The "Steely Dan - Aja (Classic Albums documentary) - UA-cam" is one of the best I've seen. They have Becker and Fagen in the studio talking about specific songs, soloing tracks on the original multitrack tape, and interviewing musicians such as Bernard Purdie and Larry Carlton about the recording process. Regarding this song, Michael McDonald talks about recording the chorus harmonies, and they go into the fact that they had 8 guitarists try recording the solo before they were satisfied, etc.
That documentary is excellent! So interesting to learn about the making of one of the best albums ever made!!!! The "Aja" album ties with Yes' "Close to the Edge" for first place on my list of favorite albums.
@@MissAstorDancer If you like this documentary and also Yes, you would like how Rick Beato deconstructs "Roundabout" : ua-cam.com/video/SFisOTDzGuE/v-deo.html
What a song. What an album! Pretty much perfect. I think my big takeaway from anything Steely Dan does, is they make what is undoubtedly complex and highly technical music sound incredibly easy and almost spontaneous. There are times I swear they're jamming, yet I know they're not. Looking forward to your reactions for the remainder of this album. The quality continues.
Aja is the pinnacle of the Steely Dan Catolog. Every song is a phenomenal song! The perfect mix of Jazz, R&B and Rock. Production values are exemplary and flawless musicianship!!
I ran an after school care/youth club back in the 80s and 90s, We built our own discotheque, and it turned out that this song was ideal for setting up the analogue filters for the light show mixer. Perfect frequency for the bass, mid range and treble... Oh how I loved the whole album. The DJ station was in the corner of a huge room,and we built it up like a quarter circle - only 16 edge, if you can imagine. Three steps up to the station (two turntables, audio mixer, light show mixer, control board for special effects, including some of the first affordable laser effects), with each step assigned to a frequency, first step bass, then mid, then treble...the mixer allowed for alternative runs/patterns, but when we set up the range... Peg was on...
Great brakdown...I've listened to this track so many times in the last 40 odd years and for some bizarre reason I have never heard the bass so well. If nothing else I got something new out of this so thank you for that. I feel that the production is so good because it is the vision of the two guys, Donald and Walter and it never changed.
Nice review JP. I wanna point out a musical nuance in this song, may be interesting, may be not: after the descending intro the Cmaj7 to Gadd9 the first time is an inversion with a B on top. After that it’s a G. Gives that start just the slightest bit of tension. They repeat this when they do the intro after the F#maj7 turnaround before the guitar solo. Pure genius. These guys were master composers, masters of tension and release.
This song was popular on the radio. Also this song is a good morning song. Imagine waking up it, cheerful and happy best describes the song. Instrumentation is crazy good and loved the groove. Nice choice and reaction.
Watch the Classic Albums documentary on the Aja album (it is on UA-cam) as there are a ton of stories especially about this tracks component parts: - Rick Marotta’s drum part and all the nuances that you wasn’t usually heard on records. - Michael McDonald’s backing vocals - Chuck Rainey’s bass part and how he sneaked in some slapping - Jay Graydon’s guitar solo. And they are also letting you hear the solos that didn’t make the cut.
Another classic from a perfect album. Every song is killer. Every instrument is killer. Chuck Rainey, Rick Marotta, M. McDonald, etc. No one can touch their production. I think you reviewed the song Aja with MP a while back but am hoping you’ll listen again as part of the whole album experience. God I love them. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Bought Aja the day it got released ( yeah , I'm probably a little older than you ) . Not surprising - it's still working its magic too - never stopped . Yep , its that good , timeless .
@@jerrypetrillo2903 Lol, oh we're probably close in age, it's just I was late getting into the Steely Dan sound. Jazz and jazz-like sounds took some getting used to for me. Actually bought it for Deacon Blues and knew a few others; still remember my first listen... candlelight, wine, lava lamp, belly full of a good steak meal...well, you know😀 There are many bands or albums I've been slow in getting for some reason or other and it's always a cool experience to be able to discover them in a private way. My favorite is hearing familiar songs in context with all the other songs around it that never get radio play. Aja is my only Steely Dan and it's so perfect I don't know where to go from there with them but finally feel ready to. Any suggestions?
A shout out to Chuck Rainey on the bass. He's one of my faves. He plays bass on an iconic American TV theme song that I’ve heard you mention on your channel. The real name of the song is “The Streetbeater” by Quincy Jones. For some really mellow funk on the same album (You've Got it Bad Girl by Quincy Jones), check out Summer in the City.
I’ve got to play Aja at work today. Desert island stuff here. Love this album so much. It is perfect, it is, it just is. Great choice, made my morning. Tax day stress, gone. Thx. Only one thing could make it better Shhhh... don’t say it. Peace and SD Music
Steely Dan was my hang over music on hard Sunday mornings wayyyyy back in College. Lay back on the couch, green Chili breakfast burrito in hand and Dan playing extra softly as to not wake the boogie man in my head. Oh, those good ole days..... I think. Still think we need to crank it up a bit around here from time to time. My God was your best reaction video by the way that I have watched of yours. Sorry, had to be said. Back to the Dan....
Justin, wait till you get around to the early Steely Dan. When I first heard CAN'T BUY A THRILL sometime in '72 or '73 I felt the same way about those 10 songs then, as you do now about AJA. COUNTDOWN TO ECSTASY came out and another 8 gems. First 6 albums all perfection. The melodies stay with you and they pop into your head and make you feel good. The harmonies and vocals are so calming and familiar that even if you've never heard them before, it seems you know them. Then there's the comfort factor, this music is like when you wear an old pair of slippers or frayed flannel shirt, it just feels good. All 7 songs on AJA are excellent but HOME AT LAST is my favorite because it is so comfortable and relaxing. I also think that this song got played less on the radio back in '77-'78 and thru the years than the others, so it didn't get worn out like the rest. I'll be looking forward to your take on it.
