NO joke: Steely Dan may be one of only a handful (seriously 5 or less) bands in the world to never put out a bad song in a career of 5 albums or more. They are THAT good.
Tull, Floyd, Who, Yes etc... have all done songs, several in fact, that I dislike to varying degrees. The same cannot be said for Steely Dan. Fagen and Becker are THE ultimate professionals and it shows every...single...song.
Yes,ah… I don’t know who does the ratings when something’s under-rated 🤔🙂 but I know what you mean, and I’m in agreement with any major dude named Larry. It’s a great track.
@Matt McQueen: Thanks much for that lyric bit. I guess if you live long enough, some of life’s mysteries get resolved. I googled Squonk, and now I understand the awesomeness of that lyric. Amazing. Thanks so much!
Steely Dan is often labelled as being "yacht rock". But the amount of social commentary they put in their lyrics is mindblowing. It seems to me they intended the (upper) middleclass as their target audience, and then said "let's confront them with all their demons, and make it sound so smooth they don't even realize it." I love it!
Yacht Rock isn't just the style but all the interactions between the musicians of that genre. Steely Dan worked with so many in that genre including heavy hitters Michael McDonald, Glenn Frye and Don Henley. Good Yacht Rock focused on musicianship. So yeah, SD is Yacht Rock but is at the top of the game.
Your next Steely Dan song needs to be FM (No Static At All). Keep in mind that FM came into popularity in the late 70s. It was patented a couple decades early, but not mainstream until the mid 70s. I remember my mom switching back to AM a lot. She didn't like that rock n roll FM stuff we wanted to listen to 🤣😂 I graduated high school in 1979. Steely Dan was phenomenal back then, and they still are. A childhood friend and I got to see them about 5 years ago. It was awesome, so many memories from my teens, early 20s. Thanks for bringing great music back.
In the early days of FM it was almost exclusively devoted to classical music due to the short range then of signal strength. Then slowly but surely album rock began to creep in. One station I listened to , WMUM (Mother) in W. Palm Beach, FL, would play every single version of the same song ever released by every artist that ever did it - back-to-back. It was sooooo cool!
sue on of my fave steely songs didnt know until.after walter passed that he played the guitar solo was fortunate to see band on his last tour but cant recall dont believe they played fm he they performed black friday he rocked maybe one or two others cant recall
Be sure to look for the longest mix of “FM”, that includes both the extended saxophone outro, and Walter Becker’s brilliant extended guitar outro. He’s so amazing here, he ventures into David Gilmour territory…
Gotta hit Don't Take Me Alive. If you're looking for more dirty relationship Steely Dan, check out Everything you Did. The lyrics in that one get them a shoutout in The Eagle's Hotel California!
@@taterdawg couldn’t agree more bro. Don’t take me alive for the win! Intro screaming guitar solo and outro too. One of the greatest songs on another great album.
Steely Dan has such a great catalog there is seemingly no end of songs to recommend, but I would go with "Don't Take Me Alive" next. The guitar work is next level...even by Steely Dan standards. After that, "FM (No Static at All)" gets the nod.
The expressions of ecstasy on your faces while listening to great old rock music gives me many deep moments of reminiscence of times past when I was young, hearing this music for the first time. It's glorious magnificence!😌
Great to hear this again. 50 years old this year guys. Unbelievable production. Can you imagine when this album went on my record player for the 1st time. Great debut album
*Midnite Cruiser* has received little to no airplay over the years (heard it once on the radio on one of those "eclectic" programs where the DJ only plays deep cuts). As with all early SD songs, just amazing lyrics for a couple of "kids" still in their 20s: "The world that we used to know People tell me it don't turn no more The places we used to go Familiar faces that ain't smilin' like before The time of our time has come and gone I fear we been waiting too long" Lead vocal by drummer Jim Hodder, who also sang lead on the CBAT throwaway *Dallas.* David Palmer, lead singer on DW, also contributed his vocal talent to *Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)* as well as backed Donald Fagen on *Only a Fool Would Say That,* *Change of the Guard,* and *Turn That Heartbeat Over Again,* all from CBAT.
Some of my favorite Steely Dan songs you guys haven't hit yet: "Here At The Western World", "Doctor Wu" "Haitian Divorce", "Pretzel Logic" and "FM". Though I do love everything by them. Also try Donald Fagen's solo hit "New Frontier" Btw the lead vocalist on "Dirty Work" was David Palmer who only appears on that album sharing vocals with Donald and Walter.
In High School every time one friend of mine would bomb a test he would meet up with us at the car and immediately put on "Here At The Western World" to soothe his mind and spirit.
