Welcome aboard shipmates; you're going to lurve Steely Dan. Enjoyed you both digging this one, Here's 3 more I know you'll freak to. Kid Charlemagne - > Champion - Kanye West Peg -> Eye Know - De La Soul Green Earrings -> Walk Into A Sun - Organized Konfusion They have insane quality control/musicianship/engineering and literally no duff songs. America's Beatles in the 1970s - criminally overlooked these days.
A "Black Cow." A drink popularized in New York. "Black Cow"= Vanilla Ice Cream, Kahlua and Chocolate Syrup. Donald Fagen is writing about seeing a heroin addicted girlfriend come into "Rudy's" (a famous after hours diner in New York) ordering a "Black Cow." "I saw you at Rudy's, you were very high...with your book of Novels and your 'remedies'" ("remedies"= a syringe spilling out of her purse along with a "Novella" (cheep paperback love novel). He is watching his 'girlfriend' loaded on heroin, ordering a sweet, sugary drink (sugar sweet is a craving following a heroin binge). And he is just tired of it all.... "And get out of here." Cheers!! 🍄🌲🍄✨💥🌈
@@laapache1our parents played a lot of other stuff in the house. My dad actually said he heard steely Dan all the time at work so by the time he got home, he played other things.
Same here ! Love watching my people broaden their horizons !!! I'm a 57 yr old music lover. I got turned onto all this music when my family moved from NYC to Los Angeles in 1972. You guys have so much to hear and experience !! It's cool seeing the revelation !!! Carry on fellas !!!✊🏾💯
There were several drummers on that album, Steve Gadd played on the song Aja and did all that soloing at the end in ONE TAKE!! Steely Dan could demand the best in the business... legendary musicians, all of em!
@@williamcabell142 do some research you're the f****** moron they're hanging out in a bar you don't think there's alcohol in it they're not at a f****** soda shop you f****** douche
I'm an old lady (70) & I love watching your reactions to Steely Dan. If you haven't done a reaction to the song. "Show Biz Kids" it would a good choice for you. You can't put a label on them. They are just Steely Dan - just listen & chill.
Saw them in VA beach in 2017 or 18. Was one of 5 black people in the whole amphitheater and one of the youngest. Was saying all day that I hope this was the first song they played…. And it was, I sat next to an older white lady and sang arm in arm with her the whole night. It was one of best nights of my life
No sampling, no Auto-Tune at all. These guys would stay in the studio until they got it right., until you could not tell the difference between what you heard in live performance and what you heard on vinyl. In fact Steely Dan albums are used by high-end stereo manufacturers to actually test the systems as part of quality control, to this day.. and also they would call in multiple Studio musicians to play one specific part of a song and whatever sounded best they would use and they would hire that musician. The musicians that were selected to play for Steely Dan were to music what test pilots are to Aviation., you had to be that good.
Forget that judgement claim on sampling. These guys, these artists arrived in that studio full and I mean FULL of history and following and taking notes and listening and re-listening to all the others that went before them. Each one. Creative bending and applying and twisting of what went before us (sampling) is nothing new. It is, the way it works. All arts.
@AirplayBeats Becker and Fagen just used the best session musicians of the time like a sample board. Look up their studio sessions, as producers you'll love it
The core of Steely Dan is Donald Fagan and (now deceased) Walter Becker. They used session musicians and the sax player on this track is Wayne Shorter. The album "Aja" is an absolute masterpiece. It was produced by Gary Katz and is considered to be an iconic recording. The mixing and the production is stellar. A "Black Cow" is a drink containing bourbon or Kahlua. It can also be a "root beer float".
In some places, a black cow was what we now call a "black and tan" a blend of Guiness and Bass ale. In Boston and New England (where the boys were from originally) a black cow is a root beer float with chocolate sauce in a soda glass. I think this meaning is correct for this song.
Im a 70 yo young at heart dude..in the 80s i was part of a Steely Dan cover band cos we loved those 2 geniuses and boys and girls who play with them...i gotta say i love to see you fellas enjoy the musice i carry in my heart! Keep it up fellas!🫶🏼
Steely Dan is a sort of a funk/Jazz fusion Band. Man, you are in for a wild ride, if you go on this Steely Dan journey. So many great songs, it never ends.
👍 Dudes and Chicks not giving up until they had it as close to perfection as possible. They're a band, but Steely Dan is almost like an entity if that makes any sense. Anywho, one of my favorites ✨
After recently learning the chords to Black Cow, I think I can safely say that these are "adult chords" that aren't commonly used in pop/rock music. These Steely Dan compositions are deceptively complex, and just plain brilliant.
The great thing about reaction channels is seeing younger people discover and enjoy the music I grew up with. There's a little bit of jealousy because I can no longer hear it for the first time like they are but also nostalgia and anticipation knowing the greatness they're about to experience.
I have been a Steely Dan fan for 40 years. The upper echelon of musicians. I will fall into Steely Dan holes for long periods of time because their catalog is huge and they are all works of art. I am currently in a 6 month hole and I am currently obsessed with deep cuts like Everything Must Go,, Gaucho, Glamour Profession, and The Last Mall. I have decided that it is impossible to listen to Steely Dan and not be happy and grooving.
7:52 LOL. Steely Dan sold a lot of records and got FM radio play, but a lot of people thought it was over-produced for rock, and too commercial for jazz. I think a lot of their critics were too caught-up in allegiance to one genre or another. Aja is a great showcase for a lot of performers (Chuck Rainey's bass! Man!) and people keep coming back to it.
