album on every night. before bed. At the time I was playing baseball in a Jr.College. away from home and this was such a smooth album it made me feel comfortable instead of missing home that was in 78. Drinking and driving wasn't quite the offense it is now. It wasn't until MADD (Mothers against drunk drivers) Alabama football team is and always a great team a known as Crimson Tide. Deacon Blue was a play onCrimson Tide
One of my friends gave me the album Pretzel Logic as a present back in 1974 and introduced me to the wonderful world of Steely Dan. I owe that guy a lot.
Now that your album reactions are coming back , I’m hoping Aja will become one of those reviewed albums It’s on a very short list of ‘desert island ‘ albums for me - this is a true sonic masterpiece This is an album people still play to demo / test audio equipment Couple of other tracks not from Aja that you should check out : Kid Charlemagne , Babylon Sisters , FM , Don’t Take Me Alive and King of the World IMO , King of the World is an underrated gem It’s about living in a post nuclear apocalyptic America. The groove will hook you right away and it just oozes the dark sarcasm that Steely Dan is famous for
Always a quality review, Justin. I saw The Dan twice, the second time in Atlantic City with their former band member & backing vocalist on the bill with them- Michael McDonald. I was very aware of their association and was elated about it- like it was a historical musical event... but consider, too- I had a raging pain killer addiction at the time. And listened to a boatload of Dan back then...😎
I’ve seen the chart for this and recall there are about 45 different chords. Yeah. Walter Becker singled this one out as special. That’s him playing bass. Shortly after this album, Becker and Fagen produced a Pete Christlieb album with the Wayne Marsh Quartet called Apogee.
Just giving the track Rapunzel my ear, a Becker/Fagen composition which is pretty straight up post-Bop. Well I knew they had it in them but I hadn't actually seen it in the flesh, so thanks for your post, man :D
I think, with SD, it is smooth, but so much more..It's also very sophisticated, and extremely painstakingly thought out, and always produced incredibly well..Their lyrics always seem to fit the music perfectly, and never reveal themselves upon first listen. Often times never, because, like all great songwriters, lyrics can come from a very personal place, leaving you to take from it what you will...One thing you will always get from SD is that they never fake it...It's always purely them, and never taken from anyone else..I have never tired of them, which for me, makes them timeless.
One of my favorite Bands, Albums and Songs. They were masters of crafting music by infusing Progressive Jazz, R& B, Pop and Rock in perfect proportion.. More Aja please!
As a hack guitarist who worked out the changes with the songbook, this is a piece of work I tell ya. The move from the solo back to the intro is butter.
Perfect song! Perfect album! Perfect band!! I wish they weren’t lumped in with so called “yacht rock” as they are so much more than just smooth vibes. (I hate most yacht rock, btw). They’re my favorite band AND I also love The Stones, The Clash, Television, Hüsker Dü, etc. Some people seem to think it’s one or the other.
When this album was released I liked it instantly, but this song not so much. I'm not sure why, maybe too pop for where I was at that time, or I was just too young to appreciate what they were doing. But every time I played it I found something new in it. Within 12-18 months I loved it. Today I consider it a perfect pop record. The Aja album is probably the cleanest, best produced album ever. A true masterpiece.
Great to hear SD and in particular Deacon Blues. Got to admit all Steely Dan is all to me. Superb composition. There are many interpretations of the lyrics and they are jumbled with Don's and Walter's personal life experiences, we are led to believe - all the way from the sixties onwards. I can't stop listening to them since 1976! Now I'm 73! My end will be accompanied by Deacon Blue. My wishes are recorded. ...now wheres my SD albums!! Birmingham UK
It seems unthinkable to me now, but I used to hate Steely Dan. My taste has matured, (thankfully) and I love their stuff! This one is so smooth and somehow sounds effortless; it just comes so naturally to them. Incredible!
Love that you're gettin' it, Justin! "Perfect song for a Sunday" really echoes what I was saying in your last SD reaction, when I said SD was the music I put on to listen to when I ride the Pinellas Trail on the Gulf Coast, soaking in the sights, the water, the weather, etc... we're so blessed to have as Floridians. As to this song itself, Fagen called it an anthem to epic loserdome, which you can take however you want, but to me it's always been a song about winning by being your own man, regardless of how others may see it, and getting out and living your life: "I cried when I wrote this song, sue me if I play too long, this brother is free, I'll be what I want to be." Even the first verse, "I gazed through the glass at ramblers, wild gamblers, that's all in the past." To me, that's him saying "I'm not going to live by the rules others have set anymore." That is to say, others may see you as a loser for doing this or that. They may only be able to associate being a winner with the Alabama Crimson Tide national championship seasons, but there's a victory to be had even if you're having a Wake Forest Demon Deacon 1-11 season. So long as you live your life your way, and live it for you, you're a winner, even if others will see you as a loser. Now, just out of curiosity, is there any Steely Dan on your play lists?
