Lyrics say “give them some funked up music”. It’s really Muzak; prerecorded elevator tunes. But their point is just give them some clear, funky tunes and if the mood is good, they’ll treat you nice.
@@jamelakajamal... On the 50th Anniversary of the installation of a Master FM antenna atop the Empire State Building.....they synchronized their landmark tower lights to the song. Then flew a drone around it. Really cool to watch. ruclips.net/video/kfyPB1XnWLQ/видео.html
@@rumplestiltskin3814 I don't remember that specifically, but my dad (who was born in 1928) has told me that when he was in elementary school, he and a kid living on another block used to send messages to each other from their respective homes using Morse Code. To send Morse Code, they would each use the spark coil from a Model T Ford (junk Model Ts were everywhere in those days so their spark coils were easy to get). Those old spark coils produced a constant buzzing spark which would blast terrible static into any nearby A.M. radio, so it was the static that they listened to while the other person sent them messages. Of course, when they did this, everyone in the neighborhood who had their radio on wondered what the heck was going on. As to my dad and his friend, I'd call what they were doing a pretty clever precursor to the text messaging of today.
@@ericl2969 ha ha. Sounds like the kind of thing my dad would think up. He was born in 1924, his dad died and he took over the farm at 13, raised 5 brothers and 3 sisters. Was a mechanic in the navy in WWII and then worked his way through every shop at the local vets hospital. He could build a house from the ground up, fix autos, electronics, welding, you name it. Truly the greatest generation.
Steely Dan WAS FM in the 70s. _God_ I loved their music, it was _so_ quintessentially San Diego County when I lived there in the 70s. It just fit like a glove. Those long commutes from Wildomar to Coronado I wished they wouldn't end when I had Steely Dan playin' on the radio.
The more I watch reaction channels, the more I realise that we were absolutely spoiled with all the great music on the radio, groing up in the seventies. What a time to be alive! And how fantastic to see all these young people discovering these treasures.
Yep, I've been listening to Steely Dan since I heard the first piano notes of Do it Again---on FM radio--in the early 70s as a young teen. Lifelong SD fan, have seen them over 20 times live, unlike some other 70s music I loved as a kid, I have NEVER tired of listening to Steely Dan. It somehow always sounds fresh and interesting. Almost 50 years of listening!
100% music was amazing back then. Massively varied in style and all superb. The hits kept coming because artist were aloud to create on their own terms instead of planning algorithms. I hope the fact that so many younger people are discovering it now means there will be a new boom, a new renaissance of eclectic music coming out. Hopefully they’ll start demanding a higher level of artistic performance for today.
This is one of the major distinctions between 'art and craft', as well as natural and artificial 'intelligence'. A robot gets old and eventually needs to be replaced (industry loves a robot). This is craft. A sentient being 'gets better with time'. This is 'art'.
Those rascist remarks are so dated, it's not 1960 anymore. So called "white" people have played funky jazz music for more than a century (since the 1910s), actually outnumbering "blacks" decades ago.
@@herrbonk3635 ~ Calm down, reactionary, there was nothing racist in that remark, it was a statement of personal appreciation. FFS, some of you people can't go a day without throwing your hyper-emotional darts into comments.
From an old chick who grew up on this gift from the gods music, yes, FM is a reference to the transition from AM radio dominance to FM in the mid-70's.
Judi Dipillo yea that brother hears one or two notes and is immediately into the groove with the right rhythm and a smooth vibe. I’d have practice in front of a mirror for a couple hours to do that. Not fair
True and Steely Dan was really just the core duo of Donald Fagan & Walter Becker. They put together bands for touring. The studio work was done with a myriad of musicians working with them. A very unique approach, they were the core artists and also filled the role of producer.
Us "old timers" (I'm 59) remember that in the 1970's FM (Frequency Modulation) was in a battle with the already established AM (Amplitude Modulation) and AM did not want to give up their dominance in the market. When I was a kid all you could get radio wise, car, house, or otherwise was an AM mono radio, but that's where all the music was at that time anyway. AM just couldn't compete with FM once it was affordable enough to get up and broadcasting, because it wasn't as susceptible to static interference from electric appliances or other sources, and you couldn't broadcast in that new format called "Stereo" on AM radio, you could on FM. AM radio tried, but the best they could come up with for a short time was "dual mono". FM had stereo, and even for a very brief time "Quadraphonic" broadcast capability, but did have shorter range and required more power to broadcast much like a VHF TV signal, but the demise of AM was written on the wall by that time. Take care and thanks for the great entertainment. William C. in Indiana, aka Bionicycle.
@@eddiebruce8944 Our first FM station local was WMRI and they played "Muzac" or also known as "Elevator Music" twenty four seven. You've not lived until you've heard an instrumental only version of a "Beatles", or "Rolling Stones" song. :)
Steely Dan is a slept on giant. That's why I love them. They were so good and so funky. The grooves, the funk, their lyrical hooks. They captured the era in their sound.
@Itelkner Truth. Like yourself, I too was around (and deep into Steely Dan). Also, @Chris Welch...we’ll put my friend. Also @all y’all digging on Jamel’s channel/musical journey.....what an unexpected & special treat to share our reactions & emotions that watching Jamel’s reactions stir up inside us. ~respect~
This and 3 other Dan songs were played at my wedding. I chose and arranged the entire 8 hour playlist. Three wonderful months it took. My only responsibility.
When I was a kid in the 70s FM radio was a big deal. When my dad bought a new car FM radio cost extra and it was so clear compared to AM. When I got my license I would take the car out just to listen to the radio. That might sound stranger to people that are used to digital sound that is perfect. I loved the FM on the stereo that my parents got me as a gift. It included an eight track tape deck.
I’m right with you. I remember the difference from AM to FM. Whenever I hear Maggie May by Rod Stewart, I remember riding on the back speakers of my dad’s car. I was little and I’d lay across the back speakers looking up into the sky listening to the clear music from the FM station, feeling the wind and watching the scenery go by. It felt like I was flying.
