@@ammaleslie509 yes, we do. I’m not talking about True Dan fans only though. I’m saying more in general that RUclipscreviers and comments I’ve read don’t get the magnitude of how incredible Caves is and that the focus seems to be on other Steely material.
I watched a documentary last night about them since I'm on a road trip.... fascinating. They are such music nerds lol very detailed oriented. I love it.
Lee, this song has touched me in ways that seem a bit alien to how others see/describe it. Something about those hands, seemingly reaching out up to 18,000 years ago, as if they knew their legacy would carry on in us. It's incredible that our ancient ancestors had an innate understanding or intuition that we would happily and gratefully shake hands silently communicating our appreciation and how we would honor their struggle to exist in a sometimes brutally hostile world.
Great reaction... I've been hooked on Steely Dan since my buddy brought home Countdown to Ecstasy from his Vietnam deployment.. Blew my mind then and has continued to be my go-to tunes for 50 years. Your very apparent appreciation of great musicianship makes an old man smile. Keep it up, you have tumbled into the Steely Dan rabbit hole, which is an incredible labyrinth of amazing songwriting and musicianship.
Thank you so much Donald I truly appreciate that 🙏 what a cool origin for your SD Fandom.... I see why you've stuck around so long. These guys are the literal best haha and I've only heard 3 songs 😂😂
Anyone who likes Steely Dan is a friend of mine. I've got a Celebrate Recovery background so I commend you for your accomplishments. Stay clean, stay hopeful young man.
Killer track. For me the real unsung hero on this tune is Bernard Purdie on the drums. Those smooth fills and the disco like open hi-hat on the off beats, such a groove. Also, congrats on getting and staying clean. I'm 34 years clean and sober. Don't give up before the miracle happens.
I've known about Steely Dan for a while of course, I know their hits, but I just recently really made an effort to get into them and holy shit, Steely Dan is incredible. I'm converted. The horns and the harmonies in this song give me goosebumps, it's incredible.
Dude,make sure you make a complete play list of "The Dan" they are going to blow your mind. Try "Reeling in the years" ,"Pretzel logic" "Monkey in your soul" "Charlie Freak" " The Royal Scam" "Black Cow" " Babylon sisters" "Jack of speed" "Everything must go". A song from each album they made. I really love you so much, you are honest and fresh and I will ask God to heal and help you up! I am very proud of you ❤
Musicians of this calibre know how & and "when" to play to be exceptional.... Becker & Fagen were incredible at hearing and visioning what sounded great, they were masters of arrangement, and just hearing how they used horns tells us this.... amazing song and band, I love your reactions and choices thanks!
Thanks bro! I'm so glad you enjoy them. I know for a fact that these dudes are the tippy top of the mountain of musical goodness. From the first song to now, they have only gotten better in my eyes with each passing track. I can't wait to continue. Thank God for steely Sunday and for steely Dan 😊😊😊
Steely dan were so far ahead of time it was out there. 1973 Was my first I heard them and I have been listening to them since .. Iam happy to see all this generation get to listen to them .. Man listen to green earings and more some of the best you will ever hear ..
Such sophisticated rhythms. Also, this is one of the few SD tunes where I feel I pretty much understand what the lyrics are about -- simple appreciation of the need for art and creativity throughout all of human experience. Also, the brass totally rocks here!
Back in the 70's, I had the good fortune of actually being able to go into the Caves of Altimra in northern Spain. Being able to see that incredible artwork from so, so, long ago is an experience I have never, never, forgotten. This wonderful SD song is superb and takes me back to those days, just love it.
So glad you're loving Steely Dan! They are amazing! All their albums are fantastic, but this one you're listening to now (The Royal Scam) is one of my favorites! Please continue with this album.🙏 You won't be disappointed... Can't wait till you get to the songs: Sign in Stranger, The Fez and Green Earrings. You'll have an "Ear"agasm! Lol
Great reaction! Every song they created is a banger beyond all other bands imho. Since you’re on The Royal Scam perhaps try “Green Earring” next. Oh and as a recovering addict myself I totally congratulate you on your sobriety
Hooray for Steely Sundays! Everything they do is so expertly done. Rock, jazz, prog - it's all there, like you said! I love the wind instruments in this song, especially when the sax comes in toward the end. Looking forward to the next!
