It’s really so fitting and aggressive, a little slutty, great mix of fun runs and classic 70s lead strokes. As good as anything Becker did, and his stuff was obviously amazing.
Man that guitar work on Reelin' In the Years - the conception and execution of it is just brilliant. And of course the lyrics are extremely well-crafted, with all kinds of repetition and internal rhyme and comparing very familiar concepts, tropes really, to a real life instance of this person's world with their relationship and trying to figure out what the other person values. It just fires on all cylinders.
For most of us, this was our first introduction to Steely Dan. "You been tellin' me you're a genius since you were seventeen. In all the time I've known you I still don't know what you mean" best lyric eva
I can remember how entranced I was when this song come over the radio. This song and "Do It Again" were the first we had heard from Steely Dan. Such a wealth of greatness was 70's music.
When you climb down the rabbit hole of steely Dan,it's hard climbing out!! Chain Lightning, Don't take me Alive ,and Pretzel Logic,and My Old School,are just a few of my favorites to actually too many to mention
When Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page calls the solo on Reelin' In the Years a 12 out of 10, that's pretty high praise! Way to go Elliott Randall on nailing that solo!
This is early Steely Dan, and they definitely were a different vibe in the beginning. They were great then and they just kept evolving and getting better and better. Thanks for another great reaction! ✌💙✌
This was their first album, 1970's. As time went by, in our musical journey in America, a lot of stuff changed, and they did too.Fusion of style. Hippies weren't really into R&B, ha! All art forms are a reflection of the times in which they are produced. That's really important for you to remember on this musical journey.
Still reminds me of when I was a kid on 104.7 WTUE in Dayton Ohio Sunday mornings they would do reeling in the years and do really old bands and this was obviously the theme song for it. My dad listen to it every Sunday!
For more of what you originally were after with them, go back to that Aja album and check out their song Josie. I promise you there is no way that you won't become obsessed with that groove. And it was another huge hit from that album.
Definitely a top five band for me of all time! When we were in High School 1972 driving around Tulsa drinking beer with our buddies somewhere around 9pm, our FM station introduced us a new song that just came out by Steely Dan to which we were introduced to “Reeling in the Years”! I think they played it two or three more times by 1:00 (my curfew) due to everyone calling in to play it again! Great times…f/m radio and tape decks! (No phones for sure)
I like in the lyrics where the first time around he says the things you think are precious I can't understand. The second time he says the things that pass for knowledge I can't understand. And the third time he says the things you think are useless I can't understand.
Next, from the same DEBUT album (CANT BUY A THRILL), check out: MIDNITE CRUISER DIRTY WORK Then move on to the 2nd album COUNTDOWN TO ECSTACY for: >MY OLD SCHOOL (studio or MIDNIGHT SPECIAL LIVE VIDEO) >RAZOR BOY >SHOW BIZ KIDS (MIDNIGHT SPECIAL LIVE VIDEO) >YOUR GOLD TEETH THE 2ND ALBUM IS PACKED FULL OF GEMS
This was a big time radio favorite early-mid '70s. They hadn't explored their jazz chops at this point. RIKKI DON'T LOSE THAT NUMBER is from that same era. I GOT THE NEWS from the album "Aja" is an under appreciated 'Dan groove.
You need to understand that the original Steely Dan was more of a traditional classic rock band with eclectic playing and ideas. They didn't use as much brass as they later did, it was more guitar oriented. But still jazzy and funky. After the original Steely Dan band broke up in 1974, the 2 writers FAGEN and BECKER, went on as a duo, stopped touring, and used session musicians to explore jazz and funk more. So the SD of 1972 is not going to sound like the SD of 1977. Its GROWTH AND A JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION that's the beauty of following how this band developed.
There are some fantastic examples of the guitar just going ham at the fade out and some of these amazing 70s Rock songs, but for example in this one, my feeling is that the guitar was going nuts so incredibly all the way along it and then all the way into that outro before the fade started. It had already earned its dues so to speak, so it was okay to do the classic go nuts as it fades out thing.