Was 17 when this came out, had been playing bass for about 2 years. Think my brother and I nearly wore it out we played it so much. It still sets the bar for production quality 43 years later, multiple vocal layers along with all the instruments and it never seems too busy. Then you have Steve Gadd's work on the title track ( which he wrapped in 2 TAKES!) that is astounding. One of my top 2 albums of all time! 😎
If your interested, you should also check out the classic albums doc on the making of this album. Fagen and Becker are hilarious as they discuss each song and it’s parts!
Aja is a definite desert island record. In the studio they used Bernard Perdy on drums and Larry Carlton on lead guitar. Also ,as you mentioned, Micheal Macdonald on backing vocals. I agree with you there isn’t a bad song on the album.
The Royal Scam is as good as or better than AJA, not as jazzy. This album is darker, more hard rock. Larry Carlton plays two of the best guitar solos of all time on KID CHARLEMAGNE and DON'T TAKE ME ALIVE. For years I thought AJA was my favorite SD album but one day I realized I was wrong. CAVES OF ALTAMIRA and title cut are sooo good.
While Steely Dan began as a band, it ended up as a construct, formed by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. They wrote the songs, and brought them to life using their favorite musicians in the studio. You can't go wrong listening to Steely Dan.
An interesting detail of "Peg" is the rhythm guitar in the left speaker making a screeching sound. For a long time, I thought there was something wrong with my vinyl record.
@@MissAstorDancer It's right at the refrain "Peg", with Michael McDonald joining in, at 2:10, and 3:40, 4:00, etc. It's a sound very similar to when the pads to my car's disc brakes are badly worn.
In a lot of ways, Aja is the most perfectly constructed of all Steely Dan's albums. I still enjoy listening to Can't Buy a Thrill more - I think the sheer surprise of that album bursting onto the music scene still blows me away as a memory. But all of Aja is just immaculate from beginning to end.
Steely Dan is the distillation of the American Music tradition-blues, funk, jazz, soul, musical theatre, pop and the college tradition of instrumental mastery in music of black origin. It’s almost impossible to imagine a British band ever gestating a sound like this.
Spot on, who else could fit all those instruments into one song without it sounding cluttered? Only these guys. Donald Fagen said the story "takes place at a seedy photo shoot in L.A...from the perspective of [a] jilted boyfriend." (From Wikipedia) Here's a link to the players, Fagen and Becker telling how the song was made, it's not long: ua-cam.com/video/waIBA6_0GQc/v-deo.html
Dutifully listening to Black Cow I see, Justin. Ha ha. Yeah, it has those multiple listen attractions. I went to Osaka to see SD in 2000. I bought an SD sheet music book (for piano) at the concert. Great transcriptions - never seen anything like it in the west. Peg is one of the best songs to play. Really helps me to understand the song better. Peg is a song that for some reason a lot of UA-cam reactors ...uh, react to. Man, there is so much great SD music and DF music and WB music to get to. Try the three tracks recorded with a full band from Walter Becker’s 11 Tracks of Wack (1994) - Surf and/or Die, Lucky Henry and Har Too Flat. If you want to know what Walter brought, those tracks (that whole album) tell you plenty.
its a infectious song this has been on classic rock radio since it was new , it still kinda always grabs your ear even when you are getting bored of the station , it's always a shock when you put" (first listen)" but then makes me wanna ask who do you introduce these songs too after hearing them the first time?? :)
Great stuff once again Justin, I’ve got one you might like, band called Blood Ceremony from Toronto, Canada. A band that is a throwback to the 70’s from the 2000’s. Great organ player, great guitar, lots of changes, flute solos, you name it. I recommend a song called Witchwood. Cheers!
curious to know what you think of the title track since it's been a while since you have done it. Wondering if your opinion changed. That drum solo is one of the greatest of all time
@@sgtBelson Love your photo, Larry !! I went to 2nd & South St. in Philly, Larry's birthplace. At the time, the row home he was born in was long gone, but had a meal at Jon's, the restaurant that replaced the row homes. And on their menu cover ? A very prominently placed photo of one Mr. Larry Fine, ol' Porcupine himself. Btw, this was before a Project/Object show (Zappa tribute band), and I met Napoleon Murphy Brock & Ike Willis before their show. I help them load their gear into the TLA concert venue out of a van they were travelling in. Ike was indifferent, but Napoleon was cool as hell. So cool, in fact, we invited him to dinner at Jon's before the show. He politely refused, citing that eating before a gig hurts his ability to regulate his breathing & do a good gig.... Later, Sarge.😎
It was a video on UA-cam with Donald Fagen and Walter Becker talking about recording this song and they apologized to Michael McDonald because that is him singularly doing the three part harmony.
The T-shirt is a 10! Love that... and Peg is just one more ‘can’t miss’ song from the one, the only... Steely Dan. They just deliver the goods so consistently. Agree?