I agree. This is the best short list of recommendations I could give to steely songs they haven’t reacted to yet but would love. I’ll throw in maybe “night by night” and “king of the world” to mix it up a little and give the boys a couple more options.
Been there done that! Never “listened” to that song until now with you guys. I think that’s why I’m a part of your community. I’m 64 and y’all take the music that I grew up on and dissect it to a deeper level than I ever did. Thank you for that.
I'm 64 also. I wore out this first album of theirs playing it so much. It's amazing. Listening to all this music by reactors these days shows how this music is timeless.
I think it’s time for you guys to take a dive into my favorite Steely Dan album, Katy Lied. Every song on it is so freaking good. SO GOOD! In fact I’m going to go put it on right now…
Glad to hear you're getting to "The Graduate," a true all-time classic film. I'd strongly suggest reacting to Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" before going into the movie, it is one of their signature songs, which is used to great effect in the movie.
@@loosilu Hi Lucie, I don't recall that, and a search I just did indicates they've only reacted to "The Boxer," "Mrs. Robinson," "Cecilia," and "Bridge Over Troubled Waters"
Very few movies are great enough to be compared to The Graduate. Every moment of every scene is wonderful. The montage, the music, the dialog, the performances, all stellar.
This is among my top faves of theirs, glad you finally hit this one. Pretzel Logic is a must hit for their next tune! Pretzel logic is a great LP and the title track is my number one fave of theirs.
Damn fine start for sure! This is just a very strong album, from start to finish! "Reelin In The Years", "Brooklyn", "Change Of The Guard" "Midnight Cruiser"......Not a weak moment in sight!
'Can't Buy a Thrill' was one of the greatest debut albums of all time. There are no bad tracks and a bunch of great ones. I know some have been overplayed enough on classic radio to make folks tired of them (Reelin in the Years, for example) but they were all great songs which is why they got the airplay.
Back in the Day, nobody did it like the Dan. My Holy Trinity of Steely Dan songs include "Haitian Divorce", "Kid Charlemagne", and "Don't Take Me Alive." This song, along with "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" would definitely make it onto any "Greatest Hits" collection along with my three faves. There's just so much good stuff to choose from.
Steely Dan is a tough one for me I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s and although many of my friends got them I was only interested in heavier guitar driven music and pushed them aside as I’ve aged I’ve gained some appreciation for them
If you’ll take a little time checking out the music again from the early 70’s and forward, especially with headphones, you might appreciate them more as the recording qualities are paramount and the guitar work performed by session guitarist’s is pretty amazing! Have a great day!
There's only one thing to do at this point; you have to hit this whole album. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that "Can't Buy a Thrill" approaches "Aja" in it's greatness. Every track is a memorable work of art. Give it a go.
David Palmer did several songs for Steely Dan as lead vocal. The song he contributed on were not considered tunes that Donald Fagen’s voice or singing style would carry as well. Their hunch was correct.
You guys continuously remind me of how lucky I was to grow up in a time when this kind of music was just what you heard every time you turned on the radio.
"Only Steely Dan can pull it off this smooth." "This smooth." "This smooth." Yeah, adultery, promiscuity, the last half of the second verse is about how the chess rook (castle in his corner in a midieval game) sees this situation (I foresee terrible trouble and I stay here just the same). What imagery. Like Andy says, "This is Shea Butter smooth."
David Palmer - lead vocals. He also sang lead on most of Steely Dan's songs when performed live in their early concerts as a result of Fagen's lack of live vocal power at that point. Fagen eventually took over as lead vocalist and Palmer was fired, although he did contribute backing vocals on the band's subsequent release, Countdown to Ecstasy. In 2014, Palmer sued Steely Dan for unpaid royalties.
Funny that "Dirty Work" is getting elevated as characteristic of Steely Dan given that it's one of only two sung by David Palmer during his brief stint in the band.
Great tune, definitely one of their best. If you haven't done Showbiz Kids yet then that's a must. Also from the debut, Only A Fool Would Say That is lots of fun.
Rumor has it “Only a Fool Would Say That” was a retort to John Lennon’s “Imagine”. But I’m no expert… the idea fits, however. I just don’t know if it’s actually, you know, true. Any expert opinions/ knowledge out there? I love both songs, btw, and feel both sentiments.
I taped this album for my girlfriend as a gift (now my wife of 28 years!) when we first started dating. This was one our favorite songs on the album. Sounds as great today as it did back then. Thanks for reacting to this one fellas - brings back awesome memories!
You've already hit my absolute favorite, "my old school." This one is a very close second. Just from the first notes you're hooked. So smooth, so tight. Just perfect
Introduced my elder bruv to this album, every track is a winner or a single, one of the great debut albums and one of the greatest if the 70's. You can pick literally any track, total gold.