The lead singer and organ player Don Fagan his uncle use to get him into Birdland and all the top Jazz clubs in NYC when he was only 16 years old, that was his ton of influence from the greats in the Jazz world Thank You both I Love your reaction on music I grew up on.new subscriber.🎸🎼🎹👍😉😎
Steely Dan is one of the premier bands of the 70s! So much info to relay. Walter Becker and Donald Fagan are the two progenitors of Steely. They have recruited the best studio musicians throughout the years, but were meticulous re: production and song arrangement. Steely's style and recordings evolved over the years and the band was touring together until 2017 when Walter died. You're right, Steely's "style" defies characterization...so many killer tunes! This album, Aja is a classic! The Black Cow of the song is a drink similar to a white Russian (at least the alcoholic version). For a rock emphasis, try Reelin in the Years, or Bodhisattva. I LOVE Green Earrings, My Old School...H. I love most of their tunes! This is a worthy Rabbit hole fellas! Peace
Agreed. The difference between a White Russian and a Black Cow is that the Black Cow is made with dark creme de cacao, vodka, and cream or milk, the White Russian uses Kahlua instead of the creme de cacao.
This is the comment I was looking for. Every album seems like a different ride because the majority of musicians are session musicians. They meticulously pick people for an album. There is an excellent documentary about the album "Aja", of which this song is on, that goes into the production of the album, which I think you would find interesting, even if not recorded.
That effortless sound was anything but that! Steely Dan was notorious for bringing in several session players for a particular part of a song before they settled on a particular musician. This was especially true for the solos on this recording.
Steely Dan used to be a group in the beginning, but by the time this album came out Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were the only members left, the song writers and the lead singer. Joe Sample playing the piano. Steve Gadd on Drums and the great Chuck Rainey on bass. A black cow is a drink made with milk and chocolate liqueur.
Always have the lyrics handy for Steely Dan songs ! Each song is like a novella or character study of various down and outers. She’s hooked on drugs - and he’s tired of it. They used many great artists on their albums.
This album is crazy. Production is super crisp, harmonies out of this world, musicianship unrivaled, endless opportunities for samples. Uptown Baby got me into Steely Dan so shout out to Peter Gunz & Lord Tariq 🤣
What's also really dope about Steely Dan is the production level and they would hire legendary musicians to come and do solos or play percussion etc and make it work. They are rock, jazz, fun, R&B and everything in between. They are a truly unique band. It reminds me of being a kid in the 70's listening to them on the radio.
Steely Dan consists of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (RIP) and a number of very talented session musicians. BTW, since you really like the female background vocals of this track, check out "Lowdown" by Boz Scaggs. It's fire. 🔥
Steely Dan is Rock-Jazz-group I guess you could say but, back then Rock music could cover a lot of ground. They would mix in different musical elements and it was just GOOD! You are right, music was so much better then.
Steely Dan = FINESSE From the inflection, the rise and fall of the vocals and how the instruments are soft as feathers and just brush against the song.. The Black Cow is a drink..he’s telling her “bottoms up and be gone”
These guys were PERFECTIONISTS. That’s why it is quality jam. These guys combed and combed over all their songs until they felt it was right. Watch some of their reflection videos about AJA and how scrupulously they worked on this music to reach this level of perfectionism. They outsourced from some of THE BEST MUSICIANS OF THEIR TIME. I bought this album when I was 13 and it was the first. You can’t beat STEELY DAN !!!
Oh I forgot to mention. Even the way Donald Fagan sings the words he intones them ON PURPOSE. He emphasizes some parts of the lyric to give it an even higher level of quality. Like I said, these guys were/are DA SHIT !!😎
They sounded just as good live as the album. One of the best musical groups ever. They had trumpets, saxaphone, the works live. The backup singers were amazing, and carried alot of the vocal heavy lifting. They were a jazz/rock fuzion band. Alot of that going on in the 70's
I remember Saturday mornings cleaning the house with Steely Dan’ jazzy sound playing in the background. My favorites are Hey Nineteen, Black Cow and Peg. Love ❤️ this reaction video!
I was a senior in high school when this album came out. I had always loved their music, but this was a revelation. This album came out the same year as Weather Report's "Heavy Weather." Both albums were my "gateway drug" into jazz.
You are exactly right. Steely Dan, Led Zeppelin,The Allman Brothers, Traffic, and several more from that era were most certainly fusion bands. Rock, Jazz, Blues, Soul, Funk. They incorporated it all into their music.
Steely Dan had two permanent members, one since Walter Becker died. Becker played rhythm guitar. Donald Fagen plays keyboard and does the lead vocals. They bring in studio musicians to fill out the sound including horns when they want them. They were notorious for going through guitarist after guitarist until they get the sound they want. I think they used 5 or six different guitarists on this album. They blur a lot of lines between rock, jazz, and blues. Great band.
“So outrageous….” The background vocals of Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews, and Venetta Fields, AKA the Blackberries, are like studio royalty. They got around, from Pink Floyd to the Supremes. If you were digging the BGVs on an album back in the day, you looked at the credits and invariably those 3 names would be there.
One of my favourite bands of all time. I heard them referred to as your favourite band's favourite band for their musicianship and writing, There is no locking this band into one category. If you like Black Cow then you love Peg, Home at Last, AJA, Deacon Blues, Josie, Babylon Sisters, Gaucho would appeal to you. If you want classic rock try Reelin in the Years .. if you want pop try Rikki Donl;t lose that Number .. if you want an acoustic song try Any Major Dude .. if you want Blues try Pretzel Logic , if you like a 40s swing song on steroids try Bodhisattva ..if you want funk try Night by Night, .. if you like killer guitar solos in your songs .. try Green Earrings, Don;t Take me alive, Kid Charlemagne. Enjoy the ride gents!
The piano solo is the lead singer Donald Fagen. He and Walter Becker (guitar) were founding members and heavy jazz influenced. A British friend of mine who was a sound engineer for a number of bands in the 70's, 80's and early 90's said that Steely Dan had the reputation of the methodical bands of the time. They would spend hour after hour recording until they got it right by their standards. We saw them live one time and they were incredible. The backup singer and brass section was so explosive. Truly legendary band. RIP Walter Becker.
