Think you guys would really enjoy the vibe of Babylon Sisters and Glamour Profession Anything on the Aja album is also worth a listen - it’s a sonic masterpiece , still used today to test out high end audio equipment Finally - you should look into King of the World - it’s about living in a post nuclear apocalyptic America - great groove that will hook you right away - have the lyrics handy too It’s an underrated gem
Across my 52 years onnthis dusty little ball, I am completely shocked by how many people have no clue who the artists are to all of the amazing music out there. I knew who Steely Dan was when I first heard them on the radio when I was 5 years old. I was buying their albums when I started getting an allowance when I was 8 years old...
When I started actually digging into their discography I was shocked about the amount of their songs I knew every word to and was completely unaware of who Steeley Dan was haha
Imagine this was the opening song on their first album. Guys in their early 20s. I myself at that age was in the process of figuring out whether to put pants on before or after socks.
The solo instrument is a Danelectro Choral Sitar. It’s a guitar with a bridge that gives it the “buzz” of a sitar. It’s tuned and plays like a guitar but because the bridge is designed a certain way, it evokes the sound of a sitar. It was invented in the late 60s but by this point it was mostly used to evoke East Indian vibes. People played it to sound East Indian for the most part (the Yardbirds “Heart Full of Soul” for example) but certain artists used its tonality to go beyond its immediate East Indian evocation. Stevie Wonder used it on “I Was Made to Love Her” but most notably on “Signed Sealed Delivered” in 1970. The band Redbone also used it to great effect on their hit song “Come and Get Your Love” in 1974. Those artists used it as a textural “part” to the songs without trying to evoke “East Indian” modes; Steely Dan however, used it as a voice for a soloing instrument in a context that eschewed any reference to East Indian music and featured it in a way that no one had done before. It was a stroke of sonic genius.
Thanks for the background here, for once a comment that is actually informative rather than someone just saying something obvious about genres etc in order to be a Smart Aleck
The principle members of this band were 21 and 23 when they wrote this album. Every aspect of the music, instrumentation, vocal delivery, and lyrics, carries a maturity that comes across as if it was conjured up by wise old fusion veterans. And yet, they were fresh out of college, this was their first release - and they were just getting started. Amazing.
Danelectro had an electric sitar in production at the time, looks and plays probably like a regular guitar but it has a lot of extra strings that aren't strummed but contribute to this specific sound, a sitar also has a lot of extra strings.
The day I snapped and walked out of my job of 12 years I went and bought an inflatable pool, a case of beer and a bag of ice, and I stayed drunk in the back yard the rest of the summer listening to this album. 😎💜💚💛✌️
Suggestion: just let more of the song play thru. We GET IT. What the hell is that? Good call: it's a combination of Jeff Baxter and Walter Becker on guitars and Danny Dias on electric sitar going OFF.
Dang, I'm a guitar player with 25 years of tenure, and I've heard much, but this guitar lead is actually one of the best I ever heard. This guy's right hand work is incredible
That's the Great DENNY DIAS you're listening to, who found an ELECTRIC SITAR in the studio when they cut this song. He played it once for the solo, and NEVER PICKED UP ANOTHER ELECTRIC SITAR AGAIN. Think about it, man, this song is 50 YEARS OLD.
Steely Dan were truly their own genre. Such a seamless blend of rock, jazz, r&b, and pop. Not sure if any band ever mixed commercial/pop sensibilities with such musical and lyrical sophistication, even though many hated them because they kinda invented the "soft rock" genre. They also very much did some material that leaned more towards jazz and rock. For jazzy Dan, try Rikki Don't Lose That Number, and for rocking Dan, try Don't Take Me Alive.
Haters who blame Steely Dan for soft rock should turn in their ears in the basket marked "defective" and then proceed to fill in the holes on sides of head with concrete......ain't using them anyway! Soft rock? It it's good-it's good, labels be damned! I dig Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Meshuggah....today I played ABBA, Neil Diamond, Sade, and George Michael. I love music-all of it!
Haters who blame Steely Dan for soft rock should turn in their ears in the basket marked "defective" and then proceed to fill in the holes on sides of head with concrete......ain't using them anyway! Soft rock? It it's good-it's good, labels be damned! I dig Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Meshuggah....today I played ABBA, Neil Diamond, Sade, and George Michael. I love music-all of it!
@@treffbennett6534 Absolutely agree with you, Treff. I'm also a musical omnivore who can go from Ulcerate to Steely Dan to Hiromi Uehara to Taylor Swift to Talk Talk to The Kinks. Lots of great music out there of all kinds and I don't understand why people limit themselves and their tastes so much.
I did the same, but I just enjoy their 'takes' on things in general! That being said...we would LOVE for you guys to have the full Steely Dan experience!! Mind blowing music with those trademark cerebral lyrics...and then some of it is just great fun, like FM and the superb Reelin in the Years
I'm 62 years old and I grew up going to concerts in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. I saw all of the great rock stars and groups live. Musically Steely Dan is hands down the finest band I've ever seen live! And they're still touring and still great!
Robert Stevenson I saw them a few years back in Memphis outdoors at the Mud Island Amphitheater. It was like listening with a good set of headphones. Outstanding! And they started it with Aja.
Saw them a couple years ago at an outdoor arena in Florida. They killed it. Killed it dead. One of the best concerts I’ve ever seen from a music quality perspective.