Appropriate that the movie of the month is "The Graduate" since you're previewing "Dirty Work" today! David Palmer on vocals here. He was gone by Countdown, but added a lot to this great debut album. You've got SO MUCH more to look forward to with The Dan!
Im in my mid thirties and my dad used to play steely dan all the time but i really discovered it again through your channel. One thing i love is that you never know whats coming. The mix of genres. The production quality with stereo ( left and right ) of the instruments and one of the greatest things are the out of the box solos. It never gets too jazzy to me since i dont love jazz but also never too much pop or plain soul. In this song the acoustic guitar shows up love. Each song is a adventure. Looove your channel.
Singer was David Palmer, who was gone by the next album, "Countdown to Ecstasy." Becker and Fagan decided that two lead singers was two too many. In modern vernacular, it's a song about a booty call. :-D
For me, Can't Buy a Thrill is arguably among the greatest debut albums ever. Three huge radio hits, and every song is great. As they evolved, they began incorporating jazzier arrangements, along with production values that rivaled anyone else at the time. I think Donald Fagen once said that he tried to incorporate sophisticated jazz chords into a pop song context, which really made them unique. You could pick a random SD song, and it would be worth your attention, but if you're looking for recommendations, try My Old School, Bodhisattva, Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Don't Take me Alive, or Kid Charlemagne. And at least another dozen that others will surely cite as well!
I agree with Don't Take Me Alive. It has one of the greatest guitar intros in rock and roll history (Larry Carlton)! Also off that album is the Caves of Altimira. Also hit Babylon Sisters. Absolutely great band!
That line "Light the candle put the lock upon the door, you have sent the maid home early Like a thousand times before"..... always get's me. Paints such a clear picture. Great song. Also, just a friendly reminder to hit some Rory Gallagher for St. Patrick's Day. If you do, then the rains will fall soft upon your fields.
Your Steely Dan reactions are what made me fall in love with you guys and your channel. You two and Steely Dan go like peas and carrots, and this was another so great vid. Thanks guys!
Great reaction Andy & Alex!! You 2 are so right about "Dirty Work"! This was the first album I bought back in 1973! Now you MUST react to "Fire in the Hole" off the same album!!
Over time, I forgot this was a Steely Dan song because of the vocals. I re-found it about 10 years ago on Spotify (or some service). Still not one of my SD faves, but a great song.
I'm with you. I did not remember this was from Steely Dan. I was nine or ten when it came out. But graduating in '81 made me a huge fan of the Dan by then.
Yes, the choruses are great. In time you I hope you make a deeper dive into all of the the lyrics. I grew up with Steely Dan, it took me many years to truly begin to appreciate the nuances of every line in their songs.
So many great Steely Dan songs still to hit. In addition to everyone else's recommendations, I would also strongly recommend Daddy Don't Live in that New York City No More.
On their comeback tour in I believe it was 1993, my friend and I flew from Orlando to Houston to see them. I had owned all their albums. What an amazing concert it was at the Woodlands amphitheater. It was a amazing performance ! To this day it was one of the top days of my life. You need to listen to all of their albums. Not a bad song among them !
You guys could react to every song on this, THE first Steely Dan album, and no one would complain. It’s pretty amazing it’s a first album, it plays like most groups “greatest hits” albums. If you ever need a great cd to blast while driving on a hot sunny day, this is it.
Caves of Altamira is definitely a must. Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me) is a lesser known song but also has David Palmer on lead vocals. They did Don't Take Me Alive on a stream everyone so please stop asking for it.
I wish they would do what another reactor I like does, he takes his streamed reactions and cuts out the songs that he thinks deserve to be reposted by themselves. It adds extra content, and you just label it as what it is, then people won't expect a true full react like one of these.
Vocals by David Palmer. His other great vocal from that album is one of my favorite Steely Dan songs (of which there are many), "Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)". He also doubled parts of Donald Fagen's vocals on "Reelin' in the Years", "Only a Fool Would Say That", and "Change of the Guard" to reach the high notes. He was also the lyricist of the Carole King number two hit, "Jazzman". I sure hope he is still singing somewhere, but I read that, since 2002, he has been a digital photographer specializing in landscapes and fine art images. In 2014, Palmer sued Steely Dan for unpaid royalties.
The steely Dan phenomenon is a "ship" steered by two very talented visionary musicians who bring in the studio the best musicians on the planet who offer what the piece of work (ALBUM STYLE / SONG requires .... many have served that purpose in each project .... few have remained.
![Kodak Black - Sharp Vibes [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/oEV0OoLJeIs/mqdefault.jpg)
Finally we got around to hitting this track! What’s your favorite Steely Dan song that we’ve NOT hit yet?! 🔥
I don't remember you guys hitting "Josie" yet, so that's my vote. Glad you got to this one though!