I was in high school in the 70’s. I was on a steady diet of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Deep Purple etc. I knew SD but only their radio hits. I picked up a copy of Citizen Dan in 1982 and they became my favorite band, still are. I still like Sabbath etc along with Jazz, Blues and many more. Check out the track FM. Stay strong on your road to recovery.
Whatever you do, please don't skip the album's title song "The Royal Scam." It is a dark song, with a very deep meaning, but it is also beautiful to listen to (as with most Steely Dan songs.) You are right...they ARE at the top of the musical "food chain."
I'm gonna do every track! So I definitely won't skip it. These guys are spectacular yet subtle at the same time. It's a strange yet fascinating dichotomy. I am hooked 😞🤣🤣
🙋🏿♀️ Catching up on Steely Sunday! 🤗 Love this song, which doesn't get reviewed much, unless the Album is being done. 🤩 Also fun song to sing backup on. 🤔 All Dan songs have awesome backing vocals that are fun to sing. 😂 Not gonna lie ... 🤯 There are still days I wanna be Michael McDonald. 🥰🐰
You have to imagine being in high school, driving your 1st car, '76 Corolla, jammin Stealy Dan at age 16. Yeah really cool! Welcome to one of your favorite bands you'll ever hear!!! And didn't know it.......
Music heals dude! When I was a troubled young girl, music, and lyrics in particular, inspired me to turn my life around. For example from Led Zeppelin, "take a good look at yourself and describe what you see, and baby baby baby do you like it?" I didn't and so slowly began to change my life. Congrats on your transformation. Things will get better. Looking forward to your reaction to "Don't Take Me Alive" and "Black Friday"
I'm a longtime fan of SD, enjoy pretty everything they've done over their many years. However, there is something about this track in particular that absolutely connects with my soul. Don't know exactly what it is, perhaps my time playing trumpet in various bands and ensembles, but this one just takes me away...every time I hear it 😍
So happy you found Steely Dan. I grew up with them and they were my favorite band. Not a lot of my friends liked them which I couldn't understand. Glad you're doing well Lee. Hopefully you will keep up with sobriety. Love your videos and comments.
SD were so meticulous about percussion, it's difficult to mix percussion perfectly, so they sought out the best of the best drummers, but compared to other musicians there were not many who could reach the level that they demanded. When they got to Gaucho they opted for a drum machine on several tracks to give them more control of the sound. Obsession for Perfection is what made their songs, a go to band, for audio testing. I used to play all of there tracks at 3000 watts on a 4 speaker system, just so clear, pristine, and powerful. Thanks Lee, Enjoy the Ride.
Thanks for watching Michael! I appreciate you bro. Yeah I can tell how meticulous they are.... kinda crazy lol. I love it though. The attention to detail allows them to shine through past their contemporaries. I love it lol
Keep moving forward Lee! I am so proud of you! You have a great channel! I see big things ahead for you. Stay clean, keep your head up, things are going to get better for you. God bless you brother. So happy for you❤
New here... was just searching for someone who reacts to one of my favorite bands, Steely Dan and I dig that you are excited about listening. I am an old lady (64), so this is the music that I grew up listening to. To me, the 70s was one of the best decades for music, followed by the alternative/grunge music of the mid to late 90s and early 2000s.. (STP, Alice In Chains, et al - RIP Layne and Scott and so many others who were taken from us way too soon) which segues into your admission of being clean... one day at a time dude.. In recovery from opiate addiction myself, not going into my story but I can relate! Don't know if you know but Walter Becker struggled with heroin addiction himself and a lot of songs have drug references. Loved seeing this band live and was fortunate enough to do so several times. Now Donald Fagen is touring with the Dan but I wonder if they sound as good since Walter Becker passed away a couple of years ago.. RIP to Walter too. They have an extensive catalogue of great music to get lost in. A couple of my favorites are Janie Runaway (I have not seen or heard anyone react to that one) from Two Against Nature which one a grammy for best engineered album and Babylon Sisters (Shake It) from Gaucho.. I can go on and on with this band. Take care and I look forward to more reactions! I also subscribed.
The enigmatic John Kemmer on tenor sax their. A guy who had a unique sound and style in the 70’s whose style fit this particular song perfectly. You have so many great songs to go through. Your amazing journey is just beginning! Can’t wait to ride along your discovery of The Dan!!
When I was a teenager I thought these guys were too slick. I was in a space funk hard rock phase then, but grew to appreciate them. I now count them among my favorites. So glad to see your open heart and mind taking them in. The broader perspective that comes with the different generations reveals just how much truly great artists are timeless. And you've given me a whole new slant on how to enjoy this band. Thanques!