I went on a 9 day road trip with 4 people and discovered steely dan and listened to it it the entire time. No exaggeration, it's the only thing we played for 9 days.
Back in '74 when my friends and I were all 14/15 years old, their favorite bands were Backman Turner Overdrive, Kiss, etc., mine was Steely Dan... and even when my 14-year-old mind could not comprehend the true meanings of their lyrics, the sound, the beat, the smoothness, had me hooked. Truly, they are still my favorite band in 2020, forty-six years later...
I just love how you young guys who are into hip hop, can appreciate this great music which being sadly forgotten. I wish more young people would take the wonderful journey which you are on.
Fagan and Becker of SD were on record as being HUGE Motown fans, so your assessment of Steely Dan being "in the R&B category" has merit when you consider their influences.
You really need to get a Steely Dan marathon going! Josie, Deacon Blues, and the title track off the Aja album should be next up. And when you're done with Steely Dan, you need to react to Pink Floyd's One of These Days!
@ted ritola You're missing a few from the 70's. Off the top of my head: The Rolling Stones; The Who; Led Zeppelin; The Eagles; Jethro Tull; Elton John; The Police.
@ted ritola You'd need to be more specific about your criteria for inclusion, then. Are you limiting it the decade in which the band was formed? When their first album was released? Or when they first hit it big/and or the decade of their greatest success? Led Zeppelin really is a quintessential 70's band even though their first album was released in the late 60's. The same goes for Jethro Tull and Elton John (oh, and Deep Purple; I forgot Deep Purple). The Who is a 60's band, but the 70's was their greatest decade (IMO). The Stones could go either way, but I guess it's fair to assign them to the 60's. A few more to add to the 70's: Black Sabbath; Bad Company; ZZ Top; The Doobie Brothers; Talking Heads; The Cars; Heart; Supertramp; Kansas; Styx; and, of course, Steely Dan.
When people who love music really engage with Steely Dan's music, there can be no denying they're among the best there ever was or will be, not a doubt in my mind
Steely Dan is their own category. This particular song is about addiction, and how we humans are creatures of habit. I just became a patreon, and when you do an SD marathon I'm there. SD's production and musicianship is nonpareil. These guys have about 30 or 40 great songs. There really isn't a such thing as a bad SD song. They are your favorite musicians favorite band. You're just scratching the surface of what is IMHO America's greatest band.
Hel Gar yes you got it. God’s great wheel against the fall of Man. Perfect musicianship in a funky groove telling a sad story. I will get Back Jack and do it again until I get it right... maybe in 100000 years
These two guys were musical surgeons in a studio. No lie! Extremely demanding, and knew just what they wanted out of the hired guns they would bring in.
You know Steely Dan is way cool when a couple of Black Dudes are catching the Steely Dan Vibe and digging on a couple of geeky musical white guys!! Lol!! Love the Dan! Love the Review guys!!👍🏻😜😁
"Hey guys, sorry but we have both heard this song and we're probably not going to get caught off guard and blow away." *Proceeds to be caught off guard and blow away*
I've watched a few of these reaction videos of do it again, and the keyboard intro elicits the same wave of relaxation in all of the reactors. Possibly the best intro in the history of music
Solo was played on electric sitar by Denny Dias. Gotta do “Black Friday” and “Bodhisattva.” Must listens for Steely Dan. Phenomenal guitar solos in both songs.
That's wild, I was watching a different reaction to this song just a little while ago and thinking to myself "this sounds like a sitar but if it is it's definitely electric" and I didn't know if an electric sitar even existed. Good stuff.
So stoked y'all are into Steely Dan. Donald Fagen really was a genius. Also, those records had a lot of the best of the best studio musicians of the time. Watch one of Rick Beato's vids about them. Great stuff all around.
SD is one of the most important American bands/concepts (as they used many musicians) in modern music, IMHO. Way above cool. A scotch on the rocks, some good blunt & watching the sunset. Doing it again.
Like Genesis, Steely Dan's music is so smooth and upbeat it makes you loose the meaning of the words, because the lyrics are SO DARK. Both group's layering and attention to detail is miraculous. SO GOOD. Timeless!
@@benjamin-papa Music stores in the 60s and 70s were corners of heaven where young people could get lost for hours just flipping through bin after bin of LPs, looking at the cover art and reading all about the players and the lyrics. Now that vinyl is coming back (such a trip for Boomers like me!) maybe the stores will come back. I saw Robert Plant at Virgin Records in Times Square and shamelessly followed him all through the huge store. Good times.
That's exactly where my love of Steely Dan came from, my dad. He used to listen to them when I was little (70's) and, naturally, the nostalgia factor gets me. takes me back to him and his 8-track player.
....and Dad's music WON'T BE TOPPED! School is in session for youngsters who want to hear killer musicianship....and find out just what in the hell a GUITAR is?
I really liked the observation that the only way to end the song was fading it out.. Never given that, as a concept a thought. Once spoken though, I find that to apply to a number of songs that I like, just rocking out so hard that there really is no other way to end it, but to fade it out, thumbs up! Great video as always!
Yes, indeed...this has to be played at high volume!!! We played this across the campus every time going back for another start of a semester at college!!!
3:15 Ryan, I don’t think Steely Dan would’ve minded you putting them in the R&B category. I’m pretty sure I remember reading somewhere that they hated being called rock. But regardless, most Steely Dan fans would probably agree with you my man.
