A bodhisattva is a person on the path to becoming a Buddha. They are exceptionally spiritual, compassionate and committed to helping all beings- very rare.
This song was poking fun at the growing fascinating with Eastern religion among Californians, particularly those who did it as if a fashion statement than a real spiritual practice.
It mostly comes out of Tibetan Buddhism. A Bodhisattva is a Monk that has attained Buddhahood, but commits to not breaking the cycle of rebirth, (in other words, they commit to being born again in a human body after their death), in order to help others on their spiritual paths. You're right, it comes out of compassion and caring.
@@barrycohen311 So, he or she has reached enlightenment but has chosen not to transition or transcend to Nirvana in order to help others in their path toward enlightenment. Is that accurate?
I finally saw Steely Dan in concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Bodhisattva was the finale of the show with fireworks going off in time to the music as the piece closed out. Wow!
Bodhisattva rocks - the ass-kicking guitar and drumming on Steely Dan albums is too often overlooked. This is one of my favorite tracks. Great commentary, too. Thanks for the music.
Boy, Lee, your timing is impeccable. Exactly 50 years ago, March 11, 1974, I saw Steely Dan perform Bodhisattva live at a club in Glendale, CA, it was fire! It was actually for 2 nights and 4 sets. I was so lucky, it's all time and place, I went to H.S. with Jeff, Mike, and Steve Porcaro, Steve Lukather and David Paitch-Toto. Jeff got hired to play drums on Pretzel Logic and to tour, 2 tracks on PL, Night by Night and Parkers Band. They were doing practice gigs around LA and Jeff told us about Glendale gig, at the Sopwith Camel. I got to watch my friend play drums with my favorite band and meet everyone and hang out, literally smoking with the boys upstairs. Drinking on the Dan! Stories? I've got a few.
Ah, Steely Dan. I've had the privilege of seeing them live many times back in the day and they were just killer if not better than their recordings. Amazing and pure talent.
Dr. Wu off of the Katie Lied album has that hopeful-sounding music but tells an ominous, drug-addled story in cryptic lyrics, like you say you like. Also, you should rewind and hear the studio version of My Old School. There's a well-arranged horn section that 'dances' with Skunk Baxter's solos throughout.
A bodhisattva is a fully realized being who has made the decision to remain in this world, and help others, rather than heading to nirvana or whatevs. Seriously. This is it. Great reaction as always! ❤❤❤
A "Bodhisattva" is an enlightened being who has chosen to remain incarnated in the earthly plane, even though they've evolved enough spiritually to ascend to Nirvana , according to Buddhist lore. They choose to come back to earth to help others, rather than seeking the paradise of Nirvana for themselves.
Denny and Skunk are amazing on this track but Jim Hodder I agree really keeps it together. He was such an underrated drummer that could sing beautifully too. Have a listen to him singing on Midnight Cruiser another great song of theirs.
At the end of this amazing song, my mind heard the first chords of 'boston rag' since i played this album start to finish through my entire teen years ❤
Steely Dan has many great songs and Fagan and Becker are and were geniuses (Becker has passed unfortunately). This was an unusual choice to start with and you will find that they lots of songs even better than this one. As a drummer, you will love Steve Gadd's work on the song Aja. The Aja album (1977) was truly groundbreaking and every song on it is great, although they had five years of distinctive hits before that.
I just discovered your channel & am so enjoying it, especially Steely Dan Sundays. Here's some of SD's best you haven't heard yet so you can play them any Sunday. Doctor Wu, Chain Lightning, Bad Sneakers from Katy Lied album; Hey Nineteen, Time Out of Mind from Gaucho album; FM (No Static At All) single; Any Major Dude Will Tell you from Pretzel Logic; Only A Fool Would Say That from Can't Buy a Thrill & Peg from Aja. All so cool & silky, enjoy! btw Fagen & Becker were huge fans of 50's beatnik literature in college & Steely Dan was a dildo name in William Burroughs novel The Naked Lunch. That's the name they chose for their band.
You should listen to the live version of Bodhisattva! It was recorded in Santa Monica at the Civic Center. It's up tempo and they are SUPER tight, if you imagine that.
Dan, man. Played these solos so many times. Can’t thank you enough for taking me back to my youth at the close of my life. You should be available on prescription as musical morphine for the elderly. Love you, bro.
