Sweet memories. It was 83' and I was 14 in the 9th grade. For Christmas that year my parents got me my 1st stereo system for my bedroom. My uncle, knowing what I was getting, made me a cassette of Steely Dan's greatest hits and brought it over so I would have something to listen to. My uncle passed of cancer a few years back and whenever I hear a SD song I think of him.
Dudes, this is insane, I just recently got into Steely Dan, then even more recently discovered Hey Nineteen and *yesterday* went looking for reactions to it and was so bummed out that you guys (one of the best channels around) hadn't done it yet. This is freaking awesome!
Yes it is cocaine referred in the lyrics. Meaning that turning off the rational part of you might enhance time spent with a person you might not necessarily turn you on mentally (but certainly physically). 😂
@@Sober2003 Both exist(ed). Colombian Gold is a legendary landrace sativa from mountainous northern Colombia, AKA Santa Marta or Santa Marta Columbian Gold.
For the younger crowd, Columbian refers to a type of marijuana. The discussion by the other people in this response are also talking about "Mary Jane". :)
I see a lot of younger people (on UA-cam, anyway) looking back at past music and being amazed because it's so much better than today's auto-tuned music.
I would listen to "Reelin' In the Years again. Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin said that Elliott Randall's lead work on that song was the best ever. So, yeah... a reason to give another listen.
I think "Hey Nineteen" is a very good song, but EVERY song on this album was great (also true of Aja, the album before Gaucho), and most or all are reaction-worthy. I'd love to see more reactions to this band. Oh, and I think the "fine Columbian" is a reference to South American weed. Right?
@@jamosensei I would tend to agree that they’re referring to weed, however the thing that makes me wonder is that they specifically mention a coke dealer from Bogota, Columbia on the same album.
The "fine Columbian" refers to "Columbian Gold", my very favorite cannabis. Small yellow/golden, popcorn sized buds.The taste and smell was the best! Once coke became big, (which I never liked), I could never find it again. Great review for a fantastic band and song!
You’re exactly right. We took our 14 year old daughter to a Steely Dan concert in Houston this past July. She loved it. She listens to anything we listen to; also some crap we don’t, but she loves Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Metallica. She knows the words to nearly every song from Steely Dan. I just sit back and smile and think to myself, “yeah, we did that”. ✌🏻❤️from Texas
Partly in response to Everything You Did off The Royal Scam album. Henley, Frey and Schmit did backing vocals on FM. So there was,I would think some mutual respect between them.
@@Earthtime3978 I have the Eagles double greatest hits cd’s and it came with a booklet that has personal stories about how they wrote songs, influences, etc..that steely part was in the booklet.
"Only a fool would say that" is my favorite song from Steely Dan, it has an upbeat vibe with some parts that have a darker tone. Also check out jamiroquai.
The songs with Palmer doing vocals are some of my favorite SD songs: Only a Fool, Dirty Work, and Brooklyn. Not sure why he was only ever on one of their albums, but his voice is beautiful.
@@otisdylan9532 aja is my favorite steely dan song, but i think overall the album is 5th best of their catalogue. countdown to ecstasy, gaucho, can't buy a thrill, and the royal scam are better to me.
Michael McDonald collaborated with Steely Dan several times. Steely Dan were just some "cool cats." Even a devout metal head like myself, really enjoys this band. It's funny what Ryan said about his mother "cleaning house" to this kind of music. That's exactly what I used to do. Clean house listening to Steely Dan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robin Trower, etc. Just easy goin', smooth, relaxing music. It really made you feel good. Great video guys. Thanks!
Michael McDonald was definitely active at the same time (he even sang on some Steely Dan tracks, like "Peg," which you probably already knew), so there was probably the same kind of production style and equipment in the studios they were working in.
He also sang on "I Got the News" on the Aja album (among others), which is a great, funky song to react to. His voice is so distinctive - truly one-of-a-kind!
My 15 yr old about a year ago got into Aretha, and other early soul singers all on his own. He also plays in the Jazz ensemble in school, and generally loves all kinds of music. But that jazz and r&b is in his soul. Brings a smile to me.
"Of the many musicians who have passed through Steely Dan's ranks and worked with the late Walter Becker, Michael McDonald is among the most celebrated. He joined the Steely Dan touring group during 1974 on keyboards and both lead and backing vocals, and he recorded on the albums Katy Lied, The Royal Scam, Aja and Gaucho."
steely dan musicianship is second to none..thats because they hired literally THE best musicians to play on their records. every song had a different master at an instrument and they let them go and do their thing.