Glamour Profession, Green Earrings, Kid Charlemagne, Dont Take Me Alive, King of the World, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Bad Sneakers, Only A Fool Would Say That, Babylon Sisters, Black Friday, Aja, Josie, and so on...
Few groups ever put in the effort of audio craftsmanship that Steely Dan did. Every note is exactly the way they wanted it. Stories of weeks of retakes to get it right are epic.
Gotta do "FM", "Time Out of Mind", "Aja", "Bodhisattva", "Kid Charlemagne", "Don't Take Me Alive", "Babylon Sisters", "Hey Nineteen", "Two Against Nature", "Show Biz Kids" to name just a few..... The band is still fire.....
A band that will completely mess with you and make you say “I know this song but didn’t know it was them” is Alan Parsons project. Alan Parson was the main force behind Pink Floyd’s dark side of the moon. He did most of the engineering on it I think.
Great reaction, lads. Your taste in hard rock and metal is well established now so please do more 70s and 80s soul, RnB, funk and later hip hop. The music I grew up with.
I would agree with you that this genre can be, arguably, placed in the R&B category.......that's what makes SD music so beautiful. Got that SWEEEEEEET soulful flavor to it. I am 63 years old and was lucky enough to experience this music real time, as it was originally released. It still invokes the same feelings in me now as back in the day. So grateful to have seen this band in Virginia Beach right b4 Walter Becker's passing. This group makes my top 5 all-time favorite bands. Unequaled quality in all their music. I really enjoyed your reaction. Also, this "Reaction" thing is beautiful bc it brings people together. In this day and age, given the political discourse, we could all use something to unite us. So kudos to you two "Lost In Vegas" guys for putting something out there to help us all feel closer. Take a bow.
Ok so hang on a minute! I am officially a "Boomer" but y'all are listening to and grooving the hell out of my 70's music! I am a die hard old school R&B lover...Al Green, Bill Withers, Barry White, Rufus, Earth Wind and Fire, Sly and the Family Stone. Some of us have been loving this stuff forever, so don't be talking bad about a Boomer, we ain't all alike!!
My dad would play this on the radio while driving back in the day. And this as well as other great music like Electric light Orchestra, Eagles, Boston, & Bad Company back then evolved my interest in Music. I simply do not hate any music. Everysong has some quality of that essence that you love about it. To me Music is Art in any form. Awesome Reaction. Love watching you guys discuss the music. And I still have my Steely Dan T shirt to this day!😁
@@monkeyballs512 You are certainly entitled to your opinion. I think Physical Graffiti was their peak, but don't think Presence was a bad album. Coda wasn't a "studio album", but rather a collection of unreleased songs, so not fair to judge it the same as a regular album. Have a good one.
"This is like jazz and reggae to me." I always thought Santana and Steely Dan came in with similar sounds and influences. There's a very strong Caribbean/Brazilian influence in their music. (Brazilian jazz was big in the 60's).
Steely Dan! Super dope! On a completely different note (other than request Kid Charlemagne sampled by Kanye), I'd like to bring to your attention Bobby Caldwell. Lots of his music runs along the same lines as Steely Dan. He's also been sampled numerous times by Hip Hop producers. Many songs would also fall in the RnB category due to their smooth vibes, horns etc. Any of their singles would be dope to check out if yall are interested. What you won't do for Love, Alfie, My Flame, just to name off a few. Blessings ...
Bobby Caldwell is a great singer. I saw him perform at a small jazz club in Portland, OR a few years ago having never heard of him before and instantly became a fan. I wish I could go see him again but that's not in the cards for me anymore. Thank goodness for recordings!
Your guys analysis nailed this: a song about addictive behavior, with a stone cold groove but amazingly awesome solos. Steely Dan's solos all stay within the groove of the song, rather than flying out of the groove like so many rock & roll solos.
You guys gotta check out Home at Last, bit of a different feel from them but so groovy, famous for the Purdie shuffle on the drums. Not one of their biggest tunes but pure class from the Aja album
I was never a fan of this song when I was young, but over the years I have learned to love this song. I originally did not appreciate how complex this song is musically and now I feel the same as these guys, noticing all of instruments that just keep building into the song. Great review guys.
The McDonald vocals on Peg are actually a 5-part harmony, very tightly spaced. McDonald said that the recording sessions were uncompromising and torturous, since Becker & Fagen demanded nothing short of perfection, and he absolutely delivered.
What’s amazing about this song is it takes a minute and five seconds before the vocal even comes in, which would never EVER happen in today’s modern radio!
For the LONGEST time I thought this WAS Santana. It has all of the earmarks of a Santana song. Donald Fagan even sounds like Greg Rowley! I was surprised to learn it was Steely Dan.
This is an older Patreon vid guys fyi. Enjoy!
Please review, Luna cruise: redeemer
Think you guys would really enjoy the vibe of Babylon Sisters and Glamour Profession
Anything on the Aja album is also worth a listen - it’s a sonic masterpiece , still used today to test out high end audio equipment
Finally - you should look into King of the World - it’s about living in a post nuclear apocalyptic America - great groove that will hook you right away - have the lyrics handy too
It’s an underrated gem
Lost In Vegas guys...You like stories...Kid Charlesmagne, My Old School, you would like!