Bodhisattva
@@adamplace1414 I agree 👍
@@caravan5557 you’re in luck- they reacted to Bodhisattva during a livestream.
Reelin in the years
Can't go wrong with Steely Dan, but I'm going to cast my vote for *"Don't Take Me Alive"* next - the guitar intro is _blistering_
They covered it on a live cast -- actually Andy and Adam while Alex took a break.
Agree -
Totally
@@adambnyc4875 Too bad they neglected to share that here.
Just give it an "S" and then listen to it.
You will have heard all of Steely Dan's greatest songs when you get to the end of their catalog.
NO joke: Steely Dan may be one of only a handful (seriously 5 or less) bands in the world to never put out a bad song in a career of 5 albums or more. They are THAT good.
That’s what I always say!!
Tull, Floyd, Who, Yes etc... have all done songs, several in fact, that I dislike to varying degrees. The same cannot be said for Steely Dan. Fagen and Becker are THE ultimate professionals and it shows every...single...song.
100%. There's 2 or 3 songs I don't care for but don't dislike, everything else is S tier
“Any Major Dude” their most underrated song IMO. Agree completely about this song. I love the vocal on the verse.
"Have you ever seen a squonk's tears? Well, look at mine." One of my favourites.
Yes,ah… I don’t know who does the ratings when something’s under-rated 🤔🙂 but I know what you mean, and I’m in agreement with any major dude named Larry. It’s a great track.
Yesss...ANY MAJOR DUDE and this song are some of my top SD songs! They'll dig it!!!
Any easy top 5 SD tune for me
@Matt McQueen: Thanks much for that lyric bit. I guess if you live long enough, some of life’s mysteries get resolved. I googled Squonk, and now I understand the awesomeness of that lyric. Amazing. Thanks so much!
Steely Dan is often labelled as being "yacht rock". But the amount of social commentary they put in their lyrics is mindblowing. It seems to me they intended the (upper) middleclass as their target audience, and then said "let's confront them with all their demons, and make it sound so smooth they don't even realize it." I love it!
As a massive dan fan I think you nailed that description
Only a fool would say that!
Jk, I know you get it...
Yeh, ‘ yacht rock ‘, my Ass.
Yacht Rock isn't just the style but all the interactions between the musicians of that genre. Steely Dan worked with so many in that genre including heavy hitters Michael McDonald, Glenn Frye and Don Henley. Good Yacht Rock focused on musicianship.
So yeah, SD is Yacht Rock but is at the top of the game.
Bought this aged 19 in 1972 and still LOVE it. Immaculate production. Hasn’t dated. I have, now aged 69!
Aw….,a yougin’! 😉 I bought it at age 25
I’ll be 69 in October ya old fart. Lol
Ditto, 18 in '73, would like to go back Jack,and "Do It Again." Just "Reelin' In the Years" now. I love these guys.
The same Mark, bought this in 72…Hey Nineteen
Consider "Babylon Sisters" and "Don't Take Me Alive", both are classic Steely Dan!!
I’ve heard this song hundreds of times over the years, and never knew who sang it. I never even SUSPECTED it was Steely Dan!
Your next Steely Dan song needs to be FM (No Static At All).
Keep in mind that FM came into popularity in the late 70s. It was patented a couple decades early, but not mainstream until the mid 70s. I remember my mom switching back to AM a lot. She didn't like that rock n roll FM stuff we wanted to listen to 🤣😂 I graduated high school in 1979. Steely Dan was phenomenal back then, and they still are. A childhood friend and I got to see them about 5 years ago. It was awesome, so many memories from my teens, early 20s.
Thanks for bringing great music back.
FM, hell yeah. always overlooked.
In the early days of FM it was almost exclusively devoted to classical music due to the short range then of signal strength. Then slowly but surely album rock began to creep in. One station I listened to , WMUM (Mother) in W. Palm Beach, FL, would play every single version of the same song ever released by every artist that ever did it - back-to-back. It was sooooo cool!
Yes, do FM next. Please!!
sue on of my fave steely songs didnt know until.after walter passed that he played the guitar solo was fortunate to see band on his last tour but cant recall dont believe they played fm he they performed black friday he rocked maybe one or two others cant recall
Be sure to look for the longest mix of “FM”, that includes both the extended saxophone outro, and Walter Becker’s brilliant extended guitar outro. He’s so amazing here, he ventures into David Gilmour territory…
Gotta hit Don't Take Me Alive. If you're looking for more dirty relationship Steely Dan, check out Everything you Did. The lyrics in that one get them a shoutout in The Eagle's Hotel California!
