Steely Dan were unique. A truly intelligent duo who have my utmost respect. Love to Donald and all those who love Steely Dan's music. So sad that Walter has gone. It's almost like they should have both passed together. Best album in my opinion? Aja. Sheer genius from start to finish. A song that projects the essence of Steely Dan? FM - No Static At All. Words just about fail me, really, as to the genius of these guys.
I grew up in the 70s and 80s and I heard steely dan on the radio. I had can't buy a thrill on vinyl but i don't think i understood the true genius of the Dan until i was much older. Now i listen to songs like Home at last and I'm just in awe. I too was extremely saddened by the death of Becker but I'm thankful he got to live such a wonderful life as half of steely dan. You watch steely dan confessions when they were riding around in the taxi cab and it just makes you smile. I love steely dan. Fagen, Becker, all the studio musicians and the backup singers. such a unique and wonderful band.
My dear brother Paul introduced to the brilliance of steely dan as a 12year old in 77 God bless him for the introduction. Two things my brother and I had tickets to see them in Sydney in 2007 sadly he passed away aged 45 but I went alone as a tribute ironically Walters passing coincides with the ten years since my beautiful brother left us. Paul you were a comic genius I th ankyou immensely for steely dan rip Walter musical genius.
Nice...go to the 'Dan in his stead. Your a class act to remember your wonderful brother then, and its classy letting us know how much you obviously loved him 'here in the 'Today'
For me, the loss of Walter Becker was a big hit for me. Steely Dan has been part of my life for more than 45 years. I remember their first hit, "Do It Again" in 1972. I was 10 and for my birthday, I got my first transistor radio. I would play that radio day and night when not in school. When I heard "Do It Again", I was hooked!!!!!!! I loved "Reelin' In The Years", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Peg", "FM", "Gaucho" and I can go on and on. No group out there has ever compared to, or can ever compare to the Dan, not EVER!!!!!!!!! Becker and Fagen impacted my growing up years and as a middle ager, I love and appreciate their music even more. I will miss Walter so much. LY Steely Dan 4-ever!!!!!!!!!!!!
R.I.P. Walter Becker. I will miss you! Steely Dan-Aja is an amazing album! I listen to it every week of my life and never grow tired of it. "Black Cow" is my all time favorite song from Steely Dan which is on "Aja"
TJR you speak from the heart. Your tribute is amazing and so caring. The first Steely Dan album I bought back in the day was "Can't Buy A Thrill". A friend of mine back then, and I, put our money together to buy it. When we got home to his house, his Mother saw what we had bought and, being offended by the album cover, said, "I Hope You Enjoy that!" We sure did. Here I am now in my late 50s still listening to that album and ALL the other Steely Dan albums that came out. I am deeply saddened by Walter's passing and I just feel like there is a void now in the world of music.
I have been a fan of Steely Dan since I was a teenager back in the late 1980s. Since then I become a big fan loving the stuff they did in the 1970s. My favorite song of theirs is Home At Last from Aja. That being said Aja is my favorite album of theirs too.
I got ever dan album ever made i first head in 72 when i was 12 still listen to them every day i am 58.and know the words to rvery song shaped my life chased the dragon do it all.. love then RIP Walter
Very deep, impressive and beautiful tribute....your analysis on your addiction to the music of Steely Dan seems very close to mine...It 's very hard for me to choose my favorite song among all their titles....but I feel emotionally attracted by Deacon Blues, Doctor Wu and Kid Charlemagne....!I would surely add Pixeleen which I consider a gem....
I love the sparseness of their recordings.... the gaps and what they weren't playing were as important as what they were playing. Thus, it created a cleaner sound. They found room in their arrangements to highlight all of the ingredients of their sound. This made for a more enriching and satisfying meal, yet, I was always hungry to hear their next release. Steely Dan has been a lifetime favorite of mine.
One of my favourite albums is Circus Money, Walter Becker's second solo project (around 2007). I love Steely Dan but there's a different feel to Becker - if you haven't heard it check it out - Selfish Gene, Bob Is Not Your Uncle Anymore and Circus Money are probably the highlights for me but every track is more than worth a listen - Larry Klein co-wrote and co-produced. RIP Walt!
Gotta say there isn't much music from my youth (late 60s-mid 70s) that still speaks to me, aside from the nostalgic aspect, but the Dan are an exception. The closer you listen the more there is. Last year I listened to Gaucho a lot. For whatever reason I hadn't really "got" it back in the day, and hadn't heard it straight through in decades. It's still my favorite as of today, but over time I'll probably revert to the mean and go back to Aja or The Royal Scam. :) I particularly love Glamour Profession, and the idea that the "Eurasian bride" mentioned in the song is Aja. The title song of an album turning out to be named after the wife of a drug runner: seems like a very Steely Dan thing!
"stalking the dread moray eel..." my favorite line in that song for some reason. Gaucho is one of the greatest albums of all time, in my view. It gets better the more you give your ears to it.
Listen to Parkers Band on headphones. Let me know what you think. It's a so forgettable song, but it has so much depth. Steely Dan with dulling drummers?
cardo I JUST heard this news. The 1st Album I bought was Aja, & I turned-on 4 friends to Steely Dan W/ that Album. We listened to it OVER, & OVER again, untill we had to stack pennies on the needle. I am sorry to hear that Walter passed. I will always love Aja, but plan to spend time listening to Gaucho. Of course I have heard many songs from it, but never listened to the entire album. I hope I won't just feel sad that half the act is gone. I was also pregnant W/ my 1 st child when I finally got to see Steel Dan in Concert, in Denver. 18 yrs after I bought that Aja album at 15.
Thanks TJR for this. The Dan were a life-altering event for me...their crafting of songs had a huge impact on my playing. The Beatles woke me up and the Dan schooled me. But what gets me is the deep connection in the tunes - the stories they tell. "Aja" is one of my favorites. It's one of a number of their songs about 'coming home' (to a place where it never existed), something I identify with.
Walter Becker was my favorite musician ever and Steely Dan my favorite band Beckers intellect and sarcastic dark humor is what turned me into a Steely Dan and eventually a jazz and fusion fan.Its strange that he died on September 3rd for I don't think that Walter was a rolling stone more of a musical genius who could have taught college and been a lifetime professor The world is a lesser place without Walter in it you can really believe that-the biggest loss in musical history.I think Donald will never be the same without his co-hort and partner in crime for has there never been a more classic two minds=one **WALTER BECKER FEB 20 1950-- SEPT 3 2017**
Lovely, kind, and deeply insightful tribute, very sad day, profoundly influenced my life and music and composition since 1972...favorites? Too many to count...but Any World that I'm Welcome To (Is Better than the One I Come From) from Countdown to Ecstasy brings back vivid memories of going to the park in Los Altos, California, around the corner from my house at the time-- just like the lyric says, and watch the children playing, perhaps I'll find in my head what my heart is saying, a vision of the child returning, a kingdom where the sky is burning, then I'll be there, yes I'll be there...
Beautiful words. This has been my favorite band for a very long time…. Now I’m my late sixties, I feel like we all grew up together …… Walter was a real bad a__ player, he is greatly missed. I think my favorite album Is Aja ….. Every song is fantastic. Donald’s voice is one of a kind…… I hope STEELY DAN lives on, and on, and on. Phenomenal background vocals ladies !!! And Michael MacDonald …. Well HELLO !!!! What a huge talent …… Love to all the Dan fans, we have great taste in music 🎹 🎶🎤🎹
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on what may have been the truly perfect blending of jazz and rock ever recorded in the history of popular music. While I favor ALL of their songs, one which stands out as a shining testament to Steely Dan's compositional sophistication is the song Aja from the album of the same name with - as a critic once wrote: "...its judicious use of space..." I still view this as superlative insight and one very few artists deserve.
What Beautiful thoughts...Truely moving...Thank u So much for sharing...Allow me to share my experience...I'm 70...Some 30 odd yrs back I had a deep sea Marlin Fishing boat ...was my childhood Dream to catch just one of these Beautiful Fish ...On a calm day out on the Deep blue ocean...feet dangling afore touching passing playfully Dolphins...& Steely Dan as background Music...Closest thing to Heaven...RIP A One of a kind Genius Walter Becker...I'm Grateful to have the ear to Appreciate as you did also...Peter Durban SA...🕊👍
Thanks TJR, these are the right words to explain what we all feel about Walter & Donald. Steely Dan music is one of those things that makes life better, Thanks again from Italy.
Loved just about every tune that the guys did, my favorite would have to be Deacon Blues being from Alabama, not just for that line but because it's just a perfect song. R.I.P.
I’m a super serious “Dan Fan”. Grew up with them in the 70’s when i started playing the saxophone at the age of 11. Stayed with music until HS graduation. I first became serious about SD I’d say my senior year of HS when Gaucho was released. I knew of and listened to AJA some but like you mentioned..... I needed to put on headphones and listen repeatedly to that album to start to get it....that wouldn’t come until my time in the Navy right after HS when I did just that and wow.... I was sold and became the serious Dan Fan I am today. SD got me through all my deployments when I was in the service. Gaucho lead to Aja (bass akwords I KNOW!) which lead to Katy Lied then Countdown to Ecstasy, Can’t buy a thrill etc.... I’ve seen them just twice live. Great shows that I’ll never forget. My all time Fav SD tune is Deacon Blues, followed by Here at the Western World, then Don’t take me alive... the list goes on and on.. Love having the unreleased lost songs from Gaucho discovered for all of us to enjoy, especially Second Arrangement and The Bear. Their songwriting, acute attention to detail in the studio and sardonic wit are unmatched. Long live Don and Walter, A serious almost 5 decade DanFan, Paul
That was a great tribute. The first time I heard Steely Dan was I was working with my Dad in the Summer of 74 I was about 12 I think. I remember Hearing Rickki don't lose that number. It was a big hit at that time and I heard it a lot that summer. It perked my ear and just grabbed on to me. I was a fan ever since. They actually got me into Jazz at that age. Like you said they brought a sophistication to their music no one had at that time and it opened my eyes to a lot of different sounds and playing.
I love you're tribute. I couldn't pinpoint one song. So many. Was blessed to see them live once. I agree while the hits are great it's was the other gems on the albums that were just as great. I've enjoyed their music as long as I c asn remember. Very saddened by Walters passing
I am angry that i deleted the most wonderful comments on my favorite Group in the world. I thank God for me i got to meet them both. I am from New York, a relatively famous musician..No one was like him and no one will ever be like Steely Dan.Never! You will remember what i said for the rest of your life.My heart is broken.Call it selfishness but they brought such joy to my life since i was a kid.I am 63 Now.I was at the Letterman show on my Birthday. I just turned 50 and i had my arm around Roger Nichols. Too young for Walter to die.I know that they were finally happy that they could duplicate the Steely Dan sound that they wanted live.I was friends with Donald´s manager Rob and Karen his Sister who we used to go out with from time to time..I love the two of you so much for enlightening my life ,i wish i could just spend five minutes with you telling you how much i appreciate what you did to my musical life.Right now i am so upset i cannot listen to anything involving Walter or Donald. I cannot imagine how Donald and Walter´s family feel.i cannot say anything else.
Superbly said, sir! No other artists even came close to what Steely Dan has produced over the years. Home At Last is my favorite song, with Third World Man being a close second. Aja is my favorite album. Walter's passing is sad, but no matter when he may have died, it simply would have been too soon. RIP. Mr. Becker.
