A fez is a type of hat that originated in Turkey. It's the hat that Shriners wear. In this case it represents a condom (never gonna do it without the fez on), in keeping with the album's general theme of "escape", in this case escape from possible unintended consequences. Indeed, every song on the album is about an escape of some sort, from the obvious ("Don't Take Me Alive") to the more subtle ("The Caves of Altamira"). As far as I can tell, it's the only Dan album with that sort of thematic cohesion. In "The Fez" I take the line "I want to be your holy man" to mean that he wants to be the sole focus of her attention, something a pregnancy would threaten.
Indeed. It's just beyond silly how Justin, while listening to the song, says "Oh, I know what THAT means, wink wink" and then pretends to be completely clueless as to its meaning during his lyric analysis. I mean, COME ON! We know you know, and it's OK to admit it.
It's that rhythm groove that The Dan were so good at nailing. Even if you dont initially like it, you find yourself smiling and tapping your foot as it works its magic on you.
Paul Griffin got a rare co-writing credit on The Fez and plays keyboard on the song, RIP. Very Middle Eastern feel, perhaps Moraco? At Steely Dan concerts, there have been a few, my friend and I wear actual fezs (the hats), people love it!
Thanks JP for continuing with songs off the RS! Back in the 70's American Bandstand would occasionally play this song on the Dick Clark outro before a commercial. Maybe the commercial BEFORE the commercial?? Keep it going! The Title song off this album will blow you away.
Musically, I find "The Fez" bittersweet. I don't know why, but it has a slightly nostalgic feel, perhaps due to the old-fashioned organ sound. I've always loved this simple but seductive song.
A hat and the second largest city in Morocco (Maroc to locals). I visited for about a week in the 70s. It was cool. Less touristy than Marrakesh. The song is just classic Steely Dan.
There are three reasons this song is brilliant. Bernard Purdie, Bernard Purdie and Bernard Purdie. I don't know what the lyrics mean, and I don't care. It doesn't take away anything from my enjoyment. It's so good.
A Fez is usually a hat worn in the Arabic world, and also by Shriners. But in this case it is a condom. That's why you're never "do it without your Fez on." By the way, Steely Dan is named after a sex toy, so it all goes together.
WTF bro HIMYM is great. This song is great. This album is great. It is as dirty, gritty, grimy and just sqwonky as Aja is buttery smooth. This album brings the funk.
A literal fez is a traditional Egyptian hat. If you want to see one, just look at the video for *Night Boat to Cairo* by *Madness* , and guess which hat is the fez. (It's the first one you see, so if you hate Madness you can just quickly glance, and then right away hit the kill button - or whatever it's called - sometimes it's called the kill button, though. ruclips.net/video/lLLL1KxpYMA/видео.html
Keyboard tour-de-force, tasty guitar solos, funky bass, drums holding it all together. Wish Steely Dan had done a few more keyboard driven/keyboard led songs. Lyrically: Walter(RIP)and Donald being naughty?! But of course...
For so long now, because of the rather unimaginative and repetitive lyrics, I've never really given the song much notice. But, because of your enthusiasm, I like it ... somewhat better now. And that's the best part of my day so far. So, thank you for that. I think a full listen to Chicago V would be a great Long "Song" Saturday venture (because it's the album with Dialogue, parts 1 & 2) sometime. Carry on, friend!
@@prognerd39 yeah, their first album is great. I used some of their music as intro &/or outro music in my narration of my second book. Had a lot of fun using their music.
No mention of Caerffili /Caerphilly, Tommy's birthplace but it's still sounds a bit Cheesy in the usual jazz lounge lizard stylee. Lazy description on my behalf yes, but nowadays it's not annoting in the slighest. Yes really!
Not a huge Steely Dan fan but I do like a fair few songs by them, not this one though. I'd love you to react to an all female band from the Ukraine called, The Sixters that have been together for a number of years, but I've just happened upon their recent single "Feels" which is so different and creative but watching the video to it is an absolute must, you'll see what I mean if you choose to react to it. 😊
Hi Justin. Dave from Old England. To me, this is superior lounge jazz, but I believe the message is about safe sex. Fez equating with cap aka condom. It would have been ideal when HIV/AIDS emerged (and maybe it was) but the song pre-dates that.