I think Bodhisattva is moving up on my list of favorite SD songs. Every time I hear it I hear something I didn’t hear before thanks to your reaction. This time I listened more to the drums. Wow!
Love your reactions to Steely Dan! I live for your steely Dan Sundays! I enjoy your critique and insight. I hope one day you will incorporate a “Doobie brothers “day. You’re missing out on some great music with the Doobies! God bless you Lee! Thanks for making my Sundays brighter❤✌️🎶🎸👏🙏😎
I've always loved everything about this song since I first heard it as a freshman in college. I love it from a musicality and composition point of view, I love the execution of it, I love the sonic creativeness in it so much. And basically it's badass and yeah I think it could be legitimately described as fire.
Skunk Baxter is now a contractor for the Defense Department. Something to do with sound waves and guided missiles. Too complicated for me but if I had to be killed by a missile it would be fantastic if someone who played with Steely Dan was involved. Anyone who knows where the band's name came from should find this a little coincidental.
One of their very best. Fantastic guitar playing throughout, and some reay cool chord changes in there, too. And yet another band from the 60's-mid 70's that sounded like no one else.
This song will be playing in my head for the rest of the day and I love it perfect song for this sunny Sunday I remember when it came first came out it stuck in my head for days The Dan Band As a sound of its own that never could be or be duplicated
Countdown - 2nd album, full of firsts. Fagen takes over lead singing; jazzier compositions and arrangements, and less urgency for radio "hits." This and Katy Lied are Steely Dan at their core, IMO. Top picks: Razor Boy, Your Gold Teeth, Pearl of the Quarter and My Old School.
Denny 'The BeBopper' Dias plays the first solo, w/ nice chromaticism and cleaver, bop-like change of direction moments, no string bending and no vibrato - just like a 'real' Jazz player. Baxter 'The Skunk' plays the Country Rock oriented, second solo fills and the final Coda solo.
The lyrics satirize middle-class fools who think they've discovered the key to instant enlightenment: a vastly oversimplified version of Eastern religion. "The sparkle of your china/China" is a double entendre joke, and the humor in the arrangement underscores it.
Nothing to do with this song, but I love seeing that Grand Funk Live album up there. I started listening to music around the time I turned three, having six older siblings and parents who were musical. Just before the Beatles came along. Until about midway through 6th grade the heavier stuff didn't appeal to me. Then my sister who was two years older started buying albums with her babysitting money. One of the first ones she bought was Grand Funk Live and I loved it. Soon after that she got Humble Pie 'Rockin The FIllmore', Alice Cooper 'Killer' (with Halo Of Flies!), Black Sabbath "Paranoid', and my conversion from pop to hard rock was on it's way. It all started with Grand Funk Live. Well, 'Black Dog' by Led Zeppelin was the first hard rock song I went nuts over I guess, but GF Live was the first album. For about three years I mostly just wanted to hear the heavy stuff, then eventually I 'rediscovered my roots' around the time I turned 16. :)
I believe the lyrics are a take on the people who would follow trendy religious cult groups/far eastern religions/mystical seers for a (usually) short period. Often the followers would be asked to give up their material goods and donate to the church/movement ("gonna sell my house in town"). The China and Japan in the first set of lyrics are the countries of some of these religions. In the second set of lyrics they become china (sets of pricey dishes) and japan ( (furniture) (which is an expensive technique applied to wood to make it very, very dark and shiny) - perhaps the material goods that the leaders of the cult/religious groups now possess.
It sounds to me like some guru out in California, some cult leader - and the singer is saying "enlighten me! You can have all my material possessions!"
if this song, doesnt make you want to move your feet.. one of few things are at play 1) you have NO feet 2) you have NO soul 3) there is no third thing.. Japan and China both countries who have/had Buddhism as a major religion the songs title is about a person on the path of enlightenment who turns aside from that path to help the rest of us gain enlightenment too. like a spiritual advisor.
I am an SD devotee and have already recognized you as one of the best young reactors cuz you "get" much of the older music. BTW- some lame lazy millenial writing for the NYT categorized them as "yacht rock' (!!!) Grrr!! Wanted to tell the mofo off so bad. What a friken insult. Their achievements through cryptic lyrics that you actually need a functioning mind for; top musicians that contributed and their devotion to perfection in their hip fusion of music styles are stellar and unique!