This man gives a perfect and very serene description of what I feel, already since all these years, about the added value this music gave to my life, about the warm feelings I get listening to the music of Steely Dan.
In 1993 I turned 16 and an uncle bought me my first CD player as a birthday present. He also gave me my first CD to go with the player: Kamakiriad by Donald Fagen. I didn't quite get it at first but for a couple of years I had been looting my uncle's CD rack and recording basically anything and everything on cassette. I had done it enough to build an appreciation of his remarkably broad musical interests and had learnt not to give up if something didn't quite strike through on the first try. So very much like you describe in your video I kept playing the seemingly uninteresting record until my brain was rewired enough and my eyes (and ears) opened for this new music. In 1993 the Citizen Steely Dan 4 CD box set was also released so that was my next target. My high school friends were only into grunge and what have you - and of course I was into all that as well - but I also had this amazing side track that no one else was doing. Over the years I got to see Steely Dan twice as they visited Finland. The first gig was their first ever visit to Finland in 2000. I was disappointed to see that the best seats in Hartwall Arena had been sold or somehow dealt to sponsors and celebrities and I don't really know who. Despite my early shopping for tickets I was sitting way back and therefore slightly disappointed. Their second gig was at Pori Jazz festival in 2007 and there were no seats nor was there any rush to the front line so I went there and shed some happy tears in the sun. I have all the concert reviews and interviews clipped from Finnish newspapers and they have been appropriately stored in my Citizen Steely Dan box. Yesterday I cut Walter's obituary from a newspaper and put it in the box as well. Things will never be the same for me.
Loved the jazzy sound of reelin' in the years in 1973 but I didn't know it was jazzy at the time. Loved all the hits but got to really enjoy and appreciate their sound with the Royal scam. As we used to say..you can never do it without the BUZZ on...I will miss anything new that will never be. Walter was a composer extraordinarre..RIP. Memory Eternal. So long Steely Dan...
Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn; George and Ira Gershwin; Rodgers and Hammerstein; Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Fagan and Becker are up there with the greatest American song writing teams! No doubt about it. Time will only tend to enhance their status. Your tribute is the most personal and one of the best I've heard so far. An era is over, long live The Dan! As Gil Evans said to Miles Davis: "I'm sure glad you were born!" I'm sure glad Walter Becker and Donald Fagan were born! I'm sure we all are.
After the Beatles fell apart I needed a fix in the early 70's. Jimi was dead and I was stranded in Hawaii trying to get my shit together and I heard 'Reeling in the Years'. The very first thing that caught me was their intelligence. Then there were those guitars! Yeah! Life could go on. I saw them live in Honolulu and I was hooked. They along with the Eagles got me through those next three years. Hell, when I got home and got into USC By the late 70's I even wrote a marketing research paper on them and sent it to their management proving that we all wanted them to get back to touring! I regret not flying to New York or Vegas this last year to see them. I kinda forgot how old we've all gotten. They gave me my life's sound track. Even more than the Beatles, Led Zeppelin or The Who. Becker and Fagen will always be great in my heart. They noticed the little things that flavor a situation like saki does chicken or sweet carmelized onions with tomato. They understood and understand the importance of the subtle, the wry and the well placed obtuse. For them, the joke has always been on all of us, trying to keep up and struggling to see the angles they played. Thank you, Mr. Becker. You and your partner kept the bar high with out doing silly love songs or power chords... Thank you for you commitment and your legacy. You are and have been appreciated, sir.
+TJR. I'm 47 years old and I've been a Steely Dan fan since about the age of 4, believe it or not.Of course I had no understanding of what their songs were about, but hey, they sounded good!!! My(4) favorite SD songs are: 1) Rikki Don't lose that Number; (2 Peg; 3) Reeling in the Years;4) Do it Again. My favorite SD album would have to be Pretzel Logic, because it has that crisp, fresh, early to mid 1970's sound and feel that I love. I am deeply saddened and shocked by the passing of Walter Becker, one half of an amazing duo. I had no idea that he was sick and I still can't believe that he is gone. All of the legends are dying off and all that we will be left with is today's garbage music. I thank God above for old music. Thanks for sharing your memories. Be blessed.😘
Just happened on this video today. So Nicely done. As Steely has always been one of greatest musical influences in my life, the passing of Walter Becker still reverberates throughout my life. A loss that is immeasurable. For me Doctor Wu may be the greatest song ever written. Steely Dan like Bruce Hornsby, Procol Harum, and a few others, have had such a huge effect on me that I don't even truly understand why....But their music resonates deeper than anything else that can ever be imagined, making life so worth living.
While I grew up knowing some of their work, their hits of course, and hearing their music a bit here and there from my aunts and uncles playing it, it never really struck me - until many years later I was listening to the radio and heard "Reelin' in the Years" and for the first time it struck me how great that song was - smart, interesting, beautifully written...then as I learned more and more about my favorite living songwriter John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats, I learned about how Steely Dan changed his life and made him a songwriter. I have a number of bootlegs of him covering Steely Dan songs like "FM" and "Doctor Wu." This is what led me down the Steely Dan path more and more.
Favorite band of all time. Aja is my favorite Steely Dan album and "Time Out of Mind" is my favorite of their songs. I listened to their albums from beginning to end over the last few days, and now that I'm finished I find myself wanting to go back to the beginning and listen all of them again. RIP, Mr. Becker. I can't believe you're gone, but your fans will never forget you.
Been a Dan Fan since I first heard of them from a friend at Chanute AFB Illinois 1979.. Album Asa. He said, with a big grin.."Haven't you heard of Steely Dan? He was not lyin! Awesome Dan!
Nice commentary! I too have loved their music since my Freshman year in HS. I have followed them for years. I think I own everything they ever made together. Walter Becker will be truly missed. I pray Donald Fagen will continue to perform live. Maybe with Michael MacDonald..Boz Scaggs, Steve Winwood and other favorites of mine....
i had the great good fortune to get to know walter while he lived on maui. his incredible intelligence mixed with sardonic wit cannot be overstated. i've never met anyone that could make me laugh about something mundane or something profound. i too am in shock, sad that i won't be with him again but at least i can watch UTube clips and again enjoy a good laugh with him......
i should have said : before meeting walter i'd never met anyone that....." as i've binged on the reactions to his death, i know he would be "touched" and then throw out some hilarious take on his passing that would bring a huge belly laugh to us all.......
My first love and I's song "Rikki Don't Loose that Number." I remember him buying the album "Pretzel Logic" because I loved Steely Dan so much. We played every song over and over. He still calls me Rikki today after the song. Sweet memories of innocent love ❤️.
Too many hits to pick one they are by far the greatest duo ever and learning there songs is let going to school it has open many avenues for my songwriting between both there solo albums and steely dan I could listen to there music all day and night eventually Donald will follow suit and then it will truly be over I thank them both for the gift of there craft 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
While all their albums are sublime, I have found myself listening to Countdown to Ecstasy a lot. Katy Lied and The Royal Scam too are amazing. Two Against Nature too was very good, and I still haven't gotten round to checking out Everything Must Go as yet. I was glad that I got to see them once when they toured downunder a second time 6 years ago (the first time I missed them in Auckland as tickets had already sold out at the time) with Steve Winwood. Had the opportunity to catch them again on the same tour in Auckland when my grandfather passed away but of course, I spend time with the family. A truly unique band, and with the addition of the female backup singers (Carolyn Leonhart is gorgeous btw lol), Dirty Work sounded better than ever IMHO... RIP Walter. If Fagen does continue the band, it sure won't be the same indeed, but the legacy certainly doesn't have to end just yet...
Nice choices Fabian! Carolyn Leonhart... she sure is easy on the eyes... And man can she sing! Look up her name on the Google, she's got some great solo work she's done ...she can totally hold any song on her own. Myself, my favorite, Daniel, AJA! Aja, when all my dime dancing is through I Run To You Who can forget Black Cow? .....On the counter buy your keys . was a book Numbers and your remedies , one of these , surely will screen out the sorrow... But where are you--tomorrow? Or Deacon blues?? Drink Scotch whiskey all night long and die behind the wheel they got a name for the winners in the world I want a name when I lose they call Alabama the Crimson Tide, call me Deacon Blues. Cant buy a thrill ...and ..Aja. my nominations for Steely Dan Masterpieces:)
I’ve been familiar with steely dan since I was about 10 it was introduced to me in 2014 and it was very similar of a situation I didn’t get the music at the start but the more I listened to it the more I appreciated the songs and I learned even if you aren’t attracted to the rhythm itself then you will fall in love with the lyrical content they put into their music, it was very saddening for me when I heard he passed but no matter what we will always have a spot in my mind for exposing me to a genre people usually don’t listen to anymore and for going out of his way to perfect music so people would appreciate it for what was put into it even if it did not sound great
Thank you, TJR, for articulating Walter Becker's passing with insight and aplomb. I have been talking with old friends by phone this week, trying to figure out why the news of Walter's death hit us all so hard. And as you point out, it comes down of the finality of death, and in this case, the death of Steely Dan--a band whose sophisticated pop writing/arranging and meticulously produced and recorded albums have no peer. Donald Fagen will continue, and we all look forward to his future solo and potential collaborative efforts, but the band known as Steely Dan will never write or record another song--the formidable duo is now half-gone, rendering the entity no more. There is so much sadness in this. Not since John Lennon's death have I been hit this hard by the death of someone I never knew. But just as Steely Dan found beauty in the irony of life, I think that heartache tells the story: genius always leaves a palpable vacuum. As for a favorite Steely Dan song, it's like trying to pick a favorite Beatle song. My answer would be: "What day of the week is it?" "What work of metaphorical mastery best expresses my feelings or thoughts today?" That said, today I will pick "Aja." Tomorrow, no doubt something equally incisive, thought-provoking or even prescient will come to mind. Becker and Fagen's body of work is timeless. It will only ascend. It speaks to the human condition with a level of sophistication and beauty that transcends its medium. Why "Aja?" Because "Aja" is not a song, it is a modern pop-concerto. It elevates popular music to a higher place. It is a masterpiece of art. It is authentic. And it has never been matched. "Aja" harmony is a new innovation in pop--even for Steely Dan. It drifts in and out of triadic (Roman numeral) or even traditional jazz chord analysis, embracing at times a tonally centric modality and even polytonality. It also borrows quartal harmonic structures from traditional Chinese music while at the same time invoking a brand of quartalism reminiscent of the vanguardism of the 20th century. It is an expanded musical form that can be described as a full sectional ternary: three discreet sections, ABA, where each section can be broken down into multiple subsections, which moves the composition far beyond typical song forms. And the mastery of the musical performances that bring the piece to life serve only to heighten the musical adventure. Steve Gadd's legendary drum performance is all at once virtuosic and musically tasteful--both mature and commanding. It is also the only Steely Dan song to indulge a drum solo. I don't think it will ever be topped. Wayne Shorter's Tenor solo is sweetness and brine. And the guitar work and solo, ostensibly performed by Denny Dias, is imaginative and intrinsic to the setting. Not to be left out, Joe sample's Rhodes work, particularly his quartal-inspired fills stands out as a vital part of the texture. "Aja" is a sublime achievement in pop music history. A masterpiece for all time. -IWF
Well said, great video. I remember my late friend and I spending one summer cruising and hanging out. The only music allowed in the car was Steely Dan, and in particular Aja which defined that last summer of my youth.
Love all there music.walter Becker is a great loss to music. one of my favorite guitar players his tone and licks are his only.. he will definitely be missed. god bless .