This is my favorite song. It has been since 1977. I appreciate the attention you’ve observed & brought to it. The melody, the sax, genius lyrics in many of the Steely Dan songs. Kevin Fagan & Walter Becker & the Steely Dan group will remain my all time favorites. About to go out walking with my air pods & listen to so many of their albums. Seen them live many times. Yes, 7 minutes, seems like 4 bc you don’t want it to end. Nice tribute & observation! Check them out if you haven’t. You’ll be glad you did!!😊Thanks again!
You need to listen to the remainder of the album Justin! You said it perfectly, that this kind of music you can either let do its thing in the background and let it wash over you, or you can give it much more attention. Love Steely Dan. So smooth yet supremely technical and accomplished. - Aja (the album) is widely regarded as their best, but possibly not my favourite overall. Their best albums for me were probably Pretzel Logic and The Royal Scam.
I remember working night shift at Hartsfield International Airport back in the 90s working at checkpoint, and I was on break and this particular piece of Steely Dan came on over the PA system and this took me all the way back to the first time I ever heard it when it was first released period, and I've been hooked ever since. Years later when I worked security for a medical office building here in Atlanta ., they let security program the music selection for the PA system overnight and on weekends. Steely Dan was the unanimous choice
Yes, definitely one of the greatest 70s albums, it's all good! Was excited to see this title up! Aja is indeed a great song too. Again they are all very good. Keep the videos coming!
Suburban everyday man with fantasies of being more than he is, in this case a jazz saxophonist ...essentially a walter mitty life,,, one of, if not my favorite sd song ...love your reactions so far!
"This brother is free, I'll be what I want to be" It's sad to think that you younger people weren't around when this was released...Crusing in your car, your poison of choice, just chilling...Do that a couple hundred times and you know what life is about. :)
Deacon Blues prompted me to listen to Dignity by the band Deacon Blue. It failed to chart when first released in1987. Got to about 30 when re-released. Their biggest chart failure, and their greatest success. Audiences love it. The band played it at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and as the final song of their concerts. Its one of those songs that everyone knows the words to and one of the few that I could listen to every day.
Hi JP! You ´re right, right now I'm cooking lamb with white wine and a great mix of vegetables and listening to this fantastic music that helps me to make an even more delicious lunch, I already repeated your video 5 times LOL
While I'm not really able to pick a favorite SD song (there are too many lol), for some reason this one's always the first to pop up in my mind when SD is mentioned. It's just so damn perfect. Those cool guitar licks in the background and then that smooooth sax ! Damn I love it :)
The beautiful sound and textures of Steely Dan. All of their Albums though songs are different the over all tone. Simply said is just Plain Groovy. There are so many songs too choose from you can't go wrong. Just turn down the lights with good friends and toast they're excistence... After all this is "Steely Dan"...✌
I waited to pour a glass of bourbon before I saw your new video. Steely Dan is my desert island band so I am so glad you enjoyed Deacon Blues. Black Cow, Peg, Josie, Home At Last, are all excellent next. The Rock/Jazz platform is the best. They are the only ones that pull it off AND....with perfection.
There was a period in 1977 -79 when Michael McDonald was everybody's back up artist. This is particularly noticeable on Steely Dan's Aja, Kenny Loggins' Keep the Fire , and the Doobie Brother's Minute by Minute album's that ran concurrently in popularity. The production values on all three were so smooth it almost seemed like the same guy was producing all three because they use used similar musicians and vocalists backing. Michael McDonald was a major reason for this.
This band and The Smiths are the 2 I listen to most these days, always looking for new reactions to their songs. I enjoy your explorations into unknown (for you) music because you know how to listen. Your reaction to 'Knife-Edge' by ELP yesterday was also very welcome, one of the best bands ever.
I love this song, and I think their smooth stuff is great! They have a tone of stuff that sounds very different though, so you should check out some of their other albums as well!
"Deacon Blues" is all about Wake Forest College. They are the "Deacons" "Call me Deacon Blues". Cuz they don't win often, but.... "They call Alabama the Crimson Tide.... call me Deacon Blues."
Justin My Man!! Well done!! Aja has to be ranked way up there as one of the best albums of all time!! I totally understand you hearing this on your parents radio as a child!! This album.just blew up all over the world!! Nothing like it and STILL nothing like it!! You were SO SPOT ON WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID!! This is THE PERFECT SONG RIGHT??!! SOOOO SMOOTH IS RIGHT!!! Great question to ask too: I personally don't know ANYONE WHO DIDNT LIKE THIS WHEN IT CAME OUT!! IT WAS HUGE!!!
My perspective: I bought Can't Buy A Thrill when it was released and have been a rabid Danfan since, As years have progressed I've come to view this song as the ultimate middle-aged white guy fantasy. Having been in and around the music business all my life, perhaps that's coloring my view. Thanks for your perspective. Always balanced and insightful.