Exactly. My dad bought a brand new 1970 Ford Galaxy station wagon and sprung for an FM radio. It was unbelievable back then. I was only 10 in 1970 but loved music as long as I can remember and even at age 10 really appreciated the quality of FM radio over AM.
FM was where the cool music played..latest rock songs. I used to sit at the New years mid night count down for top 100 and taped my favorite hits, that was dedication.
This song was written for the movie FM, which came out in '78. It's about a radio station where the bosses want to ruin it with more advertising and the DJs fight back. Pretty funny. Martin Mull just makes it good.
Written for a movie soundtrack. Unbelievable! One the greatest stereo songs often used by the guys in soundboards doing sound checks at concert venues! A great one!
Yep, Linda Ronstadt, Jimmy Buffet, Eagles, James Taylor, Tom Petty, Bob Seager, Queen, Steely Dan, to name a few. An Awesome 70's soundtrack. The movie did ultimately give us the sitcom WKRP...so there's that.
Seeing you dance, groovin, and enjoying Steely Dan makes me feel like a proud parent. It might have taken you a while to get here, but you are here now to stay. LOL
I know what you mean Steve. It is priceless. I love how he enjoys the music of most of our childhoods. He's right. You don't just listen to this music, You MUST FEEL IT IN YOUR SOUL.
@@ellavader4411 You assumed something negative about my comment. This part is what I was responding to "Seeing you dance, groovin, and enjoying Steely Dan makes me feel like a proud parent."
And 3 channels on the tv. Back when the channels went off the air at like 100am or 200am and the it was just static and rabbit ears with aluminum foil.
The only thing good about AM radio was on clear nights you could get a bounce off the atmosphere and pick up stations from a 1000 miles or more away. Still staticcy though....
When I hear this song, I'm immediately transported to my early 30's, working in NYC, going to rock, blues and jazz clubs in the Tri-State area. Great memories of lost friends and forgotten lovers. And who better to "share" them with today then OUR man Jamel AKA Jamal. You never fail to "get it." You aren't listening to these songs, you are LIVIN'ing to these songs. (I do realize I made up a word there, but it had to be done!)
@@Rigoletta53 Yeah I don't like it either. Its not "bad" though, just annoying. Through with buzz is kind of bad, midnight cruiser is generic. They have some bad songs in the demos too.
I have loved Steely Dan since the first time I ever heard them, and I was a hard rock fan back then. I remember when the first FM station in South Texas was operating illegally for the first couple of months because the FCC was holding up issuing their license. They said it was because the authorities wanted to make sure it had sponsors that wouldn't support playing too much rock music. So they responded by playing wtf they wanted to play until their license got issued ! And they played it all night long. Tough to communicate the value of that to today's youth who have everything at their fingertips. RIP Walter. Jam on Donald!
"No static at all" is a pun. AM radio is crackly and static-y. FM is smoother, and is better for stereo. And "no static" from the ladies, if you play the tunes they like on FM. FM was just getting more popular than AM in 1978 when this song came out. It's the theme to a film called "FM". The film bombed, but this song was a huge hit. PS: BODHISATTVA, dude! TUNE!
This was the title theme to a forgotten movie called "FM," about the goings-on at a rock radio station. It was sort of the predecessor of "WKRP in Cincinnati." I randomly found the soundtrack for a dollar in the cutout bin - remember those? - and it's a fantastic 2-disc sampler of all the very best rock and roll that was on the radio around 1979 or so.
*FM* was a modest hit. Both *Linda Ronstadt & Jimmy Buffet* appeared on the soundtrack & movie. And yes. *WKRP in Cincinnati* was lighty based on the movie's theme of behind the scenes of an FM radio station.
This song has my favourite lyric line ever.... ‘Nothing but blues and Elvis and somebody else’s favourite song.’ The most sophisticated rhyme, finding a match with Elvis!
After the success of their Grammy-winning 6th album "Aja," Steely Dan had raised the musical I.Q. of radio fans to the point where this jazzy gem featuring tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb actually climbed to #18 on the pop charts … paving the way for jazz fusion artists to get played on Top 40 stations around the country. I've said it for years. Becker & Fagen were the finest composing duo since Lennon & McCartney.
Man when that sax hits it feels like the convertible top comes off and you're cruising into San Francisco across the bay bridge , warm out late summer evening when the air smells good .
I feel that! That was before massive traffic messed up the vibe. With shelter in place orders driving around now is like time traveling to days past 👍 Might have to take a cruise..heater on full blast ..it's cold now!
Old college professor loved this piece. Used it to get metaphor through my thick head. There's no static on FM...and there's no static on an evening like this when you cater to the ladies and enjoy an evening with no 'heat'...no 'static'. All good.
When this song came out in 1978, I was a kid that already liked Steely Dan (having heard "Deacon Blues"). I also liked a lot of black bands like Earth Wind & Fire and Chic, so by comparison I never thought of Steely Dan's sound as being funky at all; it was smooth soft rock, and it was rather dark in terms of sound as well as lyrical content, especially this song. So it is interesting to see people hear it as "stank face" funky, and it makes me listen again and appreciate it like that. My favorite part of this song is the strings over the guitar solo. I don't think Steely Dan used strings in any other song. The arrangement was by Johnny Mandel, a famed composer and arranger who had been doing jazz since the 1940s. It's just gorgeous.
A good bit of their 21st Century material has some funk. Gaslighting Abbie, Two Against Nature, Janie Runaway, Jack of Speed, Lunch with Gina, Slang of Ages.
@@jml-rj5re And a lot of their mid/late 70s stuff is funk based (Green Earrings, The Fez, Kid Charlemagne, most of Aja, much of Gaucho...) Not to mention Fagen's solo albums.
Gotta be honest man, there's not much in life better than getting a little buzz and watching your reactions to some sweet Steely Dan tunes. This is such a great tune, and as always your reaction is so genuine and awesome. Thanks man for being there for us during these crazy times. Much love brother
This song makes me think of an LA balmy evening, driving in a car, palm trees, city lights twinkling, nice vibe. I’ve never been there but that’s what this jazzy song makes me think of.