Well done vid agree with your thoughts on Becker and Steely as a band/collaboration. Always listen to a song at least 3 times is good practice and something I do as well. I love most SD albums particularly Pretzel Logic, Aja and the underrated Gaucho. I wish I saw them when they toured Two Against Nature, they still sounded awesome at that time and seemed to have had a phenomenal band together. R.I.P. Mr. Becker, I will always appreciate the great music that you and Donald Fagan created and shared with all of us.
Nice, heartfelt video. With my sadness due to Walter's passing, i wanted to find discussion on Steely Dan from the heart. Most of what i've seen so far are reports from flakes who think they are journalists (ha!). Becker/Fagen was my other Lennon/McCartney, so this is a big loss in my musical life. If you wish to do a part 2 as a tribute to Walter, i wouldnt mind it at all. Misery loves company. Peace!
Hi, I just watched your affectionate tribute to Walter's passing. Like you, and I dare say many, many others,I believe the 'Dan' are 1 notch above most 'classic' rock bands, in fact it doesn't do their musicality justice to pigeon hole them into any genre? They still inspire me. What a legacy, what a fantastic, underrated guitarist he was. Genius. I am glad I was around in their time. I hope Walter is jamming with some of his musical heroes that have gone before. One thing is for sure, he will seek out the best.
Loved your comments...my experience is very similar to yours. The reason I discovered Jazz is because of Steely Dan. They were very unlike Led Zeppelin, Foreigner, Deep Purple, Van Halen, etc. and many rock acts at the time. Sophistication and complexity cannot be overstated. They were both total originals and in addition to some of the best quality studio work every recorded...their live performances were incredible...especially in recent years. Almost all of there music still holds up today and will be timeless to me. I literally would wear out my cassettes of the albums and eventually have to repurchase them when my car stereo would destroy them after hundreds of plays. Ah...Those were the bad old days before CD's and Streaming! RIP Walter Becker!
Thanks so much for making this video and sharing your thoughts and memories about Walter and Steely Dan. When I think about the bands that make up the soundtrack of my life, Steely Dan are right near the top! It's so hard to pick a favorite song...They seemed to have a song for any and every kind of mood...And I never heard a Steely Dan song that didn't make me feel good! There was something magic about that music...There still is:) RIP Walter. Thank you my musical Brother.
Totally relate to what you are saying. Most of my favorite songs were not the ones that come to mind. Yes Deacon Blues one of my favorites along with pretzel logic, time out of mind. Wish I could have seen them in concert. RIP Walter Becker
I can't remember a single Steely Dan album that I didn't at least like. Your description of them says it all. The 3 listen rule is spot on! I always listened to them all the way through! Other albums you just listen for one or two songs. Royal Scam is my favorite "Dan" album.
Christmas-time 1972, I was 11 years old and got some cash in an envelope as a gift from my Aunt Jenny. My mother took us to a department store to buy toys but I insisted I wanted to buy my first record (hell, it was MY MONEY!!!) at the Jordan Marsh Music department. The salesman was playing Can’t Buy a Thrill, and I just loved the cover art, not really knowing at the time who (or what!) Steely Dan was. Mom acquiesced, and I was able to get it on sale for $2.99! By the time I’d heard the song “Reeling in the Years” on the radio, it was already in heavy rotation, but I was already a fan, hooked from the very first Elliott Randall guitar solo intro. I knew it was the right album to start a record collection with, and to this day, I still have that album in my collection. It’s still very playable, although it skips and pops every now and then. It started a quest to own every SD release as soon as it arrived in stores. Thank God for tapes and CD’s, and now digital downloads, because over the years, I’ve had to replace certain records because of how much they got played. I own every original Steely Dan release on vinyl, some on 8-track (yeah, 8-track! Wanna fight about it?!?) and cassette, and both domestic and a few international releases, a variety of bootleg live performances, and some rare and obscure songs on ‘45rpm...buying that 1st album began a near life-long obsession and love with the art and talents of Donald Fagen & Walter Becker, Denny Dias, Skunk Baxter Jim Hodder, Dave Palmer & yes, even Michael McDonald... But overall, out of my 45 year love affair with this band, in every different chameleon-like incarnation, my all-time favorite SD song is King of the World, from Countdown to Ecstasy. It somehow really speaks to me...and I can hear it over and over again. They’ll never ever get old to me!
I consider myself so lucky to have seen them live as many times as I did. Starting in 1993, I went to at least one date of every tour from that first one on. Hands down the best live shows I have attended. Which is saying something considering I worked at EMI at the time (for 10 years) and attended an average of one or two concerts a week (being in a major concert city). RIP Walter. Can't wait to hang with you in rock and roll heaven.
I had no idea he had passed away, very sad to hear this, he was too young to go. But yes, Steely Dan was a beacon of intelligence and cool music in the sometimes stormy seas of rock. I met Donald Fagan at a local FM community radio once, where I DJ'ed and it was a thrill to meet him in the flesh, I have always a been a huge fan of theirs and very much of Larry Carlton as well. May Walter RIP...
Thank you for sharing your story and your enthusiasm about Steely Dan's music, and putting it so eloquently. Particularly the 'hamburger' metaphor got to me :-) Let me tell you how I got around to The Dan music. In 1979, and all of 14 years old, I read at the back of a magazine (that I got from school) the blunt statement that "Steely Dan makes the best pop music in existence". Now, this was some serious Dutch educational magazine about History & Society ('Reflector'), which apparently had some lp reviews at the back for fun. But at 14, I couldn't yet tell objective info from personal opinion that easily. So I remember taking that line very seriously. If this band - that I'd never heard of - made *the best* pop music, then I *of course* had to get it! So I spent 11,90 bucks from my hard-earned pocket money on their Greatest Hits album; a double lp; the one with the famous Anton Corbijn black & white photograph in the center. And I was immediately hooked! Though I didn't know what to make of these funny, silly, mysterious lyrics (my command of English being rather primitive at the time), and certainly not all the sexual innuendo, the great musical quality of the songs, their sheer variety, their no-holds-barred production or 'sophistication', the expansion of my musical horizon with jazzy chords and arrangements; I was very, very happy with this *trouvaille*. I think none of my friends at the time had ever heard of Steely Dan, at the age where most of them just listened to top 40 music. "Do it again", the album opener, did it again: hooking some young dude (me) up to the music of Steely Dan. What funny band would ever include an intro that long, with nothing but a percussion shuffle, and a tiny little extra beat halfway? Blink and you'll miss it. And then those deliciously tremoloed chords on electric piano, mixed with a very sparse guitar solo, more a guitar mumble than a solo, then those chimes falling down on us like sprinkled stars at one minute into the song - it's just magic. Then we get this sturdy vocal, dubbed and all, with its minimal melody - followed by those immaculate, inimitable solo's on 'sitar' guitar and plastic organ. One of the tricks of this song is that in the chorus "You go back, Jack, do it again", the bass plays the prime and the singer sings the third of the chord - and this really drives the harmony into our brains & our memory. It's just intuitive bliss. My favourite song of that 20+ Greatest Hits album doesn't exist. There's no reason to pick a 'best song', like there's no use in picking a 'best day of your life'. I simply enjoy the variety. Yet a couple of songs worthy of a special mention are 'Kid Charlemagne', which is totally addictive; "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" where the Dan repeated the above "bass first, melody third" trick, along with several fabulous instrumental solo's; and finally "Josie" for those wonderful jazzy chords and Jim Keltner's hard to beat drumming. What a legacy for Walter Becker to leave behind! Even a hard-core agnostic like me hopes there's a heaven for him to keep on worry-free jamming in eternity. He should have taken his favorite guitar with him in that box.
Big fan as far back as I can possibly think.... Dirty Work, Reelin in the years, Don Kirschners Rock Concert! Midnight Special,Peg,Hey 19, Fm,Deacon Blues, Another End to a Great Dou.....RIP
The dan was a group I liked in the 70s 80s and on .I liked to hear stuff certain stuff when I was doing my dope .Heroin and that was every day many times and I heard things they said things I could relate with and it was plain to see that they were doin it also.Now 2017 and for a year or so they are back like they never left .They are spot on still and what they say is something for you to listen to and relate to .I will miss my 1 half them and keep on missing them always.RIP Walter ,Be seeing you soon .
great tribute TJR, which I have only just come across. I lover Walter Becker's music and his two solo albums 11 Tracks of Whack and Circus Money. He had a cynical edge turned through much melody thought and indeed love. Walter Becker media has many free out takes that Walter never released which are so good, including Our Lawn and Were you close today! Although I love Donald Fagan's solo stuff I relate a lot more to Walter Beckers, sadly missed. I think my all time favourite solo son is Downtown Cannon from Circus Money!
I started hearing them when I was a senior in high school. I liked that first album, and I liked many of the songs from subsequent albums, but in certain respects I took them for granted. Yes, very clever lyrics, very sophisticated music.... But about 27 years ago, before they had reformed, something caused me to look into their music again after not having heard it for a number of years. I still had VINYL recordings ferchrissakes. But I started listening, and for the first time, I started taking the music apart on the keyboard and on the guitar -- and I realized that they were among the greatest practitioners in popular music of adventurous harmony. A lot of composers / song-writers have a knack for making compelling melodies. You hear the song once, and it's in your head. Writers whose work relies more on harmony must get multiple listens for us to appreciate them fully. You come to love that suspended-2nd chord and that C/D chord and that C#7+9 chord, done at precisely the right time, because the harmony doesn't just stick in our heads: it gets into our minds and hearts and creates a psychological reaction of pure feeling. It's a strange sensation. The harmony of Becker & Fagen isn't the harmony of most popular music of the time. A lot of popular music would employ 7 to 9 chords. I recall thinking that Deacon Blues used somethign like 36 chords. The harmony is closer to Duke Ellington or Debussy at times than to their contemporaries. Yes, it seems as a result a first cousin of jazz, but it's ultimately just wonderful songs.
Babylon Sisters my favorite, I was a security guard in the early 80's I worked the graveyard shift in LA, got off around 6 am & drove home listening to this incredible song. RIP Walter
TJR; Nice tribute sir! My introduction to "The Dan" came in early 1973 with the release of "Can't buy a thrill." Just one look at the album cover gave me an insight that this was no ordinary band playing ordinary music. The song "Do it again" struck me like very few songs ever have. I must agree with you and the Rule of 3. Most Steely Dan songs are not only beautiful but they have very significant, usually deep lyrics. There are certain deep cuts that I didn't really GET the intricacies of for maybe a year or two. I too hope that Donald Fagen continues writing his masterfully engaging music for years to come.
Very nice tribute to Walter Becker. My all-time favorite Steely Dan album is Katy Lied even though all of their albums are flawless. My favorite Steely Dan song is without a doubt Reeling In The Years. Reeling was one of my first musical memories. I remember being a baby in a stroller and hearing Reeling In The Years being played at the local TG&Y. Remember TG&Y? That's how far back it was. Thanks again for the tribute. May Walter Becker rest in peace and may the music of Steely Dan live on.
A very nice tribute to the band TJR. I too am a HUGE fan of the SD and have been since the 70's. I've been listening to all their music continuously for the last week...in mourning sort of speak.My neighbors very well may hate me I can honestly say that no other band ever moved me like they have. There is a very obvious compassion in their lyrics which is mixed with serious cynicism that has a unique dichotomy....ie "Only a Fool Would Say That ". You asked what my favorite album is.....very tough to answer...but, I'd have to go with the first one I bought, "Countdown To Ecstasy". It was their least selling album , but any album with Boston Rag and Razor Boy gets my vote. I'm hanging with the dime dancers, drinking Kirschwasser from a shell with my fez on and a pocket full of Jackson's....and there's no stopping me now. Cheers, because Steely would have wanted it that way.