This is my favorite song from this album. I wore this out when I was on the radio. This, along with Kid Charlemagne and Book of Liars are my favorite Steely Dan songs. I love the backbeat groove. When I fired up RUclips tonight and saw this was tonight's song, I literally went, OOOOOH" out loud. Thanks for this. And Larry Carlton may be one of the best session/jazz guitarists around. Loved him in the Crusaders. which, by the way, if you want to check out some jazz, Chain Reaction by them is a great jazz album. Now about those songs I sent you on Twitter a couple of weeks ago.........
This song is Steely Dan in a nutshell - elegant jazz hipsters. The more you listen to the Dan - the more they get in your soul. The title track Aja is a prog suite. The Royal Scam’s first 3 songs are legendary.
It's not that I don't like this song and this album that I listen to sometimes, but just that Aja and Gaucho are a little too smooth for my taste even if I admit that these two albums are superb but I'm not crazy about their more laid back jazzy orientation. I much prefer Can't Buy A Thrill, Countdown To Ecstasy and Pretzel Logic in which we could still feel the pop-rock side. Katy Lied and The Royal Scam are almost transitional albums (between the spontaneity of the beginnings and the more refined and jazz aspect of Aja and Gaucho). Anyway, all of these Steely Dan albums are essential and a must have !
@@JustJP To each his own but it is very interesting to hear Steely Dan's progression from poppy jazz-rock to a smoother jazz/funk/R&B. If you like Aja/Gaucho you should check out their later albums as well as "The Nightfly" from Donald Fagen (half of steely dan)
Liked the tune, played by a musicians band. For me SD is a band I'd loved to see live. As a person that plays an instrument, I would find SD informative and educational. The problem with sophisticated music is it doesn't have a mainstream appeal. This song has all the elements I love to hear in a song except for a killer melody. I can listen to a jazz fusion song and love it, as long as the melody interest me.
The masters of creating characters, weaving an intricate story and then setting the whole thing to perfect music. So many songs, Gaucho, Glamour Profession...the list goes on. Haitian Divorce was quite a radio hit, but look at the lyrics, the story...unwed pregnancy, shotgun wedding, miscarriage, lone holiday, one-night stand, back home, make up with husband...oops pregnant! Whose baby is it? The hair is a give away! Almost a novel in 3-minutes set to music.
Justin, I didn't read any other comments but here are mine. Steely Dan has a groove and a vibe that draws you in and makes you feel comfortable, that's why it always sounds familiar. It's sometimes better not to try and analyze their stuff too much, just kick back and enjoy the journey. Every song on this album is outstanding BUT I'll tell anybody who'll listen that HOME AT LAST is the hidden gem on this disc. It doesn't get the air play of the other 6 songs and maybe that's a good thing. Lyrically (although I just said not to bury yourself too much in meanings) this song deals with Greek mythology and it's musically as good as anything they've done. You have to listen to the first 6 Dan albums, still good after that but first 6 all classic.
The Dan were Gentlemen Losers - this is the protagonist imagining elements of his life. You nailed it. Deacon Blue - play on words Deacon - Deacon John a jazz artist / a deacon - elder-statesman. Blue as in blues or blue mood or blue sunny moment. The Dan always left it open and were very clever in their lyrical interplay
Great reaction. This is the epitome of smooth. I always thought the song was a fantasy of a middle aged “expanding man”, who has a fantasy that he was a cool Jazz musician that tragically died behind the wheel - only enhancing his legacy. Loved your B. Purdue impression. This whole album is great. Peg, Josie and Home at Last are other favorites of mine.
Ok...only a couple of minutes in and I am chuckling because you are doing the classics “Steely Dan Head Bop”. If you have ever seen them live, you notice everyone in the audience doing it
I got all of my best music from listening to records with my dad as a kid. I was a ten year old hanging on to the Beatles in 1988 while other girls were going crazy for the New Kids on the Block. (I was not cool, lol!)
This is what happens when you bring together the best session musicians selected for their individual skills applied where they are best suited to the structure and style of a song. I've heard this album took a long time to put together because they sought perfection first and foremost, but then wanted it to sound less rigid and forced. The result is the smoothness you refer to. The entire album is a delight to listen to for that reason. It's the essential jazz/rock fusion album from the band that stood at the forefront of the movement.
TRUTH !
If you haven't seen it, that BBC documentary on this album is KILLER. I've seen it a few times, well worth your time brother! Also Rick Beato's "What makes this song great!" look at this song from a producers POV is brilliant!!
This is my favorite Steely Dan song and I've heard it a million times and it still gives me chills and makes me want to cry when I see someone new digging it for the first time.
I agree with you 100%
This song and home at last my favorites@@stevebinning977
Same. It’s the perfect song.
You know how good music is when you can listen to it for years and not get tired of it..Steely Dan has that!