I grew up knowing a Black Cow as another name for a Coke float, but it’s regional. Some people add liquor. As for “are they a jazz group or a rock group?” The answer is yes. They have many, many musical influences. Hell, they’ll throw on calypso if they want.
Great stuff boys. SD are legends. Songs: Glamour Profession, Hey Nineteen, Kid Charlemagne, Aja, Green Earings, Haitian Divorce and dozens more. They were studio perfection. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are genius.They used THE best studio musicians alive. Enjoy your journey...
"Dope Ass song" yeah!! Well, that's Steely Dan. Not a bad song in their entire discography; and in the RRHOF. The only band in history that can blend rock, jazz, and blues into their music.
Steely Dan is essentially the two song writers Walter Becker and Donald Fagen and a host of top notch studio musicians who differ from track to track. The greatest pop/rock/jazz songwriters ever in my opinion. All their songs are great! Try “Peg” next. Loved your reaction by the way. You guys are discerning listeners!
Thank you for your insight. We have learned so much about Steely Dan. That’s why we love doing these reactions. Thanks for watching and we definitely have Peg on the list of reactions coming soon.
So glad you are deep in the Steely Dan rabbit hole! in The late sixties and seventies, there was an explosion of writers/musicians mostly in LA and New York. This was the result of all the collaborations and cross-overs to create some of the best music. You had a similar event in the 40's and 50's, all blues based especially from the British bands. Some say heaven on earth for music lovers.
You guys are Boss!! With your knowledge of music production and musicians yourself, it’s gives great insite to how great these artists are. Love your reactions, your music appreciation shows. Keep it going!!
from a sampling viewpoint, this song is pure gold (did a house remix of this years ago). And Donald Fagan has gone on record stating that he actually thinks sampling is art. However, in order to use one of Steely's samples comes with a hefty price tag (Ye paid insane amounts for Kid Charlemagne sample, but it was WELL worth it). EDIT: as a sidenote, those horns you were wondering on were, i believe: Trumpet, Trombone, and a French Horn. The Clavinet & Electric Piano (cant remember which type, either a Wurlitzer or a Fender Rhodes) make the track for me.
Love hearing your reaction to this track - think it's the nearest I'll get to hearing it again for the first time ! Steely Dan were a real one off and Black Cow is a favourite among so many other great Steely Dan tracks.
Y'all could do a whole channel of just reactions to Steely Dan. Their classic period (1972 to 1980) has more than 60 songs and every single one of them is on fire. They never made a bad song. If you love Black Cow then keep on diving into SD. Please!
Not so much trumpet early in the song but def tenor sax and trombone. They didn’t always have horns but a lot of albums did. Extremely fun to see your reaction to this. Steely is perfection in every way. Trumpet hits right before the instrumental section. Are they a jazz or rock group…yes!
Donald Fagen has said in interviews before, a black cow (at least in the context of the song) is a kind of milkshake or like a rootbeer float. Not an alcoholic beverage or anything. The setting is supposed to be a 50s soda fountain at a drug store.
Kid Charlemagne, Green Earrings, FM, Don't Take Me Alive, Night By Night, Your Gold Teeth, Peg, Time Out of Mind, West of Hollywood, I Got the News, Babylon Sisters, Hey 19, Rikki Don't Lost that Number, Your Gold Teeth II, Any World, Do it Again. Doctor Wu, Razor Boy, Pretzel Logic, Lunch with Gina, Jack of Speed, Aja, Glamour Profession. Chain Lightning. So many deep cuts!!
The Dan can do anything, so many of the 70s bands are lumped into the classic rock genre but they have very diverse styles. So many people call Led Zep Heavy Metal, yet they play acoustic folk music, blues , funk, so many styles. Steely Dans Aja album is very jazzy, you will love all their albums, each is different but all are great. Try some of the songs from their Royal Scam album.
Steely Dan produced their own albums. And they were famously obsessive about perfection, bringing in multiple sets of musicians to record multiple versions of the same song until they got it just where they wanted it to be. The Group was basically Donald Fagan (vocals and keyboards) and Walter Becker, and a rotating group of elite studio musicians. The Sax is Wayne Shorter, great Jazz musician. Basically Fagan and Becker grabbed whatever musical influence suited them, and then brought together musicians and gave them some freedom to explore.
I’m glad to see young people breaking out these old tunes, and it’s especially satisfying to see you guys enjoying it like we did back in the day. Lots of fun. (I think there used to be an alcoholic drink called a black cow)
Welcome to the world and rabbit hole that is Steely Dan. When you listen to Steely Dan you should use lyric videos. Even the way they came upon their name is clever. So, let's start at the top. What is a Black Cow? It's basically a root beer float using Kahlua. The adult version however uses bourbon. Rudy's (Bar and Grill) still exists here in NYC on 9th ave between 44th and 45th. Then and now it is essentially a dive bar. In the 70's 42nd St was a hub for pro's and johns, and Rudy's was often where pro's, musicians, artists, and actors would mingle. On the bar when he sees her are her remedies (alcohol and drugs), and her book of numbers, so she was more a high priced pro. The pros also strolled from 26th and 11th ave to the Javits Center on 34th and 11th Ave down to 42nd, down to 7th Ave. There were many on the east side on Greene St from Houston to Spring St as well. He is a man who was hopelessly in love with a prostitute that cannot change her ways, and his many attempts to change her have proven fruitless. This is now perhaps his goodbye to her. My favorites by them are "Kid Charlemagne", "Aja", "Deacon Blues", the entire "Aja" album, "Hey Nineteen", "Peg", “The Fez”, “Green Earrings”, "Do It Again", "Reelin' In The Years", "Babylon Sisters", "Dirty Work", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Don't Take Me Alive", "My Old School", "Any Major Dude Will Tell You", and "Doctor WU. There are more because there's really no bad Steely Dan song. Try "Peg" next and go from there.