I watched it there too
Some many great songs to choose from. For a left field song, try “Green Earrings!”
Steely Dan’s musical genre is: Steely Dan
Exactly!♥️🇺🇸
the word smooth should be involved
I’ve loved Steely Dan since I was introduced when I was 12yo. I’m 65 and they are bigger than ever. Still the best!
The best answer to describe Steely Dan
Absolutely agree, but thought this was a Santana song for a long time, to be honest.
"Love this, but never knew it was Steely Dan," said everyone who ever put on a Steely Dan record.
yep
100% Every friend I have says they don't like SD, then after I play a song "Oh, I like THAT song." Rinse and repeat 30 times in a row...
This one doesn't sound like Steely Dan sound on most of their other songs, it has quite a serious tone when Steely Dan are usually more playful
Across my 52 years onnthis dusty little ball, I am completely shocked by how many people have no clue who the artists are to all of the amazing music out there. I knew who Steely Dan was when I first heard them on the radio when I was 5 years old. I was buying their albums when I started getting an allowance when I was 8 years old...
When I started actually digging into their discography I was shocked about the amount of their songs I knew every word to and was completely unaware of who Steeley Dan was haha
"This is not a Steely Dan marathon." Whatever you guys gotta tell yourself in order to play more Steely Dan. It's OK. Just play more Steely Dan!
They gotta do Reelin' In The Years. Killer song man.
"What the hell is that?" Good call: it's a combination of Jeff Baxter and Walter Becker on guitars and Danny Dias on electric sitar going OFF.
One song isn’t enough
Imagine this was the opening song on their first album. Guys in their early 20s. I myself at that age was in the process of figuring out whether to put pants on before or after socks.
Where'd you land on that? Just curious.
@@regularsizeruss3874😂😂😂 I don’t know why but that comment made me cackle!
Lol! Good stuff right there! Luckily, I have a neighbor who helps me with my pants.....tricky as hell!..
Everyone in the world loves Steely Dan -- even if they don't realize it.
The solo instrument is a Danelectro Choral Sitar. It’s a guitar with a bridge that gives it the “buzz” of a sitar. It’s tuned and plays like a guitar but because the bridge is designed a certain way, it evokes the sound of a sitar. It was invented in the late 60s but by this point it was mostly used to evoke East Indian vibes. People played it to sound East Indian for the most part (the Yardbirds “Heart Full of Soul” for example) but certain artists used its tonality to go beyond its immediate East Indian evocation. Stevie Wonder used it on “I Was Made to Love Her” but most notably on “Signed Sealed Delivered” in 1970. The band Redbone also used it to great effect on their hit song “Come and Get Your Love” in 1974. Those artists used it as a textural “part” to the songs without trying to evoke “East Indian” modes; Steely Dan however, used it as a voice for a soloing instrument in a context that eschewed any reference to East Indian music and featured it in a way that no one had done before. It was a stroke of sonic genius.
Thanks for the background here, for once a comment that is actually informative rather than someone just saying something obvious about genres etc in order to be a Smart Aleck
This is what I scroll through the comments section for. Thanks!
Great comment
Great information. Thanks.
For me this is what a comment section is for. Well done, and well written, sir.
The principle members of this band were 21 and 23 when they wrote this album. Every aspect of the music, instrumentation, vocal delivery, and lyrics, carries a maturity that comes across as if it was conjured up by wise old fusion veterans. And yet, they were fresh out of college, this was their first release - and they were just getting started. Amazing.
that always amazes me... they had it together that young!
That's insane. I guess I just assumed they were always 40. 😄 Never even thought about it.
The solo is an electric sitar, which is a similar but distinct instrument to the guitar.
Played by Mr. Denny Dias.
Pronounced SIT- ar instead of gui-TAR 🙂
Danelectro had an electric sitar in production at the time, looks and plays probably like a regular guitar but it has a lot of extra strings that aren't strummed but contribute to this specific sound, a sitar also has a lot of extra strings.
Good call. Played by the great Denny Dias. One of the all-time great solos in popular music.
That was my first thought too.
70’s music....NOTHING BEATS IT.
The day I snapped and walked out of my job of 12 years I went and bought an inflatable pool, a case of beer and a bag of ice, and I stayed drunk in the back yard the rest of the summer listening to this album. 😎💜💚💛✌️
That's therapy right there! ❤👍
comment ca va mon cherie?
@@jimcarlson6157 mieux que je ne mérite, mon ami. j'espère que vous allez bien aussi. 😊✌️💜💚💛
@@marielaveau5321 I'm more charming in English
What a great experience.
Steely Dan Marathon? I'm ready, guys.
Same. I know I'm in prime dad age cuz I've been on a huge Steely Dan kick the last few months
@@TheMadisonMachine Me too, man. I've been getting into them recently and just growing on me more and more
@@filled_soda Same, quickly became one of my five favourite bands of all time
DO IT! Again?
Suggestion: just let more of the song play thru. We GET IT. What the hell is that? Good call: it's a combination of Jeff Baxter and Walter Becker on guitars and Danny Dias on electric sitar going OFF.
Steely Dan marathon for sure.
"reeling in the years" and "rikki don't lose that number"... two of the greatest pop songs ever written and recorded.
This is there trio of early peak brilliance.
The tone and choice of notes in that guitar solo is just flat out ...BADASS...
Great song..