If I could meet Don Fagen, my first question to him would be about the background of this song. All art is subjective in the eyes or ears of the viewer or the listener, and in my mind, this has always been connected to the story of Peg Entwistle... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peg_Entwistle
Song lyrics reminds me of the paparazzi at the Cannes Film Festival. Donald probably hittin’ on all the starlets. Michael McDonald as his wing man. I too love del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth. However, that little fairy bug gives me the creeps. Trivia question, what does the little girl put under her mother’s bed? Ps, my favorite foreign film is Leon, the Professional by Luc Besson. I know, it’s in English but it’s still A French movie. See Sting’s Shape of My Heart for a little mini movie of the Professional...great song, great movie ua-cam.com/video/QK-Z1K67uaA/v-deo.html Pps, Waiter, there’s a fly in my song.😜
Favorite foreign movie? ....''City of Lost Children'' (French) I managed to see Steely Dan twice outdoors at a vineyard here in Australia....such a fantastic live act and an amazing bookend to my love of them since I bought 'Can't buy a thrill'' back in 1972. signed: the dolphins in the second row.
At the beginning of the tune rhythm guitarist and studio genius Steve Khan slides his pick up and down the strings . He does this on his classic Jazz/ Rock album The Blue Man on a tune called Some Down Time. featuring the Breckers, Steve Gadd, Will Lee check it out for your own reference ! Steve Play all over S Dans Groucho! BTWAs usual most comprehensive review ever you make other reviews so shallow and simple Check out rick beato’s “ why is this song great” for Kid Charlemaign” sic
I saw an interview with Jay Graydon where he showed how he played the solo. Strictly string bends and double stops, no slide. Such a fantastic sound! Almost Hawaiian, I always thought
This was a hit single when the album was released though I love the whole album. I really like the title track, which takes one in different directions!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻❤️☮️
I think this is another Steely Dan song with "Michael McDonald singing in the background near the end of the song. McDonald was the featured vocalist in another Steely Dan song, but can't remember at the moment.
"Peg" is probably the most "poppy" (and as I say that, all I can hear is the "I'm Poppy" video playing in my head) of Steely Dan tunes (to me). And yes, you're seeing, again, what I love about SD--fun, catchy, but also so pleasant and impressive to listen to. As to "who is Peg" there's all kinds of speculation, and several claims going around, but no hard data. Some speculate Peg Entwistle (the famous "jumped off the Hollywoodland sign in 1932). Some say Fagen has said specifically it's not her, but there's no reference, so THAT could be just a claim, too. It's also widely speculated "it will come back to you" is referencing a "blue foreign movie" aka porn. Honestly, to me, it's one of those songs I wish Fagen would just come out and tell us about. This is actually one SD song, however, that gets skipped when it comes on, but mainly because I played it so much when I was in my tweens and teens it got stale (I'm talking I played the thing on repeat for hours). As everyone else has said, watch the documentary on this album. It's so very well worth it. Hope you're doing well, Justin!
Donald Fagen told everything there is to know about Peg back in April in a WSJ article. Here is the link. www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/peg-it-will-come-back-to-you-steely-dans-donald-fagen-on-the-1977-hit-11586272100
Justin, I don't think it's possible to find a bad Steely Dan Song The album title track 'Aja' is incredible - the Drums from Steve Gadd and sax solo from Wayne Shorter are sublime. I've been loving your reviews and it's made me appreciate things I hadn't heard in nearly 40 years - Supertramp being a good case. I grew up in England in the 60's and 70's, but have been in Australia for nearly 40 years - that makes me very old, but I've heard a lot of music in that time. I started off being into heavy rock when I was about 13, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, then prog, Genesis, Yes, Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant and saw all those bands live. Started studying music seriously and didn't listen to much apart from classical and jazz, and dismissed a lot of things I'd previously liked. It took me many years to realise that I was wrong to dismiss that music and wake up to the fact I'd been an idiot. 🤣 Here's some suggestions for reviews, based on a few bands you've already touched on. Donald Fagen - IGY (The Nightfly), Weather Report - Birdland (Heavy Weather), Camel - Supertwister (Mirage) - if you thought Jethro Tull was all about the flute, listen to this one! Gentle Giant - On Reflection (Free Hand). I haven't seen anyone suggest the band Caravan, very English a mixture of prog and jazz, plenty of keyboards, sax, flute and the Viola as a lead instrument. They formed out of the beginnings of Soft Machine and shared band members with Camel.
@@JustJP Kudos to you for replying so quickly, Ty. I did a search and found your reviews of Winter Wine and In the Land of Grey and Pink, both from the album of that name from 1971. They are both pleasant enough short songs, but Caravan really hit their mark on longer song suites such as "For Richard" (If I could do it all over again - 1970, 14 Minutes), "Nine Feet Underground" (Land Of the Grey and Pink, 22 Minutes), "The love in your eye" (Waterloo Lily, 1972. 12 Minutes). 'The Dabsong Conshirtoe' (Cunning Stunts , 1975, 18 minutes) and my personal favourite - 'Auberge Du Sanglier / A Hunting We Shall Go' (For Girls who grow plump in the night, 1973, 10 Minutes). I hold these with the same respect that others do (and I do) for Close to the Edge, Thick as a Brick or Supper's Ready, and I've seen all of those songs live when they first came out. The album 'For Girls who grow plump in the night 'also has a song called 'C'Thlu Thlu' which has a riff that a band such as Zeppelin or Sabbath would die for, Caravan leave it and move on to something else, just when you have it figured out as a heavy song, no it isn't!
