Rick Beato had a very interesting video with "Pretty" Purdie, the drummer on this track of Green Earrings. It starts at 24m 50s here: ua-cam.com/video/6uusF1iie88/v-deo.html
Nice take John. As far as whether it's keys or guitar carrying the rhythm... "Yes" is the answer. Donald has stated that he likes combinations of certain instruments sharing the melodic load. Here on GE, there is a dedicated "rhythm guitar" track, and several keyboard tracks, all playing similarly syncopated parts. One of the keyboards is a Clavinet or Clav for short.
Don’t Take Me Alive and Kid Charlemagne are the other stand out tracks on the album. Green Earrings is about a jewel thief who seduces women and steals their jewelry.
Bernard Purdy. World's most recorded drummer does the same trademark triplets high hat chop on Rock Steady with Aretha Franklin 50 some years ago. Amazing player and still grooving in his eighties.
So many wishes...The guitar work in this song literally brings tears to my eyes almost every time I hear it. I've been trying to stop crying over the damn song for forty some years. Your reaction was about what I did. "WTF, do that a few more times, please".
Hey John, great reaction. I just discovered your channel. I've been a musician and a huge Steely Fan since I was kid. I have their whole catalog of albums and I'd say this song is within my top 10 favorites. I've been in a band with my brother for >30 years and we've played covers of numerous steely Dan songs over the years. We currently have 5 Dan songs on the set list, including My Old School, Pretzel Logic, Don't Take Me Alive, Black Friday and Daddy Don't Live In That NYC No More.
I just heard your comment about this song having more of a rock sound to it then the other Dan songs you've heard thus far. Even though Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (RIP) were always influenced to some degree by their love of jazz, the writing on their first 5 albums (Can't Buy A Thrill, Countdown To Ecstasy, Pretzel Logic, Katy Lied and The Royal Scam) definitely had more of a rock sensibility to it and there was widespread use of "dirty" distorted guitars (by a slew of killer players), although they still used a lot of complex chords and the structure of the songs tended to be more complicated than normal "radio friendly" rock. Their 6'th album Aja (a masterpiece IMO) had significantly more jazz influenced writing, which also continued to their latter albums. I also love the album Gaucho, which was the f/u to Aja. Their last 2 albums, Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go (there was a 20 years gap between Gaucho and Two Against Nature), have a bunch of great songs, but both albums have a really slick, uber-produced sound with no "grit" or use of distorted guitars and I didn't like them as much because of that.
Kid Charlemagne has a couple of the tastiest guitar solos ever. They may not be the most famous, or 'the best' (whatever that is) but they are so, so good. Larry Carlton plays on that one, and also plays on Don't take me alive, Everything you did, and The royal scam tracks as well.
The album cover art for The Royal Scam was originally done for a Elton John album that was never released. Becker and Fagen saw it and thought it was the ugiest album cover ever conceived, so they decided it was to be the cover art for this album.
Both guitar and keyboards doing those rhythm groove chords on the song, and they play Quartal Voicing, as opposed to tertian voicings, on that groove. Denny Dias does the main, Jazzy solo @ 3:39. Elliott Randall does the next one and the fade out solo w/ ring modulator, as well as the Bluesy 'guitar fills' in between Donald Fagen's vocal verses.
royal scam is their best album, for me. aja is also nearly perfect, but the royal scam has so many excellent and dark moments. aja is just stunning in it's beauty and perfection. royal scam is a noir masterpiece of music.
The story is about a jewel thief, so enamored with the value of his girlfriend/paramour's value of her Green Earrings that he takes them for himself. After all, he is a jewel thief. He isn't something else.
Most hardcore Danfans (including myself) consider this their best album, better than Aja and Gaucho which are of course top notch, this album has a lot more edge to it. Check out “don’t take me alive” “Haitian divorce” or any other track from this masterpiece record. “Don’t take me alive” might be my favorite Dan song. It’s just about the perfect mix of rock and jazz.