Dang, I'm a guitar player with 25 years of tenure, and I've heard much, but this guitar lead is actually one of the best I ever heard. This guy's right hand work is incredible
That's the Great DENNY DIAS you're listening to, who found an ELECTRIC SITAR in the studio when they cut this song. He played it once for the solo, and NEVER PICKED UP ANOTHER ELECTRIC SITAR AGAIN. Think about it, man, this song is 50 YEARS OLD.
Steely Dan were truly their own genre. Such a seamless blend of rock, jazz, r&b, and pop. Not sure if any band ever mixed commercial/pop sensibilities with such musical and lyrical sophistication, even though many hated them because they kinda invented the "soft rock" genre. They also very much did some material that leaned more towards jazz and rock. For jazzy Dan, try Rikki Don't Lose That Number, and for rocking Dan, try Don't Take Me Alive.
He’s not as popular as they were/are, but my first thought is Joe Jackson
Remember that R&B and RnB are two separate entities. This is definitely in the Rhythm & Blues category.
Haters who blame Steely Dan for soft rock should turn in their ears in the basket marked "defective" and then proceed to fill in the holes on sides of head with concrete......ain't using them anyway! Soft rock? It it's good-it's good, labels be damned! I dig Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Meshuggah....today I played ABBA, Neil Diamond, Sade, and George Michael. I love music-all of it!
Haters who blame Steely Dan for soft rock should turn in their ears in the basket marked "defective" and then proceed to fill in the holes on sides of head with concrete......ain't using them anyway! Soft rock? It it's good-it's good, labels be damned! I dig Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Meshuggah....today I played ABBA, Neil Diamond, Sade, and George Michael. I love music-all of it!
@@treffbennett6534 Absolutely agree with you, Treff. I'm also a musical omnivore who can go from Ulcerate to Steely Dan to Hiromi Uehara to Taylor Swift to Talk Talk to The Kinks. Lots of great music out there of all kinds and I don't understand why people limit themselves and their tastes so much.
Let me just say, I joined Patreon and became a member today on the suspicion that you might do a Steely Dan marathon.
Please start said marathon with Time Out of Mind
The Graceful Savage such a great song. Great recommendation.
I did the same, but I just enjoy their 'takes' on things in general! That being said...we would LOVE for you guys to have the full Steely Dan experience!! Mind blowing music with those trademark cerebral lyrics...and then some of it is just great fun, like FM and the superb Reelin in the Years
@@JungleScene Please don't.
I'm 62 years old and I grew up going to concerts in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. I saw all of the great rock stars and groups live. Musically Steely Dan is hands down the finest band I've ever seen live! And they're still touring and still great!
Robert Stevenson I saw them a few years back in Memphis outdoors at the Mud Island Amphitheater. It was like listening with a good set of headphones. Outstanding! And they started it with Aja.
Saw them a couple years ago at an outdoor arena in Florida. They killed it. Killed it dead. One of the best concerts I’ve ever seen from a music quality perspective.
Roadkill I’m 74 and still love them, makes me want to dance. I still appreciate the Colombian gold.
Hey, my generation. I was 23 and dancing to this song. I’m 71 and still love it.
This is one of my all time favorite songs. It creates such a magical atmosphere.
You become a Steely Dan fan when you get better at listening to music.
Steve Mercer so true. I’m steeling that line....
@@DIXIDAWG No worries, I'm pretty sure I stole it myself!
Amen
I went on a 9 day road trip with 4 people and discovered steely dan and listened to it it the entire time. No exaggeration, it's the only thing we played for 9 days.
Skunk Baxter
Hey 19. To cement the Steely Dan chill vibe, this is a must! "The Cuervo gold, the fine Columbian, makes tonight a wonderful thing"
You back jack, listen again....
"Hard times befalling the soul survivors....."
oh yeah
Columbian Gold sold for $35 an ounce in the 70’s
Denny Dias was a fly guitarist and historically underrated. The Dias solo in this song is filthy!
Back in '74 when my friends and I were all 14/15 years old, their favorite bands were Backman Turner Overdrive, Kiss, etc., mine was Steely Dan... and even when my 14-year-old mind could not comprehend the true meanings of their lyrics, the sound, the beat, the smoothness, had me hooked.
Truly, they are still my favorite band in 2020, forty-six years later...
Couldn’t agree more. I just can’t believe that over 40 years later, their music still sounds so fresh. Never get tired of them.
I just love how you young guys who are into hip hop, can appreciate this great music which being sadly forgotten. I wish more young people would take the wonderful journey which you are on.
It's not being forgotten, it's actually more alive than new music. Old songs have a hugely bigger market than new songs.
Fagan and Becker of SD were on record as being HUGE Motown fans, so your assessment of Steely Dan being "in the R&B category" has merit when you consider their influences.
Yep, they are two of the coolest white guys to have ever walked the Earth.
You really need to get a Steely Dan marathon going! Josie, Deacon Blues, and the title track off the Aja album should be next up.
And when you're done with Steely Dan, you need to react to Pink Floyd's One of These Days!
Royal Scam! The entire album!
@ted ritola You're missing a few from the 70's. Off the top of my head: The Rolling Stones; The Who; Led Zeppelin; The Eagles; Jethro Tull; Elton John; The Police.