Of course, I love "Aja", it is their meat and potatoes of the mid-seventies; all hits. But in my mind, "Gaucho" is their last beautiful effort together. I was 17 years old, living in South America, and it reminded me of home. "Hey Nineteen", was on all of the spanish-speaking stations as well. It reminds me too of riding horses bareback up into the Andes mountains with my transistor radio. Such memories cannot be relived and I wouldn't relive them for anything. I want to cry just thinking of those memories of adventurous innocence. Me, my best friend Alexandria, and both of us with our acoustic guitars strapped to our backs or tucked into a side pouch on our way to a musical fiesta which was quite common back then. Two girls riding alone and we never had to worry about being overtook by anybody. The mountain air so thin we could not breath right for 3 days. Thus, we didn't sing for a bit. But we ALWAYS sang Hey Nineteen when it came on. Those are my greatest "Steely" memories. I defy anyone to have had better memories than that. I can't even listen to that album anymore. I cry so hard I have to turn it off. Oddly, I'm still friends with Alexandria, she is back at home in the Netherlands now. She can't listen to Gaucho either! We certainly all had it made back then. And I'm in strict agreement with your 3-listen-per-Steely-Dan-song theory. But they usually have me hooked at just one listen! Cheers, mate.
Thanks for the great tribute. The Dan has been my favorite band since I was in high school in the early 70s. My favorite song is Aja. It's timeless and sounds as new and fresh today as it did then. Can't really pick a favorite album because all are amazing in different ways.
I enjoyed your tribute. I finally got an opportunity to see Steely Dan perform in Houston (actually The Woodlands) in 2015 and enjoyed the concert very much (and Elvis Costello opened). The release of the "Aja" album in 1977 coincided with the beginning of my high school years, and that album was all over FM (album oriented) rock radio. Probably heard all the tracks on the radio back then. Anyway, that's my favorite album by SD; however, all of them are very good. I probably like "Black Cow" and "Aja" (the song) best among their songs. And, interestingly enough, when I was at the aforementioned concert, those were the first two songs played!
My paperboy introduced me to Steely Dan's Can't Buy a Thrill. Loved the album. Did some digging for info about them. Found I have the same birthday as one, & could be the identical twin of the other. I also played the same instruments, kind of a good funny feeling. Back in the early 1970s, I was in a expo booth next to Jeffery Allen "Jeff you Skunk"Baxter, (guitarist-promoting Roland guitar synth), Roger Scott "The Imortal" Nichols, (recording engineer- promoting his "digital drum replacement" Wendel, & Todd Harry Rundgren, (multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, vocalist, {as a side note, Todd never spoke a word to anyone during this 3 day event},-promoting the Australian company Fairlight CMI synthesizer & sampler). Had a great time chatting about the Dan & D. Bros, possible futures, but mainly present projects. "(Fair)Light of the world, Shine on me, Love is the answer." Todd did say that at a different time. Rock on my dudes!
I bought every Dan album that they released. I loved them all, but if I had to pick one that was my favorite - it would have to be "Aja". I say "Aja" because by the time that it was recorded, the Dan's music had really transitioned into a fabulously wonderful blend of jazz, blues, soul, pop and rock unlike any other. The professional maturity of Donald and Walter's music really had coalesced by the time that "Aja" was released and that maturity, talent and professionalism kept continuing to grow and to define itself over the following 40 years afterward until Walter's death.
At a certain point, they morphed into a jazz act, as they still are today. By that time they had made their big money in the rock arena & began to really stretch. They performed w/ the Hwd Bowl Orchestra in 2016. The entire concert was on YT but now just 2 tracks remain. Vince Mendoza did the arrangements. Hard to connect "Reelin' in The Years" w/ such a stunning performance, but there it is. My hope is that the concert will be released. Becker & Fagan, Keith Carlock on drums, their phenomenal band, & the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra opening nite 2016. A transcendental performance. Yes, big loss w/ the passing of Walter Becker.
my fav song of all time is decon blue its just brilliant and ricky dont loose that number the solo in it is perfect i started listening to steely dan in 1976
The entire body of work is just amazing. There was never of a thought of 'i'll but the album for just these two or three songs'. EVERY composition was/is worthy. Having said that, Aja stands apart for me. Nice tribute. Thx.
They wrote the soundtrack to my life. A fan since 72. Gaucho has Always been my favorite, especially the song Gaucho, but my fave Dan song is FM. Walter's bass prowls through the piece, Donalds piano is haunting. ..just the song needed for cruising down the road late at night, moonroof open, no one Else around. Walter's Book of Liars is good for that too. Ronald's Night fly hangs right up there with the best. Sorry so long winded. Once I get Started on the Dan it's hard to shut me up!
Steely Dan has always been my all time favorite! Every album to me is "Golden". The creativity that Donald and Walter put together in their music was stellar! I thank everyone for such wonderful and thoughtful comments to the passing of an exceptional & legendary musician. Don't take me alive, Hey nineteen, Dr. Wu, Deacon Blues, FM, My old school.... Random hits... All of their tunes are unique with pure talent.
I have different favorites at different times in my life. Lately 'Dirty work' and 'Do it again' have been most played. But all of if is good. The music itself is very sophisticated. The lyrics straight to the point. They are awesome.!. RIP Becker! ):
Elegant video TJR. I enjoyed watching it and listening to your thoughts. Since high school, I've had an unwritten list of songs which when playing on the radio, would never, under any circumstances be turned off - Tangled Up in Blues, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, Stairway to Heaven - you get the idea. There are more than a few SD songs on that list in my head. The obligatory Aja and Rikki of course. But you mentioned their sophistication in lyric and their approachable yet complicated jazz influence, and it's these things that draw me even more toward their music now at age 58. To those unfamiliar with SD, just listen to the California beach chill guitar on Only A Fool Would Say That or the literary adventure in they lyrics of Home At Last. But please, listen three times! Peace Walter.
I am absolutely obsessed with Steely Dan as well as the solo albums of Fagen and Becker. There will always be that question about who was most important in building the Steely Dan concept, whether Fagen or Becker. Particularly I've always been a fan of Fagen but I discovered in Becker's solo albums some of the essence of Steely Dan. I agree that SD is over. But Fagen still has a lot of good music to deliver. And I enjoyed your comments too.
I agree 150 % with . These two guy's music is by far extremely above the standard in the mainstream of music. Anyway like your post . I too am a huge, huge fan of Fagen and Becker and their history of shared great music. I actually have two stand out stand alone favorites . One is Pretzel logic. The other ? Time out of mind. Those are my favs, along with the hits FM , Reelin in the years and Josie etc.
Walter Becker - 1950-2017 I first heard Steely Dan in 1972 when they played Reelin' in the years on the radio .... Such was the effect, I had to stop what I was doing and listen ... it knocked me out .. and when Johnny Walker said it was Steely Dan ..... all I could say was who the fuck are Steely Dan?, I immediately went out and purchased "Can't buy a thrill" and learned very quickly that these guys were not one trick rock n roll hicksters but very clever composers of music and lyrical geniuses. Since that day they became my favourite band and their music became the soundtrack to my life ... In 73 (or maybe 74) I had a ticket to see "The Dan" (as I, along with others in the know had started calling them) it was to be at the Hippodrome ... I went with fellow "Danster" mate Barry Kennedy ... Only to find Donald Fagan had laryngitis and the gig was cancelled .... I then had a 25 year wait before they played their next gig in the UK ... it was worth the wait. Walter Becker and Donald Fagan have thrilled me through the years with their brilliant compositions featuring the best rock and Jazz session musicians in the universe .. People like, Steve Gadd, Larry Carlton, Michael Brecker, Victor Feldman, Rick Derringer, Michael Omartian, Jay Graydon, Chuck Rainey, Tom Scott, Wayne Shorter .... and not forgetting their old mate on backing vocals and harmonies Michael McDonald. Their music sounds as fresh today as it did when they started out ... and as well as owning all their albums on vinyl and CD, they now feature heavily in my current Spotify download collection. I embrace all genres of music but The Dan have a special place in my heart. Walter ... your music and special cynically, delicious sense of humour will be greatly missed ... I'm sure your already up there arranging an impromptu version of Deacon Blues, with Miles on trumpet, Hendrix on Guitar, Bird on sax and Jeff Porcaro on drums .. If you've ever seen a squonks tears, then look at mine" .... Walter Becker - one half of Steely Dan ....RIP
Steely Dan brought an intelligence and sophistication to the world of so-called popular that really appreciate. Being an avid fusion fan their music really lit me up especially with the musicians they used in the studio as well as touring. I see no replacement for them on the horizon, I really don't know if there is one. In the meantime I'll just keep enjoying the "two against nature" dvd which really showcases excellent arraignment and musicians. WHAT A LOST.
Thanks for the comment. I thought the last album by Dawes entitled "The Mis Adventures of Doomscroller" had a Steely Dan Vibe to it Their previous albums were more Americana influenced, but this one had definitely moved in a more Steely Dan direction. They are not a replacement for them, but I could feel the influence on the album.
Thanx for the post, I can certainly agree with you on most everything and share your heartfelt sorrow over the passing of our friend Walter. Like you it was as a freshman in high school that I first heard Do It Again on the radio and I knew strait away that I had found a new band to groove to. Chicago was a great band until their guitar player died. Iggy and the stooges were great fun in the early days. And then came the Dan and also Pink Floyd. It was always a toss-up for me as to which one was my favorite band. Over the years I can say with absolute confidence that the Dan with their first seven recordings are far superior to all of the Floyd's catalog. It is the new Steely Dan that I have not been able to really groove to. I think it may be that they fell into that intellectual trap. Often times I have found a simple melody like Pearl of the Quarter far more enjoyable to listen to than anything found on Two Against Nature. Out of honor and respect for Walter Becker as a musician, song writer, lyricist, and producer I shall spend quite some time listening to Ten Tracks of Wack. But before I do I think that a David Gilmour solo recording is probably more to my taste. I will always love the Dan in their prime. They were and are the best. Thank you again and take good care of yourself and R.I.P. Mr. Walter Becker.
"I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long."
R.I.P Walter
Steely Dan has the most influential songs of the past decade which love god bless you Walter and keep rocking up in the sky
Great tribute to the late Walter Becker... a steely dan fan... thanks.
Steely Dan were unique. A truly intelligent duo who have my utmost respect. Love to Donald and all those who love Steely Dan's music. So sad that Walter has gone. It's almost like they should have both passed together. Best album in my opinion? Aja. Sheer genius from start to finish. A song that projects the essence of Steely Dan? FM - No Static At All. Words just about fail me, really, as to the genius of these guys.
I grew up in the 70s and 80s and I heard steely dan on the radio. I had can't buy a thrill on vinyl but i don't think i understood the true genius of the Dan until i was much older. Now i listen to songs like Home at last and I'm just in awe. I too was extremely saddened by the death of Becker but I'm thankful he got to live such a wonderful life as half of steely dan. You watch steely dan confessions when they were riding around in the taxi cab and it just makes you smile. I love steely dan. Fagen, Becker, all the studio musicians and the backup singers. such a unique and wonderful band.
