Peg was a friend of the band who wanted to make a little money doing a blue movie in Europe, thinking no one would ever find out here in the US, but Peg, it will get back to you!
Yes, it's definitely the deepest rabbit hole you can get into. Believe me, no fillers, not a single bad song in any album of theirs! Funk, jazz, pop, r&b, soul, there's everything in their songs. Great reaction, anyway!
Yes Luca!! The Guys hit Pay Dirt in the hole this Rabbit lies. Heard " Rikki Don't Loose That Number" at 16 years old, and followed since. It's been a great trip with them, at 65 years.
Man the bass grooves in this one. Chuck Rainey disobeyed Fagen and Becker by popping the strings. They told him not to do it, he turned his back to the control room and took off!
Somehow, I think they knew how much it added to the bass track and decided to leave it in. How can you hire Chuck Rainey for the gig and not let Chuck do Chuck? Chuck is in the upper echelon of bada$$ mofos of the lower register!
Chuck Rainey and Drummer Rick Marotta were fresh off 2 years touring together with Roberta Flack when they recorded this. Such a groove with that subtle hi hat.
I first heard Steely Dan as a teenager and stuck with them for over 40 years. Other artists come and go but I’ll never leave SD. Thanks for playing them.
I've always been like this guy, listening to what the instruments are doing before paying attention to the lyrics. There's so much going on, that's what it makes you keep coming back....40+ years later.
Checked it out, you're definitely correct. I guess I got mixed up on it; in the making of video where Bernard was talking about hiding with Chuck so he could slap without getting caught. Maybe that was just in practice sessions.
Just when you think you've heard the most mind blowing music from a Walter and Donald album, the very next album will blow you to smithereens when the groove hits you Welcome to the club
Songs to React to from Steely Dan: FM, Kid Charlemagne, Green Earrings!!! Night By Night, Haitian Divorce, Hey 19, Time Out of Mind, Babylon Sisters. Janie Runaway, West of Hollywood, Glamour Profession, Doctor Wu, Chain Lightning, Pretzel Logic (title trick), Everything Must Go (title track), Lunch with Gina, Jack of Speed, Rikki Don't Lost that Number, Do it Again, Bad Sneakers, Your Gold Teeth, Your Gold Teeth II, Razor Boy, Aja (title track), Gaucho (title track), Don't Take Me Alive, Home at Last, Any World, Caves of Altamira, I Got the News...and on and on and on
They played this and other Steely Dan on classic rock stations all the time, but even more predominantly on easy listening rock stations because of that chill vibe.
Here's the deal on the whole "Rock" thing. In the 60's Rock bands pretty much seemed to dominate mainstream AM radio. Because other pop genres were also played on these mainstream stations the term Rock sort of became a catch-all term for general popular music regardless of whether or not it was actually closer to Jazz or R&B and Soul (as with Steely Dan, Hall & Oates etc.). Also check out Boz Scaggs - Lowdown!
This entire album is my favorite !!!! They use a lot of studio musicians. The main guys Donald Fagan & Walter Becker …. Who sadly is no longer with us ….. make up this phenomenal band …… Michael MacDonalds voice ads to the success of this GREAT GREAT GREAT BAND !!! ENJOY 😘
This is definitely R&B. If you look at the personnel on the records, they're the same players that ripped it up for Al Jarreau, George Benson, Anita Baker, etc. etc. Chuck Rainey, Greg Phillinganes, Tom Scott, Bernard Purdie, Jay Graydon, Ricky Lawson, Tom Barney, and on and on and on. As you say, ELITE. The best of the best of the best.
SD is the peak of sophisticated pop and they used the top groove musicians to make their incredible records. Loved your reaction. They are one of the groups who are actually in the elevated orbit of EWF.
Great reaction to a great tune! And yes, it’s soulful and jazzy. Speaking of Earth Wind & Fire, yesterday was September 21st, the last night of Summer. I think of their song: “Do you remember … the 21st night of September … Ba-dee-ya, say, do you remember? Ba-dee-ya, dancing in September.” Great track. 😊
@@AirplayBeats got to meet Maurice White (founder of EW&F) about ten years before he died, he was my friend's godfather. Really great guy. Also was blessed enough to see EW&F at their peak play live at the Hollywood Bowl when they absolutely blew the f**king roof off the sky!! What a show!!