Great Tune. If you look up the name of the song, history says a cave was recently (1940's I think) discovered in France that had ancient cave man drawings of animals. Wondering what life was like back then is the main story line. All SD Tunes have a deeper story line then observed on the surface. Great Example is: " Everyone's gone to the Movies" by SD. Well that song was played endlessly on the radio for years and years, was a top song for SD on all the radio charts. Only problem is... NO ONE listened to the Lyrics, so it was a joke on the record industry. The songs true meaning is about a felon child molester, stalking his prey in the song. The Happy-Go-Lucky Melody does a great job of hiding the Lyrics. Many SD songs exhibit the same secret meanings... Rock-On Dude..!
Wow what the hell.... they all have multiple meanings?? That is so cool. I figured it was named after the caves with the ancient artwork because that's what the "video" image was. I've seen those a million times. I've studied archeology since I was in grade school :) and I mean scholarly research too. I was a weird kid. Lol
I like this album, but my staple was a cassette of Katy Lied and Pretzel Logic that was my soundtrack to driving around Adelaide South Australia during the 1980s. Steely Dan are a great intro to jazz, happy trails.
Something about your age, musical understanding, genres you’re coming from, which summed up, is just your unique perspective, has me hooked for your SD ride. It’s really gonna be a blast. You’ve hit a few excellent tracks and there are dozens more. And a few that are sonically iconic.
Wow man I really appreciate that! I can already tell the depth and variety of this band is unmatched. Quite detail oriented. I really dig it. Thank you for tagging along the journey:)
Good morning…great to see you smile and laugh while listening to Dan…Another great music high is The Pat Metheny Group…a very deep rabbit hole…you can start anywhere, over 50 albums and 20 Grammys! I suggest “First Circle”, “Minuano 6/8” or “Phase Dance” or “San Lorenzo” or “Jaco” or a hundred other songs from Pat Metheny
So, you started with a song that is considered the high water mark of what many say is their best album -Aja. And now you’ve moved to what a ton of Dan fans feel is their best album - The Royal Scam. Nice. The band came into my life when I was 13 with Can’t Buy a Thrill… and put out and album each year through ‘77 - and ended their initial run with Gaucho in ‘80. They were a constant companion from age 13 - 22, and though I’m not religious, it was a blessing. You’ll know what I mean as you go deeper and wider in their catalog. After the Beatles, Steely Dan is the greatest. Yeah, my opinion… but I think they’ll be up there for you down the road! Be well, keep striving, get back to your kids (any moment with my 2 boys was better than any of the drugs I ever did)… and think highly of yourself, always!
You’re new to Steely Dan?! Oh boy. This is the musician’s band of all musician’s bands. Too many recommendations for one comment. Glad you started with “Kid Charlemagne,” one of my all time favorite guitar solos (Larry Carlton)…also appreciated and studied by a certain feisty little Japanese guitarist who likes cake and coffee ☕️ 🍰
Not to distract from Dan, but that sax reminded me of another artist/song you MUST listen to. Ronnie Laws, album is Pressure Sensitive, song is …Always There. The song is so upbeat and feel good, it defies you to not move! 😅 The next song on Scam is Don’t Take Me Alive and it’s worthy!
Charlie Freak is an obvious choice for folks avoiding opioids in December. For clarity, it spells out where it leads. Any way it's a banger (with sleigh bells, overdose, death and moral choices). Steely Dan are brilliant on the. Brilliant scale. They're the Beatles, in the 1970s, in America, with higher levels of quality control, I'm glad you found them.
Holy shit that sounds perfect... yeah December and I have a hate/hate relationship. Dad passed 20 years ago last week. I used to go crazy... had warrants every December. But now I have 3 years clean. And I gotta keep it going. I'll definitely add this song to my list. Sounds awesome...
Donald and Walter told a story about how they were struggling songwriters in I think Greenwich Village NY, writing about life on the West Coast, and then upon being hired by ABC to move to LA and work there, immediately starting writing songs about New York......LOL......
If you stay with The Royal Scam until you've gone thru the whole album, (which I DO recommend), be now forewarned that the title track, the last song on side two, deals with some heavy issues, including the allure of opiates. Thanks for posting !! Keep up the good work ~~~
Nice to see you continuing with SD. On paper they're not really your thing, but if they push your interests more toward jazz it's all for the better. As a drummer that's a whole world to discover. Bill Bruford was the gateway drug for a lot of us prog fans, and SD is the poppier side of that gateway.