I crawl like a viper through these suburban Streets
Make love to these women languid and bittersweet
is one of the best lines in any song
Languid means "(of a person, manner, or gesture) having or showing a disinclination for physical exertion or effort." The perfect word for that sentiment.
The harmony structure on this particular track is surprisingly complex.
FINALLY!!! I listen to this entire album each morning on my drive to work. It keeps me relaxed and the Carpool Karaoke puts me in a good mood for the hell of working. Between Aja and The Royal Scam their two best albums, IMO. I prefer Aja cuz I’m really a jazz guy at heart. Thank you for posting this before the holiday weekend. Nice way to start. On another subject, check out Starcastle, Lady of the Lake. They are almost a clone for a group we love with a name that is the opposite of the word. NO.😄😄👍👍🔥🔥. Have a great July 4th and don’t forget to wash your hands and don’t touch your face.
@@realbser1956 Wow....Starcastle. I haven't heard anyone mention THAT name in, literally, decades. The only album of theirs I ever heard was Fountains of Light - the recording was given to me by a fellow Yes fan precisely because of their similarities...but I was never driven to seek out more because they struck me as just a very thin-sounding, pale imitation.
Most people probably don't think it's surprising.
Pixelologist What’s the saying? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Starcastle had a good sound and a little less proggy than Yes, IMO.
I love this song so much. Steely Dan is the group of my life. Particularly with this song. I heard it so many times on the radio when I was a teenager ... after I put on a big sound from Public Enemy, because at this age you want to prove that you are a great man who likes hard sound, not a smooth music lover.
Don't ever listen to something because others think one way or another. I know you're citing your youth when you say that.... but old habits die hard. How many chicks did I potentially chase off listening to Frank Zappa, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Nice, The Kinks, The Doors, ect. ? WHO CARES !!!!! LOL 😎
Such a great song. Their compositions always have so much subtle complexity.
Oh wow! I definitely bought this album! I mean,, 8 TRACK. LOL
Soo good. I was 17 that summer, ahh, good times! This was the summer my friends and I drove to the beach every Saturday in July and August to either Newport Beach, or Costa Mesa. About 100 miles from home, Palm Springs CA. I had bought a nice 68 Mustang the previous fall. We always took the stang because it was nicer than my buddies cars, and it was absolutely reliable. Heard this song SOO many times on those drives to the beach. I still have the car, 44 years now! Still in great shape, still on the road. LOL. Every song on this album is fantastic. Love Steely Dan. Another song out at the same time was BAKER STREET by Gerry Rafferty, you definitely should check that out.
Aja has no weak songs. If you don’t react to the entire album you should react to Peg, Black Cow and Josie.
He did Black Cow already.
Daniel Levin The title track especially so!👍🏻✌🏻
i would argue that both _Aja_ and _Royal Scam_ are flawless albums. Every song is killer on both albums. The Dan were on fire for a while there.
I grew up in the 70s, and I love these guys for so many different reasons. As a musician myself, I'm not only in awe of their musical abilities, but the lyrics are never what you think they're going to be. The Jazz/ Rock fusion is unmatched in my opinion. People say you'll either love Steely Dan, or Hate them. I've already said on which side of the issue I'm on.
Thanks JP
I love watching reactions of this song. This is the pinnacle of songwriting to me. The flawless sound and instrumentation coupled with lyrics that tells a story you just happily sink deeper into for each new phrase, all delivered in such a classy and relaxed (but groovy) manner. It's like a fine but understated wine, it takes 'something' from the listener to really notice the brilliance on display. The essence of true romance - to my ears!
Very well put
I love Steely Dan! Yact Rock on Sirius Radio plays this type of music....love it!
You may want to get hold of Donald Fagen's 1st solo album 'The Nightfly' lay down and listen to it in it's entirety, you will thank him. Nice reaction to a great song!
Mark Spooner The Nightfly is #2 on my all time favorite albums list.
I’ve been requesting this superb album for over 6 months now. Favorite song has the lyric “won’t you pour me a Cuban Breeze, Gretchen.”
Listened the album just a couple of hours ago for the ...times!
YES! It was the very first CD I ever purchased.
Top notch stuff. On my desert island list
Yay! You need to listen to this whole album for sure. My personal favorites are Aja, The Royal Scam, and Gaucho, but their whole catalog is worth listening to !
Aja just doesn't get old for me.
Me neither !
Gaucho!
Every song. Literally every song on that album is great and worthy of a reaction.
Used to pop this in my 8-track player, go see an artist friend with a massive record collection ( which I spent tons of cash reproducing in the 90s, worked near a great record shop) and he’d be playing it too. From then on it was in my DNA, I gotta play it periodically. Like today. Many blame SD in this time period for birthing smooth jazz, for better or for worse, a sound that was everywhere.
My purist praise for choosing this song, others have done it and loved it but none have had the personal connection you felt.