Loved your Steely Dan/EWF connection. Aja took over as my favorite album in my teenage years, finally knocking EWF’s “Way of the World’ record off my turntable for a minute. Those were indisputably 2 of the best and most popular jazzy, funky, fusion albums of the 70’s. Happened to meet Peg’s background singer, Michael McDonald in Maui around that time, as he enjoyed his huge success with the Doobies. Those were the days… thanks for helping me relive them.
@@AirplayBeats I wanted to ask you earlier if you had seen them live? Their concerts were great! My husband admitted it was the best concert he went to. I can't say that because there are 10 others that I also call my favorite. But it's in the top 10.
“Do It Again”, “Dirty Work”, “Reelin’ In the Years”. I bet you also heard these songs on the radio and it didn’t know it was Steely Dan. Would like for you to react to these at some point. Thanks for getting into this band.
This track is about a Girls first time doing a nude photo shoot, AND you cannot find a better Rabbitt Hole to venture down, thier Albums from Can't By A Thrill ( Thier Debut) To Gaucho are Impecible! This Band is litterally your favorite Musicans favorite Band!
Fagen and Becker are like the clever parents who figured out a way to sneak veggies into their children's meals. So many young rock fans of their time, who would turn their noses up at the thought of jazz, would groove along to Steely Dan, never realizing...
😢I was 11, when their first album came out. I wasn't listening to them then. AJA, changed everything, for many of us. As the brothers say, there are five hit songs on the album. I enjoy listening to the two of you a lot. Keep it up!!
The background vocals of the word peg are from Michael McDonald Of The Doobie Brothers just to fill you in if you weren't aware And I believe he CO wrote the song
@@AirplayBeats All good music is what holds the world together keeps me going every day Open your mind and expand your horizons all music is great Brings people together That's what it's all about
@@AirplayBeats Yes a good thing you're doing I didn't mean just you personally to open You're horizons 2 different music I meant everyone Music is the language of all people one love
Glad to follow you on your trip down the Steely Dan rabbit hole. Can't go wrong with any of the AJA songs .. my favourites from this album (other than the two you have covered Peg and Black Cow) Home at Last, Josie, Deacon Blues, and AJA. So much greatness to enjoy on the other albums too. Have fun!
The 70's were a great time for radio. In a half hour you could hear this followed by Johnny Cash, followed by a fifties or sixties pop song, topped off by the who.
Steely Dan had more of a rock feel in their earlier albums. Check out Reelin in the Years and Do IT Again from their first album, Can't Buy a Thrill, 1972.
I was 16 and a new hire at a record store in Eugene, OR when Aja was released. Couldn't keep it in stock. Vinyl, cassette and 8-track all flew off the shelves. Oh yeah, I was hooked also.
Steely Dan is simply one of the greatest bands of all time! You might as well stay with the Aja album and check out Home at Last. It has a great R&B feel to it.
This has been my favorite song for 40 years. They are my favorite artists. And I've never made the EWF connection and now that you mentioned it I'm surprised I never noticed it before. And I've listened to this song more than I've listened to any other song! This is my first reaction I've seen from you. I'll be spending the weekend watching your other videos!
Guys! It’s ‘all about that bass’! Was hooked at like 10 yrs old on the excellent bass lines ( and yes, the horns too!). Agree that Peg has a funky EW&F vibe - good observation!
It's a trip how many times we hear a song and we never know the name or the group. But we could sing the lyrics at any time. I know what you mean brotha.
you're EWF observation is more than a little eerie. Jay Graydon - who did the guitar solo on Peg also was one of the writers of EWF's "After the Love is Gone"
Steely Dan was in the Classic Rock genre of the 70's. Played in the Billboard Top 40 on the radio, promoted by the likes of Casey Kasum & American Bandstand. Others would include Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, and Billy Joel, etcetera:)
I found you all by accident when I typed in Steely Dan, just to see if they had any videos online. Bands come and go, but Steely Dan is forever. When I lived in NYC, they used to do an annual "residency" at the Beacon Theater. My husband and sons like Steely Dan, but I LOVE Steely Dan, and spent good money every year to go see them. My biggest regret was not going to see the show they called "21st Century Dan," which is all their later stuff, before Walter Becker died. It's different from albums like Gaucho and Aja, but still very cool. I have loved them since I first heard them in college 40+ years ago. And now I am a subscriber to your channel, because watching you all get into SD for the first time did my heart good. Keep rockin', brothers!