Jamal you make me so happy! I love watching your reactions. When you smile and dance and bounce those shoulders, appreciating the music that I have loved since I was young (50 years ago). Keep doing what you're doing and you and your family stay safe!!! ✌
Where is the Steely Dan bands today??? They do not exist. This is why they will always rise to the top in my heart. U got lots of heart too which is why I love u and ur reactions!!! Keep vibing!
So, Jamel, here's the deal. Walter and Donald had a whole bunch of ideas. They were masters of their instruments and masters of composition, but they still felt they weren't good enough. So they went out and look for all the best cats in the biz and actually made them *audition* for each track on each album. They told each cat to read the chart but also put their individual interpretation on it. Some big names were considered and discarded. Others rose to the top and made it on a cut. On most albums, each track had different personnel. What they wound up with is what we have today. Brilliance.
"No static at all" is appreciation of FM stations. Back in the day, pretty much everything was on AM stations that were full of static and not clear. Once FM stations that played rock started coming online it was a blessing to finally be able to listen to your favorite music on a crystal clear radio channel.
Before that, according to my dad, FM radio was for what he referred to as "that longhair stuff" - symphonies, operas, plays read over the radio. NPR, basically.
What pretty much everyone has forgotten is that this song was written as the theme song for the movie "FM". It was the ONLY good thing about that movie.
Tejas Rob and Joe Day got it right. Rock and Roll stations were all on the AM band. FM radio was mostly instrumental and elevator music and, around 1977-78, they all started switching to Rock and Roll and AM switched to all. news and all talk. Thus, finally, Rock and Roll was being played with No Static At All.
Been grooving to this tune for 43 years. Just realized that the lead guitar sounds like Don Felder(it's Walter Becker). Three other Eagles actually sang background vocals.
I have tried to watch other people's reactions. A couple of them talk way to FAST. Jamel is the best of the best. You can feel what he is feeling. It is a wonderful way to get your day started. His channel is the only reaction channel that I watch. I feel connected to him, like we have been best friends for a very long time. He gets this music like we did when we first heard it for the first time. Most of have seen the artist in concert.
No kidding. When I worked selling electronic back in the early 80's - ish we would play this song on crappy speakers. THEN we would play it on the speakers we were selling. Huge difference. Made the sale everytime. Love me some Steely Dan!
The movie really did suck, but loved the soundtrack and scenes from my hometown of Los Angeles. Watched it in the base movie theater, Fort Knox Ky 1978.
STEELY DAN, AND "FM"... I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS SONG WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT. YES AS IT HAS BEEN SAID. QUITE A FEW OF US MUSIC NUT ELDERS. REMEMBER THE START OF FM RADIO STATIONS... I BELIEVE THIS ALSO WAS THE SOUND TRACK FOR THE MOVIE FM... GREAT REACTION JAMEL AND YES, NO STATIC AT ALL...🤩✌
It was the title song from the movie “FM” about an FM radio station of the late 70’s, early 80’s. Walter Becker on brilliant lead guitar. Pete Christlieb on sax, who also played sax on Deacon Blues, Black Cow.
Mr.Jamal, as a 71 year old Audiophile, love seeing your reactions to music of my growing period. Those of us born in the '50s, only had several forms of music, Radio, Records or Live. We only had one type of Radio, "AM' during that period, with alot of static. Cars only had one type of radio so as you traveled on the old roads in the State one lived in, you were almost constantly changing the buttons to find something static free. In the late 60's, early 70's, FM came into being, it had longer range for broadcasting the signal but more inportantly, "no static at all", was a big sell. Getting our first cars back then we had to fight to remove the AM unit to put in aftermarket FM , and then finally by end of 70's cars came with both radio frequencies, AM and FM Stereo .Just a quick audio history lesson sir, love your videos, been watching you for over a year now. Keep em coming and thanks for your honest impressions, thoughts about music .
This here is some smooth-ass funk! Yeaaah! One of my all-time faves. We loved dancing to this in the clubs. And Yes, Jamal... it is about FM radio. (I dated a disc jockey from a popular Connecticut station in the late 70’s. This song was one of our favs.). U can’t sit still with this little groove! It’s finger poppin good! 😎😎😎
FM stereo in the early 70’s was like HD stereo is today. The sound quality was so much better than the AM we were used to. And Steely sounded so damn good. Still does.
Your reaction to this reminds me of why I've loved this song since the first day I heard it back in the day when it was new. Same reaction I had all those years ago: DAMN! Yeah!
Trivia: This song was never released on an album. Made for a movie. It’s on greatest hits albums now. Steely Dan...timeless. Love seeing you enjoy them. They’ve been my favorite for 35 years. 🙂
FM & AM. FM was the signal that carried the better Rock, Jazz and Soul stations which usually played longer song formats. AM usually had more pop and news.
@@dustykeele Indeed. And your comment was irrelevant to mine. My first instinct is to assume you're into hate radio... but if you were, you probably wouldn't know what the Fairness Doctrine was!
The Dan is the best and good for any occasion. Born in the early 70's and always brings back great memories. I'm old now and miss the time when music was not made by computers😢
Развлечения
No static='no fuss from the ladies tonight' means to me, 'they into it..'
👍🏾Ahhhhhh
@@jamelakajamal steely dan night by night -- here's some funk ruclips.net/video/jm41rphRTfk/видео.html
Lyrics say “give them some funked up music”. It’s really Muzak; prerecorded elevator tunes. But their point is just give them some clear, funky tunes and if the mood is good, they’ll treat you nice.
And a double entendre as AM radio didn't always have clear signals~ u got static~
@@jamelakajamal... On the 50th Anniversary of the installation of a Master FM antenna atop the Empire State Building.....they synchronized their landmark tower lights to the song. Then flew a drone around it. Really cool to watch. ruclips.net/video/kfyPB1XnWLQ/видео.html
There are two types of people in the world... people that love Steely Dan... and people that have not heard Steely Dan.