Always want more Steely Dan! Also agree that it seems the younger generations know less of the older music and that seems to be accelerated in recent years. Pretty sure my mom said that when I was a kid though 😂. And if this is dad rock, then I'm a fan! 😆
Mostly likely the last couple generations don't have as much knowledge of older music for a very good reason. When I was a kid there was one stereo(and one TV) in the house, I listened/watched mostly to what my parents did until I was in high school. My 10 year old niece has had her own cell phone and Ipad for years now(and her own TV), add in the internet and she listens to whatever she decides to which unfortunately is mostly pop garbage but she does have a remarkable range of music she likes that she's completely found on her own, like Rob Zombie when she was 5(she went out for Halloween that year as Living Dead Girl) and Tom Waits(kind of blew my mind) a couple years ago.
@Heather Boyer The younger generation knowing less & less of older music would go a long way to explaining why modern "music" sucks so much. The only thing they know, is how to sample (steal) it to use in their _own_ songs.....and I say 'steal" b/c they don't just take riffs from older songs and play it _themselves_ , they literally use the other artists' _recordings_ . An example would be the song "Wild Thing" by, I think it was ?Tone Loc? He took the actual drum roll that begins "Jamie's Crying" by Van Halen. He also uses the unmistakable Eddie Van Halen guitar riff from that song.
8:30 I think you are definitely right that music is not being passed down from parent to kids anymore and it's because each person has their own device now and everybody is listening to their own thing in the house. Or in the back seat of a car: kids aren't listening to the radio station their mom out on, they are watching some disney thing on their ipad with headphones. When we were young, there was one tv or one stereo in the house and whatever your parents put on, you watched/listened. I didn't get my own tv and stereo in my room until my teens.
As a student who is currently in high school, I will happily spread older music (60s, 70s, 80s, 90s) onto newer generations. This is real music, Steely Dan is elite!
Babylon Sisters is another fantastic song off of Gaucho, and it is a super R&B inspired Steely Dan song. It's underrated in my opinion, but then again, most of Gaucho is.
Musically this song has miles and miles of open space in the sound, especially during the solos, and the chord and lead line accents hit JUST right. I love the level of restraint they use with such a thick ensemble. Nothing feels rushed or crammed in there
Michael McDonald was a backup singer for Steely before he joined the Doobies. His solo career was stellar also. You can hear him loud and clear on SD’s “ Peg”. They have been sampled many times! I think “ Black Cow” has been sampled.
Steely Dan is in a league of their own. My dad used to play music in Asbury Park back in the late 70s. His best buddy he grew up with and played in more than a few bands with is Jon Herington who has been playing lead guitar for these guys for more than 20 years now. I've taken advantage of that connection to see Steely Dan live a few times and it was always an awesome experience.
Good catch!!! Michael McDonald definitely has a similar riff sound in the keys. I think the song you're thinking of is "I KEEP FORGETTING" IMO Steely Dan's smoothest number is "Deacon Blues" That is so smooth as soft sweetcream butter. As for passing down music: I'm 48. I passed my love of music from generation (and older) to my kids, just as my parents did for me. True Story - My daughter (now 21) in highschool with her school marching band was riding with a couple bandmembers being driven by car by another girls parents - the dad had my generation of music on in the radio and my daughter knew every song - lyrics, the singer etc, singing along to Journey, Boston, Bob Segar etc. And the two other girls in the back looking at her like she's from a diff planet. while the dad is singing along with her and just loved the experience of my daughter riding with them. He told me later "thank you for teaching her about good music." Alot of that was from playing Rock Band on PS3, since she was 8, we exposed to a lot of older music cuz we played that ALOT for about 6 years and downloaded every song that came available. It also taught me love for playing drums and I bought a real drum set in 2015 because of it and have fallen in love with playing drums - and pretty good at it now I think. I wonder if the gap that you talk about for newer generation not know is that music is now digital. I grew up with a lot of vinyl records in the house - I myself have about 400 vinyl records. Seeing those and being exposed to entire albums vs DLC and streaming songs where you have no physical copy to share or loan to others or see - maybe that's a disconnect to the next generation.
There was a live collaboration project at NT Beacon Theatre called New York Rock and Soul Review featuring Becker and Fagan, Michael McDonald, Phoebe Snow, Box Scaggs and Lovin Spoonful members. McDonald did all the vocals for the live Steely Dan songs and its straight up epic.
It bears repeating...ya can't go wrong with the Dan, man. As y'awl said, it can go anywhere. Parties, chill fests, with the kids around, without, it all rides nicely.
Everything “The Dan” did was on a different plane. Their songwriting, lyrics and recording expertise has a complete sophistication all it’s own. Fagan and Becker brought big city sensibilities and a worldly vibe to their music, that kept the listener interested and locked in.
Saw them in concert 4 years ago, they sound just like their recorded music live. I love when bands can do that and don't ad lib and screw up the songs.
@@forty6andzwei I took a second to check & he is, indeed, talking about ‘Colombian Gold’ as it used to be known. Afghan Kush, Thai Stick & Columbian Gold were the major ‘good weeds’ back in the day. It used to to be, you’d pay 5 or 10 bucks & that’d get you a bag of crappy, Mexican brown weed, full of seeds & stems. If you lived in most places, good pot was incredibly tough to come by in the 70’s & early 80’s, Unless you happened to have family in Northern California.