SD introduced us to what a Bodhisattva is. Those of us who knew how to use a dictionary anyway 😉 But in the inevitable, wry, sly, lyrical crypticness of Donald and Walter, these lyrics mock the self indulgent, latest faux socially hip, in crowd of L.A. taking to Eastern philosophy fad that was prevalent at that time. So do a hot yoga pose, and light up an incense stick. 😜
You're not going to hear a bad Steely Dan song, at least from those 1972-80 albums. Some tunes are much better than others, and it's all a matter of personal taste, of course, but the production is top notch. Fagen and Becker were taskmasters, and you won't find a missed note anywhere. They threw away more good songs than a lot bands even have. They did release two new studio albums in 2000 and 2003 and there are some really good songs, but they didn't hit me as hard. With a little curation, between those two reunion albums there is one fantastic disc.
My son was named Bodhi because of this song.
I would have to say this song is jazzy, much more so than metal. Love it, it jams bigtime
It sounds like a throwback to 1950's rock 'n' roll and rockabilly to me, and it seems to have very few jazz elements unlike their usual sound.
This was the song that I knew my parents parties were kicking into full gear.
A bodhisattva is a person on the path to becoming a Buddha. They are exceptionally spiritual, compassionate and committed to helping all beings- very rare.
This song was poking fun at the growing fascinating with Eastern religion among Californians, particularly those who did it as if a fashion statement than a real spiritual practice.
It mostly comes out of Tibetan Buddhism. A Bodhisattva is a Monk that has attained Buddhahood, but commits to not breaking the cycle of rebirth, (in other words, they commit to being born again in a human body after their death), in order to help others on their spiritual paths. You're right, it comes out of compassion and caring.
@@izzonj one of my favorite things about The Dan is that tasty sarcasm 😁
And has a great sense of humor.
@@barrycohen311 So, he or she has reached enlightenment but has chosen not to transition or transcend to Nirvana in order to help others in their path toward enlightenment. Is that accurate?
Far too many folks don't react to this track, and it's a highlight of early Steely Dan! Thank you!
Steely Dan are the epitome of “recording artists.”
Hard to pin a label on this one. Pop, jazz, country, Indian, rock, it's all in there. Thanks again, great job as always! Happy Trails 😁
there IS a label
"Steely Dan"
It gives me a swing vibe with the piano riffs and tempo. Love this track, such a jam.
I finally saw Steely Dan in concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Bodhisattva was the finale of the show with fireworks going off in time to the music as the piece closed out. Wow!
Bodhisattva rocks - the ass-kicking guitar and drumming on Steely Dan albums is too often overlooked. This is one of my favorite tracks. Great commentary, too. Thanks for the music.
Your comments, next level….. ‘well then….. holy shit’. You say what we all think, and what we thought 40 years ago when we first heard this
Hahahaha I bet! I can't imagine hearing this when it came out. Just a straight WTF face as track 2 begins
Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More is an underrated/underplayed song that deserves a listen. It’s so cool.
YES!
Denny Diaz and Jeff Baxter
You've only got 60 to 65 more Steely Dan songs to go before you find anything close to a snoozer.
there are no snoozers unless you just look at david beckers solo work..
@@ripvanwinkle2002 No snoozers in the solo works either, but there are a lot of sleepers...
BTW, who TF is "david becker"?
@@PogueMahone1 i meant walter i was watching another vid on football
got david beckham mixed in there LOL
Boy, Lee, your timing is impeccable. Exactly 50 years ago, March 11, 1974, I saw Steely Dan perform Bodhisattva live at a club in Glendale, CA, it was fire! It was actually for 2 nights and 4 sets.
I was so lucky, it's all time and place, I went to H.S. with Jeff, Mike, and Steve Porcaro, Steve Lukather and David Paitch-Toto.
Jeff got hired to play drums on Pretzel Logic and to tour, 2 tracks on PL, Night by Night and Parkers Band.
They were doing practice gigs around LA and Jeff told us about Glendale gig, at the Sopwith Camel.
I got to watch my friend play drums with my favorite band and meet everyone and hang out, literally smoking with the boys upstairs. Drinking on the Dan!
Stories? I've got a few.
Even after 73 years, I still come back to the Dan. So satisfying.