Its an impeccable album -I reserve that designation very carefully . Yes , a 'desert island' recording for me and probably many others . Heard it sooooo much , Peg is probably my least favorite track on the album at this point ( no knock on it at all , but one track has to end up at the bottom and it is simply because I kinda burned out on it - lol ) Couple suggestions AFTER listening to Aja in its entirety : think you'll also enjoy Babylon Sisters and Glamour Profession . Also King of the World : been suggesting this one for a while - fantastic groove , will hook you in the first couple seconds ( Dont Take Me Alive does that as well from the opening guitar solo ) . King of the World is about living in a post nuclear apocalyptic America - have the lyrics handy . Its an underrated gem of a song If that post apocalyptic theme piques your interest - do not overlook ' Wooden Ships ' - I prefer the Crosby Stills and Nash version but Jefferson Airplane version is also quite something ( members of both bands actually wrote the song ) Enjoy
Just another reminder, XTC- THE WHEEL AND THE MAYPOLE. I know you asked for better XTC, well this is some of the best. It's their swansong. The ending is near perfection with the vocals, I dont want to give it away, but I promise greatness. To me this is a masterpiece of music, as a musician, songwriter and a lover of music my whole life. This is one of my favorite songs RIGhT now.
Nice song. Not the kind I would go to, but a great and perfect song. Favorite movie ? I think I didn't catch everything you said there. And the title of the movie and the genre of movie. I didn't understand, could you write that down ? One of my favorite movies is PeeWee Herman's big adventure…
Listen to R.Grey! PLEASE! watch the Classic Albums dvd documentary on Aja. It's eye opening and hilarious. Life is short. Do it right. And don't forget "FM". Maybe after you've finished Aja. Starship Troopers by Yes one of these days maybe? It will have lost some of it's luster because you have reacted to so many Yes songs now but it still should be enjoyable. BTW, the last part of it is called Wurm but it should have been called Anticipation because you know it's coming! You just know It!
Although it does sound like it, Jay is using only string bends and double stops, as he demonstrates in this video ua-cam.com/video/Ghp88V3Qm8w/v-deo.html
I guess British, Canadian, and Australian, films don't count. The only ones that come to me straight away are "Europa, Europa" (German) and "Raise the Red Lantern" (Chinese).
The "Steely Dan - Aja (Classic Albums documentary) - UA-cam" is one of the best I've seen. They have Becker and Fagen in the studio talking about specific songs, soloing tracks on the original multitrack tape, and interviewing musicians such as Bernard Purdie and Larry Carlton about the recording process. Regarding this song, Michael McDonald talks about recording the chorus harmonies, and they go into the fact that they had 8 guitarists try recording the solo before they were satisfied, etc.
That documentary is excellent! So interesting to learn about the making of one of the best albums ever made!!!! The "Aja" album ties with Yes' "Close to the Edge" for first place on my list of favorite albums.
TRULY awesome documentary... hearing the Michael McDonald backup isolated was magnificent (just to add to the things you guys have already said).
I was going to mention that documentary too. It's fantastic!
@@MissAstorDancer If you like this documentary and also Yes, you would like how Rick Beato deconstructs "Roundabout" :
ua-cam.com/video/SFisOTDzGuE/v-deo.html
If there was only one bands music I could take on a desert island with me, it would have to be Steely Dan.
chris barlow , absolutely. To me also Jethro Tull
Hmm, Queen?
Chuck Rainey’s bass line is killer.
Mark Milner CR is fantastic!
"Hey Nineteen" - The Cuervo Gold, The fine Columbian...………………...
What a song. What an album! Pretty much perfect. I think my big takeaway from anything Steely Dan does, is they make what is undoubtedly complex and highly technical music sound incredibly easy and almost spontaneous. There are times I swear they're jamming, yet I know they're not. Looking forward to your reactions for the remainder of this album. The quality continues.
This song has my favorite background vocals of all time. Michael McDonald is awesome!
Michael McDonald himself said that was one of the most bizarre session he's ever done... I just love this track!
Aja is the pinnacle of the Steely Dan Catolog. Every song is a phenomenal song! The perfect mix of Jazz, R&B and Rock. Production values are exemplary and flawless musicianship!!
I ran an after school care/youth club back in the 80s and 90s, We built our own discotheque, and it turned out that this song was ideal for setting up the analogue filters for the light show mixer. Perfect frequency for the bass, mid range and treble... Oh how I loved the whole album.
The DJ station was in the corner of a huge room,and we built it up like a quarter circle - only 16 edge, if you can imagine. Three steps up to the station (two turntables, audio mixer, light show mixer, control board for special effects, including some of the first affordable laser effects), with each step assigned to a frequency, first step bass, then mid, then treble...the mixer allowed for alternative runs/patterns, but when we set up the range... Peg was on...
Next song off the album should be Home at Last. You will hear the famous Purdie shuffle in full effect.
Great brakdown...I've listened to this track so many times in the last 40 odd years and for some bizarre reason I have never heard the bass so well. If nothing else I got something new out of this so thank you for that. I feel that the production is so good because it is the vision of the two guys, Donald and Walter and it never changed.
Nice review JP. I wanna point out a musical nuance in this song, may be interesting, may be not: after the descending intro the Cmaj7 to Gadd9 the first time is an inversion with a B on top. After that it’s a G. Gives that start just the slightest bit of tension. They repeat this when they do the intro after the F#maj7 turnaround before the guitar solo. Pure genius. These guys were master composers, masters of tension and release.
This song was popular on the radio. Also this song is a good morning song. Imagine waking up it, cheerful and happy best describes the song. Instrumentation is crazy good and loved the groove. Nice choice and reaction.