I think Steely Dan added the space effect sounds in some songs, because Donald Fagan is a huge sci-fi fan. If you haven't heard it, I recommend the song "I.G.Y." by Fagan. It's about him being young and feeling hopeful after seeing the first moon landing, and the general excitement about the future at the time. But, he actually didn't like doing solo work much, because it felt too personal. Which I get, as a private person, but he's such a phenomenal musician, and you just want him to do more stuff.
I agree.... this like many SD songs is cryptic. It "might be about a junkie jewel thief" that steals from his lover but I'm just not sure. Fagan and Becker always leave us wondering and wanting more........
You said that you were not sure if it was an organ or a guitar doing some of the rhythm parts. It "may" have been a clavinet since a clavinet is sometimes used as an alternative to the rhythm guitar in funk and rock music. I believe it was played by Chuck Rainey.
The Royal Scam like Aja and Gaucho is an album masterpiece, rockier, more dynamic and quirkier than the other two, every track is great, recommend "Don't take me alive" , "Kid Charlemagne" & the title track, cheers
This song kicks ass! Everything on it is great, but the drums and bass are just outstanding.
Steely Dan and Supertramp set the high bar for exquisite production values.
Steely Dan is amazing combines Rock & some jazz! One of my favorites ever! ❤️
Great pick. This my fave SD track and it's from my fave SD album. It's about a jewel thief stealing from his lover.
One of the pillars of Music history. I don’t remember a bad song. Always superb, for decades. Legends
Rick Beato had a very interesting video with "Pretty" Purdie, the drummer on this track of Green Earrings. It starts at 24m 50s here: ua-cam.com/video/6uusF1iie88/v-deo.html
Nice take John. As far as whether it's keys or guitar carrying the rhythm... "Yes" is the answer. Donald has stated that he likes combinations of certain instruments sharing the melodic load. Here on GE, there is a dedicated "rhythm guitar" track, and several keyboard tracks, all playing similarly syncopated parts. One of the keyboards is a Clavinet or Clav for short.
Don’t Take Me Alive and Kid Charlemagne are the other stand out tracks on the album. Green Earrings is about a jewel thief who seduces women and steals their jewelry.
Bernard Purdy. World's most recorded drummer does the same trademark triplets high hat chop on Rock Steady with Aretha Franklin 50 some years ago. Amazing player and still grooving in his eighties.
If Purdie ever comes around, you have to see him. I saw a clinic he did about 10 years ago. The man relates a lifetime of stories in between jamming.
So many wishes...The guitar work in this song literally brings tears to my eyes almost every time I hear it. I've been trying to stop crying over the damn song for forty some years. Your reaction was about what I did. "WTF, do that a few more times, please".
So nice to see the younger generation appreciating good tunes!
My favorite album ever.
Hey John, great reaction. I just discovered your channel. I've been a musician and a huge Steely Fan since I was kid. I have their whole catalog of albums and I'd say this song is within my top 10 favorites. I've been in a band with my brother for >30 years and we've played covers of numerous steely Dan songs over the years. We currently have 5 Dan songs on the set list, including My Old School, Pretzel Logic, Don't Take Me Alive, Black Friday and Daddy Don't Live In That NYC No More.
I just heard your comment about this song having more of a rock sound to it then the other Dan songs you've heard thus far. Even though Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (RIP) were always influenced to some degree by their love of jazz, the writing on their first 5 albums (Can't Buy A Thrill, Countdown To Ecstasy, Pretzel Logic, Katy Lied and The Royal Scam) definitely had more of a rock sensibility to it and there was widespread use of "dirty" distorted guitars (by a slew of killer players), although they still used a lot of complex chords and the structure of the songs tended to be more complicated than normal "radio friendly" rock. Their 6'th album Aja (a masterpiece IMO) had significantly more jazz influenced writing, which also continued to their latter albums. I also love the album Gaucho, which was the f/u to Aja. Their last 2 albums, Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go (there was a 20 years gap between Gaucho and Two Against Nature), have a bunch of great songs, but both albums have a really slick, uber-produced sound with no "grit" or use of distorted guitars and I didn't like them as much because of that.