Just so you know (maybe a lot of your fans are enjoying you on cellphones?) your channel-imbalance stuff has snuck in again. It's acting like the left channel is bassier and on an earlier video you lost the right channel almost completely. I would say fiddle with it again, I enjoy joining you for these listens regardless, but I know if it was showing up in your headphones you would fix it :)
That 70s show wasn't a 70s show at all. It was just a citcom that could have been in any decade. Like the very last season of Happy Once again Steely Dan typically write songs that have sunny melodies with very shady people involved involved in very shady activities.
For me, and considering this's my fave 'Dan' album, if pushed I'd have to say this is the weakest track on it. Decent, but the pace doesn't just match up to the rest of the LP, imho.
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A fez is typically a hat, or allegedly a condom in this case.
A fez is a type of hat. Turkish/Ottoman Empire in origin. It is also slang for a condom, which is the context it is used in here.
Steely Dan are just fucking fun
That groovy, jazzy sound... it's so good
A fez is a type of hat that originated in Turkey. It's the hat that Shriners wear. In this case it represents a condom (never gonna do it without the fez on), in keeping with the album's general theme of "escape", in this case escape from possible unintended consequences. Indeed, every song on the album is about an escape of some sort, from the obvious ("Don't Take Me Alive") to the more subtle ("The Caves of Altamira"). As far as I can tell, it's the only Dan album with that sort of thematic cohesion. In "The Fez" I take the line "I want to be your holy man" to mean that he wants to be the sole focus of her attention, something a pregnancy would threaten.
Perhaps hole-y man
The meaning of what he's singing is, "I'm putting a Hat on Mr. Happy."
It's a song about safe se×.
Indeed. It's just beyond silly how Justin, while listening to the song, says "Oh, I know what THAT means, wink wink" and then pretends to be completely
clueless as to its meaning during his lyric analysis. I mean, COME ON! We know you know, and it's OK to admit it.
He needs Sam Kinison to scream it at him: “Put a helmet on it, soldier! You’re going into battle!” 😅
🤣🤣
@@SpaceCattttt If he could be any more facetious in his statements about the lyrics being mysterious, I don't know how.
Yes. From 1976. Before there was "safe sex."
It's that rhythm groove that The Dan were so good at nailing. Even if you dont initially like it, you find yourself smiling and tapping your foot as it works its magic on you.
Chuck Rainey is the magic here. He and Purdie really make the magic when they play together. They make this one magic together.
You just can’t go wrong with Steely Dan.
A rather funky vibe to this one. Steely Dan nailed it with whatever style of music they wrote.
Paul Griffin got a rare co-writing credit on The Fez and plays keyboard on the song, RIP. Very Middle Eastern feel, perhaps Moraco?
At Steely Dan concerts, there have been a few, my friend and I wear actual fezs (the hats), people love it!
Thanks JP for continuing with songs off the RS! Back in the 70's American Bandstand would occasionally play this song on the Dick Clark outro before a commercial. Maybe the commercial BEFORE the commercial?? Keep it going! The Title song off this album will blow you away.
Musically, I find "The Fez" bittersweet. I don't know why, but it has a slightly nostalgic feel, perhaps due to the old-fashioned organ sound. I've always loved this simple but seductive song.
I thought it was only me that moved like that listening to the Dan.
A hat and the second largest city in Morocco (Maroc to locals). I visited for about a week in the 70s. It was cool. Less touristy than Marrakesh. The song is just classic Steely Dan.
Another song about condoms is "Century's End" by Donald Fagen from the late 1980's. From the movie Bright Lights, Big City starring Michael J. Fox.
Hello, I used to listen to Steely Dan every day. So good.
This , FM and Haitian Divorce are my favs JP.. SD were the masters of the thinking man’s Jazzy groove 👏
👍🏴
Great trio. Divorce is my favorite.
@@sourisvoleur4854 absolutement 👌
👍🏴
Another great song by Steely Dan. They always put out great catchy jazzy type songs that I just love! The Fez is awesome....so is the album.
There are three reasons this song is brilliant. Bernard Purdie, Bernard Purdie and Bernard Purdie. I don't know what the lyrics mean, and I don't care. It doesn't take away anything from my enjoyment. It's so good.
Don't you dare cut out Chuck. He and Bernard made the magic when they were together. I feel like they each made the other one step higher.
A Fez is usually a hat worn in the Arabic world, and also by Shriners. But in this case it is a condom. That's why you're never "do it without your Fez on." By the way, Steely Dan is named after a sex toy, so it all goes together.