@@AirplayBeats Thank you for getting it... awesome reaction. Those who know music know Steely Dan and the legendary musicians they employed. Aja alone will keep you busy awhile.
You would appreciate Pretzel Logic (1974) from their record entitled the same. Love your reactions guys and appreciate your enthusiasm for this great music. Keep em coming. I always learn something from you guys each and every reaction.
Saw these guys live at the "Rent Party Concert" in November, 2009. They were outstanding! My alltime favorite band! I just love them! This album came out in 1977. Their album from 1972, "Can't Buy A Thrill" is another great one!
Nice reaction guys. Welcome to the special and unique groove that is the Dan. I feel fortunate to have grown up in such a marvelous musical age. From Steely Dan to Stevie Wonder, Beatles to Boz, Motown to Miles, Carpenters to Chicago, Jimi to Janis, (RIP TO THEM BOTH) I could go on all day but I'm going to stop with my personal favorite, CARLOS SANTANA!
Just to answer a couple of your questions, Steely Dan is two guys. All the musicians are studio musicians. They rarely played with the same group of guys more than once, if ever. They had the great Steve Gadd on drums, Wayne Shorter on Sax, and Larry Carlton ( a Crusader) on guitar, just to name a few. They didn’t have a standard band and that’s what made them fantastic. A musician would come into the studio, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker would tell them what they were looking for, and they laid down some tracks to see if they had the feel of where Donald Fagen and Walter Becker wanted to go. That’s how they decided on musicians for a particular song.
Best album ever!! I grew up with parents that you'd call beatnik (for lack of a better word). Anyway jazz was everywhere around me. Everything was kitty cat 😎 cool. It was Steely Dan that bridged the different generation....ya dig?
Music is about the music, it's the sound. Words are justa bonus (take 'em or leave 'em). Skip the labels. That Fender Rhodes Electric piano and sax solos and those horns are singing too. This entire album is as good as that song! Great reaction.
Видеоклипы
Welcome aboard shipmates; you're going to lurve Steely Dan. Enjoyed you both digging this one, Here's 3 more I know you'll freak to.
Kid Charlemagne - > Champion - Kanye West
Peg -> Eye Know - De La Soul
Green Earrings -> Walk Into A Sun - Organized Konfusion
They have insane quality control/musicianship/engineering and literally no duff songs. America's Beatles in the 1970s - criminally overlooked these days.
Well said. Amen.
Props…not a lot of people know Peg - Eye Know.
I guess mostly cause De La’s still dealing with their copyright nonsense.
A "Black Cow." A drink popularized in New York. "Black Cow"= Vanilla Ice Cream, Kahlua and Chocolate Syrup.
Donald Fagen is writing about seeing a heroin addicted girlfriend come into "Rudy's" (a famous after hours diner in New York) ordering a "Black Cow." "I saw you at Rudy's, you were very high...with your book of Novels and your 'remedies'" ("remedies"= a syringe spilling out of her purse along with a "Novella" (cheep paperback love novel).
He is watching his 'girlfriend' loaded on heroin, ordering a sweet, sugary drink (sugar sweet is a craving following a heroin binge). And he is just tired of it all.... "And get out of here."
Cheers!! 🍄🌲🍄✨💥🌈
@@holysmokes5817 Walt Becker's girlfriend died of a drug overdose in 1980.
Green Earrings is a superb song.
I’m an old man and I just love it when young people listen to the music I grew up with for the first time , great job fella’s….
Thanks for watching. If you have any suggestions of songs to react to, feel free to send them on over.
I Blame the parents
@@laapache1our parents played a lot of other stuff in the house. My dad actually said he heard steely Dan all the time at work so by the time he got home, he played other things.
This old man wholeheartedly agrees with you, Charles
Same here ! Love watching my people broaden their horizons !!! I'm a 57 yr old music lover. I got turned onto all this music when my family moved from NYC to Los Angeles in 1972. You guys have so much to hear and experience !! It's cool seeing the revelation !!! Carry on fellas !!!✊🏾💯
The Album "Aja" is considered the best technical produced album of the Analog era, you are hearing musical perfection!
There were several drummers on that album, Steve Gadd played on the song Aja and did all that soloing at the end in ONE TAKE!!
Steely Dan could demand the best in the business... legendary musicians, all of em!
A Black Cow is a Root Beer float (root beer, vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, whipped cream). Can add either bourbon or Kahlua for a kick.
Ordering a black cow for someone became the kiss of death for a relationship.... 'drink your black cow and GTFO'
Do you deliver ?
That sounds awesome, might have to try it out soon lol.
@@felixgutierrez993
Black cows are great.
A&W frosty rootbeer 👍✌️
A black cow is an alcoholic beverage An absolutely amazing album every song on it is smooth An amazing group of musicians
@@williamcabell142 who the f*** asked you dick head nobody said that keep your opinions to yourself you f****** jerk off
@@williamcabell142 do some research you're the f****** moron they're hanging out in a bar you don't think there's alcohol in it they're not at a f****** soda shop you f****** douche
Not necessarily. A Black Cow was originally a Cola and Chocolate Ice cream. Yeah, ya could put booze in it, usually Kahlua.
Thier best album
Black cow is root beer float.
I'm an old lady (70) & I love watching your reactions to Steely Dan. If you haven't done a reaction to the song. "Show Biz Kids" it would a good choice for you. You can't put a label on them. They are just Steely Dan - just listen & chill.
The last “and get outta here” is the smoothest dis of all time
A black cow is like a root beer float...This is my favorite album....so good
This.
Aja is one of the greatest albums of all time.... ever..... Period!
I bought it on its release and it stayed on my turntable for ever!