Yes, my shoulders were swaying and my head bopping to drums, guitar or sax, so good. Sorry if you don’t care for this song, more for me!
Any song from Aja is a welcome treat and an album review would be heaven. Afterward, seeing the making of Aja video is a must... even with the issue a missing drummer, Steve Gadd. Any info on that situation would be cool.
Have a great day erbody,
With defunding and other weird choices going on, masks are proven to help against the virus. So pls wear them for you and your peeps,
Peace and smooth Music
Steely Dan...the only band I can listen to for 4 straight hours and not get bored......
I'm on Steely Dan overload these days, they play at the supermarket all the time. When Aja first came out I thought the whole album was weak. What did I know, I was a kid. Today I can count on three fingers how many Steely Dan songs I don't like. Excellent group.
You're doing a great job, good luck with the dishwasher. I have 2 words for you, paper plates.
Ty al va! Paper plates are definitely an option
The Dan were renowned for meticulousness. They would hire a well-known guitar player, let him play an entire afternoon in their studio and afterwards used a snippet of maybe twenty seconds. Another thing is Fagen doesn't like synths very much, they make him feel like his head is in a vise. So it's down to super musicians like Purdie, Wayne Shorter, Dean Parks and a host of others to come up with the goods. For a structurally interesting song, check out "West of Hollywood" from Two Against Nature (2000), which features a smoking sax.
I used to put this album on every night. before bed. At the time I was playing baseball in a Jr.College. away from home and this was such a smooth album it made me feel comfortable instead of missing home that was in 78. Drinking and driving wasn't quite the offense it is now. It wasn't until MADD (Mothers against drunk drivers) Alabama football team is and always a great team a known as Crimson Tide. Deacon Blue was a play onCrimson Tide
Steely Dan, Kings of the Groove.
This is my favorite Steely Dan song. “Smooth” is spot on. Enjoying your reactions. Great job!
I LOVE this song! Steely Dan is brilliant, musically and lyrically. Very sophisticated.
One of my friends gave me the album Pretzel Logic as a present back in 1974 and introduced me to the wonderful world of Steely Dan. I owe that guy a lot.
They had great taste!
Watching you enjoy this song was an absolute delight, put such a great spin to my day🙂. Now excuse while I go listen to the whole album
Haha ty, and enjoy!
Donald Fagen is the master of beautiful sophisticated chord progression.
Love this song; love Steely Dan!
Now that your album reactions are coming back , I’m hoping Aja will become one of those reviewed albums
It’s on a very short list of ‘desert island ‘ albums for me - this is a true sonic masterpiece
This is an album people still play to demo / test audio equipment
Couple of other tracks not from Aja that you should check out :
Kid Charlemagne , Babylon Sisters , FM , Don’t Take Me Alive and King of the World
IMO , King of the World is an underrated gem It’s about living in a post nuclear apocalyptic America. The groove will hook you right away and it just oozes the dark sarcasm that Steely Dan is famous for
Definitely! I also think Green Earrings, Doctor Wu, and Your Gd Teeth II are incredible, but so is their whole catalog! Anyway great picks :)
Yes, King of the world! They have so many great songs it’s ridiculous
Ty Jerry! I actually did KC a while ago 😃
@@JustJP Lol - forgot . Good , means you'll get to the other tracks even quicker
@@JustJP Are you talking about KING Crimson? I think Sander is talking a SD song "King of the World" keep up the good work.......PEACE
Always a quality review, Justin. I saw The Dan twice, the second time in Atlantic City with their former band member & backing vocalist on the bill with them- Michael McDonald. I was very aware of their association and was elated about it- like it was a historical musical event... but consider, too- I had a raging pain killer addiction at the time. And listened to a boatload of Dan back then...😎
I saw that tour as well.
I’ve seen the chart for this and recall there are about 45 different chords. Yeah.
Walter Becker singled this one out as special. That’s him playing bass.
Shortly after this album, Becker and Fagen produced a Pete Christlieb album with the Wayne Marsh Quartet called Apogee.
Just giving the track Rapunzel my ear, a Becker/Fagen composition which is pretty straight up post-Bop.
Well I knew they had it in them but I hadn't actually seen it in the flesh, so thanks for your post, man :D
I think, with SD, it is smooth, but so much more..It's also very sophisticated, and extremely painstakingly thought out, and always produced incredibly well..Their lyrics always seem to fit the music perfectly, and never reveal themselves upon first listen. Often times never, because, like all great songwriters, lyrics can come from a very personal place, leaving you to take from it what you will...One thing you will always get from SD is that they never fake it...It's always purely them, and never taken from anyone else..I have never tired of them, which for me, makes them timeless.
One of my favorite Bands, Albums and Songs. They were masters of crafting music by infusing Progressive Jazz, R& B, Pop and Rock in perfect proportion.. More Aja please!