"The Cuervo Gold (Jose Cuervo Tequila); The fine Columbian (weed). One of the best things about Steely Dan is, not only the musicianship, but the lyrics which are totally relatable and intelligent. Thanks for the vid... Keep up the great work you two.
Michael McDonald played keyboard with Steely Dan and also sang background on some of their songs such as "Peg"."Hey 19 "was a favorite at Skating Rinks.
You should definitely do a Steely Dan marathon!!! I recommend Haitian Divorce. I ALSO recommend the song The River by King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard!! Yes their name is ridiculous, but the music is even MORE ridiculous 🤘
We used to do 69’s dances to this beat like the Slide, Hitchhiker, Swim, the Jerk, etc. “ Take me along when you slide on down” Guys- you ARE passing down great music by doing your show! 😊
First and foremost, Fagen & Becker were master composers and musicians and they used some of the greatest session players of the day. Which is why it sounds so effortless and "smooth".
That first pluck is one of the most classic notes 🎶 in musical history. Whenever I get music hooked up in my car, this is one of my favorite test songs. I can listen to this everyday. And I'm a black dude in my 50's.
It sounds like George is singing, "You Belong to Me" at the end which The Doobie Brothers DID do a cover of. So maybe that's the McDonald vibes you're thinking of?
We used to clean on Sunday morning and my mom would listen to Motown and the Beatles, she would always make a scrumptious breakfast and the house would smell of bacon and bleach. Lol
Michael McDonald was on some Steely Dan songs and was in The Doobie Brothers. Basically, his voice was everywhere in the 70s/80s because it's so unique.
This is the first song ever to use a programmable sample-based drum machine. SD's engineer Roger Nichols designed and built it; they called it Wendel. Wendel's listed in the credits.
Yes! I was going crazy trying to think which song could it be, because it sounded so obvious but for the life of me I couldn't find the Michael Macdonald song hahaha
@@marcreed4031 That's what I was thinking. I was singing the Carly Simon version in my head, but figured that wasn't it, LOL. Forgot it was an MM song.
Hey guys So incredible to see you react and appreciate the music I grew up with. You and so many other reactors bring so much joy to our generation! The 70’s brought some of the best music ever.
Dudes, the "fine Colombian" is weed. That was the best-known stuff of that era. The older guy and the younger girl finally found common ground, and made the night a wonderful thing!
Love the Dan, you guys should delve deeper into these guys. The Caves of Altamira, Your Gold Teeth, Aja, Doctor Wu, or Babylon Sisters would all be good but get the feeling you guys would like the groove on Babylon Sisters, the drumming is choice. Another suggestion, Vulcan Worlds by Return to Forever, would like to see what you guys think about some of the 70's jazz fusion.
Oh, jeez. I had the same distance in age at the very same ages in a relationship. Nada in common, but she helped me write a song "April Showers" that spoke the sad truth.
You guys cracked me on on the Peg reaction video. I LOVE Steely Dan!!! I was supposed to go see them so many times when I lived in NYC, but alas, the opportunity never came. It is so nice seeing younger people loving the best music from the 70s and 80s, nothing else like it, except the 60s and 40s swing music.
Great video guys. Really enjoy your insights when trying to figure out some of these songs. And, the fact that you genuinely enjoy some of these songs is really gratifying to us older rockers.
I crawl like a Viper Through these suburban streets Make Love to these women Languid and bittersweet The best lyrics from one of the best Steely Dan songs are in Deacon Blues
It's "You Belong to Me".... knew it the second they hummed it. Melody and cadence for "What a Fool Believes" is very different. But still a killer song in its own right!
You gents are spot-on with your approval of Steely Dan. Those chaps are simply brill! Nineteen is a superb statement, as I was supremely clueless at nineteen. Well, after writing that, I realise, I was not as thick as the girl in the song. For, as wee lad in Swansea, Wales, I was in love with everything Stevie Wonder was teaching/introducing me to. This vid reminds me to ask you lot to do reviews of Stevie, like TOO HIGH, etc. Also, more funk and R&B reviews. In fact, I also adore EWF. Lastly, many thanks for what you do. Keep it up. Cheers!
Great reaction, that smile around 4:00 to 4:20 made me crack-up. Never heard this one before, great song holy hell. ! Production-wise - you guys do it great with nice, clean, well-balanced audio. Too many reaction channels don't get that its a deal-breaker if you can't hear the song properly.
Song you're thinking about and melody you're looking for is Michael McDonald "You Belong to Me". Otherwise, Steely is so damn diverse you just can't pigeon hole their sound. Great reaction though guys!
Michael McDonald did a lot of backing vocals for Steely Dan. That's him on "Peg".
I was wondering if someone had already mentioned that connection and why Micheal McDonald comes to mind.