While recording vocals for chorus on this song, Michael McDonald said this was the hardest thing he has ever done. They asked him to sing a chord. A chord has minimum 3 notes. So he had to do each note of the chord when he sang “Peg”. So a C chord has the notes C, E, G. So he had to say Peg as C, then E, etc. wow, you guys think this sounds like game show music , SMDH. You guys don’t know what the song is about. Have you not listened to words. It’s a bout a girl who decides to pose for a nude magazine. He says ai got your pin shot ( which refers to pin up picture or centerfold). Usually the name of model was above the pic, and they always listed the models Favorite movie. What you call the rock element, is the great Jay Gruden playing that guitar, did it in one take, after Steely Dan auditioned dozens of guitarists. The great Chuck Rainey, one of the greatest bass players of all time playing the bass on this song. You guys should look at the liner notes for these songs, look at who the players are, the singers, learn something about the song that you are reviewing. No man, it’s not everybody wants your woman smiling for the camera, it’s about a Pin-Up model, playboy, penthouse, etc. Damn. And they are not a band, they are two guys who get the best musicians available to play their songs. Research please
Peg, it will come back to you. Also, go watch the making of Peg. It's on youtube. It's fascinating, behind the scenes stuff. How they mixed it, who played and sang on it.
Michael McDonald on the smooth high background vocals he was in Doobie brothers and went solo.. Including... I keep forgetting..... the song that was sampled In the warren G. song Regulators
EW&F and Steely Dan are similar in their pursuit of musicianship and sophistication. Both had the production, arrangements and much that were way ahead of their peers. EW&F Aja, was the I Am album in 79. Listen to the production, arrangement, horns and musicianship.
You guys haven't heard anything yet. Listen to "Do It Again", "Reelin' In The Years", "Dirty Work", "Deacon Blues", "Kid Charlemagne", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "The Fez", and let me think.... Oh, about 100 more. They are IMO America's greatest R&R band. However, you should listen to these guys using a lyric video. Their lyrics are smart, adult, clever (sometimes perhaps too clever) and interesting. All a continuing list of SD's losers, misfits, and occasionally, idealists. This song is about a young lady that has had a photo taken or made a movie that SD feels was detrimental to her, and ultimately will come back to haunt her...and no, it is not about 1920's actress Peg Entwhistle that committed suicide. That is of course Michael McDonald on background vocals. Let SD songs play to the fade out.
It's really not weird that you've heard this. All different sorts of stations played this back in the day. The R&B station in St. Louis used to play this track all the time.
This song is about Peg an aspiring model/actress whose ex-boyfriend that the song is written from his point of view. Getting his revenge, "it will come back to you" Peg's pin shot and foreign movie(B) and his wish to get Peg back. (Jilted) Love this song and your reactions.
There's a whole GANG of songs by Steely Dan you need to check out, all kinds of different genres and influences: Don't Take Me Alive Doctor Wu FM Haitian Divorce Aja Jack Of Speed Deacon Blues Kid Charlemagne Home At Last My Old School Josie ... just to name a few!
Peg was a friend of the band who wanted to make a little money doing a blue movie in Europe, thinking no one would ever find out here in the US, but Peg, it will get back to you!
Hadn’t heard this…thanks.
Always wanted to meet Peg.
Wasnt peg based on an actress from the 1920s?
If you listen closely at 6:55 you can even hear a short moaning sound in the background, now I know why they put that in there.
They’re not strictly classic _rock,_ but they are certainly _classic._
Micheal McDonald hitting the high note in the chorus...AWESOME!
Like his "Broadway Duchess...." on I Got the News
A terrific performance by all involved with Michael McDonald's one of a kind vocal tone in the backing taking it to the highest of levels.
👏🏾👏🏾 when I hear this song Michael McDonald voice stands out and that bass line is as funky as it gets
Steely Dan took great songs and made them timeless. They don't have any mediocre songs. They are their own genre of music.
They sure are their own genre. Thanks for watching!!
Yes, it's definitely the deepest rabbit hole you can get into. Believe me, no fillers, not a single bad song in any album of theirs! Funk, jazz, pop, r&b, soul, there's everything in their songs. Great reaction, anyway!
Thanks for watching!!
Yes Luca!! The Guys hit Pay Dirt in the hole this Rabbit lies. Heard " Rikki Don't Loose That Number" at 16 years old, and followed since. It's been a great trip with them, at 65 years.