Their first album and my favorite. Almost every track is a winner. I recommend "Do It Again", "Dirty Work", "Midnight Cruiser" and "Only A Fool Would Say That". Thanks.
You would really enjoy seeing the video, "The Making of Aja." It's probably too long to do a reaction to, but it will give you a deeper insight to, and a greater appreciation of, this great band.
You need to decide if you want to go on a deep comprehensive journey album by album, or just dip your toe randomly, in which case you'll be all over the map timewise and stylewise.
@@kbrewski1 To be honest, it's been decades since this all happened and I now no longer remember which album(s) marked their turn toward a more "mature" or sophisticated sound that I've never found myself returning to over the years. Possibly Katy Lied. In any case, I never found them as "heavy" as I think they BELIEVE themselves to be, just that they were highly sophisticated for pop songwriters. "Mozart they ain't," in other words. But those original hits are GIANT. That's all I meant.
@dantean The "touring band" Steely Dan was the first 3 albums. The first all studio Steely Dan album was Katy Lied, which forecasted Aja imo. To me it's the sensible demarcation line I guess. But they were always an eclectic group who were exploring jazz, funk and r&b from the get go. As they moved along they got jazzier and funkier.
The lyrics on this one are really smart as is typical for SD, but they’re also really accessible in their smartness. It reads like a Nora Ephron movie, lol
Donald Fagan's debut solo album "The Nightfly" is worth having a listen to as well. The Dukes of September, featuring Fagan, Michael McDonal and Boz Scaggs, are also worth checking out.
Hey man, I can't wait for this. So glad it popped up in my feed. And also of course it goes without saying, GO CHIEFS! (Lawrence dude and long time subscriber here). 😂
How to turn Soul, R&B fans, into jazz heads who like rock and country *AND* vice versa. They're *so* versatile. Your IQ will go up a point or two every song you listen to. America's Beatles, with insane levels of quality control. My kids are about your age; they love 'em too.
Rolling Stone, in a somewhat rare occasion of getting things correct, described it this way: ""a prime early example of what would become the Dan's trademark vibe, marrying a sardonic kiss-off to an ex to a bouncy shuffle groove, and adding on some white-hot guitar dazzlement courtesy of Elliott Randall to bring the whole thing home.""
Welcome to the Steely Dan rabbit-hole! I know you are here looking for tasty treats, you will not be disappointed! Where to begin… Let’s throw you in the deep end of the pool! Find the longest versions of "FM" possible. There are multiple versions available, but the one that has the multiple solos at the end will get you wired all over again! Just for fun, let’s listen to "My Old School!" That is just a fun tune. (Is there gas in the car?) If you are looking for a musical apogee coupled with engineering brilliance, Listen to Aja. I loved this song so much, I named my god-daughter Aja. That will be a good 2nd swipe at the beast that is Steely Dan. Keep up the great reactions! Peace.
Imo, you're better off picking the songs to play from the original studio albums rather than that box set, which is said to be mastered at a slightly wrong speed. Also, some compilations or box sets contain shorter versions or single versions of songs. You also get to know the artwork and character of each album rather then looking at a generic box set.
You have checked Frank Zappa when improvising on guitar. Maybe you should check him up also as a composer. And check similarities and differences with Steely Dan... check a quite diverse song like "Andy".
MMB, you need to understand some chronology here. This was their first big hit from their first album. This was when they were more straight ahead rockers. They were able to spread out more as their career went along.
Please work your way through this list: 1. Haitian Divorce 2. Black Cow 3. Don’t Take Me Alive 4. Hey 19 5. Any Major Dude 6. Everyone’s Gone to the Movies 7. Kid Charlemagne 8. Bodhisstava 9. Daddy Don’t Live In New York City No More 10. Chained Lightning 11. FM 12. The Fez 13. Show Biz Kids 14. Josie 15. Black Friday 16. Do It Again 17. Deacon Blues 18. Reeling in the Years 19. My old school 20. Doc Wu 21. Ricky Don’t Loose That Number 22. Bad Sneakers 23. Dirty Work 24. Peg
After years of exhaustive research and consideration I've finally found a bad Steely Dan song. Then of course I woke from my fever dream. Oh well, I guess I'll just keep trying.