Saw them in VA beach in 2017 or 18. Was one of 5 black people in the whole amphitheater and one of the youngest. Was saying all day that I hope this was the first song they played…. And it was, I sat next to an older white lady and sang arm in arm with her the whole night. It was one of best nights of my life
❤❤❤👍👍👍
Steeley Dan has no category in genre, They are their own thing. An anomaly in music in their time.
Yes. They are musicians. No sampling, computers or theft from other musicians. Just playing, like people used to.
Some of the best musicians I’ve heard!!
No sampling, no Auto-Tune at all. These guys would stay in the studio until they got it right., until you could not tell the difference between what you heard in live performance and what you heard on vinyl. In fact Steely Dan albums are used by high-end stereo manufacturers to actually test the systems as part of quality control, to this day.. and also they would call in multiple Studio musicians to play one specific part of a song and whatever sounded best they would use and they would hire that musician. The musicians that were selected to play for Steely Dan were to music what test pilots are to Aviation., you had to be that good.
The female vocals are phenomenal, talk about smooth. I’ve been listening to this CD in my car for YEARS !!!!! BEST, BEST ALBUM 🥰
Forget that judgement claim on sampling. These guys, these artists arrived in that studio full and I mean FULL of history and following and taking notes and listening and re-listening to all the others that went before them. Each one. Creative bending and applying and twisting of what went before us (sampling) is nothing new. It is, the way it works. All arts.
@AirplayBeats Becker and Fagen just used the best session musicians of the time like a sample board. Look up their studio sessions, as producers you'll love it
The core of Steely Dan is Donald Fagan and (now deceased) Walter Becker. They used session musicians and the sax player on this track is Wayne Shorter. The album "Aja" is an absolute masterpiece. It was produced by Gary Katz and is considered to be an iconic recording. The mixing and the production is stellar. A "Black Cow" is a drink containing bourbon or Kahlua. It can also be a "root beer float".
Thank you
Tom Scott played the sax on this track. Wayne shorter played on the title track "Aja".
In some places, a black cow was what we now call a "black and tan" a blend of Guiness and Bass ale. In Boston and New England (where the boys were from originally) a black cow is a root beer float with chocolate sauce in a soda glass. I think this meaning is correct for this song.
Im a 70 yo young at heart dude..in the 80s i was part of a Steely Dan cover band cos we loved those 2 geniuses and boys and girls who play with them...i gotta say i love to see you fellas enjoy the musice i carry in my heart! Keep it up fellas!🫶🏼
Steely Dan is a sort of a funk/Jazz fusion Band. Man, you are in for a wild ride, if you go on this Steely Dan journey. So many great songs, it never ends.
We are loving this ride!!! Thanks for watching.
Steely Dan doesn't have a bad song, this is a deep rabbit hole, good luck gentlemen.
It's the one no one wants to leave...
Welcome. There's a ton of footage of them in the studio on RUclips for you guys.
@@trumulletman They've been watching the Making of Aja on their movie channel. www.youtube.com/@airplay_movies
I could watch you guys jam to Steely Dan all day..
grab steely dans latest live album. All their albums are great.
Black Cow is a drink
listening to steely dan is like taking a master class in music production and engineering.
👍 Dudes and Chicks not giving up until they had it as close to perfection as possible. They're a band, but Steely Dan is almost like an entity if that makes any sense. Anywho, one of my favorites ✨
After recently learning the chords to Black Cow, I think I can safely say that these are "adult chords" that aren't commonly used in pop/rock music. These Steely Dan compositions are deceptively complex, and just plain brilliant.
Make my fingers hurt 😂
Steely Dan is their own genre of music. They took great songs and made them timeless.
They’re amazing!!
@David Hooper
One of the best compliments I’ve ever read about SD that totally encapsulates who they are and why they exist. RIP WB 🎼
AGAIN, Steely Dan DOES NOT f*ck around. They are SERIOUS!
The great thing about reaction channels is seeing younger people discover and enjoy the music I grew up with. There's a little bit of jealousy because I can no longer hear it for the first time like they are but also nostalgia and anticipation knowing the greatness they're about to experience.
I have been a Steely Dan fan for 40 years. The upper echelon of musicians. I will fall into Steely Dan holes for long periods of time because their catalog is huge and they are all works of art. I am currently in a 6 month hole and I am currently obsessed with deep cuts like Everything Must Go,, Gaucho, Glamour Profession, and The Last Mall. I have decided that it is impossible to listen to Steely Dan and not be happy and grooving.
Here at the Western World 🤣
50 years for me
@@francisbowman8702
A little longer for me too !!!!!
Can’t get enough of them. !!!
I'm right behind you by this many months....there's all kinds of different periods in life when Steely Dan is all I wanted to listen to.
7:52 LOL.
Steely Dan sold a lot of records and got FM radio play, but a lot of people thought it was over-produced for rock, and too commercial for jazz. I think a lot of their critics were too caught-up in allegiance to one genre or another. Aja is a great showcase for a lot of performers (Chuck Rainey's bass! Man!) and people keep coming back to it.
"Aja" is one of the all-time great albums. Every track is fire and should not be missed.
Steely Dan is one of the most sampled bands around.
In the 70's, this was known as fusion. The combo of soft rock and jazz fused together.
My Friends look online where their name Steely Dan came from you won't believe it. Stay the way you are your channel is going places.🎼🎼👍👍
The lead singer and organ player Don Fagan his uncle use to get him into Birdland and all the top Jazz clubs in NYC when he was only 16 years old, that was his ton of influence from the greats in the Jazz world Thank You both I Love your reaction on music I grew up on.new subscriber.🎸🎼🎹👍😉😎
Thanks for the reply👍👍
I wonder if he knew Billy Crystal who did the same thing. His Dad managed the jazz greats.
Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were the hands on producers, but Gary Katz is credited. He corralled the session players, and bought them all food.
Thanks for your knowledge and insight. We enjoy learning about these bands we’ve never listened to.