All of Steely Dan repertoire is Great. Thanks for the reaction and please continue doing Steely Dan reactions ☝️
Happy to!
Watch the Classic Albums documentary on the Aja album (it is on UA-cam) as there are a ton of stories especially about this tracks component parts:
- Rick Marotta’s drum part and all the nuances that you wasn’t usually heard on records.
- Michael McDonald’s backing vocals
- Chuck Rainey’s bass part and how he sneaked in some slapping
- Jay Graydon’s guitar solo. And they are also letting you hear the solos that didn’t make the cut.
My favorite Steely Dan album...the one I’m listening to.
The Royal Scam album is my Fav and Aja a close second
As I've said before (and for the last 40+ years) The Royal Scam may be the most under-rated album of all time.
Notice: No flying insects were harmed during the production of this video. ;-]
But after is a different story😄
Hi JP. Glad you've found Steely Dan's groove. Joyous music.
this song has 6 really tasty chords to start off with on piano , pretty fun song to olay
Favorite foreign movie...Wings of Desire directed by Wim Wenders.
That groove ... that guitar solo... those layered McDonald vocals... those keys... bliss! 💯🎶
Aja is the album all others are measured against.
OK....so that whole " AHHHHH!!!....Its in my face!!! fly routine HAS to be cropped for a future video intro!...lol
😅
Another classic from a perfect album. Every song is killer. Every instrument is killer. Chuck Rainey, Rick Marotta, M. McDonald, etc. No one can touch their production. I think you reviewed the song Aja with MP a while back but am hoping you’ll listen again as part of the whole album experience. God I love them. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Chuck Rainey is one of the best bass players out there. Very under rated
Steely Dan is so much fun. And at the same time brilliant musicianship.
Bought Aja about 20 years ago and fell under it's spell immediately. It's still working it's magic
Bought Aja the day it got released ( yeah , I'm probably a little older than you ) . Not surprising - it's still working its magic too - never stopped . Yep , its that good , timeless .
@@jerrypetrillo2903 Lol, oh we're probably close in age, it's just I was late getting into the Steely Dan sound. Jazz and jazz-like sounds took some getting used to for me. Actually bought it for Deacon Blues and knew a few others; still remember my first listen... candlelight, wine, lava lamp, belly full of a good steak meal...well, you know😀
There are many bands or albums I've been slow in getting for some reason or other and it's always a cool experience to be able to discover them in a private way. My favorite is hearing familiar songs in context with all the other songs around it that never get radio play.
Aja is my only Steely Dan and it's so perfect I don't know where to go from there with them but finally feel ready to. Any suggestions?
A shout out to Chuck Rainey on the bass. He's one of my faves. He plays bass on an iconic American TV theme song that I’ve heard you mention on your channel. The real name of the song is “The Streetbeater” by Quincy Jones. For some really mellow funk on the same album (You've Got it Bad Girl by Quincy Jones), check out Summer in the City.
I’ve got to play Aja at work today. Desert island stuff here. Love this album so much. It is perfect, it is, it just is. Great choice, made my morning. Tax day stress, gone. Thx. Only one thing could make it better Shhhh... don’t say it.
Peace and SD Music
Yep! I understand!!! On all counts!!
I'm glad David, hope you have a great day.
Shakti and peace!🤭
JustJP
Crossed 🤞
Great reaction.. "smile for the camera" and "drink your big black cow"😋
Steely Dan was my hang over music on hard Sunday mornings wayyyyy back in College. Lay back on the couch, green Chili breakfast burrito in hand and Dan playing extra softly as to not wake the boogie man in my head. Oh, those good ole days..... I think. Still think we need to crank it up a bit around here from time to time. My God was your best reaction video by the way that I have watched of yours. Sorry, had to be said. Back to the Dan....
A green chili burrito sounds pretty good🌯 and ty Michael🙃
Justin, wait till you get around to the early Steely Dan. When I first heard CAN'T BUY A THRILL sometime in '72 or '73 I felt the same way about those 10 songs then, as you do now about AJA. COUNTDOWN TO ECSTASY came out and another 8 gems. First 6 albums all perfection. The melodies stay with you and they pop into your head and make you feel good. The harmonies and vocals are so calming and familiar that even if you've never heard them before, it seems you know them. Then there's the comfort factor, this music is like when you wear an old pair of slippers or frayed flannel shirt, it just feels good. All 7 songs on AJA are excellent but HOME AT LAST is my favorite because it is so comfortable and relaxing. I also think that this song got played less on the radio back in '77-'78 and thru the years than the others, so it didn't get worn out like the rest. I'll be looking forward to your take on it.
I love the barely audible muted guitar that plays throughout the song. It drives the song in such a sneaky way and I think it's often missed.
Was 17 when this came out, had been playing bass for about 2 years. Think my brother and I nearly wore it out we played it so much. It still sets the bar for production quality 43 years later, multiple vocal layers along with all the instruments and it never seems too busy. Then you have Steve Gadd's work on the title track ( which he wrapped in 2 TAKES!) that is astounding. One of my top 2 albums of all time! 😎
If your interested, you should also check out the classic albums doc on the making of this album. Fagen and Becker are hilarious as they discuss each song and it’s parts!
Aja is a definite desert island record. In the studio they used Bernard Perdy on drums and Larry Carlton on lead guitar. Also ,as you mentioned, Micheal Macdonald on backing vocals. I agree with you there isn’t a bad song on the album.
Always such a clean sound.
