As mentioned the lyrics are about Owsley Stanley, sound technician for the Grateful Dead and LSD-maker extraordinaire, who fueled The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Tests, and who supplied the Hippie movement until LSD fell out of favor to be replaced by cocaine ("look at all the white men on the street", referring to cocaine dealers). What a bizarre story to make a song about, but they sure did it the best way possible. My favorite Steely Dan song, and that guitar solo is considered one of the best in history, done by jazz guitarist Larry Carlton.
Bear is Kid Charlemagne. I well remember his four way window pane. Kitchen clean. 30 years later he made silver belt buckles for my wife and me. Miss him
@chrisveenemans4024 Agreed. They never really commented on a solo that Rolling Stone and UA-cam host extraordinare, Rick Beato called one of the best guitar solos of all time. And they seemed to be completely preoccupied with whoever was behind the camera, actually throwing things during the segment. Very unprofessional and very immature. I will not be returning.
I love Steely Dan. I was a teen in the 70s. Music was my everything. They were amazing writers, musicians and incredible production always. King Of The World is my fave! Bohdisatva kicks azz too
The finest music ever produced by the musical geniuses Walter Becker and Donald Fagan using the some of the crack studio musicians of their era. Larry Carlton on guitar, an example. Immaculate music.
It's not about Charlemagne the Emperor. Not every song is that cut and dried. There are deeper meanings. Great song with the great Larry Carlton on guitar and Bernard Purdie on drums.
If you're just now meeting Stealy Dan you are in for a treat. Prepare for a journey. Don't get lost in the lyrics though. They were smart enough to make you listen several times to understand them.
A Great 'Dan' track guys! The lyrics are referencing 'Oswald Owsley' ! Psyedelic chemist extraordinaire who manufactured incredible quality LSD to fuel the Hippie conciseness/revolution and 'Turn the World around ' mid to late 60s!! I guess it didn't happen!!!...
I grew up hearing Steely Dan on the radio but it sounded so refined and clean. I liked the raw blues and punk music more which seemed like had more 'soul' whatever that meant to me then. Now i can't get enough of Steely Dan. They're just too good. The production, composition, performance, lyrics. Pound for pound may be the greatest rock band behind the Beatles.
Most of my musical taste was formed in the 70s. I started off with Black Sabbath, UFO, Judas Priest and still listen to those bands today. Then, I found Steely Dan, Wow. They are my favorite band to this day. I don’t think you can find a bad Steely Dan song.there is one song by another band. I would love to see anybody react to. I’ve only seen one person do that so far it is called Vanilla Queen by the band gold earring known for radar love. Trust me on this one guys.
Charles I the Great, King of the Franks and Lombards, was crowned as the 1st Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III at the Old St. Peter's Basilica in Rome on Christmas Day, 800 CE.
Steely Dan had only 9 albums... but their run during the 70's is impressive, iconic & legendary. Jazz and big-band inspired guys growing up in the rock/soul era whose output combined all of that into incredible music that no band has been able to imitate... though they've been a huge influence to many artists just because of the high bar they set for composition, musicianship & production. A very deep and rewarding rabbit hole. Just about every Dan song wraps around a story that involves all of human frailty; sex, drugs, questionable morality, bad decisions... unique perspectives that are worth deciphering (because most times their lyrics are obtuse). I guarantee your sub total will increase by taking a Steely Dan journey... because a lot of us old farts love to see new generations latching on to what we feel is great music. Pretty much any of the 60's / 70's & even 80's popular music is better than what we have today, so it's kind of a public service. Best of luck.
@@stevegirardmedia2255 69 y.o. here. Can’t believe your comment hasn’t gotten any likes!!! Either people today can’t read or are just plain ignorant. Enjoyed your post.
There was fantastic music in the 60s, 70s and 80s for sure! Don’t discount today’s musical landscape, however, just based on what is being force fed by the mainstream music industry or by an unwillingness to dig deeper and seek out good new music. There are thousands of amazing musicians out there today doing it under the radar
@@lostmotel6156 You may have a point. But like you said, you’ll have to “dig deep.” When we grew up, we were SURROUNDED with classic/iconic music. No one should have to “dig”…much less DEEP. We handed these kids everything on a silver platter…going from Earth, Wind, and Fire…to rap…please.