Man the bass grooves in this one. Chuck Rainey disobeyed Fagen and Becker by popping the strings. They told him not to do it, he turned his back to the control room and took off!
Somehow, I think they knew how much it added to the bass track and decided to leave it in. How can you hire Chuck Rainey for the gig and not let Chuck do Chuck? Chuck is in the upper echelon of bada$$ mofos of the lower register!
Chuck Rainey and Drummer Rick Marotta were fresh off 2 years touring together with Roberta Flack when they recorded this. Such a groove with that subtle hi hat.
Chuck rainey on peg, Steve gadd and Wayne shorter on aja... probably the best combination of session musicians ever
De La sampled this on 3 Feet High and Rising.
Dope ass track and dope ass reaction.
I have to check that out. Thanks for watching!!!
YES! The song was called "Eye Know".
@@chrisv966 right - De la Soul
De Ls Soul had good taste
I first heard Steely Dan as a teenager and stuck with them for over 40 years. Other artists come and go but I’ll never leave SD. Thanks for playing them.
I've always been like this guy, listening to what the instruments are doing before paying attention to the lyrics. There's so much going on, that's what it makes you keep coming back....40+ years later.
One of the most sampled bands ever.
This one is just lighter than air! It just bounces along on its own giddiness. Such an incredible feel good song
Your joy is infectious. Y'all reacted the HELL out of that song!
You are correct. Steely Dan is NOT classic rock. It's a Fusion of R&B, jazz, and rock/pop.
Early Steely had more of a rock sound.
I always thought of Can't Buy A Thrill as their classic rock album.
Steely Dan is Steely Dan. Nothing else comes close to their sound.
Plus blues, and disco, reggae, just about any genre you think of
Bernard Purdie, Chuck Rainey, Micheal McDonald, the eponymous Dan. These guys are literally a who's who of f'in fantastic musicians.
This isn’t Barnard Purdie on drums. It’s Rick Marotta. 👍🏼
Checked it out, you're definitely correct. I guess I got mixed up on it; in the making of video where Bernard was talking about hiding with Chuck so he could slap without getting caught. Maybe that was just in practice sessions.
Aja is simply one of the best albums ever. This was the big radio hit off of it
Steely Dan are many things, but it was rock radio that embraced them. This is why they're considered to be a rock band.
The irony is that they hated rock! They were huge jazz fans.
Micheal McDonald vocals in the background are immaculate!!!
Just when you think you've heard the most mind blowing music from a Walter and Donald album, the very next album will blow you to smithereens when the groove hits you
Welcome to the club
The album Aja is one of the pillars of Hip Hop...sampled to death!!!
Songs to React to from Steely Dan: FM, Kid Charlemagne, Green Earrings!!! Night By Night, Haitian Divorce, Hey 19, Time Out of Mind, Babylon Sisters. Janie Runaway, West of Hollywood, Glamour Profession, Doctor Wu, Chain Lightning, Pretzel Logic (title trick), Everything Must Go (title track), Lunch with Gina, Jack of Speed, Rikki Don't Lost that Number, Do it Again, Bad Sneakers, Your Gold Teeth, Your Gold Teeth II, Razor Boy, Aja (title track), Gaucho (title track), Don't Take Me Alive, Home at Last, Any World, Caves of Altamira, I Got the News...and on and on and on
Then you can do a deep dive into Fagan's solo work. Morph the Cat harmonies are incredible!
They played this and other Steely Dan on classic rock stations all the time, but even more predominantly on easy listening rock stations because of that chill vibe.
It’s amazing that I took this album for granted. 💜💜💜
Steely Dan is probably best described as Jazz-Rock fusion.
Here's the deal on the whole "Rock" thing. In the 60's Rock bands pretty much seemed to dominate mainstream AM radio. Because other pop genres were also played on these mainstream stations the term Rock sort of became a catch-all term for general popular music regardless of whether or not it was actually closer to Jazz or R&B and Soul (as with Steely Dan, Hall & Oates etc.). Also check out Boz Scaggs - Lowdown!
That makes sense. Thank you for the clarification on the genre of ‘rock’.
These two are masters of their craft
Everytime I hear this shopping for groceries I look around,like do these people know what this song is about?
I am thrilled with your appreciation of this band and this song. Steely Dan is one of my top faves and always will be.