Definitely “don’t take me alive.”What a banger. probably the best beginning of the song guitar solo in history. Long live Larry Carlton!
"Haitian Divorce" is about a dirty relationship too off of "The Royal Scam" That's a great album.
Came here to say this. Really anything and everything from The Royal Scam.
@@ender26 Very True.. It's a down and dirty album.
@@taterdawg couldn’t agree more bro. Don’t take me alive for the win! Intro screaming guitar solo and outro too. One of the greatest songs on another great album.
Steely Dan has such a great catalog there is seemingly no end of songs to recommend, but I would go with "Don't Take Me Alive" next. The guitar work is next level...even by Steely Dan standards. After that, "FM (No Static at All)" gets the nod.
Larry Carlton's playing on Don't Take Me Alive is the definition of tasty.
And then Josie
The expressions of ecstasy on your faces while listening to great old rock music gives me many deep moments of reminiscence of times past when I was young, hearing this music for the first time. It's glorious magnificence!😌
Clever, beautiful and produced to perfection. Faultless. But warm, catchy and so so addictive. Just Steely Dan
Everying in balance.
2 more from the Steely Dan vault worthy of an A & A listen are "Bad Sneakers" and "Green Earrings".
Yep and Yep.
Two unique masterpieces!
Steely Dan = The gift that keeps on giving. Check out “Don’t Take Me Alive,”
Great to hear this again. 50 years old this year guys. Unbelievable production. Can you imagine when this album went on my record player for the 1st time. Great debut album
Yes!! S Tier, for sure. Next? Check out "Josie" from '78, or the awesome "FM (No Static At All)" .
I was gonna say FM so thanks for the back-up vote. FM gives new meaning to the word smooth.
I love midnight cruiser, which is also off their debut album.
Me too. Underrated and rarely if ever reacted to.
*Midnite Cruiser* has received little to no airplay over the years (heard it once on the radio on one of those "eclectic" programs where the DJ only plays deep cuts). As with all early SD songs, just amazing lyrics for a couple of "kids" still in their 20s:
"The world that we used to know
People tell me it don't turn no more
The places we used to go
Familiar faces that ain't smilin' like before
The time of our time has come and gone
I fear we been waiting too long"
Lead vocal by drummer Jim Hodder, who also sang lead on the CBAT throwaway *Dallas.*
David Palmer, lead singer on DW, also contributed his vocal talent to *Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)* as well as backed Donald Fagen on *Only a Fool Would Say That,* *Change of the Guard,* and *Turn That Heartbeat Over Again,* all from CBAT.
Coincidentally the other track on that album not sung by Fagan
Sung by the soon departed David Palmer, a classic. “ midnight cruiser” is another one on that album with a tremendous chorus
Some of my favorite Steely Dan songs you guys haven't hit yet: "Here At The Western World", "Doctor Wu" "Haitian Divorce", "Pretzel Logic" and "FM". Though I do love everything by them. Also try Donald Fagen's solo hit "New Frontier" Btw the lead vocalist on "Dirty Work" was David Palmer who only appears on that album sharing vocals with Donald and Walter.
In High School every time one friend of mine would bomb a test he would meet up with us at the car and immediately put on "Here At The Western World" to soothe his mind and spirit.
I agree. This is the best short list of recommendations I could give to steely songs they haven’t reacted to yet but would love.
I’ll throw in maybe “night by night” and “king of the world” to mix it up a little and give the boys a couple more options.
All excellent suggestions. I would add Show Biz Kids and oh hell, there are just too many gems to enumerate.
Walter doesn't do vocals.
@@dggydddy59 Slang Of Ages???
Time out of mind …. Or anything by steely Dan … they are without a doubt one of the best bands of all time!
YEAH...good one...!!
My favorite!
@@TheDivayenta you know what it's about right..?? jaja..
@@mr.snicker-doodles7081 Heroin.
@@TheDivayenta haha....you win!! Nice...
Holy hell you're doing The Graduate! Great S&G soundtrack and certainly one of the groundbreaking films of its generation. Cannot wait!
Steely Dan is probably the best studio band ever.
Probably?!?
Who’s the competition?
Been there done that! Never “listened” to that song until now with you guys. I think that’s why I’m a part of your community. I’m 64 and y’all take the music that I grew up on and dissect it to a deeper level than I ever did.
Thank you for that.
I'm 64 also. I wore out this first album of theirs playing it so much. It's amazing. Listening to all this music by reactors these days shows how this music is timeless.
Agree. I even like it better now. 😊
Sooner or later you'll stumble into "FM" and say, "How have we not hit this?"
FM no static at all , Toto's Drummer , and The Eagles for background vocals.
“FM” is a must hit!! You will not be disappointed 👍!!