@@Ou81gi812 You don’t have to dig super deep to find good music these days, just a little deeper than you seem willing to. If you’ve found music in your lifetime that you love, that’s great and you should keep listening to it! Just don’t assume that because you can’t find music you like or understand these days that the generations after you are somehow less than. You don’t think the parents of your generation thought the same things about your taste in music? It’s reductive and does nothing in terms of breaking negative cycles of thinking
So much more music in the superior category from SD for you to discover. Stay with the Royal Scam album and try Green Earrings or Haitian Divorce and hear the scope of their diversity... all with vibe, substance, and soul. 'Divorce is an outlier in that it's about 88% reggae. Rum and tears never sounded sooo good. Happy listening.
I agree, Steely Dan is a GREAT band. But the best band in the world? Music is subjective. I don't think there is a greatest band in the world. The greatest band is what you think the best band is.
As mentioned the lyrics are about Owsley Stanley, sound technician for the Grateful Dead and LSD-maker extraordinaire, who fueled The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Tests, and who supplied the Hippie movement until LSD fell out of favor to be replaced by cocaine ("look at all the white men on the street", referring to cocaine dealers). What a bizarre story to make a song about, but they sure did it the best way possible. My favorite Steely Dan song, and that guitar solo is considered one of the best in history, done by jazz guitarist Larry Carlton.
I do kind of like that Antony mentioned Stanley's cousin, Oswald Owlsley....😁
Owsley was also a direct descendent of King Charlemagne, hence Kid Charlemagne.
Happy song, about producing 100% best Acid and the distribution throughout LA, till he got caught and made obsolete by cocaine
Bear is Kid Charlemagne. I well remember his four way window pane. Kitchen clean. 30 years later he made silver belt buckles for my wife and me. Miss him
Thank god for flashbacks
Steely Dan, your favorite bands favorite band🔥🤘✌
🤘
1 brain cell occurs to me as a bonus for the both of you. To break the legendary guitar solo in this song, is a proof. Despite your apology ....
@chrisveenemans4024 Agreed. They never really commented on a solo that Rolling Stone and UA-cam host extraordinare, Rick Beato called one of the best guitar solos of all time. And they seemed to be completely preoccupied with whoever was behind the camera, actually throwing things during the segment. Very unprofessional and very immature. I will not be returning.
@@sooutrageous007the camera man on this channel is the worst.
I love Steely Dan. I was a teen in the 70s. Music was my everything. They were amazing writers, musicians and incredible production always. King Of The World is my fave! Bohdisatva kicks azz too
Their singing about a famous LSD maker and Dealer in the 70s in San Francisco
The finest music ever produced by the musical geniuses Walter Becker and Donald Fagan using the some of the crack studio musicians of their era. Larry Carlton on guitar, an example. Immaculate music.
O yes he got busted when he ran out of gas and the cops busted him true story
It's not about Charlemagne the Emperor. Not every song is that cut and dried. There are deeper meanings. Great song with the great Larry Carlton on guitar and Bernard Purdie on drums.
Steely Dan IS the best band in the world! IMO
SD is not "fuck around" music. It was one of the few rock band actually singing about LSD!
If you're just now meeting Stealy Dan you are in for a treat. Prepare for a journey. Don't get lost in the lyrics though. They were smart enough to make you listen several times to understand them.
A Great 'Dan' track guys!
The lyrics are referencing 'Oswald Owsley' !
Psyedelic chemist extraordinaire who manufactured incredible quality LSD to fuel the Hippie conciseness/revolution and 'Turn the World around ' mid to late 60s!!
I guess it didn't happen!!!...
@@AntonyFleck I really believe that the man’s name was Owsley Stanley. ✌🏼😎
Indeed my friend, I stand corrected, my my mistake, maybe too much 70s acid!
Thanks from across the pond!...
I grew up hearing Steely Dan on the radio but it sounded so refined and clean. I liked the raw blues and punk music more which seemed like had more 'soul' whatever that meant to me then. Now i can't get enough of Steely Dan. They're just too good. The production, composition, performance, lyrics. Pound for pound may be the greatest rock band behind the Beatles.