THA BASS BABY!!!
Black Friday is a must!
This entire album is my favorite !!!!
They use a lot of studio musicians.
The main guys Donald Fagan &
Walter Becker …. Who sadly is no longer with us ….. make up this
phenomenal band ……
Michael MacDonalds voice ads to the success of this GREAT GREAT
GREAT BAND !!! ENJOY 😘
If you want to calibrate your stereo system, play this album. The production is as meticulous as the musicianship. Perfection.
With Steely Dan you must go down the rabbit hole too much good music to miss
These guys are phenomenal. I kinda feel like I’m discovering music for the first time
This is definitely R&B. If you look at the personnel on the records, they're the same players that ripped it up for Al Jarreau, George Benson, Anita Baker, etc. etc. Chuck Rainey, Greg Phillinganes, Tom Scott, Bernard Purdie, Jay Graydon, Ricky Lawson, Tom Barney, and on and on and on. As you say, ELITE. The best of the best of the best.
SD is the peak of sophisticated pop and they used the top groove musicians to make their incredible records. Loved your reaction. They are one of the groups who are actually in the elevated orbit of EWF.
I can’t think of a better band in the world to sample for hip hop. This is a great example as the excellent De La Soul discovered.
Great reaction to a great tune! And yes, it’s soulful and jazzy. Speaking of Earth Wind & Fire, yesterday was September 21st, the last night of Summer. I think of their song: “Do you remember … the 21st night of September … Ba-dee-ya, say, do you remember? Ba-dee-ya, dancing in September.” Great track. 😊
Steely Dan Rabbit hole: Do It Again, Glamour Profession, FM, Green Earrings, Haitian Divorce (reggae vibe), and Hey 19. So many great songs. 😜👍
We love Earth Wind and Fire!!
@@AirplayBeats got to meet Maurice White (founder of EW&F) about ten years before he died, he was my friend's godfather. Really great guy. Also was blessed enough to see EW&F at their peak play live at the Hollywood Bowl when they absolutely blew the f**king roof off the sky!! What a show!!
Loved your Steely Dan/EWF connection. Aja took over as my favorite album in my teenage years, finally knocking EWF’s “Way of the World’ record off my turntable for a minute. Those were indisputably 2 of the best and most popular jazzy, funky, fusion albums of the 70’s. Happened to meet Peg’s background singer, Michael McDonald in Maui around that time, as he enjoyed his huge success with the Doobies. Those were the days… thanks for helping me relive them.
@@AirplayBeats I wanted to ask you earlier if you had seen them live? Their concerts were great! My husband admitted it was the best concert he went to. I can't say that because there are 10 others that I also call my favorite. But it's in the top 10.
Bodhisattva. Bodhisattva!!!
“Do It Again”, “Dirty Work”, “Reelin’ In the Years”. I bet you also heard these songs on the radio and it didn’t know it was Steely Dan. Would like for you to react to these at some point. Thanks for getting into this band.
Thanks for watching. We will be checking those songs out.
This track is about a Girls first time doing a nude photo shoot, AND you cannot find a better Rabbitt Hole to venture down, thier Albums from Can't By A Thrill ( Thier Debut) To Gaucho are Impecible! This Band is litterally your favorite Musicans favorite Band!
Fagen and Becker are like the clever parents who figured out a way to sneak veggies into their children's meals. So many young rock fans of their time, who would turn their noses up at the thought of jazz, would groove along to Steely Dan, never realizing...
Love this comment. You are absolutely right.
😢I was 11, when their first album came out. I wasn't listening to them then. AJA, changed everything, for many of us. As the brothers say, there are five hit songs on the album. I enjoy listening to the two of you a lot. Keep it up!!
FM, Black Cow, Josie, Green Earrings, Babylon Sisters...
Now that I'm 40, this album suddenly showed up in my Spotify
The background vocals of the word peg are from Michael McDonald Of The Doobie Brothers just to fill you in if you weren't aware And I believe he CO wrote the song
Wow!! Had no idea that was Michael back there. That’s probably why I love it so much. Thanks for watching!!
@@AirplayBeats All good music is what holds the world together keeps me going every day Open your mind and expand your horizons all music is great Brings people together That's what it's all about
@@AirplayBeats Michael McDonald did backing vocals on 4 Steely Dan albums. Katy Lied, The Royal Scam, Aja and Gaucho.