Know what gives me joy? Watching you discover this great music as I sing along with every word.
I thank you!
I think it’s time for you guys to take a dive into my favorite Steely Dan album, Katy Lied. Every song on it is so freaking good. SO GOOD! In fact I’m going to go put it on right now…
"everyone's gone to the movies" is by far the creepiest song you will ever joyfully sing along to...
Dr. Wu just slays me, but I’m a fool for a great saxophone solo.
A fantastic album!
@@johnrichards4976 It's so upbeat!
Kids if you want some fun...
"Are you with me DR" DR WU is essential SD!
Dirty work was all over my mixtapes. So good. Loved the side-eye when you realized what the tune was about.
"FM, NO STATIC AT ALL" No question.....one of their best.
"Don't Take Me Alive". You will love it. Great reaction.
Definitely my favorite Steely Dan song. One of my all-time favorite songs, period.
Glad to hear you're getting to "The Graduate," a true all-time classic film. I'd strongly suggest reacting to Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence" before going into the movie, it is one of their signature songs, which is used to great effect in the movie.
They've already done it!
@@loosilu Hi Lucie, I don't recall that, and a search I just did indicates they've only reacted to "The Boxer," "Mrs. Robinson," "Cecilia," and "Bridge Over Troubled Waters"
@@andyb7942 Wow, I could have sworn they did! Thanks!
It will be super appropriate is The Graduate is their next movie!
Very few movies are great enough to be compared to The Graduate. Every moment of every scene is wonderful. The montage, the music, the dialog, the performances, all stellar.
Steely Dan’s “Cant Buy A Thrill” is one of rocks most underrated debut albums. Would love to know what the lads think of it front to back.
It was my most listened to album on Spotify last year. The best Steely Dan album imo, which is saying something.
Fantastic album. Their best by far, IMO.
This is among my top faves of theirs, glad you finally hit this one. Pretzel Logic is a must hit for their next tune! Pretzel logic is a great LP and the title track is my number one fave of theirs.
“Can’t buy a thrill’ their first album.
Track one - Do it again
Track two - this
Has any band ever started better?
Damn fine start for sure! This is just a very strong album, from start to finish! "Reelin In The Years", "Brooklyn", "Change Of The Guard" "Midnight Cruiser"......Not a weak moment in sight!
Always a great day when Steely Dan is on the menu. They have so many great songs! This whole album is amazing. Honestly, every SD album is incredible.
That's how I feel. I enjoy every album by SD. They are all incredible.
'Can't Buy a Thrill' was one of the greatest debut albums of all time. There are no bad tracks and a bunch of great ones. I know some have been overplayed enough on classic radio to make folks tired of them (Reelin in the Years, for example) but they were all great songs which is why they got the airplay.
Back in the Day, nobody did it like the Dan. My Holy Trinity of Steely Dan songs include "Haitian Divorce", "Kid Charlemagne", and "Don't Take Me Alive." This song, along with "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" would definitely make it onto any "Greatest Hits" collection along with my three faves. There's just so much good stuff to choose from.
Who’s done it better since?!?
If you haven't done "FM (No Static at All)" give it a shot. It's great!
Steely Dan is a tough one for me I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s and although many of my friends got them I was only interested in heavier guitar driven music and pushed them aside as I’ve aged I’ve gained some appreciation for them
If you’ll take a little time checking out the music again from the early 70’s and forward, especially with headphones, you might appreciate them more as the recording qualities are paramount and the guitar work performed by session guitarist’s is pretty amazing! Have a great day!
My 15-year old self 50 years ago knew this was 🔥 fire. Smoking 🔥 hot
There's only one thing to do at this point; you have to hit this whole album. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that "Can't Buy a Thrill" approaches "Aja" in it's greatness. Every track is a memorable work of art. Give it a go.
Without a doubt. It has been and continues to be one of my all-time favorite albums.
I don't think you've hit "FM (No Static at All)" yet. That is a classic!
Love this song and the singer's voice! You should also check out Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer) by the same vocalist and on the same album!
David Palmer. Co-wrote Jazzman for Carole King.
David Palmer did several songs for Steely Dan as lead vocal. The song he contributed on were not considered tunes that Donald Fagen’s voice or singing style would carry as well. Their hunch was correct.
In 2004, I had the pleasure of seeing Steely Dan at Red Rocks. They did this song but with the backup Female singer telling this story ...AMAZING!
I grew up on Steely Dan. ‘Dirty Work’ has always been my favorite
You guys continuously remind me of how lucky I was to grow up in a time when this kind of music was just what you heard every time you turned on the radio.
*F.M (No Static At All)* the extended version should be next. After that, I'd vote for Haitian Divorce.
"Only Steely Dan can pull it off this smooth." "This smooth." "This smooth."