My dear brother Paul introduced to the brilliance of steely dan as a 12year old in 77 God bless him for the introduction. Two things my brother and I had tickets to see them in Sydney in 2007 sadly he passed away aged 45 but I went alone as a tribute ironically Walters passing coincides with the ten years since my beautiful brother left us. Paul you were a comic genius I th ankyou immensely for steely dan rip Walter musical genius.
great tribute to your brother..
Nice...go to the 'Dan in his stead. Your a class act to remember your wonderful brother then, and its classy letting us know how much you obviously loved him 'here in the 'Today'
What a great set of articulated thoughts. You have just echoed all my feelings about Steely Dan. Thank you.
For me, the loss of Walter Becker was a big hit for me. Steely Dan has been part of my life for more than 45 years. I remember their first hit, "Do It Again" in 1972. I was 10 and for my birthday, I got my first transistor radio. I would play that radio day and night when not in school. When I heard "Do It Again", I was hooked!!!!!!! I loved "Reelin' In The Years", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Peg", "FM", "Gaucho" and I can go on and on. No group out there has ever compared to, or can ever compare to the Dan, not EVER!!!!!!!!! Becker and Fagen impacted my growing up years and as a middle ager, I love and appreciate their music even more. I will miss Walter so much. LY Steely Dan 4-ever!!!!!!!!!!!!
R.I.P. Walter Becker. I will miss you! Steely Dan-Aja is an amazing album! I listen to it every week of my life and never grow tired of it. "Black Cow" is my all time favorite song from Steely Dan which is on "Aja"
Nice tribute and beautifully delivered, thank you, friend.
Great duo, WB will be sorely missed by us Steelyfans.
Rest in peace Walter. Lots of love and also lots of tears.
TJR you speak from the heart. Your tribute is amazing and so caring. The first Steely Dan album I bought back in the day was "Can't Buy A Thrill". A friend of mine back then, and I, put our money together to buy it. When we got home to his house, his Mother saw what we had bought and, being offended by the album cover, said, "I Hope You Enjoy that!" We sure did. Here I am now in my late 50s still listening to that album and ALL the other Steely Dan albums that came out. I am deeply saddened by Walter's passing and I just feel like there is a void now in the world of music.
I have been a fan of Steely Dan since I was a teenager back in the late 1980s. Since then I become a big fan loving the stuff they did in the 1970s. My favorite song of theirs is Home At Last from Aja. That being said Aja is my favorite album of theirs too.
Tanks for all the great music god gave u a great gift and you gave it to the world god bless you f and b rock on forever
I got ever dan album ever made i first head in 72 when i was 12 still listen to them every day i am 58.and know the words to rvery song shaped my life chased the dragon do it all.. love then RIP Walter
Very deep, impressive and beautiful tribute....your analysis on your addiction to the music of Steely Dan seems very close to mine...It 's very hard for me to choose my favorite song among all their titles....but I feel emotionally attracted by Deacon Blues, Doctor Wu and Kid Charlemagne....!I would surely add Pixeleen which I consider a gem....
I love the sparseness of their recordings.... the gaps and what they weren't playing were as important as what they were playing. Thus, it created a cleaner sound. They found room in their arrangements to highlight all of the ingredients of their sound. This made for a more enriching and satisfying meal, yet, I was always hungry to hear their next release. Steely Dan has been a lifetime favorite of mine.
One of my favourite albums is Circus Money, Walter Becker's second solo project (around 2007). I love Steely Dan but there's a different feel to Becker - if you haven't heard it check it out - Selfish Gene, Bob Is Not Your Uncle Anymore and Circus Money are probably the highlights for me but every track is more than worth a listen - Larry Klein co-wrote and co-produced. RIP Walt!
What about Upside Looking Down
Gotta say there isn't much music from my youth (late 60s-mid 70s) that still speaks to me, aside from the nostalgic aspect, but the Dan are an exception. The closer you listen the more there is.
Last year I listened to Gaucho a lot. For whatever reason I hadn't really "got" it back in the day, and hadn't heard it straight through in decades. It's still my favorite as of today, but over time I'll probably revert to the mean and go back to Aja or The Royal Scam. :) I particularly love Glamour Profession, and the idea that the "Eurasian bride" mentioned in the song is Aja. The title song of an album turning out to be named after the wife of a drug runner: seems like a very Steely Dan thing!
"stalking the dread moray eel..." my favorite line in that song for some reason. Gaucho is one of the greatest albums of all time, in my view. It gets better the more you give your ears to it.
Listen to Parkers Band on headphones. Let me know what you think. It's a so forgettable song, but it has so much depth. Steely Dan with dulling drummers?
romeosyne Agreed. Gaucho is an underrated album and certainly one of their best. It is sonic perfection with some great songs.
cardo I JUST heard this news. The 1st Album I bought was Aja, & I turned-on 4 friends to Steely Dan W/ that Album. We listened to it OVER, & OVER again, untill we had to stack pennies on the needle. I am sorry to hear that Walter passed. I will always love Aja, but plan to spend time listening to Gaucho. Of course I have heard many songs from it, but never listened to the entire album. I hope I won't just feel sad that half the act is gone. I was also pregnant W/ my 1 st child when I finally got to see Steel Dan in Concert, in Denver. 18 yrs after I bought that Aja album at 15.
David Kieltyka I was really into the sex pistols but steely dan blew my head off
Thanks TJR for this. The Dan were a life-altering event for me...their crafting of songs had a huge impact on my playing. The Beatles woke me up and the Dan schooled me. But what gets me is the deep connection in the tunes - the stories they tell. "Aja" is one of my favorites. It's one of a number of their songs about 'coming home' (to a place where it never existed), something I identify with.
Walter Becker was my favorite musician ever and Steely Dan my favorite band Beckers intellect and sarcastic dark humor is what turned me into a Steely Dan and eventually a jazz and fusion fan.Its strange that he died on September 3rd for I don't think that Walter was a rolling stone more of a musical genius who could have taught college and been a lifetime professor The world is a lesser place without Walter in it you can really believe that-the biggest loss in musical history.I think Donald will never be the same without his co-hort and partner in crime for has there never been a more classic two minds=one **WALTER BECKER FEB 20 1950-- SEPT 3 2017**
Extremely well said. I am sad to think another SD album will not reach our ears.
you never know what they didn't release...
Lovely, kind, and deeply insightful tribute, very sad day,
profoundly influenced my life and music and composition since 1972...favorites? Too many to count...but Any World that I'm Welcome To (Is Better than the One I Come From) from Countdown to Ecstasy brings back vivid memories of going to the park in Los Altos, California, around the corner from my house at the time-- just like the lyric says, and watch the children playing, perhaps I'll find in my head what my heart is saying, a vision of the child returning, a kingdom where the sky is burning, then I'll be there, yes I'll be there...
Kid Charlemagne from the fabulous "Royal Scam" album was my hymn back then and still is ... sounds so uplifting!
Beautiful words. This has been my favorite band for a very long time….
Now I’m my late sixties, I feel like we all grew up together …… Walter was a real bad a__ player, he is greatly missed. I think my favorite album
Is Aja ….. Every song is fantastic.
Donald’s voice is one of a kind……
I hope STEELY DAN lives on, and on, and on. Phenomenal background vocals ladies !!! And Michael MacDonald …. Well HELLO !!!!
What a huge talent ……
Love to all the Dan fans, we have great taste in music 🎹 🎶🎤🎹
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on what may have been the truly perfect blending of jazz and rock ever recorded in the history of popular music. While I favor ALL of their songs, one which stands out as a shining testament to Steely Dan's compositional sophistication is the song Aja from the album of the same name with - as a critic once wrote: "...its judicious use of space..." I still view this as superlative insight and one very few artists deserve.
What Beautiful thoughts...Truely moving...Thank u So much for sharing...Allow me to share my experience...I'm 70...Some 30 odd yrs back I had a deep sea Marlin Fishing boat ...was my childhood Dream to catch just one of these Beautiful Fish ...On a calm day out on the Deep blue ocean...feet dangling afore touching passing playfully Dolphins...& Steely Dan as background Music...Closest thing to Heaven...RIP A One of a kind Genius Walter Becker...I'm Grateful to have the ear to Appreciate as you did also...Peter Durban SA...🕊👍
Thanks TJR, these are the right words to explain what we all feel about Walter & Donald. Steely Dan music is one of those things that makes life better, Thanks again from Italy.
You are welcome.
Loved just about every tune that the guys did, my favorite would have to be Deacon Blues being from Alabama, not just for that line but because it's just a perfect song. R.I.P.
I’m a super serious “Dan Fan”. Grew up with them in the 70’s when i started playing the saxophone at the age of 11. Stayed with music until HS graduation.
I first became serious about SD I’d say my senior year of HS when Gaucho was released. I knew of and listened to AJA some but like you mentioned..... I needed to put on headphones and listen repeatedly to that album to start to get it....that wouldn’t come until my time in the Navy right after HS when I did just that and wow....
I was sold and became the serious Dan Fan I am today. SD got me through all my deployments when I was in the service.
Gaucho lead to Aja (bass akwords I KNOW!) which lead to Katy Lied then Countdown to Ecstasy, Can’t buy a thrill etc....
I’ve seen them just twice live. Great shows that I’ll never forget. My all time Fav SD tune is Deacon Blues, followed by Here at the Western World, then Don’t take me alive... the list goes on and on..
Love having the unreleased lost songs from Gaucho discovered for all of us to enjoy, especially Second Arrangement and The Bear.
Their songwriting, acute attention to detail in the studio and sardonic wit are unmatched. Long live Don and Walter,
A serious almost 5 decade DanFan,
Paul
That was a great tribute. The first time I heard Steely Dan was I was working with my Dad in the Summer of 74 I was about 12 I think. I remember Hearing Rickki don't lose that number. It was a big hit at that time and I heard it a lot that summer. It perked my ear and just grabbed on to me. I was a fan ever since. They actually got me into Jazz at that age. Like you said they brought a sophistication to their music no one had at that time and it opened my eyes to a lot of different sounds and playing.
I was Walter’s roommate at Bard… He was clever, witty, very well-read and modest about his talents… it was so distressing that he died…
I love you're tribute. I couldn't pinpoint one song. So many. Was blessed to see them live once. I agree while the hits are great it's was the other gems on the albums that were just as great. I've enjoyed their music as long as I c asn remember. Very saddened by Walters passing
I am angry that i deleted the most wonderful comments on my favorite Group in the world. I thank God for me i got to meet them both. I am from New York, a relatively famous musician..No one was like him and no one will ever be like Steely Dan.Never! You will remember what i said for the rest of your life.My heart is broken.Call it selfishness but they brought such joy to my life since i was a kid.I am 63 Now.I was at the Letterman show on my Birthday. I just turned 50 and i had my arm around Roger Nichols. Too young for Walter to die.I know that they were finally happy that they could duplicate the Steely Dan sound that they wanted live.I was friends with Donald´s manager Rob and Karen his Sister who we used to go out with from time to time..I love the two of you so much for enlightening my life ,i wish i could just spend five minutes with you telling you how much i appreciate what you did to my musical life.Right now i am so upset i cannot listen to anything involving Walter or Donald. I cannot imagine how Donald and Walter´s family feel.i cannot say anything else.
Superbly said, sir! No other artists even came close to what Steely Dan has produced over the years. Home At Last is my favorite song, with Third World Man being a close second. Aja is my favorite album. Walter's passing is sad, but no matter when he may have died, it simply would have been too soon. RIP. Mr. Becker.
Third World Man is my favorite track off of Gaucho.