As a hack guitarist who worked out the changes with the songbook, this is a piece of work I tell ya. The move from the solo back to the intro is butter.
Perfect song! Perfect album! Perfect band!! I wish they weren’t lumped in with so called “yacht rock” as they are so much more than just smooth vibes. (I hate most yacht rock, btw). They’re my favorite band AND I also love The Stones, The Clash, Television, Hüsker Dü, etc. Some people seem to think it’s one or the other.
Definitely, Adam. Not yacht rock; it's urban neon noir.on this album.
When this album was released I liked it instantly, but this song not so much. I'm not sure why, maybe too pop for where I was at that time, or I was just too young to appreciate what they were doing. But every time I played it I found something new in it. Within 12-18 months I loved it. Today I consider it a perfect pop record. The Aja album is probably the cleanest, best produced album ever. A true masterpiece.
Great to hear SD and in particular Deacon Blues. Got to admit all Steely Dan is all to me. Superb composition. There are many interpretations of the lyrics and they are jumbled with Don's and Walter's personal life experiences, we are led to believe - all the way from the sixties onwards. I can't stop listening to them since 1976! Now I'm 73!
My end will be accompanied by Deacon Blue. My wishes are recorded.
...now wheres my SD albums!!
Birmingham UK
Happy listening Bill!
It seems unthinkable to me now, but I used to hate Steely Dan. My taste has matured, (thankfully) and I love their stuff! This one is so smooth and somehow sounds effortless; it just comes so naturally to them. Incredible!
Love that you're gettin' it, Justin! "Perfect song for a Sunday" really echoes what I was saying in your last SD reaction, when I said SD was the music I put on to listen to when I ride the Pinellas Trail on the Gulf Coast, soaking in the sights, the water, the weather, etc... we're so blessed to have as Floridians.
As to this song itself, Fagen called it an anthem to epic loserdome, which you can take however you want, but to me it's always been a song about winning by being your own man, regardless of how others may see it, and getting out and living your life: "I cried when I wrote this song, sue me if I play too long, this brother is free, I'll be what I want to be." Even the first verse, "I gazed through the glass at ramblers, wild gamblers, that's all in the past." To me, that's him saying "I'm not going to live by the rules others have set anymore."
That is to say, others may see you as a loser for doing this or that. They may only be able to associate being a winner with the Alabama Crimson Tide national championship seasons, but there's a victory to be had even if you're having a Wake Forest Demon Deacon 1-11 season. So long as you live your life your way, and live it for you, you're a winner, even if others will see you as a loser.
Now, just out of curiosity, is there any Steely Dan on your play lists?
Definitely perfect music for a nice coastal ride. Ty for the lyric interpretation as well!
As of now, Do it Again and Black Cow are on my playlist
I love all those short, perfectly place guitar fills.
Steely Dan = Perfection and Grace
One of my favorite songs of all time
Yeah! There's that Steely Dan groove.
This is my favorite song. It has been since 1977. I appreciate the attention you’ve observed & brought to it. The melody, the sax, genius lyrics in many of the Steely Dan songs. Kevin Fagan & Walter Becker & the Steely Dan group will remain my all time favorites. About to go out walking with my air pods & listen to so many of their albums. Seen them live many times. Yes, 7 minutes, seems like 4 bc you don’t want it to end. Nice tribute & observation! Check them out if you haven’t. You’ll be glad you did!!😊Thanks again!
This is one of my desert island albums. Along with Kind of Blue, Mingus Ah Um and A Love Supreme
My favorite song on side one of Asia - my favorite on side two is "I Got The News". Both songs have a really nice jazz flow.
I Got The News never gets the respect it deserves.
I Got the News is also my fave track on Aja. No clue why it's not as popular as Deacon Blues.
As knowledgeable as you are this tune is almost indescribable!
This song was so influential there's a good band from the 90s called 'Deacon Blue'
Reeling in the Years....gotta hear it dude.
Oh yeah !
You need to listen to the remainder of the album Justin! You said it perfectly, that this kind of music you can either let do its thing in the background and let it wash over you, or you can give it much more attention. Love Steely Dan. So smooth yet supremely technical and accomplished. - Aja (the album) is widely regarded as their best, but possibly not my favourite overall. Their best albums for me were probably Pretzel Logic and The Royal Scam.
So smooth, yet so complex - more layers than an onion.
One of my Favorite Albums of all time . What else can I say ✌️😎
"AJA" one of the greatest LP's of all time! Def in my top 5 GOAT Albums list, for sure!!
I remember working night shift at Hartsfield International Airport back in the 90s working at checkpoint, and I was on break and this particular piece of Steely Dan came on over the PA system and this took me all the way back to the first time I ever heard it when it was first released period, and I've been hooked ever since. Years later when I worked security for a medical office building here in Atlanta ., they let security program the music selection for the PA system overnight and on weekends. Steely Dan was the unanimous choice
Great song to act as an introduction!