It's cool to hear Michael McDonald's vocals on "Peg" isolated.
@ Fagan drove him insane with the multiples of layers he had Michael do. And each one was different.
Fuck me - I knew it.
Cool Blue eyed Blues.. . Call on me 'Mercy'!
Babylon Sisters by Steely Dan, this song is so smooth that it makes creamy peanut butter jealous!
One of my all time favorite tunes. The “you gotta shake it baby” part at the end by the back up gals is my favorite part of any song ever. So nice
oh hellzya
Love Babylon Sisters! Aja and Gaucho are back-to-back classic albums.
A criminally underrated Steely Dan song in my opinion.
Sweet memories. It was 83' and I was 14 in the 9th grade. For Christmas that year my parents got me my 1st stereo system for my bedroom. My uncle, knowing what I was getting, made me a cassette of Steely Dan's greatest hits and brought it over so I would have something to listen to. My uncle passed of cancer a few years back and whenever I hear a SD song I think of him.
Love
Great memory!
I was 15 then. And thank God for uncles 👊🏼 roll on my friend
Dudes, this is insane, I just recently got into Steely Dan, then even more recently discovered Hey Nineteen and *yesterday* went looking for reactions to it and was so bummed out that you guys (one of the best channels around) hadn't done it yet. This is freaking awesome!
Sama here!
Lifelong steely Dan fan. So glad you guys are here.
Josie is a favorite, and Aja too. The whole Aja album is worth a listen.
Aja - pure masterpiece.
I still play it at least once a week!!!
Aja is one of the only albums that I can play start to finish.
Give Boz Skaggs - Lowdown a listen. It won a R&B Grammy; the first for a white artist. The album Silk Degrees went platinum five times.
Yes it is cocaine referred in the lyrics. Meaning that turning off the rational part of you might enhance time spent with a person you might not necessarily turn you on mentally (but certainly physically). 😂
I believe "You Belong to Me" is the song you were trying to think of
You got it..Michael McDonald era Doobie Brothers "You Belong To Me"
That was on the tip of my tongue. Thanks
Ok, crazy respect for knowing "I Keep Forgetting" - that song was a jam even before Warren G got a hold of it.
Pretty sure the “fine Columbian” is Columbian Gold a popular recreational smoke at the time.
It's sobering that they don't know that.
I smoked some back in the 80's. Yeah, it was the real deal.
Columbian was not gold. Acapulco was gold! Columbian was red! Lol I'm old! Hahaha
@@Sober2003 Both exist(ed). Colombian Gold is a legendary landrace sativa from mountainous northern Colombia, AKA Santa Marta or Santa Marta Columbian Gold.
For the younger crowd, Columbian refers to a type of marijuana. The discussion by the other people in this response are also talking about "Mary Jane". :)
Definitely need to give FM(No Static At All) a listen :) Keep On Rockin-
The version with the guitar ending is best.
Yesss please. If you haven't already
You two are bringing that music back to the ears of the younger generations as well as refreshing the ears of us dinosaurs. Nice Job.
I see a lot of younger people (on UA-cam, anyway) looking back at past music and being amazed because it's so much better than today's auto-tuned music.
We didn't know what we had because we had so much.To make it in the the 70s, you had to be good
RAAAAAAWRA 🤣🤣
This song always makes me reminisce about college. Listened to SD a lot then (late 1980’s/early 90’s) and this one is all about missing those days.
"Rikki don't lose that number" next please!!!
Props to George for diagnosing this song so quickly. Kind of bittersweet.
George is very smart with figuring out the down and dirty meaning of lyrics...leaves most people in the dust in that dept imo....
George really has a talent for deciphering lyrics. I loved his interpretation of Nirvana's "Come As You Are" - a song I never really understood.
Eh, I think it's lovely, I mean, how can you ever be sad about knowing what you know and loving what you love, right?
I would listen to "Reelin' In the Years again. Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin said that Elliott Randall's lead work on that song was the best ever. So, yeah... a reason to give another listen.
I think "Hey Nineteen" is a very good song, but EVERY song on this album was great (also true of Aja, the album before Gaucho), and most or all are reaction-worthy. I'd love to see more reactions to this band. Oh, and I think the "fine Columbian" is a reference to South American weed. Right?
Back then, there was Panama Red and Acapulco Gold…but cocaine was the only product I remember being well-known from Columbia besides coffee.
@@jamosensei I would tend to agree that they’re referring to weed, however the thing that makes me wonder is that they specifically mention a coke dealer from Bogota, Columbia on the same album.
70's 80's was coke time. It's cocaine IMO.
The "fine Columbian" refers to "Columbian Gold", my very favorite cannabis. Small yellow/golden, popcorn sized buds.The taste and smell was the best! Once coke became big,
(which I never liked), I could never find it again. Great review for a fantastic band and song!
@@stevenperry1189 Vindicated! (If that's a good thing.)