Sd trivia - fagan and becker went to Bard College in the late 60s. They started a band called Leather Canary and Chevy Chase was the drummer!! Chevy Chase from SNL and movie fame!!! Chevy said they were a bad jazz band and left and we know what happened next!
Man your teasers are teasing - some great stuff on the way……………….oh btw Steven Wilson dropped a Christmas song……..amazing but true and an interesting story behind it. Want something for the festive season??
Well I'm gonna be gone for a few days ... and I couldn't leave yall hanging. So I recorded a bunch of videos for yall. And they were some of the most requested ones. I got yall:)
Welcome to the Exclusive Dan Club! The rabbit hole is deep and filled with great Albums and musical perfection. Check out Steely Ben channel videos on RUclips. Loved the reaction to the music and the information you shared. Aja by The Dan may be the very best album of all-time. In fact, Aja album in the Smithsonian as an example of the very best music ever made.
The most criminally under appreciated Steely Dan song ever! Glad you found it!
What? Are you under 55?
@@Rock_Snob nope. 59. My perception is folks snooze on this song. If you have a different take then good on you.
True Dan fans love this cut
@@ammaleslie509 yes, we do. I’m not talking about True Dan fans only though. I’m saying more in general that RUclipscreviers and comments I’ve read don’t get the magnitude of how incredible Caves is and that the focus seems to be on other Steely material.
@@stephenpesta1550 I see. Definitely agree!
Unparalleled production, superb musicianship, catchy as fuck tunes, evocative lyrics. That the Dan, man.
The Dan is the shit!! I can't wait to hear more :)
Steely Dan is about perfection in musicianship and production!
I watched a documentary last night about them since I'm on a road trip.... fascinating. They are such music nerds lol very detailed oriented. I love it.
One of my all time Dan favourites. This song always puts me in a good mood.
It totally put me in a good mood just listening to them again here! What a wonderful song.
You get it! Seeing someone experience the Dan for the first time is gratifying. The musicianship is sublime.
Lee, this song has touched me in ways that seem a bit alien to how others see/describe it. Something about those hands, seemingly reaching out up to 18,000 years ago, as if they knew their legacy would carry on in us. It's incredible that our ancient ancestors had an innate understanding or intuition that we would happily and gratefully shake hands silently communicating our appreciation and how we would honor their struggle to exist in a sometimes brutally hostile world.
My Dude! Your rotation of top notch artists has me hooked! I see your channel going places. See you in the morning!
It's all yall 🙏 you've been giving me the suggestions. I just listen. :) thank you.
Nice Lee Nice..
Great reaction... I've been hooked on Steely Dan since my buddy brought home Countdown to Ecstasy from his Vietnam deployment.. Blew my mind then and has continued to be my go-to tunes for 50 years. Your very apparent appreciation of great musicianship makes an old man smile. Keep it up, you
have tumbled into the Steely Dan rabbit hole, which is an incredible labyrinth of amazing songwriting and musicianship.
Thank you so much Donald I truly appreciate that 🙏 what a cool origin for your SD Fandom.... I see why you've stuck around so long. These guys are the literal best haha and I've only heard 3 songs 😂😂
good choice
Hey 19 awesome from the Dan.
Anyone who likes Steely Dan is a friend of mine. I've got a Celebrate Recovery background so I commend you for your accomplishments. Stay clean, stay hopeful young man.
I grew up in the 70s and Steely Dan has always been my favorite band. And this is an outstanding reaction channel! Keep up the great work.
Thank you so much dave! That means so much. Seriously. I'm gonna keep up with the Dan. It almost feels like destiny.
Killer track. For me the real unsung hero on this tune is Bernard Purdie on the drums. Those smooth fills and the disco like open hi-hat on the off beats, such a groove.
Also, congrats on getting and staying clean. I'm 34 years clean and sober. Don't give up before the miracle happens.
Can't go wrong with Steely Dan...😎❤️
This really takes me back to those '70s. Steely Dan can't be overemphasized. RIP Walter! The herb also can't be overemphasized. California Sober.
I've known about Steely Dan for a while of course, I know their hits, but I just recently really made an effort to get into them and holy shit, Steely Dan is incredible. I'm converted. The horns and the harmonies in this song give me goosebumps, it's incredible.