Yes, definitely one of the greatest 70s albums, it's all good!
Was excited to see this title up!
Aja is indeed a great song too. Again they are all very good.
Keep the videos coming!
Ty Ray, will do!
Also, Bernard Purdie on drums!
Don't worry 'bout them ghost notes!
Suburban everyday man with fantasies of being more than he is, in this case a jazz saxophonist ...essentially a walter mitty life,,, one of, if not my favorite sd song ...love your reactions so far!
As an old sailor, "Home at Last" always held a special place for me.
"This brother is free, I'll be what I want to be"
It's sad to think that you younger people weren't around when this was released...Crusing in your car, your poison of choice, just chilling...Do that a couple hundred times and you know what life is about. :)
God, I love this album. Do yourself a favor one Sunday and listen to the entire album. Good luck with the dishwasher!
Ty Lyn! Everytime I do a song I get to listen to a little bit more on my own lol
Deacon Blues prompted me to listen to Dignity by the band Deacon Blue. It failed to chart when first released in1987. Got to about 30 when re-released. Their biggest chart failure, and their greatest success. Audiences love it. The band played it at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and as the final song of their concerts. Its one of those songs that everyone knows the words to and one of the few that I could listen to every day.
It's a big track in the UK, particularly Scotland, where they are from.
Hi JP! You ´re right, right now I'm cooking lamb with white wine and a great mix of vegetables and listening to this fantastic music that helps me to make an even more delicious lunch, I already repeated your video 5 times LOL
I knew it! Sounds delicious btw
Steely Dan is the man I love his music
Steely Dan is not a person. It's the band name.
Still got my original LP of Aja, bought in 77, when I was in high school.
great choice, as always; I don't think The Dan ever put out a bad song. I think Babylon Sisters would be right up your alley, or maybe Green Earrings
While I'm not really able to pick a favorite SD song (there are too many lol), for some reason this one's always the first to pop up in my mind when SD is mentioned. It's just so damn perfect. Those cool guitar licks in the background and then that smooooth sax ! Damn I love it :)
The beautiful sound and textures of Steely Dan. All of their Albums though songs are different the over all tone. Simply said is just Plain Groovy. There are so many songs too choose from you can't go wrong. Just turn down the lights with good friends and toast they're excistence... After all this is "Steely Dan"...✌
dont take me alive by them has one of the best guitar intros ever
I waited to pour a glass of bourbon before I saw your new video. Steely Dan is my desert island band so I am so glad you enjoyed Deacon Blues. Black Cow, Peg, Josie, Home At Last, are all excellent next. The Rock/Jazz platform is the best. They are the only ones that pull it off AND....with perfection.
Haha nice! Perfect companion for this one
There was a period in 1977 -79 when Michael McDonald was everybody's back up artist. This is particularly noticeable on Steely Dan's Aja, Kenny Loggins' Keep the Fire , and the Doobie Brother's Minute by Minute album's that ran concurrently in popularity. The production values on all three were so smooth it almost seemed like the same guy was producing all three because they use used similar musicians and vocalists backing. Michael McDonald was a major reason for this.
Perfect song on perfect album.
Painting with music writing Spalane, and Bukowski novels in music.it is joyous.
This band and The Smiths are the 2 I listen to most these days, always looking for new reactions to their songs. I enjoy your explorations into unknown (for you) music because you know how to listen. Your reaction to 'Knife-Edge' by ELP yesterday was also very welcome, one of the best bands ever.
The title song Aja and their song King Of The World from Countdown To Ecstasy are my two favorite Steely Dan songs.
Great song, and this album is my all-time favorite. You really MUST hear Aja now. Glorious.
I love this song, and I think their smooth stuff is great! They have a tone of stuff that sounds very different though, so you should check out some of their other albums as well!
Definitely will after this one!
"Deacon Blues" is all about Wake Forest College.
They are the "Deacons" "Call me Deacon Blues". Cuz they don't win often, but....
"They call Alabama the Crimson Tide.... call me Deacon Blues."
There is no reason to not like this song. I just rediscoverd this group.
Justin My Man!! Well done!! Aja has to be ranked way up there as one of the best albums of all time!! I totally understand you hearing this on your parents radio as a child!! This album.just blew up all over the world!! Nothing like it and STILL nothing like it!! You were SO SPOT ON WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID!! This is THE PERFECT SONG RIGHT??!! SOOOO SMOOTH IS RIGHT!!! Great question to ask too: I personally don't know ANYONE WHO DIDNT LIKE THIS WHEN IT CAME OUT!! IT WAS HUGE!!!
Ty Michael! Have a great weekend!
My perspective: I bought Can't Buy A Thrill when it was released and have been a rabid Danfan since, As years have progressed I've come to view this song as the ultimate middle-aged white guy fantasy. Having been in and around the music business all my life, perhaps that's coloring my view. Thanks for your perspective. Always balanced and insightful.