"The Cuervo Gold
The fine Colombian
Make tonight a wonderful thing"
"Hey Nineteen" is my favorite ❤
Always my sentiments as well. I'm in love with you
"Columbian" is weed, guys! 🤦🏼♀️🤣
@@terryconnelly484 Awww! Thanks friend! 🥰
I thought that was a product placement for a beer brand
Yeah!
You’re exactly right. We took our 14 year old daughter to a Steely Dan concert in Houston this past July. She loved it. She listens to anything we listen to; also some crap we don’t, but she loves Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Metallica. She knows the words to nearly every song from Steely Dan. I just sit back and smile and think to myself, “yeah, we did that”.
✌🏻❤️from Texas
Good job passing this kind of musical excellence down to other generations! Steely Dan are essential listening for anyone ALIVE.
Sounds like George is humming "Boogie Wonderland." 😂
It does! But the song he means is You Belong to Me
Steely Dan marathon? So many classic tracks from them
You throw down your gold teeth, do you see how they roll?
Elder GenXer here, love you dudes digging Steely. Its the soundrack to my adolescence. Pass it on fellas.
The Eagles gave Steely Dan some respect in “Hotel California” the line “stabbed them with their “steely” knife”
Partly in response to Everything You Did off The Royal Scam album. Henley, Frey and Schmit did backing vocals on FM. So there was,I would think some mutual respect between them.
I’’m sure that’s true but it’s a deep, deep reference . “Steely knives” could easily fit without the “name drop”
I believe they had the same manager.
@@Earthtime3978 I have the Eagles double greatest hits cd’s and it came with a booklet that has personal stories about how they wrote songs, influences, etc..that steely part was in the booklet.
@@Earthtime3978 its a true story though...
"She thinks I'm crazy, but I'm just growin' ooooold!"
Josie from the Aja album won’t get as many requests as it should, but definitely check that one out.
"Only a fool would say that" is my favorite song from Steely Dan, it has an upbeat vibe with some parts that have a darker tone. Also check out jamiroquai.
👍
That's a really good pick, Really underrated song 10/10
The songs with Palmer doing vocals are some of my favorite SD songs: Only a Fool, Dirty Work, and Brooklyn. Not sure why he was only ever on one of their albums, but his voice is beautiful.
"We can't talk, but we can get high together." Yeah, the "fine Columbian" was marijuana back when this song came out.
I totally agree as Columbia was a main source for weed back in the day.
Yup!
Yep, that was top of the line weed, in my youth.
Columbian Gold or Red Bud
Dude. The fine Columbian is absolutely cocaine, not weed. WTF who calls weed Columbian!?
The entire aja album is definitely worth a listen especially the song Josie
The title song is great too.
@@otisdylan9532 aja is my favorite steely dan song, but i think overall the album is 5th best of their catalogue. countdown to ecstasy, gaucho, can't buy a thrill, and the royal scam are better to me.
@@hoopsmccann639 you're high.
@@qballz2833 was i in rudy's? ;-)
Michael McDonald collaborated with Steely Dan several times. Steely Dan were just some "cool cats." Even a devout metal head like myself, really enjoys this band. It's funny what Ryan said about his mother "cleaning house" to this kind of music. That's exactly what I used to do. Clean house listening to Steely Dan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robin Trower, etc. Just easy goin', smooth, relaxing music. It really made you feel good. Great video guys. Thanks!
Michael McDonald was definitely active at the same time (he even sang on some Steely Dan tracks, like "Peg," which you probably already knew), so there was probably the same kind of production style and equipment in the studios they were working in.
He also sang on "I Got the News" on the Aja album (among others), which is a great, funky song to react to. His voice is so distinctive - truly one-of-a-kind!
My 15 yr old about a year ago got into Aretha, and other early soul singers all on his own. He also plays in the Jazz ensemble in school, and generally loves all kinds of music. But that jazz and r&b is in his soul. Brings a smile to me.
One of the best songs of that era. Never has an artist made tequila and grass sound so good.
"Of the many musicians who have passed through Steely Dan's ranks and worked with the late Walter Becker, Michael McDonald is among the most celebrated. He joined the Steely Dan touring group during 1974 on keyboards and both lead and backing vocals, and he recorded on the albums Katy Lied, The Royal Scam, Aja and Gaucho."
Now that I’m 40, I understand this song so much more.
'Home at Last' from the Aja album is just about perfect!
The origin of the Purdie Shuffle. Often imitated, never duplicated
I hope you keep doing more Steely Dan! As much as I love metal/rock, I love this band. The lyrics and instrumentation are incredible
One of the best birthday gifts my wife ever got me were tickets to Steely Dan. That concert was fire!
steely dan musicianship is second to none..thats because they hired literally THE best musicians to play on their records. every song had a different master at an instrument and they let them go and do their thing.