Dude,make sure you make a complete play list of "The Dan" they are going to blow your mind. Try "Reeling in the years" ,"Pretzel logic" "Monkey in your soul" "Charlie Freak" " The Royal Scam" "Black Cow" " Babylon sisters" "Jack of speed" "Everything must go". A song from each album they made. I really love you so much, you are honest and fresh and I will ask God to heal and help you up! I am very proud of you ❤
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, king of the shuffle.
My favorite Dan album. Not a bad song. Guitarist Larry Carlton really makes the album pop.
So far, so good! I've loved it. These guys are absolutely awesome.
I’ve seen them in concert four times. The last show was before Walter passed away.
Musicians of this calibre know how & and "when" to play to be exceptional.... Becker & Fagen were incredible at hearing and visioning what sounded great, they were masters of arrangement, and just hearing how they used horns tells us this.... amazing song and band, I love your reactions and choices thanks!
Thanks bro! I'm so glad you enjoy them. I know for a fact that these dudes are the tippy top of the mountain of musical goodness. From the first song to now, they have only gotten better in my eyes with each passing track. I can't wait to continue. Thank God for steely Sunday and for steely Dan 😊😊😊
My Pleasure, Respect!@@L33Reacts
Steely dan were so far ahead of time it was out there. 1973 Was my first I heard them and I have been listening to them since .. Iam happy to see all this generation get to listen to them .. Man listen to green earings and more some of the best you will ever hear ..
Wow what musicians!
So many changes throughout.
Keep it coming L33
Underrated Steely Dan song. It’s so good !
Such sophisticated rhythms. Also, this is one of the few SD tunes where I feel I pretty much understand what the lyrics are about -- simple appreciation of the need for art and creativity throughout all of human experience. Also, the brass totally rocks here!
So many people miss how good a singer Donald is.
Back in the 70's, I had the good fortune of actually being able to go into the Caves of Altimra in northern Spain. Being able to see that incredible artwork from so, so, long ago is an experience I have never, never, forgotten. This wonderful SD song is superb and takes me back to those days, just love it.
Dude. I knew the radio hits. But once I heard Black Cow, I was hooked. Now my Steely Dan playlist has 57 songs on it... Fifty. Seven.
So glad you're loving Steely Dan! They are amazing! All their albums are fantastic, but this one you're listening to now (The Royal Scam) is one of my favorites! Please continue with this album.🙏 You won't be disappointed... Can't wait till you get to the songs: Sign in Stranger, The Fez and Green Earrings. You'll have an "Ear"agasm! Lol
yea, this album may be their best...
So glad you discovered Steely Dan--it's a deep rabbit hole! :)
My favorite Steely Dan track
"It's like rock, prog, jazz, and big band all mixed together"... You're catching on, L33. See you next Sunday
Steely Dan indeed is its own genre.
Amazing horn section arrangement and sax solo, and of course Bernard Purdie’s drumming!
👍🏼🎸🎼😎❤️
Great reaction! Every song they created is a banger beyond all other bands imho. Since you’re on The Royal Scam perhaps try “Green Earring” next. Oh and as a recovering addict myself I totally congratulate you on your sobriety
Hooray for Steely Sundays! Everything they do is so expertly done. Rock, jazz, prog - it's all there, like you said! I love the wind instruments in this song, especially when the sax comes in toward the end. Looking forward to the next!
I was in high school in the 70’s. I was on a steady diet of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Deep Purple etc. I knew SD but only their radio hits. I picked up a copy of Citizen Dan in 1982 and they became my favorite band, still are. I still like Sabbath etc along with Jazz, Blues and many more. Check out the track FM. Stay strong on your road to recovery.
Whatever you do, please don't skip the album's title song "The Royal Scam." It is a dark song, with a very deep meaning, but it is also beautiful to listen to (as with most Steely Dan songs.) You are right...they ARE at the top of the musical "food chain."
I'm gonna do every track! So I definitely won't skip it. These guys are spectacular yet subtle at the same time. It's a strange yet fascinating dichotomy. I am hooked 😞🤣🤣
To have that as the last track in this album is just unbelievable. Their greatest album, IMO. Even greater than Aja.
There are no bad Steely Dan songs. I don’t know that I can say that about any other band that I’ve heard.
You are so right bro I've never heard that about a band before lol... these guys are elite. 🤗
Thanks for sharing, Stay clean. Stay strong brother. It will be worth it.