Don’t take me alive or caves of Altamira will get you
The Royal Scam is as good as or better than AJA, not as jazzy. This album is darker, more hard rock. Larry Carlton plays two of the best guitar solos of all time on KID CHARLEMAGNE and DON'T TAKE ME ALIVE. For years I thought AJA was my favorite SD album but one day I realized I was wrong. CAVES OF ALTAMIRA and title cut are sooo good.
Justin, didn't know you already did KID CHARLEMAGNE so I'm going back to watch it .
Contain a sample used by DeLaSoul in "Eye Know"
While Steely Dan began as a band, it ended up as a construct, formed by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. They wrote the songs, and brought them to life using their favorite musicians in the studio. You can't go wrong listening to Steely Dan.
An interesting detail of "Peg" is the rhythm guitar in the left speaker making a screeching sound. For a long time, I thought there was something wrong with my vinyl record.
Time Stamp on that, so I can check it out, please!!!
@@MissAstorDancer It's right at the refrain "Peg", with Michael McDonald joining in, at 2:10, and 3:40, 4:00, etc. It's a sound very similar to when the pads to my car's disc brakes are badly worn.
STEELY DAN, "PEG". OFF OF "AJA". ONE OF THOSE ALBUMS THAT IS FULL OF HITS.... LIKE MOST OF THEIR ALBUMS...GROOVY REACTION JUSTIN...😏✌
That bass part is seriously funky; Chuck Rainey killed it on this song. That slapping during the chorus is spot on
In a lot of ways, Aja is the most perfectly constructed of all Steely Dan's albums. I still enjoy listening to Can't Buy a Thrill more - I think the sheer surprise of that album bursting onto the music scene still blows me away as a memory. But all of Aja is just immaculate from beginning to end.
Great review. Well paced, thought out and attentive to the subtleties. Thank you.
Absolutely! Ty so much Prince
Steely Dan is the distillation of the American Music tradition-blues, funk, jazz, soul, musical theatre, pop and the college tradition of instrumental mastery in music of black origin. It’s almost impossible to imagine a British band ever gestating a sound like this.
Spot on, who else could fit all those instruments into one song without it sounding cluttered? Only these guys. Donald Fagen said the story "takes place at a seedy photo shoot in L.A...from the perspective of [a] jilted boyfriend." (From Wikipedia)
Here's a link to the players, Fagen and Becker telling how the song was made, it's not long:
ua-cam.com/video/waIBA6_0GQc/v-deo.html
Gentle Giant. Okay they sounded cluttered at times.
Everything about Steely Dan is quality, live was just as good. Love this, great reaction too!
Dutifully listening to Black Cow I see, Justin. Ha ha. Yeah, it has those multiple listen attractions.
I went to Osaka to see SD in 2000. I bought an SD sheet music book (for piano) at the concert. Great transcriptions - never seen anything like it in the west. Peg is one of the best songs to play. Really helps me to understand the song better.
Peg is a song that for some reason a lot of UA-cam reactors ...uh, react to. Man, there is so much great SD music and DF music and WB music to get to.
Try the three tracks recorded with a full band from Walter Becker’s 11 Tracks of Wack (1994) - Surf and/or Die, Lucky Henry and Har Too Flat. If you want to know what Walter brought, those tracks (that whole album) tell you plenty.
its a infectious song
this has been on classic rock radio since it was new , it still kinda always grabs your ear even when you are getting bored of the station , it's always a shock when you put" (first listen)" but then makes me wanna ask who do you introduce these songs too after hearing them the first time?? :)
Great stuff once again Justin, I’ve got one you might like, band called Blood Ceremony from Toronto, Canada. A band that is a throwback to the 70’s from the 2000’s. Great organ player, great guitar, lots of changes, flute solos, you name it.
I recommend a song called Witchwood.
Cheers!
I love this song and Donald Fagens voice!
Love your reaction vids! Best in the biz
Thank you Seth!
curious to know what you think of the title track since it's been a while since you have done it. Wondering if your opinion changed. That drum solo is one of the greatest of all time
Agree! I wish he would do a "second listen"!!!!!
Michael McDonald's backup vocals ? Love it, there's several singing there, but he does stand out !!
If I'm remembering correctly, that's all McDonald multitracked in close harmony.
It is all McDonald doing those very tight backing vocals.
@@ChrisEchoes Multi tracking ? Makes sense, ty !!
It might be on the Aja ‘Classic Albums’ making-of video, but there’s an isolated McDonald vocal track out there, and it’s pretty cool.
@@sgtBelson
Love your photo, Larry !! I went to 2nd & South St. in Philly, Larry's birthplace. At the time, the row home he was born in was long gone, but had a meal at Jon's, the restaurant that replaced the row homes. And on their menu cover ? A very prominently placed photo of one Mr. Larry Fine, ol' Porcupine himself. Btw, this was before a Project/Object show (Zappa tribute band), and I met Napoleon Murphy Brock & Ike Willis before their show. I help them load their gear into the TLA concert venue out of a van they were travelling in. Ike was indifferent, but Napoleon was cool as hell. So cool, in fact, we invited him to dinner at Jon's before the show. He politely refused, citing that eating before a gig hurts his ability to regulate his breathing & do a good gig....
Later, Sarge.😎
It was a video on UA-cam with Donald Fagen and Walter Becker talking about recording this song and they apologized to Michael McDonald because that is him singularly doing the three part harmony.
The T-shirt is a 10! Love that... and Peg is just one more ‘can’t miss’ song from the one, the only... Steely Dan. They just deliver the goods so consistently. Agree?