Always want more Steely Dan! Also agree that it seems the younger generations know less of the older music and that seems to be accelerated in recent years. Pretty sure my mom said that when I was a kid though 😂. And if this is dad rock, then I'm a fan! 😆
Mostly likely the last couple generations don't have as much knowledge of older music for a very good reason. When I was a kid there was one stereo(and one TV) in the house, I listened/watched mostly to what my parents did until I was in high school. My 10 year old niece has had her own cell phone and Ipad for years now(and her own TV), add in the internet and she listens to whatever she decides to which unfortunately is mostly pop garbage but she does have a remarkable range of music she likes that she's completely found on her own, like Rob Zombie when she was 5(she went out for Halloween that year as Living Dead Girl) and Tom Waits(kind of blew my mind) a couple years ago.
@Heather Boyer The younger generation knowing less & less of older music would go a long way to explaining why modern "music" sucks so much. The only thing they know, is how to sample (steal) it to use in their _own_ songs.....and I say 'steal" b/c they don't just take riffs from older songs and play it _themselves_ , they literally use the other artists' _recordings_ . An example would be the song "Wild Thing" by, I think it was ?Tone Loc? He took the actual drum roll that begins "Jamie's Crying" by Van Halen. He also uses the unmistakable Eddie Van Halen guitar riff from that song.
I had the fortune to see them live in concert twice in my life and they sound as good live as they do on the albums
8:30 I think you are definitely right that music is not being passed down from parent to kids anymore and it's because each person has their own device now and everybody is listening to their own thing in the house. Or in the back seat of a car: kids aren't listening to the radio station their mom out on, they are watching some disney thing on their ipad with headphones. When we were young, there was one tv or one stereo in the house and whatever your parents put on, you watched/listened. I didn't get my own tv and stereo in my room until my teens.
My parents always played this music on the car radio, and here i am.
As a student who is currently in high school, I will happily spread older music (60s, 70s, 80s, 90s) onto newer generations. This is real music, Steely Dan is elite!
Me: "Ayyy, a new LIV vid up on my Patreon! Let's see what these two youngsters are up to!"
Ryan and George: "I guess we're old."
Me: "....dammit."
Hahahaha I feel old cause I'm 28 and listen to this from my folks growing up. I can only imagine
😂
Aja, FM, and Deacon Blues are my favorite SD tunes.
Babylon Sisters is another fantastic song off of Gaucho, and it is a super R&B inspired Steely Dan song. It's underrated in my opinion, but then again, most of Gaucho is.
My favorite SD song. For the groove alone.
Musically this song has miles and miles of open space in the sound, especially during the solos, and the chord and lead line accents hit JUST right. I love the level of restraint they use with such a thick ensemble. Nothing feels rushed or crammed in there
Perfectly said. Not massage music.
Michael McDonald was a backup singer for Steely before he joined the Doobies. His solo career was stellar also. You can hear him loud and clear on SD’s “ Peg”. They have been sampled many times! I think “ Black Cow” has been sampled.
Y’all should REALLY check out Aja from the Aja album.
Steely Dan is in a league of their own. My dad used to play music in Asbury Park back in the late 70s. His best buddy he grew up with and played in more than a few bands with is Jon Herington who has been playing lead guitar for these guys for more than 20 years now. I've taken advantage of that connection to see Steely Dan live a few times and it was always an awesome experience.
Definitely react to some Jamiroquai, you probably know Virtual Insanity but they have so many bangers. So funky, amazing bass lines
This.
That whole album is fire 🔥
Good catch!!! Michael McDonald definitely has a similar riff sound in the keys. I think the song you're thinking of is "I KEEP FORGETTING"
IMO Steely Dan's smoothest number is "Deacon Blues" That is so smooth as soft sweetcream butter.
As for passing down music: I'm 48. I passed my love of music from generation (and older) to my kids, just as my parents did for me.
True Story - My daughter (now 21) in highschool with her school marching band was riding with a couple bandmembers being driven by car by another girls parents - the dad had my generation of music on in the radio and my daughter knew every song - lyrics, the singer etc, singing along to Journey, Boston, Bob Segar etc. And the two other girls in the back looking at her like she's from a diff planet. while the dad is singing along with her and just loved the experience of my daughter riding with them. He told me later "thank you for teaching her about good music."
Alot of that was from playing Rock Band on PS3, since she was 8, we exposed to a lot of older music cuz we played that ALOT for about 6 years and downloaded every song that came available. It also taught me love for playing drums and I bought a real drum set in 2015 because of it and have fallen in love with playing drums - and pretty good at it now I think.
I wonder if the gap that you talk about for newer generation not know is that music is now digital. I grew up with a lot of vinyl records in the house - I myself have about 400 vinyl records. Seeing those and being exposed to entire albums vs DLC and streaming songs where you have no physical copy to share or loan to others or see - maybe that's a disconnect to the next generation.
One of the rare songs that sounds good loud and down low. Masterpiece.