You two are digging Steely Dan, you’re hooked like many of us, been a fan since the early 70’s.
Steely Dan is one of the premier bands of the 70s! So much info to relay. Walter Becker and Donald Fagan are the two progenitors of Steely. They have recruited the best studio musicians throughout the years, but were meticulous re: production and song arrangement. Steely's style and recordings evolved over the years and the band was touring together until 2017 when Walter died. You're right, Steely's "style" defies characterization...so many killer tunes! This album, Aja is a classic! The Black Cow of the song is a drink similar to a white Russian (at least the alcoholic version). For a rock emphasis, try Reelin in the Years, or Bodhisattva. I LOVE Green Earrings, My Old School...H. I love most of their tunes! This is a worthy Rabbit hole fellas! Peace
Agreed. The difference between a White Russian and a Black Cow is that the Black Cow is made with dark creme de cacao, vodka, and cream or milk, the White Russian uses Kahlua instead of the creme de cacao.
This is the comment I was looking for.
Every album seems like a different ride because the majority of musicians are session musicians. They meticulously pick people for an album. There is an excellent documentary about the album "Aja", of which this song is on, that goes into the production of the album, which I think you would find interesting, even if not recorded.
Love you dudes. Wait til you hear Reelin in the Years. Saw them this past summer. Rest In Peace Walter Becker
That effortless sound was anything but that! Steely Dan was notorious for bringing in several session players for a particular part of a song before they settled on a particular musician. This was especially true for the solos on this recording.
Steely Dan used to be a group in the beginning, but by the time this album came out Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were the only members left, the song writers and the lead singer. Joe Sample playing the piano. Steve Gadd on Drums and the great Chuck Rainey on bass. A black cow is a drink made with milk and chocolate liqueur.
Always have the lyrics handy for Steely Dan songs ! Each song is like a novella or character study of various down and outers.
She’s hooked on drugs - and he’s tired of it.
They used many great artists on their albums.
Thank you for watching!! Definitely need to keep the lyrics close by next time.
This album is crazy. Production is super crisp, harmonies out of this world, musicianship unrivaled, endless opportunities for samples. Uptown Baby got me into Steely Dan so shout out to Peter Gunz & Lord Tariq 🤣
A Black Cow is a soda with ice cream. In Australia we call them a Spider. Great horn arrangement and a great solo by Victor Feldman (RIP)
Thank you for the kind words in regards to my father victor-all the best.
One of my favs....has the right amount of funk and jazz....their song FM has the same funk and jazz elements!❤️
Thanks for watching!!
What's also really dope about Steely Dan is the production level and they would hire legendary musicians to come and do solos or play percussion etc and make it work. They are rock, jazz, fun, R&B and everything in between. They are a truly unique band. It reminds me of being a kid in the 70's listening to them on the radio.
Steely Dan consists of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (RIP) and a number of very talented session musicians. BTW, since you really like the female background vocals of this track, check out "Lowdown" by Boz Scaggs. It's fire. 🔥
A very interesting song about the music industry is "The Low Spark of High Heel Boys". If you like Steely Dan you will like this song.
We have to check that out. Thanks for watching!!
Steely Dan is Rock-Jazz-group I guess you could say but, back then Rock music could cover a lot of ground. They would mix in different musical elements and it was just GOOD! You are right, music was so much better then.
Throughout the brilliant Aja album one could list this saxophone as A Voice in the album
Steely Dan = FINESSE
From the inflection, the rise and fall of the vocals and how the instruments are soft as feathers and just brush against the song..
The Black Cow is a drink..he’s telling her “bottoms up and be gone”
Love the “so outrageous!” at the end can really here how detested he/ she was
These guys were PERFECTIONISTS. That’s why it is quality jam. These guys combed and combed over all their songs until they felt it was right. Watch some of their reflection videos about AJA and how scrupulously they worked on this music to reach this level of perfectionism. They outsourced from some of THE BEST MUSICIANS OF THEIR TIME. I bought this album when I was 13 and it was the first. You can’t beat STEELY DAN !!!
Oh I forgot to mention. Even the way Donald Fagan sings the words he intones them ON PURPOSE. He emphasizes some parts of the lyric to give it an even higher level of quality. Like I said, these guys were/are DA SHIT !!😎
They sounded just as good live as the album. One of the best musical groups ever. They had trumpets, saxaphone, the works live. The backup singers were amazing, and carried alot of the vocal heavy lifting. They were a jazz/rock fuzion band. Alot of that going on in the 70's
I remember Saturday mornings cleaning the house with Steely Dan’ jazzy sound playing in the background. My favorites are Hey Nineteen, Black Cow and Peg. Love ❤️ this reaction video!
I was a senior in high school when this album came out. I had always loved their music, but this was a revelation. This album came out the same year as Weather Report's "Heavy Weather." Both albums were my "gateway drug" into jazz.
True dat!!!
This album...AJA.....is a must have for everyone! Steely at it's best!
"so steely dan, are you rock, jazz, r&b, counry, funk?". Yes
Exactly!😂
You are exactly right. Steely Dan, Led Zeppelin,The Allman Brothers, Traffic, and several more from that era were most certainly fusion bands. Rock, Jazz, Blues, Soul, Funk. They incorporated it all into their music.
This song is almost 50 years old?!! And it’s being appreciated by fans of hip hop artists and young people who haven’t heard this music.
Steely Dan were perfectionists down to the last note.
Steely Dan had two permanent members, one since Walter Becker died. Becker played rhythm guitar. Donald Fagen plays keyboard and does the lead vocals. They bring in studio musicians to fill out the sound including horns when they want them. They were notorious for going through guitarist after guitarist until they get the sound they want. I think they used 5 or six different guitarists on this album. They blur a lot of lines between rock, jazz, and blues. Great band.