I still play this song in my rotation to this day. One of Steely Dan's greatest jams 🔥
🙋🏿♀️ Catching up on Steely Sunday! 🤗 Love this song, which doesn't get reviewed much, unless the Album is being done. 🤩 Also fun song to sing backup on. 🤔 All Dan songs have awesome backing vocals that are fun to sing. 😂 Not gonna lie ... 🤯 There are still days I wanna be Michael McDonald. 🥰🐰
STAY ON THIS ALBUM. CONGRATS on getting clean. EVERY song on RS is incredible. Keep it up.
The Altamira caves in Spain contain cave paintings that are reckoned to be at least 50,000 years old.
Glad you’re enjoying the Dan! Stay positive!
You have to imagine being in high school, driving your 1st car, '76 Corolla, jammin Stealy Dan at age 16. Yeah really cool! Welcome to one of your favorite bands you'll ever hear!!! And didn't know it.......
My fave song of theirs!
Music heals dude! When I was a troubled young girl, music, and lyrics in particular, inspired me to turn my life around. For example from Led Zeppelin, "take a good look at yourself and describe what you see, and baby baby baby do you like it?" I didn't and so slowly began to change my life. Congrats on your transformation. Things will get better. Looking forward to your reaction to "Don't Take Me Alive" and "Black Friday"
Thank you my friend. Here is my reaction to don't take me alive! ruclips.net/video/dL7fGRDas4I/видео.html
I'm a longtime fan of SD, enjoy pretty everything they've done over their many years. However, there is something about this track in particular that absolutely connects with my soul. Don't know exactly what it is, perhaps my time playing trumpet in various bands and ensembles, but this one just takes me away...every time I hear it 😍
So happy you found Steely Dan. I grew up with them and they were my favorite band. Not a lot of my friends liked them which I couldn't understand. Glad you're doing well Lee. Hopefully you will keep up with sobriety. Love your videos and comments.
Thank you for helping to keep this awesome music from the past alive !!!!!
Your heartfelt and accurate description of this band was so spot on, I was forced to sub...
SD were so meticulous about percussion, it's difficult to mix percussion perfectly, so they sought out the best of the best drummers, but compared to other musicians there were not many
who could reach the level that they demanded. When they got to Gaucho they opted for a drum machine on several tracks to give them more control of the sound. Obsession for Perfection
is what made their songs, a go to band, for audio testing. I used to play all of there tracks at 3000 watts on a 4 speaker system, just so clear, pristine, and powerful. Thanks Lee, Enjoy the Ride.
Thanks for watching Michael! I appreciate you bro. Yeah I can tell how meticulous they are.... kinda crazy lol. I love it though. The attention to detail allows them to shine through past their contemporaries. I love it lol
. I used to play all of there tracks at 3000 watts on a 4 speaker system, just so clear, pristine, and powerful.
Perfection has been detected.
Great to see your appreciation for this!!! Along with the songwriting and instrumentation, it's also the amazing chord progressions for me!!!
Top of the food chain, indeed!
Good for them?
Better for us.
Glad you get it.
Keep moving forward Lee! I am so proud of you! You have a great channel! I see big things ahead for you. Stay clean, keep your head up, things are going to get better for you. God bless you brother. So happy for you❤
New here... was just searching for someone who reacts to one of my favorite bands, Steely Dan and I dig that you are excited about listening. I am an old lady (64), so this is the music that I grew up listening to. To me, the 70s was one of the best decades for music, followed by the alternative/grunge music of the mid to late 90s and early 2000s.. (STP, Alice In Chains, et al - RIP Layne and Scott and so many others who were taken from us way too soon) which segues into your admission of being clean... one day at a time dude.. In recovery from opiate addiction myself, not going into my story but I can relate! Don't know if you know but Walter Becker struggled with heroin addiction himself and a lot of songs have drug references. Loved seeing this band live and was fortunate enough to do so several times. Now Donald Fagen is touring with the Dan but I wonder if they sound as good since Walter Becker passed away a couple of years ago.. RIP to Walter too. They have an extensive catalogue of great music to get lost in. A couple of my favorites are Janie Runaway (I have not seen or heard anyone react to that one) from Two Against Nature which one a grammy for best engineered album and Babylon Sisters (Shake It) from Gaucho.. I can go on and on with this band. Take care and I look forward to more reactions! I also subscribed.
Lead sax player is John Klemmer. One of the great Jazz sax players of the 70’s and 80’s!!
Keep up the good work. I'm proud of you.