Glad I’m in the first group.
No, believe it or not, there are imbeciles that think this is "elevator music".
TRUER words were never spoken!!
@@UrbanMonkey55 I mean people like this should really just be pitied tbh
Hey man, all I know is I am a straight-up Metalhead! Yet Steely dan is one of my top 5 favorite bands of all time!
Some of us are old enough to remember when FM radio was new!
Remember "the good old days" when someone with bad spark plug wire insulation would drive by your house and your radio (am) and tv would fuzz out? : D
@@rumplestiltskin3814 I don't remember that specifically, but my dad (who was born in 1928) has told me that when he was in elementary school, he and a kid living on another block used to send messages to each other from their respective homes using Morse Code. To send Morse Code, they would each use the spark coil from a Model T Ford (junk Model Ts were everywhere in those days so their spark coils were easy to get). Those old spark coils produced a constant buzzing spark which would blast terrible static into any nearby A.M. radio, so it was the static that they listened to while the other person sent them messages. Of course, when they did this, everyone in the neighborhood who had their radio on wondered what the heck was going on. As to my dad and his friend, I'd call what they were doing a pretty clever precursor to the text messaging of today.
Yeah, and we ain't gonna talk about how long ago it's been!!
@@ericl2969 ha ha. Sounds like the kind of thing my dad would think up. He was born in 1924, his dad died and he took over the farm at 13, raised 5 brothers and 3 sisters. Was a mechanic in the navy in WWII and then worked his way through every shop at the local vets hospital. He could build a house from the ground up, fix autos, electronics, welding, you name it. Truly the greatest generation.
Was definitely a game changer. Thats when home stereo systems really hit their stride!!
Steely Dan always invited to the cookout.
Hell yes!!
Absolutely, and the people who don't like it aren't invited to the next one...
Was written for movie. Yes about FM radio.
Backup singers in this cut: Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Timothy B Schmidt.
Aka The Eagles
THE EAGLES AS BACKUP, WOW YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY!
@@ur8up2jabberwocky79 They did a lot of backing work with Linda and sang on several Bob Seger cuts.
Steely Dan WAS FM in the 70s. _God_ I loved their music, it was _so_ quintessentially San Diego County when I lived there in the 70s. It just fit like a glove. Those long commutes from Wildomar to Coronado I wished they wouldn't end when I had Steely Dan playin' on the radio.
No frickin way! No wonder it was so great!!!
The more I watch reaction channels, the more I realise that we were absolutely spoiled with all the great music on the radio, groing up in the seventies. What a time to be alive! And how fantastic to see all these young people discovering these treasures.
Absolutely! 💕
I'm 65 and think how lucky we were. We were spoiled. Great music every day and week!
Yep, I've been listening to Steely Dan since I heard the first piano notes of Do it Again---on FM radio--in the early 70s as a young teen. Lifelong SD fan, have seen them over 20 times live, unlike some other 70s music I loved as a kid, I have NEVER tired of listening to Steely Dan. It somehow always sounds fresh and interesting. Almost 50 years of listening!
100% music was amazing back then. Massively varied in style and all superb. The hits kept coming because artist were aloud to create on their own terms instead of planning algorithms. I hope the fact that so many younger people are discovering it now means there will be a new boom, a new renaissance of eclectic music coming out. Hopefully they’ll start demanding a higher level of artistic performance for today.
I always say that I was born at the right time. I wish we could go back from time to time just to visit what he use to have back then.
I love watching this dude discover Steely Dan tunes. I remember hearing these songs and thinking exactly the same thing: "damn.. this shit is tight".
YES!
Seriously man he's a cool fuckin dude man.
My 70s woulda been unbearable without Steely Dan. They defined _cool_ in the 70s.
Thank God for music brother huh
Ohh yeah me too Caleb, me too mate.
"OH! THEY 'BOUT TO HIT US WITH SOME FUNK!"
Love it!
Now, how'd he know that?
DITTO
He was NOT WRONG
You have Jeff Porcaro from Toto on drums, the amazing Pete Christlieb on sax, and the Eagles singing backing vocals; how can this not be a smash...
Simply understated quality...
@@speeds155 Soooo understated….
No static from me
There's another version with Sax at the end instead of guitar. Had they put them together, it would have been dynamite.
@@peterchristlieb I have that version as well. It's pretty amazing.
They don't make music like this anymore. Just gets better with time.
Beaker!!!
@@ginaluvsrush6093 MEEEEP!!!
I'd give you 2 thumbs up, one for the comment the other for photo you use :)
100% spot on with that comment.
This is one of the major distinctions between 'art and craft', as well as natural and artificial 'intelligence'. A robot gets old and eventually needs to be replaced (industry loves a robot). This is craft. A sentient being 'gets better with time'. This is 'art'.
Simply the funkiest, jazziest pair of white boys ever: Steely Dan
Those rascist remarks are so dated, it's not 1960 anymore. So called "white" people have played funky jazz music for more than a century (since the 1910s), actually outnumbering "blacks" decades ago.
@@herrbonk3635 ~ Calm down, reactionary, there was nothing racist in that remark, it was a statement of personal appreciation. FFS, some of you people can't go a day without throwing your hyper-emotional darts into comments.
@@d4mdcykey I'm calm, just don't like stereotyping much. (I didn't mean "rasist" as in "evil" though, more like fixated by race.)
It was actually recorded for the “FM” movie soundtrack.
jj cale up there too yo
“They’re about to hit us with some funk!” You’re goddam right they are. They’re Steely Dan.
I was 17 in 1978 When FM Was released ,,, Hot dam the 70s were so fantastic
From an old chick who grew up on this gift from the gods music, yes, FM is a reference to the transition from AM radio dominance to FM in the mid-70's.
It's all we needed
Don't forget, they also wrote it for the movie FM. 🙂
It was a THING!