Great reaction........can't get much tighter or cleaner than these guys ! Dig a little deeper my friend , you won't be sorry :) Peace & Love
Kid Charlemagne has a couple of the tastiest guitar solos ever. They may not be the most famous, or 'the best' (whatever that is) but they are so, so good. Larry Carlton plays on that one, and also plays on Don't take me alive, Everything you did, and The royal scam tracks as well.
One of my absolute favorite SD deep cuts. This album is another masterpiece! Keep it going.
Smart man doing Steely Dan!!!!!!
🤪 Green Earrings! 🤗 Let's Go! 🥰 Cause "there's no flys on me!" 💃🏽🐰
Funk overload!
The album cover art for The Royal Scam was originally done for a Elton John album that was never released. Becker and Fagen saw it and thought it was the ugiest album cover ever conceived, so they decided it was to be the cover art for this album.
BOOM! SD!
Hell yeah.
Both guitar and keyboards doing those rhythm groove chords on the song, and they play Quartal Voicing, as opposed to tertian voicings, on that groove. Denny Dias does the main, Jazzy solo @ 3:39. Elliott Randall does the next one and the fade out solo w/ ring modulator, as well as the Bluesy 'guitar fills' in between Donald Fagen's vocal verses.
Great guitar work by Denny Dias and Elliott Randall. But even apart from that you're right, it was a great arrangement.
royal scam is their best album, for me. aja is also nearly perfect, but the royal scam has so many excellent and dark moments. aja is just stunning in it's beauty and perfection. royal scam is a noir masterpiece of music.
Genius....
The story is about a jewel thief, so enamored with the value of his girlfriend/paramour's value of her Green Earrings that he takes them for himself. After all, he is a jewel thief. He isn't something else.
that bass line .. dam !
Most hardcore Danfans (including myself) consider this their best album, better than Aja and Gaucho which are of course top notch, this album has a lot more edge to it. Check out “don’t take me alive” “Haitian divorce” or any other track from this masterpiece record. “Don’t take me alive” might be my favorite Dan song. It’s just about the perfect mix of rock and jazz.
I think Steely Dan added the space effect sounds in some songs, because Donald Fagan is a huge sci-fi fan.
If you haven't heard it, I recommend the song "I.G.Y." by Fagan. It's about him being young and feeling hopeful after seeing the first moon landing, and the general excitement about the future at the time. But, he actually didn't like doing solo work much, because it felt too personal. Which I get, as a private person, but he's such a phenomenal musician, and you just want him to do more stuff.
I agree.... this like many SD songs is cryptic. It "might be about a junkie jewel thief" that steals from his lover but I'm just not sure. Fagan and Becker always leave us wondering and wanting more........
Night by Night
Over the Target John .
Deeper Dive ... on the Menu .
You said that you were not sure if it was an organ or a guitar doing some of the rhythm parts. It "may" have been a clavinet since a clavinet is sometimes used as an alternative to the rhythm guitar in funk and rock music. I believe it was played by Chuck Rainey.
When are you coming back to Rush? I like Steely Dan but I love Rush. Thanks
And some strong albums between 2112 and Presto / Roll The Bones are not yet reviewed. ;-) In between everything is strong!
@@ziwaBasood Is that only for patrons?
@@ziwaBasood If he doing just the audio it shouldn't get blocked but YT is so weird these days it is hard to say.
@@debbieplato5107 it should come tomorrow i think
@@ziwaBasood Great!
The Royal Scam like Aja and Gaucho is an album masterpiece, rockier, more dynamic and quirkier than the other two, every track is great, recommend "Don't take me alive" , "Kid Charlemagne" & the title track, cheers