@ted ritola You'd need to be more specific about your criteria for inclusion, then. Are you limiting it the decade in which the band was formed? When their first album was released? Or when they first hit it big/and or the decade of their greatest success? Led Zeppelin really is a quintessential 70's band even though their first album was released in the late 60's. The same goes for Jethro Tull and Elton John (oh, and Deep Purple; I forgot Deep Purple). The Who is a 60's band, but the 70's was their greatest decade (IMO). The Stones could go either way, but I guess it's fair to assign them to the 60's. A few more to add to the 70's: Black Sabbath; Bad Company; ZZ Top; The Doobie Brothers; Talking Heads; The Cars; Heart; Supertramp; Kansas; Styx; and, of course, Steely Dan.
@@calguy3838
PINK FLOYD!!!
@@gregrambo606 Yes, Pink Floyd, too. They put out a few albums in the 60's, but I think most people identify them more with the 70's.
Kid Charlemagne is a must!
100%
Lyrics are epic....Music legend as usual.
Sampled by Kanye West
They did it on patreon! Only a dollar a month, get involved
@@RD-jr8nv I know, I've seen it. I commented before they did it
I’m old enough to say, we had it good back in the day....
I imagine you sure did sir! 👍
I was 16 in 1970.
Would you swap your time for any other in history?
Nope,me neither.
When people who love music really engage with Steely Dan's music, there can be no denying they're among the best there ever was or will be, not a doubt in my mind
Steely Dan is their own category. This particular song is about addiction, and how we humans are creatures of habit. I just became a patreon, and when you do an SD marathon I'm there. SD's production and musicianship is nonpareil. These guys have about 30 or 40 great songs. There really isn't a such thing as a bad SD song. They are your favorite musicians favorite band. You're just scratching the surface of what is IMHO America's greatest band.
Hel Gar yes you got it. God’s great wheel against the fall of Man. Perfect musicianship in a funky groove telling a sad story. I will get Back Jack and do it again until I get it right... maybe in 100000 years
You gotta do "FM no static at all" Every one is gonna love it including you two.
One of the best intros ever
FM is a sick grove
FM. Thattttts THE JAM
FM FM FM!!!! That is the coolest groove ever! No static at all baby!
goootttta do fm
“Reelin in the years” and “My old school” are two of their hits, that are staples to play.
bodhisattva too
Make it a marathon!.....and do these two songs ^
Hey Nineteen!
Absolutely one of the most underrated solos of all time. This song frigging OWNS.
And please remember, this is the first track on their first album. Great start for a great band.
These two guys were musical surgeons in a studio. No lie! Extremely demanding, and knew just what they wanted out of the hired guns they would bring in.
Aja & Kid Charlemagne are a must! and also Josie, Deacon Blues, Don't take me alive, Babylon Sisters....a marathon would be great!
I think you guys should just bail on the idea of a Steely Dan marathon and add their whole catalog to your playlist. ;)
Time for a Steeley Dan marathon boys....they have sooooo many epic tunes
You know Steely Dan is way cool when a couple of Black Dudes are catching the Steely Dan Vibe and digging on a couple of geeky musical white guys!! Lol!! Love the Dan! Love the Review guys!!👍🏻😜😁
I heard this on the radio as a kid. As much as I frickin love to hear it now, I appreciate the memories it brings from back then. More Steely Dan!
Man, I love so much 70s music. It was complex but fun. They didn’t play to show off. They played because they loved it.
"Hey guys, sorry but we have both heard this song and we're probably not going to get caught off guard and blow away."
*Proceeds to be caught off guard and blow away*
hahaha true
I've watched a few of these reaction videos of do it again, and the keyboard intro elicits the same wave of relaxation in all of the reactors. Possibly the best intro in the history of music
Solo was played on electric sitar by Denny Dias. Gotta do “Black Friday” and “Bodhisattva.” Must listens for Steely Dan. Phenomenal guitar solos in both songs.
That's wild, I was watching a different reaction to this song just a little while ago and thinking to myself "this sounds like a sitar but if it is it's definitely electric" and I didn't know if an electric sitar even existed. Good stuff.
Two other great suggestions!!!
Larry Carlton on Kid Charlemagne best guitar solos ever
So stoked y'all are into Steely Dan. Donald Fagen really was a genius. Also, those records had a lot of the best of the best studio musicians of the time. Watch one of Rick Beato's vids about them. Great stuff all around.
SD is one of the most important American bands/concepts (as they used many musicians) in modern music, IMHO. Way above cool.
A scotch on the rocks, some good blunt & watching the sunset. Doing it again.
Steely Dan are brilliant musicians, absolute perfectionists. They utilised many great musos
Like Genesis, Steely Dan's music is so smooth and upbeat it makes you loose the meaning of the words, because the lyrics are SO DARK. Both group's layering and attention to detail is miraculous. SO GOOD. Timeless!
Upvote for Steely Dan marathon. Home at Last next!! And the Dan is definitely some R and B.
If you end up doing a marathon, you'll find out quickly that Steely Dan is not just in any one category.
Dirty Work is another great one from them.
In my generation, when this music came out, we did not put it into categories. Everybody just listened to everything!
Oh yeah. That’s the truth.
music stores must have been a mess
@@benjamin-papa Music stores in the 60s and 70s were corners of heaven where young people could get lost for hours just flipping through bin after bin of LPs, looking at the cover art and reading all about the players and the lyrics. Now that vinyl is coming back (such a trip for Boomers like me!) maybe the stores will come back. I saw Robert Plant at Virgin Records in Times Square and shamelessly followed him all through the huge store. Good times.