“So outrageous….” The background vocals of Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews, and Venetta Fields, AKA the Blackberries, are like studio royalty. They got around, from Pink Floyd to the Supremes. If you were digging the BGVs on an album back in the day, you looked at the credits and invariably those 3 names would be there.
One of my favourite bands of all time. I heard them referred to as your favourite band's favourite band for their musicianship and writing, There is no locking this band into one category. If you like Black Cow then you love Peg, Home at Last, AJA, Deacon Blues, Josie, Babylon Sisters, Gaucho would appeal to you. If you want classic rock try Reelin in the Years .. if you want pop try Rikki Donl;t lose that Number .. if you want an acoustic song try Any Major Dude .. if you want Blues try Pretzel Logic , if you like a 40s swing song on steroids try Bodhisattva ..if you want funk try Night by Night, .. if you like killer guitar solos in your songs .. try Green Earrings, Don;t Take me alive, Kid Charlemagne. Enjoy the ride gents!
The piano solo is the lead singer Donald Fagen. He and Walter Becker (guitar) were founding members and heavy jazz influenced. A British friend of mine who was a sound engineer for a number of bands in the 70's, 80's and early 90's said that Steely Dan had the reputation of the methodical bands of the time. They would spend hour after hour recording until they got it right by their standards. We saw them live one time and they were incredible. The backup singer and brass section was so explosive. Truly legendary band. RIP Walter Becker.
Nope. Fender Rhodes solo is by British jazz pianist and tuned percussionist Victor Feldman.
Victor Feldman played the solo on this particular track.
I grew up knowing a Black Cow as another name for a Coke float, but it’s regional. Some people add liquor.
As for “are they a jazz group or a rock group?” The answer is yes. They have many, many musical influences. Hell, they’ll throw on calypso if they want.
Coke or root beer
Maybe my favorite SD song, ever. So much in here...
Listen to as much Steely Dan as possible…you won’t be disappointed!!
Y’all might as well do the rest of the tracks off Aja. This whole album is a blessing.
Great stuff boys. SD are legends. Songs: Glamour Profession, Hey Nineteen, Kid Charlemagne, Aja, Green Earings, Haitian Divorce and dozens more. They were studio perfection. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are genius.They used THE best studio musicians alive. Enjoy your journey...
Love your take on Steely Dan…BTW…The piano music on CharlieBrown was Vince Guaraldi trio….his fantastic jazz trio has some great tunes!
I love the Guaraldi trio. It’s almost that time when we hear their music all over the place for the holidays. Thanks for watching!!
"Dope Ass song" yeah!! Well, that's Steely Dan. Not a bad song in their entire discography; and in the RRHOF. The only band in history that can blend rock, jazz, and blues into their music.
They are like Prince...their own thang, jazzy, yacht rock but it's smooth and original and got a solid groove
Uptown, baby! Uptown, baby! We down baby. On the crown baby!
Steely Dan is essentially the two song writers Walter Becker and Donald Fagen and a host of top notch studio musicians who differ from track to track. The greatest pop/rock/jazz songwriters ever in my opinion. All their songs are great! Try “Peg” next. Loved your reaction by the way. You guys are discerning listeners!
Thank you for your insight. We have learned so much about Steely Dan. That’s why we love doing these reactions. Thanks for watching and we definitely have Peg on the list of reactions coming soon.
@@AirplayBeats excellent!
And they’ll get to hear pre-Doobies Michael McDonald singing backup. They were his first big gig.
Deacon Blues is epic!
@@livemodcolorado
I LOVE DEACON BLUES !!!!
So glad you are deep in the Steely Dan rabbit hole! in The late sixties and seventies, there was an explosion of writers/musicians mostly in LA and New York. This was the result of all the collaborations and cross-overs to create some of the best music. You had a similar event in the 40's and 50's, all blues based especially from the British bands. Some say heaven on earth for music lovers.
You guys are Boss!! With your knowledge of music production and musicians yourself, it’s gives great insite to how great these artists are. Love your reactions, your music appreciation shows. Keep it going!!
from a sampling viewpoint, this song is pure gold (did a house remix of this years ago). And Donald Fagan has gone on record stating that he actually thinks sampling is art. However, in order to use one of Steely's samples comes with a hefty price tag (Ye paid insane amounts for Kid Charlemagne sample, but it was WELL worth it). EDIT: as a sidenote, those horns you were wondering on were, i believe: Trumpet, Trombone, and a French Horn. The Clavinet & Electric Piano (cant remember which type, either a Wurlitzer or a Fender Rhodes) make the track for me.
Black cow is a drink they are rock fusion with jazz and they have more than 25 great songs
Love hearing your reaction to this track - think it's the nearest I'll get to hearing it again for the first time ! Steely Dan were a real one off and Black Cow is a favourite among so many other great Steely Dan tracks.
Y'all could do a whole channel of just reactions to Steely Dan. Their classic period (1972 to 1980) has more than 60 songs and every single one of them is on fire. They never made a bad song. If you love Black Cow then keep on diving into SD. Please!
Thanks for watching. We are definitely enjoying this Steely Dan dive. Their music is so pleasing to my soul.
Trombone by one of the infamous Brecker Brothers. They are fusion for sure. We heard it all!!! No static at all!
Not so much trumpet early in the song but def tenor sax and trombone. They didn’t always have horns but a lot of albums did. Extremely fun to see your reaction to this. Steely is perfection in every way. Trumpet hits right before the instrumental section. Are they a jazz or rock group…yes!
Yeah we know and we loved the samples. I for one grew up with this groove and it will forever remain a groove.
Donald Fagen has said in interviews before, a black cow (at least in the context of the song) is a kind of milkshake or like a rootbeer float. Not an alcoholic beverage or anything. The setting is supposed to be a 50s soda fountain at a drug store.