There was a live collaboration project at NT Beacon Theatre called New York Rock and Soul Review featuring Becker and Fagan, Michael McDonald, Phoebe Snow, Box Scaggs and Lovin Spoonful members.
McDonald did all the vocals for the live Steely Dan songs and its straight up epic.
It bears repeating...ya can't go wrong with the Dan, man. As y'awl said, it can go anywhere. Parties, chill fests, with the kids around, without, it all rides nicely.
Wow I found this song like 4 weeks ago and jammed it for a week straight and now y’all make a reaction to it
Badass lol
FYI: the bitterness of aged-out hipsters is pretty core to Steely Dan's worldview.
Everything “The Dan” did was on a different plane. Their songwriting, lyrics and recording expertise has a complete sophistication all it’s own. Fagan and Becker brought big city sensibilities and a worldly vibe to their music, that kept the listener interested and locked in.
Saw them in concert 4 years ago, they sound just like their recorded music live. I love when bands can do that and don't ad lib and screw up the songs.
"My Old School" y'all will love it!!!
“Fine Columbian” would be referring to marijuana in those days.
Cocaine. Late 70's early 80's? Definitely cocaine. 'Look at all the white men (cocaine dealers) on the street.'
I always thought that it meant pot. Columbian was one of the most commonly referred to kinds of pot in those days.
@@forty6andzwei I took a second to check & he is, indeed, talking about ‘Colombian Gold’ as it used to be known.
Afghan Kush, Thai Stick & Columbian Gold were the major ‘good weeds’ back in the day. It used to to be, you’d pay 5 or 10 bucks & that’d get you a bag of crappy, Mexican brown weed, full of seeds & stems. If you lived in most places, good pot was incredibly tough to come by in the 70’s & early 80’s, Unless you happened to have family in Northern California.
@@goldenageofdinosaurs7192 Don't forget the Hawaiian stuff, "Maui wowie", which would show up from time to time on the west coast.
@@EphemeralTao Did that "Maui Wowie" happen to have a little bit of Labrador in it?
I love ❤️ u two!! So happy you reviewed this group again!
"The Cuervo Gold (Jose Cuervo Tequila); The fine Columbian (weed). One of the best things about Steely Dan is, not only the musicianship, but the lyrics which are totally relatable and intelligent. Thanks for the vid... Keep up the great work you two.
Michael McDonald played keyboard with Steely Dan and also sang background on some of their songs such as "Peg"."Hey 19 "was a favorite at Skating Rinks.
You should definitely do a Steely Dan marathon!!! I recommend Haitian Divorce.
I ALSO recommend the song The River by King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard!! Yes their name is ridiculous, but the music is even MORE ridiculous 🤘
If we’re being fully honest with each other, after the first 5 albums there’s not a whole lot of greatness left.
Haitian Divorce is a very underrated song of theirs.
@@syntheticreality549 I've heard nothing from them I'd call "great"
🤟😎🍻
@@matthewprather189 explain.
We used to do 69’s dances to this beat like the Slide, Hitchhiker, Swim, the Jerk, etc.
“ Take me along when you slide on down”
Guys- you ARE passing down great music by doing your show! 😊
Bodhisattva has some of the best guitar solos of any of their songs. I would love to see what you both think of it.
The song you are singing at the end is "You Belong To Me" by The Doobie Bros. with Micheal MacDonald on Lead Vocals.
First and foremost, Fagen & Becker were master composers and musicians and they used some of the greatest session players of the day. Which is why it sounds so effortless and "smooth".
That first pluck is one of the most classic notes 🎶 in musical history.
Whenever I get music hooked up in my car, this is one of my favorite test songs.
I can listen to this everyday. And I'm a black dude in my 50's.
It sounds like George is singing, "You Belong to Me" at the end which The Doobie Brothers DID do a cover of. So maybe that's the McDonald vibes you're thinking of?
Michael McDonald song is You Belong to Me, also recorded by Carly Simon.
Their song Aja has very impressive sax and drumming. And you're even gonna hear what I think of as horse hooves at a dude ranch.
Love it, you guys didn't know so many if my favorite 70s bands and now are reacting to them!
This was the roller skating jam in the late 70's. It's just so cool and mellow to listen to. This is the audiophiles best band.
We used to clean on Sunday morning and my mom would listen to Motown and the Beatles, she would always make a scrumptious breakfast and the house would smell of bacon and bleach. Lol
My Old School should be the next Steely Dan
Michael McDonald was on some Steely Dan songs and was in The Doobie Brothers. Basically, his voice was everywhere in the 70s/80s because it's so unique.
"some fine Columbian" is WEED, my sweet summer children!
This is the first song ever to use a programmable sample-based drum machine. SD's engineer Roger Nichols designed and built it; they called it Wendel. Wendel's listed in the credits.