@@divaduck52 I was born in 92 so I still experienced this with cds
the main reason this solo is underappreciated is that on most radio channels and playtime its missing this section, yay
"Do It Again" has always been a jam...
Session musicians were ecstatic to play with Steely Dan because of their complicated compositions. A very talented duo in Fagan and Becker.
Steely dan can take a washboard, juice harp and spoons sound good together.
I thought I heard someone playing a washboard at the beginning of the song. Now I'm thinking I may have been right. ✌
What is a juice harp? Maybe you meant jews harp.
@@jeffyoungblood4978 Same thing. Just regional dialect.
if it hasn't been mentioned yet, the solo string instrument played is an electric sitar played by Denny Dias.
Rock, jazz, R&B, they had a little bit of everything.
Again, it's a up-tempo tune about drug addiction and the hopelessness/helplessness of it all. "Water" is his fix.
Steely Dan are the towering kings of "Dad Rock"
Mmm. I’d say “Grandpa rock”. I’d say 90’s alternative would be today’s “dad rock” these days.
That's exactly where my love of Steely Dan came from, my dad. He used to listen to them when I was little (70's) and, naturally, the nostalgia factor gets me. takes me back to him and his 8-track player.
....and Dad's music WON'T BE TOPPED! School is in session for youngsters who want to hear killer musicianship....and find out just what in the hell a GUITAR is?
Exactly. There's no way I would have listened to this in my teens (more fool me). Now that I'm grown up, I can hear the magic
Growing up, I heard this song a million times. I didn't appreciate the musicianship until Guitar Hero World Tour. GD that song!
Welcome back stank face George, missed you. Steely Dan will make it permanent, be careful.
I really liked the observation that the only way to end the song was fading it out.. Never given that, as a concept a thought. Once spoken though, I find that to apply to a number of songs that I like, just rocking out so hard that there really is no other way to end it, but to fade it out, thumbs up! Great video as always!
In a catalog of unquestioned ear candy-this is the Dan's masterpiece! I never fail to reach for the volume knob when Do It Again appears!
I must agree 😊
Yes, indeed...this has to be played at high volume!!! We played this across the campus every time going back for another start of a semester at college!!!
Top 3 or 5 unaurguably. Gaucho, aja, reelin in the years, royal scam...
3:15 Ryan, I don’t think Steely Dan would’ve minded you putting them in the R&B category. I’m pretty sure I remember reading somewhere that they hated being called rock. But regardless, most Steely Dan fans would probably agree with you my man.
Gotta do Deacon Blues and Hey 19 for sure
Glamour Profession, Green Earrings, Kid Charlemagne, Dont Take Me Alive, King of the World, Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Bad Sneakers, Only A Fool Would Say That, Babylon Sisters, Black Friday, Aja, Josie, and so on...
definitely Babylon Sisters - so atmospheric ❤❤❤
Few groups ever put in the effort of audio craftsmanship that Steely Dan did. Every note is exactly the way they wanted it. Stories of weeks of retakes to get it right are epic.
Love this reaction vid guys !
Steely Dan is a own music genre, simply ❤️🔥
This was a hit when I was coming of age, musically. Glad to see you brothers enjoying it, too! Thanks for posting.
Gotta do "FM", "Time Out of Mind", "Aja", "Bodhisattva", "Kid Charlemagne", "Don't Take Me Alive", "Babylon Sisters", "Hey Nineteen", "Two Against Nature", "Show Biz Kids" to name just a few..... The band is still fire.....
A band that will completely mess with you and make you say “I know this song but didn’t know it was them” is Alan Parsons project. Alan Parson was the main force behind Pink Floyd’s dark side of the moon. He did most of the engineering on it I think.
hell love me some
Steely Dan, the artists for artists. Pure bliss!!!
Funny thing - I've come to appreciate Steely Dan more today than I did back in the day.
Great reaction, lads. Your taste in hard rock and metal is well established now so please do more 70s and 80s soul, RnB, funk and later hip hop. The music I grew up with.
I haven’t heard a whole lot of Steely Dan. I would be down for a marathon though. This is so smooth.
We demand Steely Dan marathon! JK. But seriously, consider it. This sets me in the mood to sit outside with a drink & watch the clouds. Love them!
I would agree with you that this genre can be, arguably, placed in the R&B category.......that's what makes SD music so beautiful. Got that SWEEEEEEET soulful flavor to it. I am 63 years old and was lucky enough to experience this music real time, as it was originally released. It still invokes the same feelings in me now as back in the day. So grateful to have seen this band in Virginia Beach right b4 Walter Becker's passing. This group makes my top 5 all-time favorite bands. Unequaled quality in all their music. I really enjoyed your reaction. Also, this "Reaction" thing is beautiful bc it brings people together. In this day and age, given the political discourse, we could all use something to unite us. So kudos to you two "Lost In Vegas" guys for putting something out there to help us all feel closer. Take a bow.
Ok so hang on a minute! I am officially a "Boomer" but y'all are listening to and grooving the hell out of my 70's music! I am a die hard old school R&B lover...Al Green, Bill Withers, Barry White, Rufus, Earth Wind and Fire, Sly and the Family Stone. Some of us have been loving this stuff forever, so don't be talking bad about a Boomer, we ain't all alike!!