I'd have to agree🙃
If I could meet Don Fagen, my first question to him would be about the background of this song. All art is subjective in the eyes or ears of the viewer or the listener, and in my mind, this has always been connected to the story of Peg Entwistle...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peg_Entwistle
LOL - If I wasn't already a subscriber, your "Have an etcetera adjective day!" greeting would have sold me on your channel for sure! :D
Lol!😅
Song lyrics reminds me of the paparazzi at the Cannes Film Festival. Donald probably hittin’ on all the starlets. Michael McDonald as his wing man.
I too love del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth. However, that little fairy bug gives me the creeps. Trivia question, what does the little girl put under her mother’s bed?
Ps, my favorite foreign film is Leon, the Professional by Luc Besson. I know, it’s in English but it’s still A French movie. See Sting’s Shape of My Heart for a little mini movie of the Professional...great song, great movie ua-cam.com/video/QK-Z1K67uaA/v-deo.html
Pps, Waiter, there’s a fly in my song.😜
Favorite foreign movie? ....''City of Lost Children'' (French)
I managed to see Steely Dan twice outdoors at a vineyard here in Australia....such a fantastic live act and an amazing bookend to my love of them since I bought 'Can't buy a thrill'' back in 1972.
signed: the dolphins in the second row.
At the beginning of the tune rhythm guitarist and studio genius Steve Khan slides his pick up and down the strings . He does this on his classic Jazz/ Rock album The Blue Man on a tune called Some Down Time. featuring the Breckers, Steve Gadd, Will Lee check it out for your own reference ! Steve Play all over S Dans Groucho! BTWAs usual most comprehensive review ever you make other reviews so shallow and simple
Check out rick beato’s “ why is this song great” for Kid Charlemaign” sic
new dance moves JP "fear the moth"
That guitar "de-tuning sound" at the beginning of the lead sounds like a slide to me.
I saw an interview with Jay Graydon where he showed how he played the solo. Strictly string bends and double stops, no slide. Such a fantastic sound! Almost Hawaiian, I always thought
I think you'll like Josie from this album. Other great Steely Dan songs include the supersmooth "FM" and "Hey Nineteen"
Rick Marrotta on drums!
Yes! After you finish Aja I would love it if you checked out their album the royal scam, it’s super awesome and a bit of a different experience
OH NO, ARE YOU DOING THE AJA ALBUM, OH GODDD! LMAO :) RIGHT ON, IT'S ADDICTING!
The bass in this song is so tasty.
Steely Dan wins the "smooth" award.
Great listen every time.
Maybe Sade' wins for 'Smooth Operator'
:D
Sade is quite smooth!
This was a hit single when the album was released though I love the whole album. I really like the title track, which takes one in different directions!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻❤️☮️
Still one of my favorite Dan tunes,even though my ex is named Peg!!! Tastiest guitar solo ever! Peace-J.P.
Try "Green Earrings". The guitar work is amazing.
The album is a masterpiece
I think this is another Steely Dan song with "Michael McDonald singing in the background near the end of the song. McDonald was the featured vocalist in another Steely Dan song, but can't remember at the moment.
McDonald did backing vocals for several Steely Dan songs across several albums. He also toured with the band in 1974 I believe.
Rose Darling, Bad Sneakers, Any World (That I’m Welcome To), I Got the News, Time Out of Mind are the ones he did vocals on.
"Peg" is probably the most "poppy" (and as I say that, all I can hear is the "I'm Poppy" video playing in my head) of Steely Dan tunes (to me). And yes, you're seeing, again, what I love about SD--fun, catchy, but also so pleasant and impressive to listen to.
As to "who is Peg" there's all kinds of speculation, and several claims going around, but no hard data. Some speculate Peg Entwistle (the famous "jumped off the Hollywoodland sign in 1932). Some say Fagen has said specifically it's not her, but there's no reference, so THAT could be just a claim, too. It's also widely speculated "it will come back to you" is referencing a "blue foreign movie" aka porn. Honestly, to me, it's one of those songs I wish Fagen would just come out and tell us about.
This is actually one SD song, however, that gets skipped when it comes on, but mainly because I played it so much when I was in my tweens and teens it got stale (I'm talking I played the thing on repeat for hours).
As everyone else has said, watch the documentary on this album. It's so very well worth it.
Hope you're doing well, Justin!
Donald Fagen told everything there is to know about Peg back in April in a WSJ article. Here is the link. www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/peg-it-will-come-back-to-you-steely-dans-donald-fagen-on-the-1977-hit-11586272100
Foreign movie is the term for an adult film, so Peg was an adult actress.....it will come back to you (your past is always there)
Exactly...
Justin, I don't think it's possible to find a bad Steely Dan Song The album title track 'Aja' is incredible - the Drums from Steve Gadd and sax solo from Wayne Shorter are sublime. I've been loving your reviews and it's made me appreciate things I hadn't heard in nearly 40 years - Supertramp being a good case. I grew up in England in the 60's and 70's, but have been in Australia for nearly 40 years - that makes me very old, but I've heard a lot of music in that time. I started off being into heavy rock when I was about 13, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, then prog, Genesis, Yes, Jethro Tull, Gentle Giant and saw all those bands live. Started studying music seriously and didn't listen to much apart from classical and jazz, and dismissed a lot of things I'd previously liked. It took me many years to realise that I was wrong to dismiss that music and wake up to the fact I'd been an idiot. 🤣 Here's some suggestions for reviews, based on a few bands you've already touched on. Donald Fagen - IGY (The Nightfly), Weather Report - Birdland (Heavy Weather), Camel - Supertwister (Mirage) - if you thought Jethro Tull was all about the flute, listen to this one! Gentle Giant - On Reflection (Free Hand). I haven't seen anyone suggest the band Caravan, very English a mixture of prog and jazz, plenty of keyboards, sax, flute and the Viola as a lead instrument. They formed out of the beginnings of Soft Machine and shared band members with Camel.