This is my favorite song from this album. I wore this out when I was on the radio. This, along with Kid Charlemagne and Book of Liars are my favorite Steely Dan songs. I love the backbeat groove. When I fired up RUclips tonight and saw this was tonight's song, I literally went, OOOOOH" out loud. Thanks for this. And Larry Carlton may be one of the best session/jazz guitarists around. Loved him in the Crusaders. which, by the way, if you want to check out some jazz, Chain Reaction by them is a great jazz album. Now about those songs I sent you on Twitter a couple of weeks ago.........
Glad you enjoyed it Ig!
This song is Steely Dan in a nutshell - elegant jazz hipsters. The more you listen to the Dan - the more they get in your soul.
The title track Aja is a prog suite. The Royal Scam’s first 3 songs are legendary.
This may not be my absolutely favorite song...but it's damned close.
Excellent, enjoyable reaction! Thanks.
Anytime!
Smooth perfection.
It's not that I don't like this song and this album that I listen to sometimes, but just that Aja and Gaucho are a little too smooth for my taste even if I admit that these two albums are superb but I'm not crazy about their more laid back jazzy orientation.
I much prefer Can't Buy A Thrill, Countdown To Ecstasy and Pretzel Logic in which we could still feel the pop-rock side. Katy Lied and The Royal Scam are almost transitional albums (between the spontaneity of the beginnings and the more refined and jazz aspect of Aja and Gaucho).
Anyway, all of these Steely Dan albums are essential and a must have !
Appreciate the explanation, ty AK!
@@JustJP To each his own but it is very interesting to hear Steely Dan's progression from poppy jazz-rock to a smoother jazz/funk/R&B. If you like Aja/Gaucho you should check out their later albums as well as "The Nightfly" from Donald Fagen (half of steely dan)
I don't often ride in elevators but when I do I listen to Deacon Blues.
Liked the tune, played by a musicians band. For me SD is a band I'd loved to see live. As a person that plays an instrument, I would find SD informative and educational. The problem with sophisticated music is it doesn't have a mainstream appeal. This song has all the elements I love to hear in a song except for a killer melody. I can listen to a jazz fusion song and love it, as long as the melody interest me.
The masters of creating characters, weaving an intricate story and then setting the whole thing to perfect music. So many songs, Gaucho, Glamour Profession...the list goes on. Haitian Divorce was quite a radio hit, but look at the lyrics, the story...unwed pregnancy, shotgun wedding, miscarriage, lone holiday, one-night stand, back home, make up with husband...oops pregnant! Whose baby is it? The hair is a give away! Almost a novel in 3-minutes set to music.
Anthem to my life.
This is one of my favorite songs! :-)
Justin, I didn't read any other comments but here are mine. Steely Dan has a groove and a vibe that draws you in and makes you feel comfortable, that's why it always sounds familiar. It's sometimes better not to try and analyze their stuff too much, just kick back and enjoy the journey. Every song on this album is outstanding BUT I'll tell anybody who'll listen that HOME AT LAST is the hidden gem on this disc. It doesn't get the air play of the other 6 songs and maybe that's a good thing. Lyrically (although I just said not to bury yourself too much in meanings) this song deals with Greek mythology and it's musically as good as anything they've done. You have to listen to the first 6 Dan albums, still good after that but first 6 all classic.
Aja and Gaucho are both fabulous albums.
The Dan were Gentlemen Losers - this is the protagonist imagining elements of his life.
You nailed it.
Deacon Blue - play on words Deacon - Deacon John a jazz artist / a deacon - elder-statesman.
Blue as in blues or blue mood or blue sunny moment.
The Dan always left it open and were very clever in their lyrical interplay
Great reaction. This is the epitome of smooth. I always thought the song was a fantasy of a middle aged “expanding man”, who has a fantasy that he was a cool Jazz musician that tragically died behind the wheel - only enhancing his legacy. Loved your B. Purdue impression. This whole album is great. Peg, Josie and Home at Last are other favorites of mine.
Ty so much AB!
Saw Steely Dan at the Florida Amphitheater. Michael McDonald opened. One of the best shows ever.
I bet it was great!
@@JustJP Michael McDonald played in Steely Dan before joining the Doobie Brothers. He played with them that night. It was incredible.
This whole album is excellent.
Ok...only a couple of minutes in and I am chuckling because you are doing the classics “Steely Dan Head Bop”. If you have ever seen them live, you notice everyone in the audience doing it
Haha, it's the infectious groove
JustJP It should be a copyrighted head bop...goes side to side AND up and down
I highly recommend My Old School as your next Steely Dan review. I especially look forward to your interpretation of the lyrics.
That’s some chorus!❤️
I got all of my best music from listening to records with my dad as a kid. I was a ten year old hanging on to the Beatles in 1988 while other girls were going crazy for the New Kids on the Block. (I was not cool, lol!)