George, you just hummed "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth Wind and Fire 😁
Yes! I was going crazy trying to think which song could it be, because it sounded so obvious but for the life of me I couldn't find the Michael Macdonald song hahaha
That's what I thought too.
you belong to me from michael mcdonald
@@marcreed4031 That's what I was thinking. I was singing the Carly Simon version in my head, but figured that wasn't it, LOL. Forgot it was an MM song.
Thanks, I knew he was humming an EW&F song but couldn't think of which one
This is been playlist for 30 plus years, I'll never not listen to this.
Gaucho is definitely their jazziest album.
I would argue Everything Must Go is their jazziest!
Hey guys
So incredible to see you react and appreciate the music I grew up with. You and so many other reactors bring so much joy to our generation! The 70’s brought some of the best music ever.
Next: My Old School. Then: Don't Take Me Alive. And: Pretzel Logic
Dudes, the "fine Colombian" is weed. That was the best-known stuff of that era. The older guy and the younger girl finally found common ground, and made the night a wonderful thing!
I remember 'fine Columbian' back in 1971 - my first one-hitter quitter/one-poke pot, yes a wonderful night
Love the Dan, you guys should delve deeper into these guys. The Caves of Altamira, Your Gold Teeth, Aja, Doctor Wu, or Babylon Sisters would all be good but get the feeling you guys would like the groove on Babylon Sisters, the drumming is choice. Another suggestion, Vulcan Worlds by Return to Forever, would like to see what you guys think about some of the 70's jazz fusion.
Earth Juice!
I grew up with my dad playing their albums on the way to school, truly classic music, haven’t heard another band that sounds like them
When I was 29 I was dating a 19 year old and other than the sex we had almost nothing in common. This song hits the nail on the head.
Oh, jeez. I had the same distance in age at the very same ages in a relationship. Nada in common, but she helped me write a song "April Showers" that spoke the sad truth.
You guys cracked me on on the Peg reaction video. I LOVE Steely Dan!!! I was supposed to go see them so many times when I lived in NYC, but alas, the opportunity never came. It is so nice seeing younger people loving the best music from the 70s and 80s, nothing else like it, except the 60s and 40s swing music.
"Kickin back with a Hawaiian shirt on..." - It's called Yacht Rock, and it's smoooooooth!
Great video guys. Really enjoy your insights when trying to figure out some of these songs. And, the fact that you genuinely enjoy some of these songs is really gratifying to us older rockers.
Do Decon Blues from their masterpiece Album Aja!
I crawl like a Viper
Through these suburban streets
Make Love to these women
Languid and bittersweet
The best lyrics from one of the best Steely Dan songs are in Deacon Blues
@@ronparsons8786 Woa! A fellow Dan Fan!
@@ronparsons8786 nah best lyric of Deacon blues is "I cried while writing this song, excuse me if I play it too long" whole song is amazing though.
This was one of the first records I bought when I was a little girl this was the jam ❤
Michael McDonald "What a Fool Believes" is the song you are looking for. Very similar groove and vibe. He was with the Doobie Brothers at the time.
i may be wrong but it sounds more like he is humming "you belong to me" from michael mcdonald
Yessssss
It's "You Belong to Me".... knew it the second they hummed it. Melody and cadence for "What a Fool Believes" is very different. But still a killer song in its own right!
You gents are spot-on with your approval of Steely Dan. Those chaps are simply brill! Nineteen is a superb statement, as I was supremely clueless at nineteen. Well, after writing that, I realise, I was not as thick as the girl in the song. For, as wee lad in Swansea, Wales, I was in love with everything Stevie Wonder was teaching/introducing me to. This vid reminds me to ask you lot to do reviews of Stevie, like TOO HIGH, etc. Also, more funk and R&B reviews. In fact, I also adore EWF. Lastly, many thanks for what you do. Keep it up. Cheers!
Since Ryan’s a fan of great guitar work, you should listen to ‘Reelin in the years’... some of the tightest guitar you’ll ever hear!
Great reaction, that smile around 4:00 to 4:20 made me crack-up. Never heard this one before, great song holy hell.
! Production-wise - you guys do it great with nice, clean, well-balanced audio. Too many reaction channels don't get that its a deal-breaker if you can't hear the song properly.
I always thought the "fine Columbian" was some primo weed.
It is.
"Babylon Sisters" is low-key my favorite Dan song. And I'm a huge fan. You need to spot it.
I'm 5 years old standing in the back seat of my dads Firebird.... :)
We didn't need no stinkin' car seats... 😄
@@pandorafox3944 lol
Song you're thinking about and melody you're looking for is Michael McDonald "You Belong to Me". Otherwise, Steely is so damn diverse you just can't pigeon hole their sound. Great reaction though guys!
Good call on the MM song. That was driving me crazy.
Some categorize this as “Yacht Rock” or “No Shoes Radio”. It’s just ease on the beach kind vibe.
Or Jesus sandals 😂
There is NOT one bad Steely Dan song.... I love this one! It describes my stage of life now. Kids today just don't know GREAT music! xoxo