This man gives a perfect and very serene description of what I feel, already since all these years, about the added value this music gave to my life, about the warm feelings I get listening to the music of Steely Dan.
In 1993 I turned 16 and an uncle bought me my first CD player as a birthday present. He also gave me my first CD to go with the player: Kamakiriad by Donald Fagen. I didn't quite get it at first but for a couple of years I had been looting my uncle's CD rack and recording basically anything and everything on cassette. I had done it enough to build an appreciation of his remarkably broad musical interests and had learnt not to give up if something didn't quite strike through on the first try. So very much like you describe in your video I kept playing the seemingly uninteresting record until my brain was rewired enough and my eyes (and ears) opened for this new music. In 1993 the Citizen Steely Dan 4 CD box set was also released so that was my next target. My high school friends were only into grunge and what have you - and of course I was into all that as well - but I also had this amazing side track that no one else was doing.
Over the years I got to see Steely Dan twice as they visited Finland. The first gig was their first ever visit to Finland in 2000. I was disappointed to see that the best seats in Hartwall Arena had been sold or somehow dealt to sponsors and celebrities and I don't really know who. Despite my early shopping for tickets I was sitting way back and therefore slightly disappointed. Their second gig was at Pori Jazz festival in 2007 and there were no seats nor was there any rush to the front line so I went there and shed some happy tears in the sun. I have all the concert reviews and interviews clipped from Finnish newspapers and they have been appropriately stored in my Citizen Steely Dan box. Yesterday I cut Walter's obituary from a newspaper and put it in the box as well.
Things will never be the same for me.
Loved the jazzy sound of reelin' in the years in 1973 but I didn't know it was jazzy at the time. Loved all the hits but got to really enjoy and appreciate their sound with the Royal scam. As we used to say..you can never do it without the BUZZ on...I will miss anything new that will never be. Walter was a composer extraordinarre..RIP. Memory Eternal. So long Steely Dan...
Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn; George and Ira Gershwin; Rodgers and Hammerstein; Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Fagan and Becker are up there with the greatest American song writing teams! No doubt about it. Time will only tend to enhance their status.
Your tribute is the most personal and one of the best I've heard so far. An era is over, long live The Dan! As Gil Evans said to Miles Davis: "I'm sure glad you were born!" I'm sure glad Walter Becker and Donald Fagan were born! I'm sure we all are.
last night I dreamt I was with Walter Becker and he started to run away and I could not find him Love their wonderful music
After the Beatles fell apart I needed a fix in the early 70's. Jimi was dead and I was stranded in Hawaii trying to get my shit together and I heard 'Reeling in the Years'. The very first thing that caught me was their intelligence. Then there were those guitars! Yeah! Life could go on. I saw them live in Honolulu and I was hooked. They along with the Eagles got me through those next three years. Hell, when I got home and got into USC By the late 70's I even wrote a marketing research paper on them and sent it to their management proving that we all wanted them to get back to touring! I regret not flying to New York or Vegas this last year to see them. I kinda forgot how old we've all gotten. They gave me my life's sound track. Even more than the Beatles, Led Zeppelin or The Who. Becker and Fagen will always be great in my heart. They noticed the little things that flavor a situation like saki does chicken or sweet carmelized onions with tomato. They understood and understand the importance of the subtle, the wry and the well placed obtuse. For them, the joke has always been on all of us, trying to keep up and struggling to see the angles they played. Thank you, Mr. Becker. You and your partner kept the bar high with out doing silly love songs or power chords... Thank you for you commitment and your legacy. You are and have been appreciated, sir.
+TJR. I'm 47 years old and I've been a Steely Dan fan since about the age of 4, believe it or not.Of course I had no understanding of what their songs were about, but hey, they sounded good!!! My(4) favorite SD songs are: 1) Rikki Don't lose that Number; (2 Peg; 3) Reeling in the Years;4) Do it Again. My favorite SD album would have to be Pretzel Logic, because it has that crisp, fresh, early to mid 1970's sound and feel that I love. I am deeply saddened and shocked by the passing of Walter Becker, one half of an amazing duo. I had no idea that he was sick and I still can't believe that he is gone. All of the legends are dying off and all that we will be left with is today's garbage music. I thank God above for old music. Thanks for sharing your memories. Be blessed.😘
Just happened on this video today. So Nicely done. As Steely has always been one of greatest musical influences in my life, the passing of Walter Becker still reverberates throughout my life. A loss that is immeasurable. For me Doctor Wu may be the greatest song ever written. Steely Dan like Bruce Hornsby, Procol Harum, and a few others, have had such a huge effect on me that I don't even truly understand why....But their music resonates deeper than anything else that can ever be imagined, making life so worth living.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciated reading them.
While I grew up knowing some of their work, their hits of course, and hearing their music a bit here and there from my aunts and uncles playing it, it never really struck me - until many years later I was listening to the radio and heard "Reelin' in the Years" and for the first time it struck me how great that song was - smart, interesting, beautifully written...then as I learned more and more about my favorite living songwriter John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats, I learned about how Steely Dan changed his life and made him a songwriter. I have a number of bootlegs of him covering Steely Dan songs like "FM" and "Doctor Wu." This is what led me down the Steely Dan path more and more.
Favorite band of all time. Aja is my favorite Steely Dan album and "Time Out of Mind" is my favorite of their songs. I listened to their albums from beginning to end over the last few days, and now that I'm finished I find myself wanting to go back to the beginning and listen all of them again. RIP, Mr. Becker. I can't believe you're gone, but your fans will never forget you.
Been a Dan Fan since I first heard of them from a friend at Chanute AFB Illinois 1979.. Album Asa. He said, with a big grin.."Haven't you heard of Steely Dan? He was not lyin! Awesome Dan!
Deacon Blues, Babylon Sisters, Black Cow, the lists goes on and on. Saw them live in 1995, 2002.
Fantastic musicianship! Loved all the albums too.
Nice commentary! I too have loved their music since my Freshman year in HS. I have followed them for years. I think I own everything they ever made together. Walter Becker will be truly missed. I pray Donald Fagen will continue to perform live. Maybe with Michael MacDonald..Boz Scaggs, Steve Winwood and other favorites of mine....
i had the great good fortune to get to know walter while he lived on maui. his incredible intelligence mixed with sardonic wit cannot be overstated. i've never met anyone that could make me laugh about something mundane or something profound. i too am in shock, sad that i won't be with him again but at least i can watch UTube clips and again enjoy a good laugh with him......
Thanks for sharing that.
i should have said : before meeting walter i'd never met anyone that....." as i've binged on the reactions to his death, i know he would be "touched" and then throw out some hilarious take on his passing that would bring a huge belly laugh to us all.......
My first love and I's song "Rikki Don't Loose that Number." I remember him buying the album "Pretzel Logic" because I loved Steely Dan so much. We played every song over and over. He still calls me Rikki today after the song. Sweet memories of innocent love ❤️.
Too many hits to pick one they are by far the greatest duo ever and learning there songs is let going to school it has open many avenues for my songwriting between both there solo albums and steely dan I could listen to there music all day and night eventually Donald will follow suit
and then it will truly be over I thank them both for the gift of there craft 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍💯💯💯💯💯💯💯
While all their albums are sublime, I have found myself listening to Countdown to Ecstasy a lot. Katy Lied and The Royal Scam too are amazing. Two Against Nature too was very good, and I still haven't gotten round to checking out Everything Must Go as yet.
I was glad that I got to see them once when they toured downunder a second time 6 years ago (the first time I missed them in Auckland as tickets had already sold out at the time) with Steve Winwood. Had the opportunity to catch them again on the same tour in Auckland when my grandfather passed away but of course, I spend time with the family. A truly unique band, and with the addition of the female backup singers (Carolyn Leonhart is gorgeous btw lol), Dirty Work sounded better than ever IMHO...
RIP Walter. If Fagen does continue the band, it sure won't be the same indeed, but the legacy certainly doesn't have to end just yet...
Nice choices Fabian! Carolyn Leonhart... she sure is easy on the eyes... And man can she sing! Look up her name on the Google, she's got some great solo work she's done ...she can totally hold any song on her own. Myself, my favorite, Daniel, AJA!
Aja, when all my dime dancing is through I Run To You
Who can forget Black Cow?
.....On the counter buy your keys . was a book Numbers and your remedies , one of these , surely will screen out
the sorrow... But where are you--tomorrow?
Or Deacon blues??
Drink Scotch whiskey all night long and die behind the wheel they got a name for the winners in the world I want a name when I lose they call Alabama the Crimson Tide, call me Deacon Blues.
Cant buy a thrill ...and
..Aja. my nominations for Steely Dan Masterpieces:)
I’ve been familiar with steely dan since I was about 10 it was introduced to me in 2014 and it was very similar of a situation I didn’t get the music at the start but the more I listened to it the more I appreciated the songs and I learned even if you aren’t attracted to the rhythm itself then you will fall in love with the lyrical content they put into their music, it was very saddening for me when I heard he passed but no matter what we will always have a spot in my mind for exposing me to a genre people usually don’t listen to anymore and for going out of his way to perfect music so people would appreciate it for what was put into it even if it did not sound great
Thank you, TJR, for articulating Walter Becker's passing with insight and aplomb. I have been talking with old friends by phone this week, trying to figure out why the news of Walter's death hit us all so hard. And as you point out, it comes down of the finality of death, and in this case, the death of Steely Dan--a band whose sophisticated pop writing/arranging and meticulously produced and recorded albums have no peer. Donald Fagen will continue, and we all look forward to his future solo and potential collaborative efforts, but the band known as Steely Dan will never write or record another song--the formidable duo is now half-gone, rendering the entity no more. There is so much sadness in this. Not since John Lennon's death have I been hit this hard by the death of someone I never knew. But just as Steely Dan found beauty in the irony of life, I think that heartache tells the story: genius always leaves a palpable vacuum.
As for a favorite Steely Dan song, it's like trying to pick a favorite Beatle song. My answer would be: "What day of the week is it?" "What work of metaphorical mastery best expresses my feelings or thoughts today?" That said, today I will pick "Aja." Tomorrow, no doubt something equally incisive, thought-provoking or even prescient will come to mind. Becker and Fagen's body of work is timeless. It will only ascend. It speaks to the human condition with a level of sophistication and beauty that transcends its medium. Why "Aja?" Because "Aja" is not a song, it is a modern pop-concerto. It elevates popular music to a higher place. It is a masterpiece of art. It is authentic. And it has never been matched.
"Aja" harmony is a new innovation in pop--even for Steely Dan. It drifts in and out of triadic (Roman numeral) or even traditional jazz chord analysis, embracing at times a tonally centric modality and even polytonality. It also borrows quartal harmonic structures from traditional Chinese music while at the same time invoking a brand of quartalism reminiscent of the vanguardism of the 20th century. It is an expanded musical form that can be described as a full sectional ternary: three discreet sections, ABA, where each section can be broken down into multiple subsections, which moves the composition far beyond typical song forms. And the mastery of the musical performances that bring the piece to life serve only to heighten the musical adventure. Steve Gadd's legendary drum performance is all at once virtuosic and musically tasteful--both mature and commanding. It is also the only Steely Dan song to indulge a drum solo. I don't think it will ever be topped. Wayne Shorter's Tenor solo is sweetness and brine. And the guitar work and solo, ostensibly performed by Denny Dias, is imaginative and intrinsic to the setting. Not to be left out, Joe sample's Rhodes work, particularly his quartal-inspired fills stands out as a vital part of the texture. "Aja" is a sublime achievement in pop music history. A masterpiece for all time. -IWF
Well said, great video. I remember my late friend and I spending one summer cruising and hanging out. The only music allowed in the car was Steely Dan, and in particular Aja which defined that last summer of my youth.