Yeah, adultery, promiscuity, the last half of the second verse is about how the chess rook (castle in his corner in a midieval game) sees this situation (I foresee terrible trouble and I stay here just the same). What imagery.
Like Andy says, "This is Shea Butter smooth."
David Palmer - lead vocals. He also sang lead on most of Steely Dan's songs when performed live in their early concerts as a result of Fagen's lack of live vocal power at that point. Fagen eventually took over as lead vocalist and Palmer was fired, although he did contribute backing vocals on the band's subsequent release, Countdown to Ecstasy. In 2014, Palmer sued Steely Dan for unpaid royalties.
Funny that "Dirty Work" is getting elevated as characteristic of Steely Dan given that it's one of only two sung by David Palmer during his brief stint in the band.
Great tune, definitely one of their best. If you haven't done Showbiz Kids yet then that's a must. Also from the debut, Only A Fool Would Say That is lots of fun.
Rumor has it “Only a Fool Would Say That” was a retort to John Lennon’s “Imagine”. But I’m no expert… the idea fits, however. I just don’t know if it’s actually, you know, true. Any expert opinions/ knowledge out there? I love both songs, btw, and feel both sentiments.
Great suggestions!
I taped this album for my girlfriend as a gift (now my wife of 28 years!) when we first started dating. This was one our favorite songs on the album. Sounds as great today as it did back then. Thanks for reacting to this one fellas - brings back awesome memories!
This has always been my favorite Steely Dan song. Just wonderful.
" Don't Take me Alive" is a Great one from these guys.
Please do the whole album. It’s SO DAMN GOOD🥰🥰
One of the best debut albums of them all!
@@tommathews3964 I agree Tom!
"Chain Lightning" basic blues riff done Steely Dan style. The lyrics are great.
Best blues song I've ever heard.
Off of Katy Lied -- YAY! Guitar solo by Rick Derringer!
One of my favorite, and one of the most underrated, Steely Dan tunes.
This is my all time favorite Steely Dan song! Thanks for this!
Any Major Dude Will Tell You or FM would make great next Steely Dan tunes to hit !
One of the only Dan songs not sung by Donald Fagen. I believe it is David Palmer who was in the group for a second.
You've already hit my absolute favorite, "my old school." This one is a very close second. Just from the first notes you're hooked. So smooth, so tight. Just perfect
Introduced my elder bruv to this album, every track is a winner or a single, one of the great debut albums and one of the greatest if the 70's. You can pick literally any track, total gold.
Appropriate that the movie of the month is "The Graduate" since you're previewing "Dirty Work" today! David Palmer on vocals here. He was gone by Countdown, but added a lot to this great debut album. You've got SO MUCH more to look forward to with The Dan!
My favourite Steely Dan song so far. So good 😊
🤘🤘
Im in my mid thirties and my dad used to play steely dan all the time but i really discovered it again through your channel. One thing i love is that you never know whats coming. The mix of genres. The production quality with stereo ( left and right ) of the instruments and one of the greatest things are the out of the box solos. It never gets too jazzy to me since i dont love jazz but also never too much pop or plain soul. In this song the acoustic guitar shows up love. Each song is a adventure. Looove your channel.
Steely Dan is just simply the ish.☺️ Never grow tired of them. 🥰
Have to hit “FM (No static at all)”, which isn’t from an album or you gotta listen to Bernard Purdie LAY IT DOWN on “Babylon Sisters”
David Palmer on lead vocals. Can definitely hear Fagen in the background.
I saw Steely Dan in concert and Dirty Work was the best performance by far.
Long-time Steely Dan fan - right from the beginning. My favorite song of theirs by far.
Singer was David Palmer, who was gone by the next album, "Countdown to Ecstasy." Becker and Fagan decided that two lead singers was two too many.
In modern vernacular, it's a song about a booty call. :-D
saw this Band
@@Grovesgeo so did I; summer 1994 (I was 18 and the youngest person there)
He did contribute backing vocals on Countdown to Ecstasy
@@pebblesanddirt I saw them in 1972 and 1974
for 6 $ and 2$
For me, Can't Buy a Thrill is arguably among the greatest debut albums ever. Three huge radio hits, and every song is great. As they evolved, they began incorporating jazzier arrangements, along with production values that rivaled anyone else at the time. I think Donald Fagen once said that he tried to incorporate sophisticated jazz chords into a pop song context, which really made them unique.
You could pick a random SD song, and it would be worth your attention, but if you're looking for recommendations, try My Old School, Bodhisattva, Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Don't Take me Alive, or Kid Charlemagne. And at least another dozen that others will surely cite as well!