That’s why we do these reactions. We are opening our world, learning new things and interacting with a lot of knowledgeable people
@@AirplayBeats Yes a good thing you're doing I didn't mean just you personally to open You're horizons 2 different music I meant everyone Music is the language of all people one love
So many great Steely Dan songs, would love to see you react to:
Glamour Profession
Hatian Divorce
Bad Sneakers
Glad to follow you on your trip down the Steely Dan rabbit hole. Can't go wrong with any of the AJA songs .. my favourites from this album (other than the two you have covered Peg and Black Cow) Home at Last, Josie, Deacon Blues, and AJA. So much greatness to enjoy on the other albums too. Have fun!
We are having a blast in this rabbit hole. Thanks for watching!!
The 70's were a great time for radio. In a half hour you could hear this followed by Johnny Cash, followed by a fifties or sixties pop song, topped off by the who.
Steely Dan had more of a rock feel in their earlier albums. Check out Reelin in the Years and Do IT Again from their first album, Can't Buy a Thrill, 1972.
I was 16 and a new hire at a record store in Eugene, OR when Aja was released. Couldn't keep it in stock. Vinyl, cassette and 8-track all flew off the shelves.
Oh yeah, I was hooked also.
Favorite bass line by the great Chuck Rainey.
Steely Dan is simply one of the greatest bands of all time! You might as well stay with the Aja album and check out Home at Last. It has a great R&B feel to it.
Thanks for watching!! We might have to go live and just react to the whole album.
This has been my favorite song for 40 years. They are my favorite artists. And I've never made the EWF connection and now that you mentioned it I'm surprised I never noticed it before. And I've listened to this song more than I've listened to any other song! This is my first reaction I've seen from you. I'll be spending the weekend watching your other videos!
Been a Dan Fan for 50 years. Aja is one of my all time facorite LP's. To hear them on a high end audio system is to die for.
The lyric is actually “I like your pin shot”.
Guys! It’s ‘all about that bass’! Was hooked at like 10 yrs old on the excellent bass lines ( and yes, the horns too!). Agree that Peg has a funky EW&F vibe - good observation!
It's a trip how many times we hear a song and we never know the name or the group. But we could sing the lyrics at any time. I know what you mean brotha.
You started with two are their relatively guitar free songs. You're going to hit some iconic guitar solos with them. "Reelin' In The Years" for one.
Thanks for watching. We will check out that song for sure!!
you're EWF observation is more than a little eerie. Jay Graydon - who did the guitar solo on Peg also was one of the writers of EWF's "After the Love is Gone"
I think you would like " Lowdown" by Boz Scaggs.
Steelye Dan timeless it's just!! classical modern music !!!
Should've watched the live video. Watching them go is a life-changing experience.
The bass and drums are up front unlike other recordings of the time.
There is a great documentary “ The Making of PEG” Check it out to see these guys at work in the studio !
Nasty guitar solo !!! Those session players , Gaw damn
my favorite Steely Dan song, love your guys reactions new sub
Thanks for rocking with us!!
Listen to “Time Outta Mind” ✅✅✅
Steely Dan was in the Classic Rock genre of the 70's. Played in the Billboard Top 40 on the radio, promoted by the likes of Casey Kasum & American Bandstand. Others would include Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, and Billy Joel, etcetera:)
I love EWF! They’ve got it all too.
This album was from 1978. Can you believe it?
One of the Funkiest Bass Lines EVER!!!
Earth and Wind. Great comparison. Agree!
Peg is probably the best deep cut of all time, I can't believe this wasn't a single or a #1
Peg *was* released as a single
"Dirty Work" by Steely Dan is awesome! Totally different than what you'd expect!!
I found you all by accident when I typed in Steely Dan, just to see if they had any videos online. Bands come and go, but Steely Dan is forever. When I lived in NYC, they used to do an annual "residency" at the Beacon Theater. My husband and sons like Steely Dan, but I LOVE Steely Dan, and spent good money every year to go see them. My biggest regret was not going to see the show they called "21st Century Dan," which is all their later stuff, before Walter Becker died. It's different from albums like Gaucho and Aja, but still very cool. I have loved them since I first heard them in college 40+ years ago. And now I am a subscriber to your channel, because watching you all get into SD for the first time did my heart good. Keep rockin', brothers!
Thanks for watching!!
Look for the extended, long version (it’s over 6 minutes) of Steely Dan’s title theme for the long-since-forgotten movie “FM”. One of their best.