Thanks, fellow Lee! I really appreciate it Bro 🙏
Brother Great Day , you need to hear , Green Earrings by Steely Dan . You can't be bummed out once you turn on Steely Dan ! 🌎✌️💖☺️
The enigmatic John Kemmer on tenor sax their. A guy who had a unique sound and style in the 70’s whose style fit this particular song perfectly.
You have so many great songs to go through. Your amazing journey is just beginning! Can’t wait to ride along your discovery of The Dan!!
klemmers "touch" is pristine. the song touch.
Great reaction. Looking forward to Black cow by Steely Dan 👍🏻
When I was a teenager I thought these guys were too slick. I was in a space funk hard rock phase then, but grew to appreciate them. I now count them among my favorites. So glad to see your open heart and mind taking them in. The broader perspective that comes with the different generations reveals just how much truly great artists are timeless. And you've given me a whole new slant on how to enjoy this band. Thanques!
2:11-2:14 is so good they repeated that motif several times in the song. Great SD sound!
Signature John Klemmer sax on that track. Klemmer provided the background sax for many a romantic sesh in the 70's.
Great Tune. If you look up the name of the song, history says a cave was recently (1940's I think) discovered in France that had ancient cave man drawings of animals. Wondering what life was like back then is the main story line.
All SD Tunes have a deeper story line then observed on the surface. Great Example is: " Everyone's gone to the Movies" by SD. Well that song was played endlessly on the radio for years and years, was a top song for SD on all the radio charts. Only problem is... NO ONE listened to the Lyrics, so it was a joke on the record industry. The songs true meaning is about a felon child molester, stalking his prey in the song. The Happy-Go-Lucky Melody does a great job of hiding the Lyrics. Many SD songs exhibit the same secret meanings... Rock-On Dude..!
Wow what the hell.... they all have multiple meanings?? That is so cool. I figured it was named after the caves with the ancient artwork because that's what the "video" image was. I've seen those a million times. I've studied archeology since I was in grade school :) and I mean scholarly research too. I was a weird kid. Lol
Proud of you Bro! Stay strong and push forward!
I like this album, but my staple was a cassette of Katy Lied and Pretzel Logic that was my soundtrack to driving around Adelaide South Australia during the 1980s. Steely Dan are a great intro to jazz, happy trails.
Something about your age, musical understanding, genres you’re coming from, which summed up, is just your unique perspective, has me hooked for your SD ride.
It’s really gonna be a blast.
You’ve hit a few excellent tracks and there are dozens more.
And a few that are sonically iconic.
Wow man I really appreciate that! I can already tell the depth and variety of this band is unmatched. Quite detail oriented. I really dig it. Thank you for tagging along the journey:)
This song is such a bright spot on an album that is full of mayhem and shady characters.
Good morning…great to see you smile and laugh while listening to Dan…Another great music high is The Pat Metheny Group…a very deep rabbit hole…you can start anywhere, over 50 albums and 20 Grammys! I suggest “First Circle”, “Minuano 6/8” or “Phase Dance” or “San Lorenzo” or “Jaco” or a hundred other songs from Pat Metheny
Pat Metheny is incredible. The earlier ECM records typically get blocked, but I think the live performances usually survive on RUclips.
Thank you Donald, I appreciate that so much! How could you not smile at this?? It's fantastic lol
I'll add them to the list! I've heard the name but never listened. Thank you 😊
Such a fantastic and insightful review.
I appreciate that! Thank you so much. 🙏
So, you started with a song that is considered the high water mark of what many say is their best album -Aja.
And now you’ve moved to what a ton of Dan fans feel is their best album - The Royal Scam. Nice.
The band came into my life when I was 13 with Can’t Buy a Thrill… and put out and album each year through ‘77 - and ended their initial run with Gaucho in ‘80.
They were a constant companion from age 13 - 22, and though I’m not religious, it was a blessing.
You’ll know what I mean as you go deeper and wider in their catalog.
After the Beatles, Steely Dan is the greatest.
Yeah, my opinion… but I think they’ll be up there for you down the road!
Be well, keep striving, get back to your kids (any moment with my 2 boys was better than any of the drugs I ever did)… and think highly of yourself, always!
Keep it going, I will be here!
You rock bro! Thank you 😊
My old school!!!
this whole album is dope!
Incredible band. Can’t go wrong with any. Aja and Gaucho albums are personal favorites.