Agreed on that. Another great debut LP for me: Elvis Costello -My Aim Is True
@@tedcole9936 absolutely! Would love to see some Elvis reactions!
One word describes Steely Dan, MASTERFUL!
I agree with Don't Take Me Alive. It has one of the greatest guitar intros in rock and roll history (Larry Carlton)! Also off that album is the Caves of Altimira. Also hit Babylon Sisters. Absolutely great band!
GOOOOOOOD MORNING A&A FAMILY!
☮️💟♾️
Hey @John H!!! ☺️
@@allisonreed7682 morning Allison 🥰🥰🥰
That line "Light the candle
put the lock upon the door, you have sent the maid home early Like a thousand times before"..... always get's me. Paints such a clear picture. Great song. Also, just a friendly reminder to hit some Rory Gallagher for St. Patrick's Day. If you do, then the rains will fall soft upon your fields.
Good recommendation! That WILL put hair on your chest.
Rory for St. Pats Day? I'm there! Don't forget Van Morrison and Thin Lizzy for St. Paddy's day as well if going for an Irish theme!
I finally watched the steely Dan AJA documentary on RUclips . Their genius is beyond my comprehension!
Your Steely Dan reactions are what made me fall in love with you guys and your channel. You two and Steely Dan go like peas and carrots, and this was another so great vid. Thanks guys!
Great reaction Andy & Alex!! You 2 are so right about "Dirty Work"! This was the first album I bought back in 1973! Now you MUST react to "Fire in the Hole" off the same album!!
Over time, I forgot this was a Steely Dan song because of the vocals. I re-found it about 10 years ago on Spotify (or some service). Still not one of my SD faves, but a great song.
I totally agree.
Me too. Had no idea this was SD. Hey, we had sooo much to listen to, it was hard to keep track of changes within bands. 😎
I'm with you. I did not remember this was from Steely Dan. I was nine or ten when it came out. But graduating in '81 made me a huge fan of the Dan by then.
I'd give you no static if you hit FM next. Such a deep and wide catalog!
Yes, the choruses are great. In time you I hope you make a deeper dive into all of the the lyrics. I grew up with Steely Dan, it took me many years to truly begin to appreciate the nuances of every line in their songs.
This one, and Do It Again, both from their debut album Cant Buy A Thrill, are by far my fave Steely Dan songs. Such goodness! :)
Next recommended Steely Dan song:
“FM (No Static at All)”
So many great Steely Dan songs still to hit. In addition to everyone else's recommendations, I would also strongly recommend Daddy Don't Live in that New York City No More.
On their comeback tour in I believe it was 1993, my friend and I flew from Orlando to Houston to see them. I had owned all their albums. What an amazing concert it was at the Woodlands amphitheater. It was a amazing performance ! To this day it was one of the top days of my life. You need to listen to all of their albums. Not a bad song among them !
One of my favorite choruses ever. Thanks for finally hitting it.
I’ve been listening to this song nonstop for the past couple week, I really recommend listening to the whole album!!
You can`t go wrong with Steely Dan. Any of their tunes on any of their albums are all top notch.
You guys could react to every song on this, THE first Steely Dan album, and no one would complain. It’s pretty amazing it’s a first album, it plays like most groups “greatest hits” albums.
If you ever need a great cd to blast while driving on a hot sunny day, this is it.
Has always been a personal fave. Never gets old.
Guys, you nailed it. S+ baby. You need a new category for a song that gut punches you and you love it at first listen. I think this is your candidate.
My all-time favorite Steely Dan song. Thank you for finally hitting it!
Caves of Altamira is definitely a must.
Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me) is a lesser known song but also has David Palmer on lead vocals.
They did Don't Take Me Alive on a stream everyone so please stop asking for it.
I wish they would do what another reactor I like does, he takes his streamed reactions and cuts out the songs that he thinks deserve to be reposted by themselves. It adds extra content, and you just label it as what it is, then people won't expect a true full react like one of these.
Vocals by David Palmer. His other great vocal from that album is one of my favorite Steely Dan songs (of which there are many), "Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)". He also doubled parts of Donald Fagen's vocals on "Reelin' in the Years", "Only a Fool Would Say That", and "Change of the Guard" to reach the high notes. He was also the lyricist of the Carole King number two hit, "Jazzman". I sure hope he is still singing somewhere, but I read that, since 2002, he has been a digital photographer specializing in landscapes and fine art images.
In 2014, Palmer sued Steely Dan for unpaid royalties.
The steely Dan phenomenon is a "ship" steered by two very talented visionary musicians who bring in the studio the best musicians on the planet who offer what the piece of work (ALBUM STYLE / SONG requires .... many have served that purpose in each project .... few have remained.
I love this band and Dirty Work is my favorite!!