WTF bro HIMYM is great. This song is great. This album is great. It is as dirty, gritty, grimy and just sqwonky as Aja is buttery smooth. This album brings the funk.
A literal fez is a traditional Egyptian hat.
If you want to see one, just look at the video for *Night Boat to Cairo* by *Madness* , and guess which hat is the fez. (It's the first one you see, so if you hate Madness you can just quickly glance, and then right away hit the kill button - or whatever it's called - sometimes it's called the kill button, though.
ruclips.net/video/lLLL1KxpYMA/видео.html
@@Coowallsky Thanks.
Keyboard tour-de-force, tasty guitar solos, funky bass, drums holding it all together. Wish Steely Dan had done a few more keyboard driven/keyboard led songs.
Lyrically: Walter(RIP)and Donald being naughty?! But of course...
Well, they named their band after sex toy, after all.
Secret Society shizz
One of my favourites from the album
For so long now, because of the rather unimaginative and repetitive lyrics, I've never really given the song much notice. But, because of your enthusiasm, I like it ... somewhat better now.
And that's the best part of my day so far. So, thank you for that.
I think a full listen to Chicago V would be a great Long "Song" Saturday venture (because it's the album with Dialogue, parts 1 & 2) sometime.
Carry on, friend!
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘰𝘷𝘦 ... sublime! ♡
Every explanation I've heard for this song is the same: The fez is a figure of speech for a condom.
Hi Justin. Steely Dan is just too smooth. On another topic, will you be getting back to Gypsy at some point? Just... curious : )
Seconding the call to get back to Gypsy - As Far As You Can See (As Much As You Can Feel) is one of my favorites
@@prognerd39 yeah, their first album is great. I used some of their music as intro &/or outro music in my narration of my second book. Had a lot of fun using their music.
Lovely! Is this a song about Tommy Cooper ? (My fellow Brits of a certain age will understand!)
Indeed 🙂
Just like that!
No mention of Caerffili /Caerphilly, Tommy's birthplace but it's still sounds a bit Cheesy in the usual jazz lounge lizard stylee. Lazy description on my behalf yes, but nowadays it's not annoting in the slighest. Yes really!
Not a huge Steely Dan fan but I do like a fair few songs by them, not this one though. I'd love you to react to an all female band from the Ukraine called, The Sixters that have been together for a number of years, but I've just happened upon their recent single "Feels" which is so different and creative but watching the video to it is an absolute must, you'll see what I mean if you choose to react to it. 😊
I think this is an instrumental. The vocals are not meant to mean anything, they're just part of the music. That's my take.
Come on Donald tell us what this is all about.
Hi Justin. Dave from Old England. To me, this is superior lounge jazz, but I believe the message is about safe sex. Fez equating with cap aka condom. It would have been ideal when HIV/AIDS emerged (and maybe it was) but the song pre-dates that.
This song is about the importance of condom use
Ha ha ha!
Little known fact: this song is about a character from That 70’s show and the time he spent in Morocco’s second biggest city.
Not even close. The fez in question is a condom.
@@Mrc172 no way? Really? 😂
Just so you know (maybe a lot of your fans are enjoying you on cellphones?) your channel-imbalance stuff has snuck in again. It's acting like the left channel is bassier and on an earlier video you lost the right channel almost completely. I would say fiddle with it again, I enjoy joining you for these listens regardless, but I know if it was showing up in your headphones you would fix it :)
The Fez is symbolic of a Uterus
I ain't going to do it without the uterus on. What? 🤔
@@79BlackRose yep. Woman is god
@@79BlackRose Also confused by this choice of word.
CONDOMS !!!!
That 70s show wasn't a 70s show at all. It was just a citcom that could have been in any decade. Like the very last season of Happy Once again Steely Dan typically write songs that have sunny melodies with very shady people involved involved in very shady activities.
For me, and considering this's my fave 'Dan' album, if pushed I'd have to say this is the weakest track on it. Decent, but the pace doesn't just match up to the rest of the LP, imho.
I could never really warm up to the Steely Dan sound. I'm sure they're talented. Sorry fans. (a comment and a like for the algorithms)
And we're all richer for knowing your opinion. Much appreciated.
@@scurvybro8850 I am sure you will sleep better now.
Condom=Fez
The hat worn by shriners
Sometimes, people don't have the right receptors for SD.