You need to hear "Black Cow
Steely Dan is our Favorite Bands Favorite Band!
"Steely Dan" . . . the "best band in the world", is really just TWO GUYS. Everything else, ALL of it, is studio musicians. . . . .
Most of my musical taste was formed in the 70s. I started off with Black Sabbath, UFO, Judas Priest and still listen to those bands today. Then, I found Steely Dan, Wow. They are my favorite band to this day. I don’t think you can find a bad Steely Dan song.there is one song by another band. I would love to see anybody react to. I’ve only seen one person do that so far it is called Vanilla Queen by the band gold earring known for radar love. Trust me on this one guys.
Yes, King of the Frankish late 700s - early 800s A.D.
Charles I the Great, King of the Franks and Lombards, was crowned as the 1st Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III at the Old St. Peter's Basilica in Rome on Christmas Day, 800 CE.
Steely Dan had only 9 albums... but their run during the 70's is impressive, iconic & legendary. Jazz and big-band inspired guys growing up in the rock/soul era whose output combined all of that into incredible music that no band has been able to imitate... though they've been a huge influence to many artists just because of the high bar they set for composition, musicianship & production.
A very deep and rewarding rabbit hole.
Just about every Dan song wraps around a story that involves all of human frailty; sex, drugs, questionable morality, bad decisions... unique perspectives that are worth deciphering (because most times their lyrics are obtuse).
I guarantee your sub total will increase by taking a Steely Dan journey... because a lot of us old farts love to see new generations latching on to what we feel is great music.
Pretty much any of the 60's / 70's & even 80's popular music is better than what we have today, so it's kind of a public service.
Best of luck.
@@stevegirardmedia2255 69 y.o. here. Can’t believe your comment hasn’t gotten any likes!!! Either people today can’t read or are just plain ignorant. Enjoyed your post.
Spot on
There was fantastic music in the 60s, 70s and 80s for sure! Don’t discount today’s musical landscape, however, just based on what is being force fed by the mainstream music industry or by an unwillingness to dig deeper and seek out good new music. There are thousands of amazing musicians out there today doing it under the radar
@@lostmotel6156 You may have a point. But like you said, you’ll have to “dig deep.” When we grew up, we were SURROUNDED with classic/iconic music. No one should have to “dig”…much less DEEP. We handed these kids everything on a silver platter…going from Earth, Wind, and Fire…to rap…please.
@@Ou81gi812 You don’t have to dig super deep to find good music these days, just a little deeper than you seem willing to. If you’ve found music in your lifetime that you love, that’s great and you should keep listening to it! Just don’t assume that because you can’t find music you like or understand these days that the generations after you are somehow less than. You don’t think the parents of your generation thought the same things about your taste in music? It’s reductive and does nothing in terms of breaking negative cycles of thinking
LSD
Underrated the song, overrated the brain cells
never ever cut off a guitar solo on a steely dan song not cool .
We didnt know 🥲
cabaret
So much more music in the superior category from SD for you to discover. Stay with the Royal Scam album and try Green Earrings or Haitian Divorce and hear the scope of their diversity... all with vibe, substance, and soul. 'Divorce is an outlier in that it's about 88% reggae. Rum and tears never sounded sooo good. Happy listening.
Entertaining and clueless. Wow.
You guys are clowns, and don't take music seriously. Cutting off one of the most highly rated guitar solos by many experts to boot. See ya!
more like 2 bois 0 brain cells
Nope. Done with you two. Pausing that solo is just too much.
🤣🤣 This comment section…
This comment section really made me feel that "the bois are the NOFX of youtube." comment. 🤣
This is a bozo reaction
I agree, Steely Dan is a GREAT band. But the best band in the world? Music is subjective. I don't think there is a greatest band in the world. The greatest band is what you think the best band is.
You stopped the video in the middle of one of the greatest guitar solos in history. FAIL.
Respectfully, this is so annoying.
@cactusgeorge I'm assuming us, cuz the song is pretty sweet 😆
Irritating and facile.Stick with Milli Vanilli.