Aja was my first song by them! I'm gonna go back to it after this album I'm thinking.
Shall I tell you something? Right now, when I put on your video, I'm wearing my Aja Steely Dan T-shirt. That can't be a coincidence.... 🙂
Love your channel. Hope things are going well for you.
You won`t have to live in a hotel forever, life changes quicker than you think. Hang in there, remember the goal.
I'm trying my best bro. I'll get there eventually 😌 thank you for the kind words
Congrats on turning yourself around!
Thanks man I appreciate that! I really do. It was a hell of a ride but I'm still here kicking.
You’re new to Steely Dan?! Oh boy. This is the musician’s band of all musician’s bands.
Too many recommendations for one comment. Glad you started with “Kid Charlemagne,” one of my all time favorite guitar solos (Larry Carlton)…also appreciated and studied by a certain feisty little Japanese guitarist who likes cake and coffee ☕️ 🍰
Not to distract from Dan, but that sax reminded me of another artist/song you MUST listen to.
Ronnie Laws, album is Pressure Sensitive, song is …Always There.
The song is so upbeat and feel good, it defies you to not move! 😅
The next song on Scam is Don’t Take Me Alive and it’s worthy!
Don’t Take Me Alive
Same album
That’s your next one!
Stay clean. This is great music.
3 years strong 💪 gotta keep moving forward ☺️☺️😉
Good start, hit Chicago, you'll be astonished.
CoA - Tastiest snare drum..
Charlie Freak is an obvious choice for folks avoiding opioids in December. For clarity, it spells out where it leads.
Any way it's a banger (with sleigh bells, overdose, death and moral choices). Steely Dan are brilliant on the. Brilliant scale. They're the Beatles, in the 1970s, in America, with higher levels of quality control, I'm glad you found them.
Holy shit that sounds perfect... yeah December and I have a hate/hate relationship. Dad passed 20 years ago last week. I used to go crazy... had warrants every December. But now I have 3 years clean. And I gotta keep it going.
I'll definitely add this song to my list. Sounds awesome...
I am over the moon and that I found them.
Over the Target here on this one .
Vast Catalogue to tap into .
Real difficult to find less-than-brilliance in their Discography .
Donald and Walter told a story about how they were struggling songwriters in I think Greenwich Village NY, writing about life on the West Coast, and then upon being hired by ABC to move to LA and work there, immediately starting writing songs about New York......LOL......
If you stay with The Royal Scam until you've gone thru the whole album, (which I DO recommend), be now forewarned that the title track, the last song on side two, deals with some heavy issues, including the allure of opiates.
Thanks for posting !! Keep up the good work ~~~
Great review- I know a lot of their stuff but not from this album- fabulous stuff
As a 70 year old listener s summers ago saw them in concert at Jones beach N.Y. ( now the name of the video (The Drummers of Frank Zappa)
Nice to see you continuing with SD. On paper they're not really your thing, but if they push your interests more toward jazz it's all for the better. As a drummer that's a whole world to discover. Bill Bruford was the gateway drug for a lot of us prog fans, and SD is the poppier side of that gateway.
Yeah, you're so right. They aren't my cup of tea on paper. But once you listen to them once. It's all over.
Sd trivia - fagan and becker went to Bard College in the late 60s. They started a band called Leather Canary and Chevy Chase was the drummer!! Chevy Chase from SNL and movie fame!!! Chevy said they were a bad jazz band and left and we know what happened next!
Man your teasers are teasing - some great stuff on the way……………….oh btw Steven Wilson dropped a Christmas song……..amazing but true and an interesting story behind it. Want something for the festive season??
Well I'm gonna be gone for a few days
... and I couldn't leave yall hanging. So I recorded a bunch of videos for yall. And they were some of the most requested ones. I got yall:)
Welcome to the Exclusive Dan Club! The rabbit hole is deep and filled with great Albums and musical perfection. Check out Steely Ben channel videos on RUclips. Loved the reaction to the music and the information you shared. Aja by The Dan may be the very best album of all-time. In fact, Aja album in the Smithsonian as an example of the very best music ever made.
Congrats on kicking the habit!
Haitian Divorce & FM are a couple of other great songs. I mention FM because it was from a soundtrack and could fall through the cracks
Yo, congratulations on getting clean! Check out Pretzel Logic, that's a killer one.
Thanks bro I appreciate it. And sweet thanks I'll add it to the list!
"Midnight Cruiser" next, please.
I added it to the list! Thank you!