Love all there music.walter Becker is a great loss to music. one of my favorite guitar players his tone and licks are his only.. he will definitely be missed. god bless .
Well done vid agree with your thoughts on Becker and Steely as a band/collaboration. Always listen to a song at least 3 times is good practice and something I do as well. I love most SD albums particularly Pretzel Logic, Aja and the underrated Gaucho. I wish I saw them when they toured Two Against Nature, they still sounded awesome at that time and seemed to have had a phenomenal band together. R.I.P. Mr. Becker, I will always appreciate the great music that you and Donald Fagan created and shared with all of us.
Nice, heartfelt video. With my sadness due to Walter's passing, i wanted to find discussion on Steely Dan from the heart. Most of what i've seen so far are reports from flakes who think they are journalists (ha!). Becker/Fagen was my other Lennon/McCartney, so this is a big loss in my musical life. If you wish to do a part 2 as a tribute to Walter, i wouldnt mind it at all. Misery loves company. Peace!
Hi, I just watched your affectionate tribute to Walter's passing. Like you, and I dare say many, many others,I believe the 'Dan' are 1 notch above most 'classic' rock bands, in fact it doesn't do their musicality justice to pigeon hole them into any genre? They still inspire me. What a legacy, what a fantastic, underrated guitarist he was. Genius. I am glad I was around in their time. I hope Walter is jamming with some of his musical heroes that have gone before. One thing is for sure, he will seek out the best.
Loved your comments...my experience is very similar to yours. The reason I discovered Jazz is because of Steely Dan. They were very unlike Led Zeppelin, Foreigner, Deep Purple, Van Halen, etc. and many rock acts at the time. Sophistication and complexity cannot be overstated.
They were both total originals and in addition to some of the best quality studio work every recorded...their live performances were incredible...especially in recent years. Almost all of there music still holds up today and will be timeless to me. I literally would wear out my cassettes of the albums and eventually have to repurchase them when my car stereo would destroy them after hundreds of plays. Ah...Those were the bad old days before CD's and Streaming!
RIP Walter Becker!
Thanks so much for making this video and sharing your thoughts and memories about Walter and Steely Dan. When I think about the bands that make up the soundtrack of my life, Steely Dan are right near the top! It's so hard to pick a favorite song...They seemed to have a song for any and every kind of mood...And I never heard a Steely Dan song that didn't make me feel good! There was something magic about that music...There still is:) RIP Walter. Thank you my musical Brother.
Totally relate to what you are saying. Most of my favorite songs were not the ones that come to mind. Yes Deacon Blues one of my favorites along with pretzel logic, time out of mind. Wish I could have seen them in concert. RIP Walter Becker
Loved Steely Dan. RIP Walter Becker.
I can't remember a single Steely Dan album that I didn't at least like. Your description of them says it all. The 3 listen rule is spot on! I always listened to them all the way through! Other albums you just listen for one or two songs. Royal Scam is my favorite "Dan" album.
Christmas-time 1972, I was 11 years old and got some cash in an envelope as a gift from my Aunt Jenny. My mother took us to a department store to buy toys but I insisted I wanted to buy my first record (hell, it was MY MONEY!!!) at the Jordan Marsh Music department. The salesman was playing Can’t Buy a Thrill, and I just loved the cover art, not really knowing at the time who (or what!) Steely Dan was. Mom acquiesced, and I was able to get it on sale for $2.99! By the time I’d heard the song “Reeling in the Years” on the radio, it was already in heavy rotation, but I was already a fan, hooked from the very first Elliott Randall guitar solo intro. I knew it was the right album to start a record collection with, and to this day, I still have that album in my collection. It’s still very playable, although it skips and pops every now and then. It started a quest to own every SD release as soon as it arrived in stores. Thank God for tapes and CD’s, and now digital downloads, because over the years, I’ve had to replace certain records because of how much they got played. I own every original Steely Dan release on vinyl, some on 8-track (yeah, 8-track! Wanna fight about it?!?) and cassette, and both domestic and a few international releases, a variety of bootleg live performances, and some rare and obscure songs on ‘45rpm...buying that 1st album began a near life-long obsession and love with the art and talents of Donald Fagen & Walter Becker, Denny Dias, Skunk Baxter Jim Hodder, Dave Palmer & yes, even Michael McDonald...
But overall, out of my 45 year love affair with this band, in every different chameleon-like incarnation, my all-time favorite SD song is King of the World, from Countdown to Ecstasy. It somehow really speaks to me...and I can hear it over and over again. They’ll never ever get old to me!
I consider myself so lucky to have seen them live as many times as I did. Starting in 1993, I went to at least one date of every tour from that first one on. Hands down the best live shows I have attended. Which is saying something considering I worked at EMI at the time (for 10 years) and attended an average of one or two concerts a week (being in a major concert city). RIP Walter. Can't wait to hang with you in rock and roll heaven.
I had no idea he had passed away, very sad to hear this, he was too young to go. But yes, Steely Dan was a beacon of intelligence and cool music in the sometimes stormy seas of rock. I met Donald Fagan at a local FM community radio once, where I DJ'ed and it was a thrill to meet him in the flesh, I have always a been a huge fan of theirs and very much of Larry Carlton as well. May Walter RIP...
Thank you for sharing your story and your enthusiasm about Steely Dan's music, and putting it so eloquently. Particularly the 'hamburger' metaphor got to me :-) Let me tell you how I got around to The Dan music.
In 1979, and all of 14 years old, I read at the back of a magazine (that I got from school) the blunt statement that "Steely Dan makes the best pop music in existence". Now, this was some serious Dutch educational magazine about History & Society ('Reflector'), which apparently had some lp reviews at the back for fun. But at 14, I couldn't yet tell objective info from personal opinion that easily. So I remember taking that line very seriously. If this band - that I'd never heard of - made *the best* pop music, then I *of course* had to get it!
So I spent 11,90 bucks from my hard-earned pocket money on their Greatest Hits album; a double lp; the one with the famous Anton Corbijn black & white photograph in the center. And I was immediately hooked! Though I didn't know what to make of these funny, silly, mysterious lyrics (my command of English being rather primitive at the time), and certainly not all the sexual innuendo, the great musical quality of the songs, their sheer variety, their no-holds-barred production or 'sophistication', the expansion of my musical horizon with jazzy chords and arrangements; I was very, very happy with this *trouvaille*. I think none of my friends at the time had ever heard of Steely Dan, at the age where most of them just listened to top 40 music.
"Do it again", the album opener, did it again: hooking some young dude (me) up to the music of Steely Dan. What funny band would ever include an intro that long, with nothing but a percussion shuffle, and a tiny little extra beat halfway? Blink and you'll miss it. And then those deliciously tremoloed chords on electric piano, mixed with a very sparse guitar solo, more a guitar mumble than a solo, then those chimes falling down on us like sprinkled stars at one minute into the song - it's just magic. Then we get this sturdy vocal, dubbed and all, with its minimal melody - followed by those immaculate, inimitable solo's on 'sitar' guitar and plastic organ. One of the tricks of this song is that in the chorus "You go back, Jack, do it again", the bass plays the prime and the singer sings the third of the chord - and this really drives the harmony into our brains & our memory. It's just intuitive bliss.
My favourite song of that 20+ Greatest Hits album doesn't exist. There's no reason to pick a 'best song', like there's no use in picking a 'best day of your life'. I simply enjoy the variety. Yet a couple of songs worthy of a special mention are 'Kid Charlemagne', which is totally addictive; "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" where the Dan repeated the above "bass first, melody third" trick, along with several fabulous instrumental solo's; and finally "Josie" for those wonderful jazzy chords and Jim Keltner's hard to beat drumming.
What a legacy for Walter Becker to leave behind! Even a hard-core agnostic like me hopes there's a heaven for him to keep on worry-free jamming in eternity. He should have taken his favorite guitar with him in that box.
Big fan as far back as I can possibly think.... Dirty Work, Reelin in the years, Don Kirschners Rock Concert! Midnight Special,Peg,Hey 19, Fm,Deacon Blues, Another End to a Great Dou.....RIP
The dan was a group I liked in the 70s 80s and on .I liked to hear stuff certain stuff when I was doing my dope .Heroin and that was every day many times and I heard things they said things I could relate with and it was plain to see that they were doin it also.Now 2017 and for a year or so they are back like they never left .They are spot on still and what they say is something for you to listen to and relate to .I will miss my 1 half them and keep on missing them always.RIP Walter ,Be seeing you soon .
I have one of Walters old Top Hat combo speaker cabinets. A treasure I'll keep as a touchstone.
great tribute TJR, which I have only just come across. I lover Walter Becker's music and his two solo albums 11 Tracks of Whack and Circus Money. He had a cynical edge turned through much melody thought and indeed love. Walter Becker media has many free out takes that Walter never released which are so good, including Our Lawn and Were you close today! Although I love Donald Fagan's solo stuff I relate a lot more to Walter Beckers, sadly missed. I think my all time favourite solo son is Downtown Cannon from Circus Money!
I started hearing them when I was a senior in high school. I liked that first album, and I liked many of the songs from subsequent albums, but in certain respects I took them for granted. Yes, very clever lyrics, very sophisticated music.... But about 27 years ago, before they had reformed, something caused me to look into their music again after not having heard it for a number of years. I still had VINYL recordings ferchrissakes. But I started listening, and for the first time, I started taking the music apart on the keyboard and on the guitar -- and I realized that they were among the greatest practitioners in popular music of adventurous harmony.
A lot of composers / song-writers have a knack for making compelling melodies. You hear the song once, and it's in your head. Writers whose work relies more on harmony must get multiple listens for us to appreciate them fully. You come to love that suspended-2nd chord and that C/D chord and that C#7+9 chord, done at precisely the right time, because the harmony doesn't just stick in our heads: it gets into our minds and hearts and creates a psychological reaction of pure feeling. It's a strange sensation.
The harmony of Becker & Fagen isn't the harmony of most popular music of the time. A lot of popular music would employ 7 to 9 chords. I recall thinking that Deacon Blues used somethign like 36 chords. The harmony is closer to Duke Ellington or Debussy at times than to their contemporaries. Yes, it seems as a result a first cousin of jazz, but it's ultimately just wonderful songs.
Babylon Sisters my favorite, I was a security guard in the early 80's I worked the graveyard shift in LA, got off around 6 am & drove home listening to this incredible song. RIP Walter
TJR; Nice tribute sir! My introduction to "The Dan" came in early 1973 with the release of "Can't buy a thrill." Just one look at the album cover gave me an insight that this was no ordinary band playing ordinary music. The song "Do it again" struck me like very few songs ever have. I must agree with you and the Rule of 3. Most Steely Dan songs are not only beautiful but they have very significant, usually deep lyrics. There are certain deep cuts that I didn't really GET the intricacies of for maybe a year or two. I too hope that Donald Fagen continues writing his masterfully engaging music for years to come.
Very nice tribute to Walter Becker. My all-time favorite Steely Dan album is Katy Lied even though all of their albums are flawless. My favorite Steely Dan song is without a doubt Reeling In The Years. Reeling was one of my first musical memories. I remember being a baby in a stroller and hearing Reeling In The Years being played at the local TG&Y. Remember TG&Y? That's how far back it was. Thanks again for the tribute. May Walter Becker rest in peace and may the music of Steely Dan live on.