Ty so much Mike! I've actually done a few songs from Caravan, with more on the way! And funny you mention Birdland...🤫
@@JustJP Kudos to you for replying so quickly, Ty. I did a search and found your reviews of Winter Wine and In the Land of Grey and Pink, both from the album of that name from 1971. They are both pleasant enough short songs, but Caravan really hit their mark on longer song suites such as "For Richard" (If I could do it all over again - 1970, 14 Minutes), "Nine Feet Underground" (Land Of the Grey and Pink, 22 Minutes), "The love in your eye" (Waterloo Lily, 1972. 12 Minutes). 'The Dabsong Conshirtoe' (Cunning Stunts , 1975, 18 minutes) and my personal favourite - 'Auberge Du Sanglier / A Hunting We Shall Go' (For Girls who grow plump in the night, 1973, 10 Minutes). I hold these with the same respect that others do (and I do) for Close to the Edge, Thick as a Brick or Supper's Ready, and I've seen all of those songs live when they first came out. The album 'For Girls who grow plump in the night 'also has a song called 'C'Thlu Thlu' which has a riff that a band such as Zeppelin or Sabbath would die for, Caravan leave it and move on to something else, just when you have it figured out as a heavy song, no it isn't!
Its an impeccable album -I reserve that designation very carefully . Yes , a 'desert island' recording for me and probably many others .
Heard it sooooo much , Peg is probably my least favorite track on the album at this point ( no knock on it at all , but one track has to end up at the bottom and it is simply because I kinda burned out on it - lol )
Couple suggestions AFTER listening to Aja in its entirety : think you'll also enjoy Babylon Sisters and Glamour Profession .
Also King of the World : been suggesting this one for a while - fantastic groove , will hook you in the first couple seconds ( Dont Take Me Alive does that as well from the opening guitar solo ) . King of the World is about living in a post nuclear apocalyptic America - have the lyrics handy . Its an underrated gem of a song
If that post apocalyptic theme piques your interest - do not overlook ' Wooden Ships ' - I prefer the Crosby Stills and Nash version but Jefferson Airplane version is also quite something ( members of both bands actually wrote the song )
Enjoy
Just another reminder, XTC- THE WHEEL AND THE MAYPOLE. I know you asked for better XTC, well this is some of the best. It's their swansong. The ending is near perfection with the vocals, I dont want to give it away, but I promise greatness. To me this is a masterpiece of music, as a musician, songwriter and a lover of music my whole life. This is one of my favorite songs RIGhT now.
5:23 Steely Dan. Smooth. Nothing else needs to be said.
Fave foreign movies: City Of Lost Children (Jeunet) ; Ran (Kurosawa)
I had the DVD for Ran many years ago, but lost a ton of my DVDs before I could watch
Hey, if you haven't already, could you do one of these videos for Atom Heart Mother by Pink Floyd?
Always a possibility
Fagen added that the song "takes place at a seedy photo shoot in L.A...from the perspective of [a] jilted boyfriend."[12]
And michael McDonald on backing vocals!
What’s your favorite foreign movie JP?
Pans Labyrinth, REC, and A Bittersweet Life
Nice song. Not the kind I would go to, but a great and perfect song. Favorite movie ? I think I didn't catch everything you said there. And the title of the movie and the genre of movie. I didn't understand, could you write that down ?
One of my favorite movies is PeeWee Herman's big adventure…
Pans Labyrinth- Drama, Fantasy, a little suspense/horror?
My favourite foreign movies are Z and Lucio y el Sexo (for reasons other than the obvious one).
your cow is a Holstein dairy cow AJA one of Steely's Dan finest works
Peg was a adult film actress known as "Aunt Peg".
Listen to R.Grey! PLEASE! watch the Classic Albums dvd documentary on Aja. It's eye opening and hilarious. Life is short. Do it right. And don't forget "FM". Maybe after you've finished Aja.
Starship Troopers by Yes one of these days maybe? It will have lost some of it's luster because you have reacted to so many Yes songs now but it still should be enjoyable. BTW, the last part of it is called Wurm but it should have been called Anticipation because you know it's coming! You just know It!
Ty Gene, I'll give it a watch! Starship will be coming...this weekend I believe
"The Fez" please
✌ ❤ 🎶 🌎 👏
Here's one left field for you JP... "Burn" by Deep Purple....
Chuck Rainey's bass makes this song what it is.
Very much so!
Beware the Fly...
This is the sign that he should check out Fagen's the Nightfly album next...
That's a slide he is using on the guitar to get that sound at the start of the solo.
Although it does sound like it, Jay is using only string bends and double stops, as he demonstrates in this video ua-cam.com/video/Ghp88V3Qm8w/v-deo.html
@@johnhoerl7326 that was incredible. I've not seen that video before, it sounds so much like a slide. Thank you for the correction.
I guess British, Canadian, and Australian, films don't count. The only ones that come to me straight away are "Europa, Europa" (German) and "Raise the Red Lantern" (Chinese).
Peg Entwhistle
It's about a former girlfriend who ends up in the overseas porno business.