@@TheSentinel488 seen the movie when I was in 8th grade …. This fine girl in high school took me .. lol
I'm with you on that one. Truth. Magic
When Jamel gets those shoulders goin...priceless.
Judi Dipillo yea that brother hears one or two notes and is immediately into the groove with the right rhythm and a smooth vibe. I’d have practice in front of a mirror for a couple hours to do that. Not fair
He's such a cutie. Makes my shoulders move too.
Judi Dipillo same here. I pay piano, guitar, and sax, but don’t have the moves
Love this reaction!! 🤘
His smile when he starts feeling the groove always gets me.
I love his joy.
Clinical studies have proven that listening to “FM” raises your cool factor by 4.7%
.....And decrease your clothing by 95%.
@sevierhere, I actually had a pair of high heeled sneekers back in the day. I had to kick those babies off to jam out to this song.
Anything Steely Dan does is nothing short of amazing!
Steely Dan is my fav band of all time….. I never tire of their tunes. So many masterpieces ❤️
This was in my opinion, Walter Becker’s finest guitar work. He was so highly underrated.
I heard him as being referred to as "Reluctant Guitar God. This song shows how great he is/was. He makes that thing wail and cry! SO SO GOOD!
Missed Walter so much at their live performances. An underrated legend on the guitar, and a genuinely funny guy. Love him and his solo work RIP.
One of the best bands ever...everything they did was excellent and always had good grooves...always
True and Steely Dan was really just the core duo of Donald Fagan & Walter Becker. They put together bands for touring. The studio work was done with a myriad of musicians working with them. A very unique approach, they were the core artists and also filled the role of producer.
The engineer won an award for his sound engineering magic on this album FM ROCKS!
I can't believe there is even ONE person who doesn't like this song!
Poor lost souls
Us "old timers" (I'm 59) remember that in the 1970's FM (Frequency Modulation) was in a battle with the already established AM (Amplitude Modulation) and AM did not want to give up their dominance in the market. When I was a kid all you could get radio wise, car, house, or otherwise was an AM mono radio, but that's where all the music was at that time anyway. AM just couldn't compete with FM once it was affordable enough to get up and broadcasting, because it wasn't as susceptible to static interference from electric appliances or other sources, and you couldn't broadcast in that new format called "Stereo" on AM radio, you could on FM. AM radio tried, but the best they could come up with for a short time was "dual mono". FM had stereo, and even for a very brief time "Quadraphonic" broadcast capability, but did have shorter range and required more power to broadcast much like a VHF TV signal, but the demise of AM was written on the wall by that time. Take care and thanks for the great entertainment. William C. in Indiana, aka Bionicycle.
U summed it up quite nicely there, Bionicycle. (Thumbs Up)
my am station here in Toledo ohio was out of Detroit it's call letters were c k l wuuuu atleast that's how they used to promote it?
@@eddiebruce8944 Our first FM station local was WMRI and they played "Muzac" or also known as "Elevator Music" twenty four seven. You've not lived until you've heard an instrumental only version of a "Beatles", or "Rolling Stones" song. :)
really interesting thanks for commenting
Bionicycle I’m also in Indiana and I remember how awesome it was to get to hear FM radio when it first came out.
Steely Dan is a slept on giant. That's why I love them. They were so good and so funky. The grooves, the funk, their lyrical hooks. They captured the era in their sound.
Bro , this song is from Donald fagan solo album.
@Alturo Pelzer FM? Sorry, it's Steely Dan. Released in '78 as part the soundtrack to the movie "FM." I was around then...
@Itelkner Truth. Like yourself, I too was around (and deep into Steely Dan). Also, @Chris Welch...we’ll put my friend. Also @all y’all digging on Jamel’s channel/musical journey.....what an unexpected & special treat to share our reactions & emotions that watching Jamel’s reactions stir up inside us. ~respect~
@G A It wasn't until I later bought "Aja" that I realized "FM" wasn't on that record. To me, it would have fit perfectly there.
I’m not sure music gets any better than this. So glad you love it as much as we do!
This and 3 other Dan songs were played at my wedding. I chose and arranged the entire 8 hour playlist. Three wonderful months it took. My only responsibility.
When I was a kid in the 70s FM radio was a big deal. When my dad bought a new car FM radio cost extra and it was so clear compared to AM. When I got my license I would take the car out just to listen to the radio. That might sound stranger to people that are used to digital sound that is perfect. I loved the FM on the stereo that my parents got me as a gift. It included an eight track tape deck.
I’m right with you. I remember the difference from AM to FM. Whenever I hear Maggie May by Rod Stewart, I remember riding on the back speakers of my dad’s car. I was little and I’d lay across the back speakers looking up into the sky listening to the clear music from the FM station, feeling the wind and watching the scenery go by. It felt like I was flying.
Exactly. My dad bought a brand new 1970 Ford Galaxy station wagon and sprung for an FM radio. It was unbelievable back then. I was only 10 in 1970 but loved music as long as I can remember and even at age 10 really appreciated the quality of FM radio over AM.
"FM" is a movie about a radio station.'77/'78(?)
I feel you
FM was where the cool music played..latest rock songs. I used to sit at the New years mid night count down for top 100 and taped my favorite hits, that was dedication.
"These guys make me look like Bill Cosby" now that is classic.
Fuggin hilarious line!!!!
THERE ARE 26 PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO DON'T LIKE THIS SONG?!?!
So it's true...the world has actually gone mad.
Hearing Impaired!
This song was written for the movie FM, which came out in '78. It's about a radio station where the bosses want to ruin it with more advertising and the DJs fight back. Pretty funny. Martin Mull just makes it good.
Wow - thanks. Gotta go watch now
Written for a movie soundtrack. Unbelievable! One the greatest stereo songs often used by the guys in soundboards doing sound checks at concert venues! A great one!
The soundtrack ot the movie was great. I had it on eight track.
It's about FM Radio, but it was actually part of a movie soundtrack, FM.
Correct, you win a cookie.
well Fuck Me running.