Kid Charlemagne, Green Earrings, FM, Don't Take Me Alive, Night By Night, Your Gold Teeth, Peg, Time Out of Mind, West of Hollywood, I Got the News, Babylon Sisters, Hey 19, Rikki Don't Lost that Number, Your Gold Teeth II, Any World, Do it Again. Doctor Wu, Razor Boy, Pretzel Logic, Lunch with Gina, Jack of Speed, Aja, Glamour Profession. Chain Lightning. So many deep cuts!!
The Dan can do anything, so many of the 70s bands are lumped into the classic rock genre but they have very diverse styles. So many people call Led Zep Heavy Metal, yet they play acoustic folk music, blues , funk, so many styles. Steely Dans Aja album is very jazzy, you will love all their albums, each is different but all are great. Try some of the songs from their Royal Scam album.
Thanks for watching. We will definitely be looking into those albums.
Steely Dan produced their own albums. And they were famously obsessive about perfection, bringing in multiple sets of musicians to record multiple versions of the same song until they got it just where they wanted it to be. The Group was basically Donald Fagan (vocals and keyboards) and Walter Becker, and a rotating group of elite studio musicians. The Sax is Wayne Shorter, great Jazz musician. Basically Fagan and Becker grabbed whatever musical influence suited them, and then brought together musicians and gave them some freedom to explore.
Ikr. Steely Dan. Comfort Music indeed.👊💯♥
Still after all these years brings a tear to the eye.
I’m glad to see young people breaking out these old tunes, and it’s especially satisfying to see you guys enjoying it like we did back in the day. Lots of fun. (I think there used to be an alcoholic drink called a black cow)
Welcome to the world and rabbit hole that is Steely Dan. When you listen to Steely Dan you should use lyric videos. Even the way they came upon their name is clever. So, let's start at the top. What is a Black Cow? It's basically a root beer float using Kahlua. The adult version however uses bourbon. Rudy's (Bar and Grill) still exists here in NYC on 9th ave between 44th and 45th. Then and now it is essentially a dive bar. In the 70's 42nd St was a hub for pro's and johns, and Rudy's was often where pro's, musicians, artists, and actors would mingle. On the bar when he sees her are her remedies (alcohol and drugs), and her book of numbers, so she was more a high priced pro. The pros also strolled from 26th and 11th ave to the Javits Center on 34th and 11th Ave down to 42nd, down to 7th Ave. There were many on the east side on Greene St from Houston to Spring St as well. He is a man who was hopelessly in love with a prostitute that cannot change her ways, and his many attempts to change her have proven fruitless. This is now perhaps his goodbye to her. My favorites by them are "Kid Charlemagne", "Aja", "Deacon Blues", the entire "Aja" album, "Hey Nineteen", "Peg", “The Fez”, “Green Earrings”, "Do It Again", "Reelin' In The Years", "Babylon Sisters", "Dirty Work", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Don't Take Me Alive", "My Old School", "Any Major Dude Will Tell You", and "Doctor WU. There are more because there's really no bad Steely Dan song. Try "Peg" next and go from there.
Thank you so much for your knowledge and insight. We really enjoyed reading this information. Thank you for watching. We appreciate you.
@@AirplayBeats Thank you for getting it... awesome reaction. Those who know music know Steely Dan and the legendary musicians they employed. Aja alone will keep you busy awhile.
Especially listen to Kid Charlemagne. I swear it's where Breaking Bad got it's basic story line.
You would appreciate Pretzel Logic (1974) from their record entitled the same. Love your reactions guys and appreciate your enthusiasm for this great music. Keep em coming. I always learn something from you guys each and every reaction.
I remember jammin on when i was 19 years old now 64 years..
I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this video guys…very interesting perspective and analysis
Let's see... jazz, blues, funk, rock, gospel, with a hat-tip to the Big Band era. And the record *just started* !
You are so right we had amazing music with no auto tune! We had so many great bands to listen too depending on the mood! Love the reaction ❤
When I was a kid a “black cow” was a root beer float. People have added liquor to it to make it more adult, I guess.
Its super hard to pick a favorite SD song, but this is mine! Killer jam!!
this is real music with real musicians no auto tune
It’s jazzy as hell😉
Saw these guys live at the "Rent Party Concert" in November, 2009. They were outstanding! My alltime favorite band! I just love them! This album came out in 1977. Their album from 1972, "Can't Buy A Thrill" is another great one!
Nice reaction guys. Welcome to the special and unique groove that is the Dan. I feel fortunate to have grown up in such a marvelous musical age. From Steely Dan to Stevie Wonder, Beatles to Boz, Motown to Miles, Carpenters to Chicago, Jimi to Janis, (RIP TO THEM BOTH) I could go on all day but I'm going to stop with my personal favorite, CARLOS SANTANA!
Just to answer a couple of your questions, Steely Dan is two guys. All the musicians are studio musicians. They rarely played with the same group of guys more than once, if ever. They had the great Steve Gadd on drums, Wayne Shorter on Sax, and Larry Carlton ( a Crusader) on guitar, just to name a few. They didn’t have a standard band and that’s what made them fantastic. A musician would come into the studio, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker would tell them what they were looking for, and they laid down some tracks to see if they had the feel of where Donald Fagen and Walter Becker wanted to go. That’s how they decided on musicians for a particular song.
That is awesome. I would love to see that creative process.
Best album ever!! I grew up with parents that you'd call beatnik (for lack of a better word). Anyway jazz was everywhere around me. Everything was kitty cat 😎 cool. It was Steely Dan that bridged the different generation....ya dig?
Music is about the music, it's the sound. Words are justa bonus (take 'em or leave 'em). Skip the labels. That Fender Rhodes Electric piano and sax solos and those horns are singing too. This entire album is as good as that song! Great reaction.
Thank you for watching. Stay tuned. We will be dropping a reaction to Peg this week some time.
It's almost seemed to me like one of the instruments was in a dialogue with the singer.