Ah, Steely Dan. I've had the privilege of seeing them live many times back in the day and they were just killer if not better than their recordings. Amazing and pure talent.
Damn. We had such good music when I was young.
A bodhisattva is a person devoting his life to help others reach à level of perception and spiritul awakening
This has old fashion rock and roll Bill Haley and the Comets Rock around the Clock. With The Dan’s flavoring.
Dr. Wu off of the Katie Lied album has that hopeful-sounding music but tells an ominous, drug-addled story in cryptic lyrics, like you say you like. Also, you should rewind and hear the studio version of My Old School. There's a well-arranged horn section that 'dances' with Skunk Baxter's solos throughout.
That’s the song that hooked me for these guys
💯. My favorite SD song, lyrics are amazing and paint a perfect picture
Dr. Wu, featuring a stellar alto sax solo rendered by Phil Woods!
This is one of SD's most straight-up rockin' tunes, and an easy candidate for a single. Pretty ahead of its time for '73.
A bodhisattva is a fully realized being who has made the decision to remain in this world, and help others, rather than heading to nirvana or whatevs. Seriously. This is it. Great reaction as always! ❤❤❤
Denny plays the first solo. He is the one who never bends the strings.
Denny Dias takes the first solo, Skunk Baxter the second solo.
whatever
When Steely Dan became a studio band and stopped touring, Skunk moved on. He wanted to tour and play more often, so he joined the Doobies.
That is where I know his name from....
A "Bodhisattva" is an enlightened being who has chosen to remain incarnated in the earthly plane, even though they've evolved enough spiritually to ascend to Nirvana , according to Buddhist lore.
They choose to come back to earth to help others, rather than seeking the paradise of Nirvana for themselves.
Awesome thank you for the breakdown. I was very curious. That makes a lot of sense to me. I feel it on a deep level. Maybe..... nevermind lol
@@L33Reacts Singer is addressing his Guru.
Do Reelin' in the Years
Denny and Skunk are amazing on this track but Jim Hodder I agree really keeps it together. He was such an underrated drummer that could sing beautifully too. Have a listen to him singing on Midnight Cruiser another great song of theirs.
The solo is mainly Denny Dias , any time it really swings , it’s Denny , just like the sitar solo in “ Do it Again “ , totally underrated!
Keyboard player for Steely Dan, Jim Beard, passed away last week.
At the end of this amazing song, my mind heard the first chords of 'boston rag' since i played this album start to finish through my entire teen years ❤
Steely Dan has many great songs and Fagan and Becker are and were geniuses (Becker has passed unfortunately). This was an unusual choice to start with and you will find that they lots of songs even better than this one. As a drummer, you will love Steve Gadd's work on the song Aja. The Aja album (1977) was truly groundbreaking and every song on it is great, although they had five years of distinctive hits before that.
One of their best.
yeah for sure! this was one of the heaviest SD songs I've ever heard lol
@@L33Reacts That guitar solo... The live version from The Record Plant (1974) might be even better which is rare. Two drummers.
Damn that sounds legit I'll have to look it up
THis album- Countdown To Ecstasy...is my fav by ST. Every track is fab!! keep going,bro! Cheers, T
Foot all the way down on the pedal from the very beginning on this.
It doesn't let up. Pure adrenaline on this one.
I just discovered your channel & am so enjoying it, especially Steely Dan Sundays. Here's some of SD's best you haven't heard yet so you can play them any Sunday. Doctor Wu, Chain Lightning, Bad Sneakers from Katy Lied album; Hey Nineteen, Time Out of Mind from Gaucho album; FM (No Static At All) single; Any Major Dude Will Tell you from Pretzel Logic; Only A Fool Would Say That from Can't Buy a Thrill & Peg from Aja. All so cool & silky, enjoy! btw Fagen & Becker were huge fans of 50's beatnik literature in college & Steely Dan was a dildo name in William Burroughs novel The Naked Lunch. That's the name they chose for their band.
You should listen to the live version of Bodhisattva! It was recorded in Santa Monica at the Civic Center. It's up tempo and they are SUPER tight, if you imagine that.
This one absolutely rocks live. They touch on so many genres that people tend to forget they are a rock band too.