My dad would play this on the radio while driving back in the day. And this as well as other great music like Electric light Orchestra, Eagles, Boston, & Bad Company back then evolved my interest in Music. I simply do not hate any music. Everysong has some quality of that essence that you love about it. To me Music is Art in any form. Awesome Reaction. Love watching you guys discuss the music. And I still have my Steely Dan T shirt to this day!😁
R&B, rock and jazz... That's Steely Dan.
They just might be the one band that DOES NOT HAVE A BAD SONG.
I’d have to think about that. There certainly isn’t one that jumps right out at me, and that alone is saying something.
Led Zeppelin is another.
Ron Ondechek Zeppelin definitely has bad songs. Hell, they have a whole bad record in Coda and most of Presence
@@monkeyballs512 You are certainly entitled to your opinion. I think Physical Graffiti was their peak, but don't think Presence was a bad album. Coda wasn't a "studio album", but rather a collection of unreleased songs, so not fair to judge it the same as a regular album. Have a good one.
@@ronondechek14
True about Coda. That was just bits and pieces released as an "album." I don't really count that one from Zep.
This song was my introduction to Steely Dan back in late 1972.
My Old School, Dirty Work, When Josie Comes Home, FM; it's a deeep rabbit hole, guys!
"This is like jazz and reggae to me." I always thought Santana and Steely Dan came in with similar sounds and influences. There's a very strong Caribbean/Brazilian influence in their music. (Brazilian jazz was big in the 60's).
You would always find Steely Dan in the rock section of the record store...but they had strong influences from other genres too. Eclectic
Steely Dan! Super dope! On a completely different note (other than request Kid Charlemagne sampled by Kanye), I'd like to bring to your attention Bobby Caldwell. Lots of his music runs along the same lines as Steely Dan. He's also been sampled numerous times by Hip Hop producers. Many songs would also fall in the RnB category due to their smooth vibes, horns etc. Any of their singles would be dope to check out if yall are interested. What you won't do for Love, Alfie, My Flame, just to name off a few. Blessings ...
Alfie? As in Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick?
@@FenderBassMan That's the one bro.
Also "Open Your Eyes".
@@earlonaweary9155 Classic! Surprised I never mentioned that one!
Bobby Caldwell is a great singer. I saw him perform at a small jazz club in Portland, OR a few years ago having never heard of him before and instantly became a fan. I wish I could go see him again but that's not in the cards for me anymore. Thank goodness for recordings!
Your guys analysis nailed this: a song about addictive behavior, with a stone cold groove but amazingly awesome solos. Steely Dan's solos all stay within the groove of the song, rather than flying out of the groove like so many rock & roll solos.
"RELAXATION?" Are you kidding...makes ME want to
DANCE, and I'm 69 years young!!!
Ray Gsbrelcik lol it always makes me want to dance, I can remember those nights when I was dancing, 74/here and reeling in the years.
Can't not shake your hips to this 💃
Hmmm...It makes me want to try and rob a casino through cheating the house and go on the run.
@@WickedKingLycoan Good luck. I hope you don't have a
record!
@@raygsbrelcik5578: If I can, you’ll read the headlines.
Throwing the last bit of that stimulus check on a year sub boii
I'd love you guys to react to Bodhisattva by this band. It's a throwback to original rock and roll but with similarly insane musicianship to this
You guys gotta check out Home at Last, bit of a different feel from them but so groovy, famous for the Purdie shuffle on the drums. Not one of their biggest tunes but pure class from the Aja album
Aye I used to watch your COD videos back in the day
absolutely. and Babylon Sisters...also Purdie shuffle
Great song! So many they could do from the Dan!
I was never a fan of this song when I was young, but over the years I have learned to love this song. I originally did not appreciate how complex this song is musically and now I feel the same as these guys, noticing all of instruments that just keep building into the song. Great review guys.
"Its kind of like gambling man"
I love how he perfectly predicted the next verse of the song.
Listen to Peg with Michael McDonald just singing Peg during the chorus. Kick Ass jam!
I had no clue he was backing vocals. I hear it now that you mentioned it. Awesome
@@SpicyChickenSandwich128 He is all over their catalog, they used him often with great effect, awesome indeed.
The McDonald vocals on Peg are actually a 5-part harmony, very tightly spaced. McDonald said that the recording sessions were uncompromising and torturous, since Becker & Fagen demanded nothing short of perfection, and he absolutely delivered.
I heard Michaels voice in a Christopher Cross song the other day..Unmistakable !!
@@moderntreasure1828 Ride Like The Wind? I can hear it in my head!
Love this song! And I love Steely Dan. I smell a marathon coming. 😁
What’s amazing about this song is it takes a minute and five seconds before the vocal even comes in, which would never EVER happen in today’s modern radio!
I love seeing people experience my favorite band in the world. It's great! Big props for exploring Steely Dan.
This sounds more like Santana Latino R&B, than it does straight American R&B.
For the LONGEST time I thought this WAS Santana. It has all of the earmarks of a Santana song. Donald Fagan even sounds like Greg Rowley! I was surprised to learn it was Steely Dan.
This song does has a very Latin vibe.
A G
The best song Santana didn’t do.
Damn right it does AG. Sounds like Malo too, to me.
Damn. I was thinking the same thing.