A very nice tribute to the band TJR. I too am a HUGE fan of the SD and have been since the 70's. I've been listening to all their music continuously for the last week...in mourning sort of speak.My neighbors very well may hate me I can honestly say that no other band ever moved me like they have. There is a very obvious compassion in their lyrics which is mixed with serious cynicism that has a unique dichotomy....ie "Only a Fool Would Say That ". You asked what my favorite album is.....very tough to answer...but, I'd have to go with the first one I bought, "Countdown To Ecstasy". It was their least selling album , but any album with Boston Rag and Razor Boy gets my vote. I'm hanging with the dime dancers, drinking Kirschwasser from a shell with my fez on and a pocket full of Jackson's....and there's no stopping me now. Cheers, because Steely would have wanted it that way.
Cancer of the esophagus. RIP Cosmic brother Walter.
Samui Kiss The Sky
Of course, I love "Aja", it is their meat and potatoes of the mid-seventies; all hits. But in my mind, "Gaucho" is their last beautiful effort together. I was 17 years old, living in South America, and it reminded me of home. "Hey Nineteen", was on all of the spanish-speaking stations as well. It reminds me too of riding horses bareback up into the Andes mountains with my transistor radio. Such memories cannot be relived and I wouldn't relive them for anything. I want to cry just thinking of those memories of adventurous innocence. Me, my best friend Alexandria, and both of us with our acoustic guitars strapped to our backs or tucked into a side pouch on our way to a musical fiesta which was quite common back then. Two girls riding alone and we never had to worry about being overtook by anybody. The mountain air so thin we could not breath right for 3 days. Thus, we didn't sing for a bit. But we ALWAYS sang Hey Nineteen when it came on. Those are my greatest "Steely" memories. I defy anyone to have had better memories than that. I can't even listen to that album anymore. I cry so hard I have to turn it off. Oddly, I'm still friends with Alexandria, she is back at home in the Netherlands now. She can't listen to Gaucho either! We certainly all had it made back then. And I'm in strict agreement with your 3-listen-per-Steely-Dan-song theory. But they usually have me hooked at just one listen! Cheers, mate.
Thanks for sharing your story. That was wonderful to read.
Thanks for the great tribute. The Dan has been my favorite band since I was in high school in the early 70s. My favorite song is Aja. It's timeless and sounds as new and fresh today as it did then. Can't really pick a favorite album because all are amazing in different ways.
I enjoyed your tribute. I finally got an opportunity to see Steely Dan perform in Houston (actually The Woodlands) in 2015 and enjoyed the concert very much (and Elvis Costello opened). The release of the "Aja" album in 1977 coincided with the beginning of my high school years, and that album was all over FM (album oriented) rock radio. Probably heard all the tracks on the radio back then. Anyway, that's my favorite album by SD; however, all of them are very good. I probably like "Black Cow" and "Aja" (the song) best among their songs. And, interestingly enough, when I was at the aforementioned concert, those were the first two songs played!
My paperboy introduced me to Steely Dan's Can't Buy a Thrill. Loved the album. Did some digging for info about them. Found I have the same birthday as one, & could be the identical twin of the other. I also played the same instruments, kind of a good funny feeling. Back in the early 1970s, I was in a expo booth next to Jeffery Allen "Jeff you Skunk"Baxter, (guitarist-promoting Roland guitar synth), Roger Scott "The Imortal" Nichols, (recording engineer- promoting his "digital drum replacement" Wendel, & Todd Harry Rundgren, (multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, vocalist, {as a side note, Todd never spoke a word to anyone during this 3 day event},-promoting the Australian company Fairlight CMI synthesizer & sampler). Had a great time chatting about the Dan & D. Bros, possible futures, but mainly present projects.
"(Fair)Light of the world, Shine on me, Love is the answer." Todd did say that at a different time.
Rock on my dudes!
As always, you have delivered a nicely stated heartfelt tribute.
Thanks.
I bought every Dan album that they released. I loved them all, but if I had to pick one that was my favorite - it would have to be "Aja". I say "Aja" because by the time that it was recorded, the Dan's music had really transitioned into a fabulously wonderful blend of jazz, blues, soul, pop and rock unlike any other. The professional maturity of Donald and Walter's music really had coalesced by the time that "Aja" was released and that maturity, talent and professionalism kept continuing to grow and to define itself over the following 40 years afterward until Walter's death.
At a certain point, they morphed into a jazz act, as they still are today. By that time they had made their big money in the rock arena & began to really stretch. They performed w/ the Hwd Bowl Orchestra in 2016. The entire concert was on YT but now just 2 tracks remain. Vince Mendoza did the arrangements. Hard to connect "Reelin' in The Years" w/ such a stunning performance, but there it is. My hope is that the concert will be released. Becker & Fagan, Keith Carlock on drums, their phenomenal band, & the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra opening nite 2016. A transcendental performance. Yes, big loss w/ the passing of Walter Becker.
STEELY DAN---ALL ALBUMS ARE AWESOME...BEST IS 'CAN'T BUY A THRILL'...
my fav song of all time is decon blue its just brilliant and ricky dont loose that number the solo in it is perfect i started listening to steely dan in 1976
The entire body of work is just amazing. There was never of a thought of 'i'll but the album for just these two or three songs'. EVERY composition was/is worthy. Having said that, Aja stands apart for me. Nice tribute. Thx.
They wrote the soundtrack to my life. A fan since 72. Gaucho has Always been my favorite, especially the song Gaucho, but my fave Dan song is FM. Walter's bass prowls through the piece, Donalds piano is haunting. ..just the song needed for cruising down the road late at night, moonroof open, no one Else around. Walter's Book of Liars is good for that too. Ronald's Night fly hangs right up there with the best. Sorry so long winded. Once I get Started on the Dan it's hard to shut me up!
Steely Dan has always been my all time favorite! Every album to me is "Golden". The creativity that Donald and Walter put together in their music was stellar! I thank everyone for such wonderful and thoughtful comments to the passing of an exceptional & legendary musician.
Don't take me alive, Hey nineteen, Dr. Wu, Deacon Blues, FM, My old school.... Random hits... All of their tunes are unique with pure talent.
+John Chiat 👍
Steely, Billy Joel, Elton John and Garth. A different school of thought. RIP Walter.
I have different favorites at different times in my life. Lately 'Dirty work' and 'Do it again' have been most played. But all of if is good. The music itself is very sophisticated. The lyrics straight to the point. They are awesome.!. RIP Becker! ):
Elegant video TJR. I enjoyed watching it and listening to your thoughts. Since high school, I've had an unwritten list of songs which when playing on the radio, would never, under any circumstances be turned off - Tangled Up in Blues, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, Stairway to Heaven - you get the idea. There are more than a few SD songs on that list in my head. The obligatory Aja and Rikki of course. But you mentioned their sophistication in lyric and their approachable yet complicated jazz influence, and it's these things that draw me even more toward their music now at age 58. To those unfamiliar with SD, just listen to the California beach chill guitar on Only A Fool Would Say That or the literary adventure in they lyrics of Home At Last. But please, listen three times! Peace Walter.
Great comment. Thank you.
I am absolutely obsessed with Steely Dan as well as the solo albums of Fagen and Becker. There will always be that question about who was most important in building the Steely Dan concept, whether Fagen or Becker. Particularly I've always been a fan of Fagen but I discovered in Becker's solo albums some of the essence of Steely Dan. I agree that SD is over. But Fagen still has a lot of good music to deliver. And I enjoyed your comments too.
I agree 150 % with . These two guy's music is by far extremely above the standard in the mainstream of music. Anyway like your post . I too am a huge, huge fan of Fagen and Becker and their history of shared great music. I actually have two stand out stand alone favorites . One is Pretzel logic. The other ? Time out of mind. Those are my favs, along with the hits FM , Reelin in the years and Josie etc.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Walter Becker - 1950-2017
I first heard Steely Dan in 1972 when they played Reelin' in the years on the radio .... Such was the effect, I had to stop what I was doing and listen ... it knocked me out .. and when Johnny Walker said it was Steely Dan ..... all I could say was who the fuck are Steely Dan?, I immediately went out and purchased "Can't buy a thrill" and learned very quickly that these guys were not one trick rock n roll hicksters but very clever composers of music and lyrical geniuses.
Since that day they became my favourite band and their music became the soundtrack to my life ... In 73 (or maybe 74) I had a ticket to see "The Dan" (as I, along with others in the know had started calling them) it was to be at the Hippodrome ... I went with fellow "Danster" mate Barry Kennedy ... Only to find Donald Fagan had laryngitis and the gig was cancelled .... I then had a 25 year wait before they played their next gig in the UK ... it was worth the wait.
Walter Becker and Donald Fagan have thrilled me through the years with their brilliant compositions featuring the best rock and Jazz session musicians in the universe .. People like, Steve Gadd, Larry Carlton, Michael Brecker, Victor Feldman, Rick Derringer, Michael Omartian, Jay Graydon, Chuck Rainey, Tom Scott, Wayne Shorter .... and not forgetting their old mate on backing vocals and harmonies Michael McDonald.
Their music sounds as fresh today as it did when they started out ... and as well as owning all their albums on vinyl and CD, they now feature heavily in my current Spotify download collection.
I embrace all genres of music but The Dan have a special place in my heart.
Walter ... your music and special cynically, delicious sense of humour will be greatly missed ... I'm sure your already up there arranging an impromptu version of Deacon Blues, with Miles on trumpet, Hendrix on Guitar, Bird on sax and Jeff Porcaro on drums ..
If you've ever seen a squonks tears, then look at mine" ....
Walter Becker - one half of Steely Dan ....RIP
Peg made me interested. Never was disappointed after.
Been a huge fan most my life , when I write music/ lyrics , steely dan is always in that process
Steely Dan brought an intelligence and sophistication to the world of so-called popular that really appreciate. Being an avid fusion fan their music really lit me up especially with the musicians they used in the studio as well as touring. I see no replacement for them on the horizon, I really don't know if there is one. In the meantime I'll just keep enjoying the "two against nature" dvd which really showcases excellent arraignment and musicians. WHAT A LOST.
Thanks for the comment.
I thought the last album by Dawes entitled "The Mis Adventures of Doomscroller" had a Steely Dan Vibe to it
Their previous albums were more Americana influenced, but this one had definitely moved in a more Steely Dan direction.
They are not a replacement for them, but I could feel the influence on the album.
Thanx for the post, I can certainly agree with you on most everything and share your heartfelt sorrow over the passing of our friend Walter. Like you it was as a freshman in high school that I first heard Do It Again on the radio and I knew strait away that I had found a new band to groove to. Chicago was a great band until their guitar player died. Iggy and the stooges were great fun in the early days. And then came the Dan and also Pink Floyd. It was always a toss-up for me as to which one was my favorite band. Over the years I can say with absolute confidence that the Dan with their first seven recordings are far superior to all of the Floyd's catalog. It is the new Steely Dan that I have not been able to really groove to. I think it may be that they fell into that intellectual trap. Often times I have found a simple melody like Pearl of the Quarter far more enjoyable to listen to than anything found on Two Against Nature. Out of honor and respect for Walter Becker as a musician, song writer, lyricist, and producer I shall spend quite some time listening to Ten Tracks of Wack. But before I do I think that a David Gilmour solo recording is probably more to my taste. I will always love the Dan in their prime. They were and are the best. Thank you again and take good care of yourself and R.I.P. Mr. Walter Becker.