The movie actually sucked big-time. But at least the music was good.
Great soundtrack to a terrible movie.
Yep, Linda Ronstadt, Jimmy Buffet, Eagles, James Taylor, Tom Petty, Bob Seager, Queen, Steely Dan, to name a few. An Awesome 70's soundtrack. The movie did ultimately give us the sitcom WKRP...so there's that.
Seeing you dance, groovin, and enjoying Steely Dan makes me feel like a proud parent.
It might have taken you a while to get here, but you are here now to stay. LOL
You can never leave...and you don't want to...
I know what you mean Steve. It is priceless. I love how he enjoys the music of most of our childhoods. He's right. You don't just listen to this music, You MUST FEEL IT IN YOUR SOUL.
Thought I was the only one that felt that way😅
@@ellavader4411 sometime it's best that you not reply to another person's comment.
@@ellavader4411 You assumed something negative about my comment. This part is what I was responding to "Seeing you dance, groovin, and enjoying Steely Dan makes me feel like a proud parent."
When the curtains finally close on me I want this playing. Serenity.
I love Steely Dan, my Uncle turned me on when he came back from overseas early 80's
That is correct my man. It's basically a tribute of sorts to FM radio as opposed to AM.
You can't go wrong with Steely Dan.
It was commissioned as the theme song for the movie "FM".
"They always make me look like Bill Cosby"
OMG, I'm rollin'
One of the most accomplished bands /musicians EVER
THEY ARE AMAZING
You missed the ordeal of having to tolerate AM stations with all their limits.
Glad you're lovin' SD....
And 3 channels on the tv. Back when the channels went off the air at like 100am or 200am and the it was just static and rabbit ears with aluminum foil.
The static....yep
Got that right. AM sucked so bad when I was a kid. Then discovered FM. WOW
@@russellkandalaft1381, didn't we feel SOOOOO bad????
The only thing good about AM radio was on clear nights you could get a bounce off the atmosphere and pick up stations from a 1000 miles or more away. Still staticcy though....
When I hear this song, I'm immediately transported to my early 30's, working in NYC, going to rock, blues and jazz clubs in the Tri-State area. Great memories of lost friends and forgotten lovers. And who better to "share" them with today then OUR man Jamel AKA Jamal. You never fail to "get it." You aren't listening to these songs, you are LIVIN'ing to these songs. (I do realize I made up a word there, but it had to be done!)
Yes, it is about the FM station as opposed to AM...Steely Dan never wrote a bad song 😉
Todd Dale Bodhissatva is the ONLY SD tune I can’t stand.
@@Rigoletta53 Yeah I don't like it either. Its not "bad" though, just annoying. Through with buzz is kind of bad, midnight cruiser is generic. They have some bad songs in the demos too.
Ivy Grad 91
I don’t hate it, but I usually skip it when it queues up.
It's the title track for the movie FM.
I have loved Steely Dan since the first time I ever heard them, and I was a hard rock fan back then. I remember when the first FM station in South Texas was operating illegally for the first couple of months because the FCC was holding up issuing their license. They said it was because the authorities wanted to make sure it had sponsors that wouldn't support playing too much rock music. So they responded by playing wtf they wanted to play until their license got issued ! And they played it all night long. Tough to communicate the value of that to today's youth who have everything at their fingertips. RIP Walter. Jam on Donald!
It’s from the soundtrack of the movie “FM” about a radio station.
The movie also had live performances by Jimmy Buffett and Linda Ronstadt.
Nice movie, probably inspired WKRP In Cincinnati.
"Q-Sky We never come down to earth"
@@janetfleming7269 and Cleavon Little of Blazing Saddles Fame!Martin Mull, Tom Petty, REO SPEED WAGON, Waddy Wachtell and more.
Theme song > movie
"No static at all" is a pun. AM radio is crackly and static-y. FM is smoother, and is better for stereo. And "no static" from the ladies, if you play the tunes they like on FM. FM was just getting more popular than AM in 1978 when this song came out. It's the theme to a film called "FM". The film bombed, but this song was a huge hit. PS: BODHISATTVA, dude! TUNE!
The movie had an AWESOME soundtrack though.
FM hardly had commercials
The DJ ‘s were high most
Of the time . Back then
“Coke “ would get your
record played 👍
+1 on BODHISATTVA
Well said.
i thought it was a good movie though!!!!! loved the soundtrack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was the title theme to a forgotten movie called "FM," about the goings-on at a rock radio station. It was sort of the predecessor of "WKRP in Cincinnati." I randomly found the soundtrack for a dollar in the cutout bin - remember those? - and it's a fantastic 2-disc sampler of all the very best rock and roll that was on the radio around 1979 or so.
This was one of my favorite albums in high school. I was too young to see the movie and didn't realize what a farce it was.
movie even featured linda rhonstadt
I remember the flick.
*FM* was a modest hit. Both *Linda Ronstadt & Jimmy Buffet* appeared on the soundtrack & movie.
And yes. *WKRP in Cincinnati* was lighty based on the movie's theme of behind the scenes of an FM radio station.
I think '78.
I saw it about 4-5 times with my buddies.
We were about 13
This song has my favourite lyric line ever.... ‘Nothing but blues and Elvis and somebody else’s favourite song.’ The most sophisticated rhyme, finding a match with Elvis!
After the success of their Grammy-winning 6th album "Aja," Steely Dan had raised the musical I.Q. of radio fans to the point where this jazzy gem featuring tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb actually climbed to #18 on the pop charts … paving the way for jazz fusion artists to get played on Top 40 stations around the country. I've said it for years. Becker & Fagen were the finest composing duo since Lennon & McCartney.
"Time Out Of Mind" by Steely Dan. Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers) on background vocals.
Roger Nilsson one of my favorites, always makes me smile
My Rival...also from Gaucho....another lyrically stellar cut with that unique
Dan groove.