Dan, man. Played these solos so many times. Can’t thank you enough for taking me back to my youth at the close of my life. You should be available on prescription as musical morphine for the elderly. Love you, bro.
One of my 2 favorite SD songs...
I see why David. This shit is HOT
Lee,s reactions, take me back, to discovering Steely Dan as a teenager in the 1970,s!!😊😊/ Thx Bro
I've been waiting for you to react to Bodhisattva!! Thank you in advance.
Great track Jackie!! Glad we finally got to it
I think Bodhisattva is moving up on my list of favorite SD songs. Every time I hear it I hear something I didn’t hear before thanks to your reaction. This time I listened more to the drums. Wow!
From the first time I heard this many years ago the guitars make me think of a swarm of bees.
This song kicks ass!!!
Green earrings is a must!
Worthy of incoming saints 😍
Mind blowing intro. Wonderful. Luv it❤ I've been a fan for decades, NEVER heard this one😮❤
Love your reactions to Steely Dan! I live for your steely Dan Sundays! I enjoy your critique and insight. I hope one day you will incorporate a “Doobie brothers “day. You’re missing out on some great music with the Doobies! God bless you Lee! Thanks for making my Sundays brighter❤✌️🎶🎸👏🙏😎
Haha just listened to it a few days ago.
Great song, great band! Not many bands out there who blend jazz, funk, and rock as well as they do. Next, check out Josie. ✌️
I've always loved everything about this song since I first heard it as a freshman in college. I love it from a musicality and composition point of view, I love the execution of it, I love the sonic creativeness in it so much. And basically it's badass and yeah I think it could be legitimately described as fire.
I like the Frank Frazetta paintings. Bodhisattva is my favorite Steely Dan song. Given they never produced a losing song that's a high bar.
I always laugh out loud when I hear this!
Kinda 50s bop if you think about it. Swing, bop.
Skunk Baxter is now a contractor for the Defense Department. Something to do with sound waves and guided missiles. Too complicated for me but if I had to be killed by a missile it would be fantastic if someone who played with Steely Dan was involved. Anyone who knows where the band's name came from should find this a little coincidental.
One of their very best. Fantastic guitar playing throughout, and some reay cool chord changes in there, too. And yet another band from the 60's-mid 70's that sounded like no one else.
great song
Check out the live rendition on their '90s Alive in America album - it's molten.
This song will be playing in my head for the rest of the day and I love it perfect song for this sunny Sunday I remember when it came first came out it stuck in my head for days The Dan Band As a sound of its own that never could be or be duplicated
Groove city!
Namaste translates to " I bow to you" in English. I named my cat "Bodie" thinking about this one.
Always a great groove to get into with Steely Dan! Any song. ☮️❤️
Every track is great off CTE but my groovy fave is "King of the World" to conclude this fantastic album.
Countdown - 2nd album, full of firsts. Fagen takes over lead singing; jazzier compositions and arrangements, and less urgency for radio "hits." This and Katy Lied are Steely Dan at their core, IMO. Top picks: Razor Boy, Your Gold Teeth, Pearl of the Quarter and My Old School.
Gold Teeth from this album is great! As well as Razor Boy and Boston Rag but my favourite off this album is King of the World.
TOTO does a nice cover of this on their Live In Amsterdam concert dvd.
It's impossible to sit still while listening to this song.
IN BUDDHISM WE ARE ALL BODISHATVAS OF THE EARTH
Denis Dias on Guitar at End!!!!!
Toto's version live is quite good.
May I recommend the band IQ from England? Start with Road of Bones.
If you like this tempo, check out Steely Dan-Bodhisatva Live at the Santa Monica Civic Audtorium. (Note: skip the introduction.)
Denny Diaz on the lead guitar
Denny Diaz on the first solo
Denny 'The BeBopper' Dias plays the first solo, w/ nice chromaticism and cleaver, bop-like change of direction moments, no string bending and no vibrato - just like a 'real' Jazz player. Baxter 'The Skunk' plays the Country Rock oriented, second solo fills and the final Coda solo.
The Bodhi tree is where the Buddha hung out
I never can play a Steely Dan song, it always ends up as a album side or a entire Cd, lol
Well then. Hit it!
The lyrics satirize middle-class fools who think they've discovered the key to instant enlightenment: a vastly oversimplified version of Eastern religion. "The sparkle of your china/China" is a double entendre joke, and the humor in the arrangement underscores it.