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I LUVS me some STEELY!
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While recording vocals for chorus on this song, Michael McDonald said this was the hardest thing he has ever done. They asked him to sing a chord. A chord has minimum 3 notes. So he had to do each note of the chord when he sang “Peg”. So a C chord has the notes C, E, G. So he had to say Peg as C, then E, etc. wow, you guys think this sounds like game show music , SMDH. You guys don’t know what the song is about. Have you not listened to words. It’s a bout a girl who decides to pose for a nude magazine. He says ai got your pin shot ( which refers to pin up picture or centerfold). Usually the name of model was above the pic, and they always listed the models Favorite movie. What you call the rock element, is the great Jay Gruden playing that guitar, did it in one take, after Steely Dan auditioned dozens of guitarists. The great Chuck Rainey, one of the greatest bass players of all time playing the bass on this song. You guys should look at the liner notes for these songs, look at who the players are, the singers, learn something about the song that you are reviewing. No man, it’s not everybody wants your woman smiling for the camera, it’s about a Pin-Up model, playboy, penthouse, etc. Damn. And they are not a band, they are two guys who get the best musicians available to play their songs. Research please
Classic rock guys !!!!
Younger guys who appreciate musical talent...love it
Peg, it will come back to you. Also, go watch the making of Peg. It's on youtube. It's fascinating, behind the scenes stuff. How they mixed it, who played and sang on it.
The word is FUSION ❤
Michael McDonald on the smooth high background vocals he was in Doobie brothers and went solo.. Including... I keep forgetting..... the song that was sampled In the warren G. song Regulators
No matter what album or sound - always tight with real musicians and real lyrics.
Great reaction!!
You guys are great.
Thanks.
Steely....what can I say? As tight from top to bottom, lip to lyric and all it all!
Love it
EW&F and Steely Dan are similar in their pursuit of musicianship and sophistication.
Both had the production, arrangements and much that were way ahead of their peers.
EW&F Aja, was the I Am album in 79. Listen to the production, arrangement, horns and musicianship.
This song or part of this song was sampled by De La Soul 1989 on the song Eye Know along with Otis Reading’s dock of the bay
This is big boy rock n roll
You guys haven't heard anything yet. Listen to "Do It Again", "Reelin' In The Years", "Dirty Work", "Deacon Blues", "Kid Charlemagne", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "The Fez", and let me think.... Oh, about 100 more. They are IMO America's greatest R&R band. However, you should listen to these guys using a lyric video. Their lyrics are smart, adult, clever (sometimes perhaps too clever) and interesting. All a continuing list of SD's losers, misfits, and occasionally, idealists. This song is about a young lady that has had a photo taken or made a movie that SD feels was detrimental to her, and ultimately will come back to haunt her...and no, it is not about 1920's actress Peg Entwhistle that committed suicide. That is of course Michael McDonald on background vocals. Let SD songs play to the fade out.
Yes, play the fade outs!! There is so much great soloing going on in the outros…Peg has that wonderful guitar solo playing in the fade out!
Michael McDonald singing vocals added thsat R&B hook. I love this song. Almost as dope as Home at Last.
It's really not weird that you've heard this. All different sorts of stations played this back in the day. The R&B station in St. Louis used to play this track all the time.
SD transcends time. Michael MacDonald voice emerges for all to enjoy.
Take a drive and listen to Aja. It's the whole point.
Love you guys!!
Yeah that lead right before the “you’re picture” line though 😮💨
This song is about Peg an aspiring model/actress whose ex-boyfriend that the song is written from his point of view. Getting his revenge, "it will come back to you" Peg's pin shot and foreign movie(B) and his wish to get Peg back. (Jilted) Love this song and your reactions.
Classic Rock of the 70s and 80s had a broader spectrum. Youd hear this on the radio right next to Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo or Wish You Were Here.
jazz rock ++ excellent musicianship 💯💯
My old school was a popular song by steely Dan. It had more of a rock flavor to it. I recommend it!
There's a whole GANG of songs by Steely Dan you need to check out, all kinds of different genres and influences:
Don't Take Me Alive
Doctor Wu
FM
Haitian Divorce
Aja
Jack Of Speed
Deacon Blues
Kid Charlemagne
Home At Last
My Old School
Josie
... just to name a few!
Thanks for the requests and thanks for watching!!