I'm bumping this because I also recommended to him that he listen to that song for the same reason -- Michael McDonald.👍🏼
Tonight when I chase the dragon
Man when that sax hits it feels like the convertible top comes off and you're cruising into San Francisco across the bay bridge , warm out late summer evening when the air smells good .
I feel that! That was before massive traffic messed up the vibe. With shelter in place orders driving around now is like time traveling to days past 👍 Might have to take a cruise..heater on full blast ..it's cold now!
I believe that's Pete christlieb first chair from The Tonight Show band
And by Tonight Show, I mean Johnny Carson
Old college professor loved this piece. Used it to get metaphor through my thick head. There's no static on FM...and there's no static on an evening like this when you cater to the ladies and enjoy an evening with no 'heat'...no 'static'. All good.
Perfect explanation!👍
Notice a trend here, this time it's drummer is Jeff Porcaro(of Toto). It's the drummers that are making you dance like that.
Jamal it's already got you groovin!! Love watching your reaction!!
When this song came out in 1978, I was a kid that already liked Steely Dan (having heard "Deacon Blues"). I also liked a lot of black bands like Earth Wind & Fire and Chic, so by comparison I never thought of Steely Dan's sound as being funky at all; it was smooth soft rock, and it was rather dark in terms of sound as well as lyrical content, especially this song. So it is interesting to see people hear it as "stank face" funky, and it makes me listen again and appreciate it like that.
My favorite part of this song is the strings over the guitar solo. I don't think Steely Dan used strings in any other song. The arrangement was by Johnny Mandel, a famed composer and arranger who had been doing jazz since the 1940s. It's just gorgeous.
Ok, but I can't hear 'Josie' as not funky.
A good bit of their 21st Century material has some funk. Gaslighting Abbie, Two Against Nature, Janie Runaway, Jack of Speed, Lunch with Gina, Slang of Ages.
Through with Buzz has strings, from the album Pretzel Logic.
@@jml-rj5re And a lot of their mid/late 70s stuff is funk based (Green Earrings, The Fez, Kid Charlemagne, most of Aja, much of Gaucho...) Not to mention Fagen's solo albums.
@@xebio6 Good job mentioning 'The Fez', one of my favorites.
Imagine walking into the club while this song is playing.Puts you in a dancing mood.
Gotta be honest man, there's not much in life better than getting a little buzz and watching your reactions to some sweet Steely Dan tunes. This is such a great tune, and as always your reaction is so genuine and awesome. Thanks man for being there for us during these crazy times. Much love brother
Seriously! I am right now! Lol!
One of the most precisely timed bass lines ever.
👍🏻😁
That's the late, great Walter Becker. Genius!
I've been waiting for this, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, .
This song makes me think of an LA balmy evening, driving in a car, palm trees, city lights twinkling, nice vibe. I’ve never been there but that’s what this jazzy song makes me think of.
This is literally the first scene in the movie, “F.M”.
Thank you!! You made my listing to a song I've heard a million times like I'm hearing it for the first time.
Jamal you make me so happy! I love watching your reactions. When you smile and dance and bounce those shoulders, appreciating the music that I have loved since I was young (50 years ago). Keep doing what you're doing and you and your family stay safe!!! ✌
My drummer used to say, "The funk is thick in here...."
and they are just cuttin' it up, whew
Where is the Steely Dan bands today??? They do not exist. This is why they will always rise to the top in my heart. U got lots of heart too which is why I love u and ur reactions!!! Keep vibing!
Steely Dan is staggering to folks born after 1985.
So, Jamel, here's the deal. Walter and Donald had a whole bunch of ideas. They were masters of their instruments and masters of composition, but they still felt they weren't good enough. So they went out and look for all the best cats in the biz and actually made them *audition* for each track on each album. They told each cat to read the chart but also put their individual interpretation on it. Some big names were considered and discarded. Others rose to the top and made it on a cut. On most albums, each track had different personnel. What they wound up with is what we have today. Brilliance.
Its a page from Quincy's playbook with a lot of the same players.
"No static at all" is appreciation of FM stations. Back in the day, pretty much everything was on AM stations that were full of static and not clear. Once FM stations that played rock started coming online it was a blessing to finally be able to listen to your favorite music on a crystal clear radio channel.
Before that, according to my dad, FM radio was for what he referred to as "that longhair stuff" - symphonies, operas, plays read over the radio. NPR, basically.
And in stereo!
What pretty much everyone has forgotten is that this song was written as the theme song for the movie "FM". It was the ONLY good thing about that movie.
Tejas Rob and Joe Day got it right. Rock and Roll stations were all on the AM band. FM radio was mostly instrumental and elevator music and, around 1977-78, they all started switching to Rock and Roll and AM switched to all. news and all talk. Thus, finally, Rock and Roll was being played with No Static At All.
@@Serai3 LOL, the soundtrack was pretty good. I used to have it.
There’s nothing better than listening to Steely Dan with someone who also gets it.
Been grooving to this tune for 43 years. Just realized that the lead guitar sounds like Don Felder(it's Walter Becker). Three other Eagles actually sang background vocals.
This cat is fire 🔥 they way he reviews the music he’s got that swag, the way I roll..about to buy his merchandise... big fan already
I have tried to watch other people's reactions. A couple of them talk way to FAST. Jamel is the best of the best. You can feel what he is feeling. It is a wonderful way to get your day started. His channel is the only reaction channel that I watch. I feel connected to him, like we have been best friends for a very long time. He gets this music like we did when we first heard it for the first time. Most of have seen the artist in concert.
This song was written for a movie from the 70’s called FM. Probably was the title song.
The TV series “WKRP in Cincinnati” was inspired by the movie “FM”.
The string arrangement under the guitar playout is incredible. Goosebumps everytime.
I love watching these . Where someone gets what a generation has been missing.
No kidding. When I worked selling electronic back in the early 80's - ish we would play this song on crappy speakers. THEN we would play it on the speakers we were selling. Huge difference. Made the sale everytime. Love me some Steely Dan!