The byrds / chestnut mare
That is one crazy song. I suspect someone was eight miles high.
Nothing to do with this song, but I love seeing that Grand Funk Live album up there. I started listening to music around the time I turned three, having six older siblings and parents who were musical. Just before the Beatles came along. Until about midway through 6th grade the heavier stuff didn't appeal to me. Then my sister who was two years older started buying albums with her babysitting money. One of the first ones she bought was Grand Funk Live and I loved it. Soon after that she got Humble Pie 'Rockin The FIllmore', Alice Cooper 'Killer' (with Halo Of Flies!), Black Sabbath "Paranoid', and my conversion from pop to hard rock was on it's way. It all started with Grand Funk Live. Well, 'Black Dog' by Led Zeppelin was the first hard rock song I went nuts over I guess, but GF Live was the first album. For about three years I mostly just wanted to hear the heavy stuff, then eventually I 'rediscovered my roots' around the time I turned 16. :)
I believe the lyrics are a take on the people who would follow trendy religious cult groups/far eastern religions/mystical seers for a (usually) short period. Often the followers would be asked to give up their material goods and donate to the church/movement ("gonna sell my house in town"). The China and Japan in the first set of lyrics are the countries of some of these religions. In the second set of lyrics they become china (sets of pricey dishes) and japan ( (furniture) (which is an expensive technique applied to wood to make it very, very dark and shiny) - perhaps the material goods that the leaders of the cult/religious groups now possess.
It sounds to me like some guru out in California, some cult leader - and the singer is saying "enlighten me! You can have all my material possessions!"
First solo is Denny Dias. Phenomenal jazz-oriented guitarist. Notice that he never bends the strings.
Yes, and in like wise stylistic fashion, neither does he employ vibrato.
if this song, doesnt make you want to move your feet..
one of few things are at play
1) you have NO feet
2) you have NO soul
3) there is no third thing..
Japan and China
both countries who have/had Buddhism as a major religion
the songs title is about a person on the path of enlightenment who turns aside from that path to help the rest of us gain enlightenment too.
like a spiritual advisor.
I am an SD devotee and have already recognized you as one of the best young reactors cuz you "get" much of the older music. BTW- some lame lazy millenial writing for the NYT categorized them as "yacht rock' (!!!) Grrr!! Wanted to tell the mofo off so bad. What a friken insult. Their achievements through cryptic lyrics that you actually need a functioning mind for; top musicians that contributed and their devotion to perfection in their hip fusion of music styles are stellar and unique!
Jeff " Skunk " Baxter's best work on this album is on " The Boston Rag "...
Agree, It's my favorite Skunk solo on that album. IMO 'Bodhisattva', along w/ 'Your Gold Teeth' are Denny Dias' first moments.
Long "O" like "Bow"--"Bow-de-zott-fah" :)
Speaking of tasty. you should listen to the song Tasty by the Good Rats.
Dias takes the first solo and Baxter the second on this one.
gold teethj 2 is the best
Really rattles along, don't it? Wondrous ending flourish!
Those chords on the outro . Like what ?
SD introduced us to what a Bodhisattva is. Those of us who knew how to use a dictionary anyway 😉
But in the inevitable, wry, sly, lyrical crypticness of Donald and Walter, these lyrics mock the self indulgent, latest faux socially hip, in crowd of L.A. taking to Eastern philosophy fad that was prevalent at that time. So do a hot yoga pose, and light up an incense stick. 😜
LMFAO!
to repeat myself..again: their best 3: Can`t Buy A Thrill..Countdown to Ecstasy..Royal Scam
Do you know what Steely Dan means? I shouldn’t say it in the comments. The hint is reference the William Burroughs novel Naked Lunch.
Tongue in cheek rock and roll Jive for Pseudo Buddhists...
You're not going to hear a bad Steely Dan song, at least from those 1972-80 albums. Some tunes are much better than others, and it's all a matter of personal taste, of course, but the production is top notch. Fagen and Becker were taskmasters, and you won't find a missed note anywhere. They threw away more good songs than a lot bands even have. They did release two new studio albums in 2000 and 2003 and there are some really good songs, but they didn't hit me as hard. With a little curation, between those two reunion albums there is one fantastic disc.