Steely Dan is still being used by Speaker manufacturers as part of quality control testing because of how good it sounds
Dude im having a nice beverage and I feel like im hanging out w u chillin to this. thanks man..
There was a time when FM was considered alternative. DJ's picked the songs they played. Few corporations didn't own most of the stations.
My heart skips a beat every time someone discovers Steely Dan. Welcome my friend. There's no turning back now.
I feel the same way. I love turning the younger ones onto 70’s classics to get a reaction.
"FM" is about FM radio, but it's the title song to a 1978 movie entitled....you guessed it..."FM." Great movie sound track.
Dave Owens Yeah the soundtrack to the movie FM was great but the movie sucked. Lol!
Dreadful movie, though. Not surprising it's pretty much forgotten.
This is the correct answer.
I have the LP. Great soundtrack great movie. The 80's had lots of movies like that Roadie, Breaking Glass, Streets of fire.
The movie really did suck, but loved the soundtrack and scenes from my hometown of Los Angeles. Watched it in the base movie theater, Fort Knox Ky 1978.
Love seeing you love music from an amazing time gone by, that can never be replicated, yet will never die.
FM to me is their total talent and catalogue of songs all in one song that combined, Rhythm & Blues, Funk, Rock, Pop, Jazz that makes up FM !!
STEELY DAN, AND "FM"... I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS SONG WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT. YES AS IT HAS BEEN SAID. QUITE A FEW OF US MUSIC NUT ELDERS. REMEMBER THE START OF FM RADIO STATIONS... I BELIEVE THIS ALSO WAS THE SOUND TRACK FOR THE MOVIE FM... GREAT REACTION JAMEL AND YES, NO STATIC AT ALL...🤩✌
I can still remember when FM stations really gained traction back in the early 70's. The difference in the quality of sound was SO evident.
It was the title song from the movie “FM” about an FM radio station of the late 70’s, early 80’s.
Walter Becker on brilliant lead guitar. Pete Christlieb on sax, who also played sax on Deacon Blues, Black Cow.
Really good movie inspired wkrp in Cincinnati
Marc Landes and yes. FM vs AM. NO STATIC ON FM
Pete Christlieb played in Johnny Carson's band for years
Mr.Jamal, as a 71 year old Audiophile, love seeing your reactions to music of my growing period. Those of us born in the '50s, only had several forms of music, Radio, Records or Live. We only had one type of Radio, "AM' during that period, with alot of static. Cars only had one type of radio so as you traveled on the old roads in the State one lived in, you were almost constantly changing the buttons to find something static free. In the late 60's, early 70's, FM came into being, it had longer range for broadcasting the signal but more inportantly, "no static at all", was a big sell. Getting our first cars back then we had to fight to remove the AM unit to put in aftermarket FM , and then finally by end of 70's cars came with both radio frequencies, AM and FM Stereo .Just a quick audio history lesson sir, love your videos, been watching you for over a year now. Keep em coming and thanks for your honest impressions, thoughts about music .
It’s about pumping up our gals with this funky music. As long as the quality music keeps playing, she treats you nice....So Cool !
This here is some smooth-ass funk! Yeaaah! One of my all-time faves. We loved dancing to this in the clubs. And Yes, Jamal... it is about FM radio. (I dated a disc jockey from a popular Connecticut station in the late 70’s. This song was one of our favs.). U can’t sit still with this little groove! It’s finger poppin good! 😎😎😎
So enjoying your Steely Dan reactions, I really love the band, throughout the decades they’ve remained my favourite ❤️
FM stereo in the early 70’s was like HD stereo is today. The sound quality was so much better than the AM we were used to. And Steely sounded so damn good. Still does.
The amount of different elements in this song is amazing!
The end of their songs are like the end of a good smoke or drink you just don’t want to end.
Man!! More Steely Dan Pleeeeeaasseee
Your reaction to this reminds me of why I've loved this song since the first day I heard it back in the day when it was new. Same reaction I had all those years ago: DAMN! Yeah!
Your head shimmy has me laughing out loud brother!!
Trivia: This song was never released on an album. Made for a movie. It’s on greatest hits albums now. Steely Dan...timeless. Love seeing you enjoy them. They’ve been my favorite for 35 years. 🙂
I still enjoy watching the movie.
It is on the FM soundtrack album.
@@kenperk9854 correct. I should have clarified, not released on a Steely Dan album when the single was cut.
@@TheonlyHeffy I thought you may not have known about the soundtrack. A lot of people don't.
I have the soundtrack album on vinyl.
FM & AM. FM was the signal that carried the better Rock, Jazz and Soul stations which usually played longer song formats. AM usually had more pop and news.
This song was written as the theme song for the movie "FM".
And AM has WAY more hate!
@@TheSimonScowl That was irrelevant to the era of this song (42 years ago) as the fairness doctrine was in place.
@@dustykeele Indeed. And your comment was irrelevant to mine. My first instinct is to assume you're into hate radio... but if you were, you probably wouldn't know what the Fairness Doctrine was!
@@TheSimonScowl You lack insight. What a shame.
Steely Dan, nothing compares. They were a class of their own. A gift from God.
One of the top ten bands of all time. I never tire. So fine.
For those of us old enough to remember album rock stations, this was our soundtrack. BTW the entire soundtrack to the movie "FM" is amazing.
Crosby, Stills, Nash and young - Carry on
19_MOORE_ 86 deja vu
The Dan is the best and good for any occasion. Born in the early 70's and always brings back great memories. I'm old now and miss the time when music was not made by computers😢
With Jeff Porcaro on drums,Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Timothy B Schmit on backing vocals….Classic!!!!!
Rest in Peace Pops... He loved Steely Dan... This is one of my favorites...
music from the 1978 movie "FM", about a radio station (very like WKRP...)
Love that whole period!
Johnny Fever from WKRP reminded me of Skunk Baxter from early Steely Dan. Same 'stache and cool, disaffected look.
This song has one of my favorite song lyrics of all time: “Nothing but blues and Elvis, and somebody else’s favorite song.”