Bro-- dive in with Steely Dan! You'll be amazed at their tunemanship. My fav albums are the early ones-- this one (Can't Buy A Thrill), and Countdown To Ecstacy (2nd album). But any of the first 5 albums are gold! They got jazzier/poppier after that..T
For now, best to stick to studio versions, but there's some excellent live performances on UA-cam. I'm sure there are no shortage of great suggestions. Enjoy!! ✌🏼😊🎶❤🍁❤️✨️🕊
There is no need in recommending Steely Dan songs to you. You simply need to close your eyes and pick one. Any song you pick will be fire. 🔥
Truth
Some songs are better than others. None are bad or even mediocre, but he deserves specific recs, and not just the hits.
This.
Elliott Randall’s memorable guitar work on this classic song has stood the test of time, that’s why it never gets old 🎸
The solo that made Jimmy Page jealous!
It’s really so fitting and aggressive, a little slutty, great mix of fun runs and classic 70s lead strokes. As good as anything Becker did, and his stuff was obviously amazing.
Steely Dan are utter brilliance!
Man that guitar work on Reelin' In the Years - the conception and execution of it is just brilliant.
And of course the lyrics are extremely well-crafted, with all kinds of repetition and internal rhyme and comparing very familiar concepts, tropes really, to a real life instance of this person's world with their relationship and trying to figure out what the other person values. It just fires on all cylinders.
Most people believe Jeff Baxter played that. Nope
Elliot randle played that riff
For most of us, this was our first introduction to Steely Dan. "You been tellin' me you're a genius since you were seventeen. In all the time I've known you I still don't know what you mean" best lyric eva
I can remember how entranced I was when this song come over the radio. This song and "Do It Again" were the first we had heard from Steely Dan. Such a wealth of greatness was 70's music.
Steely Dan, your favorite bands favorite band🔥🤘✌
Classic
When you climb down the rabbit hole of steely Dan,it's hard climbing out!! Chain Lightning, Don't take me Alive ,and Pretzel Logic,and My Old School,are just a few of my favorites to actually too many to mention
I believe it’s literally their most famous song.
This and Rikki
When Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page calls the solo on Reelin' In the Years a 12 out of 10, that's pretty high praise! Way to go Elliott Randall on nailing that solo!
I recommend “Bad Sneakers”, “Dr. Wu”, Haitian Divorce, “Babylon Sisters”, “Aja” and “Dirty Work”. All their songs are fantastic. ✌️♥️🎶
No. Dont listen to this guy. Haitian Divorce is the only good selection in his half dozen
This is early Steely Dan, and they definitely were a different vibe in the beginning. They were great then and they just kept evolving and getting better and better. Thanks for another great reaction! ✌💙✌
This was their first album, 1970's. As time went by, in our musical journey in America, a lot of stuff changed, and they did too.Fusion of style. Hippies weren't really into R&B, ha! All art forms are a reflection of the times in which they are produced. That's really important for you to remember on this musical journey.
There is no let down.....album to Album.... they are always at the top of their game..
I’m old ……. Been listening from 1971
My favorite band of all time !!!!!!!!!
I highly recommend DEACON BLUES AND HOME AT LAST from the AJA ALBUM !!
Yes, do DEACON BLUES next. Lots of soul there!
Absolutely the Dukes of September,three of the best musicians ever!
Still reminds me of when I was a kid on 104.7 WTUE in Dayton Ohio Sunday mornings they would do reeling in the years and do really old bands and this was obviously the theme song for it. My dad listen to it every Sunday!
Their earlier stuff is basically rock, with jazz and R&B influences.
They were already a sub-genre unto themselves at this point. They didn't really find their Jazz chops until AJA.
Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Kid Charlemagne, Black Friday, Deacon Blue, Peg, Hey Nineteen, Dr. Wu, Babylon Sisters, Aja
For more of what you originally were after with them, go back to that Aja album and check out their song Josie. I promise you there is no way that you won't become obsessed with that groove. And it was another huge hit from that album.
Definitely a top five band for me of all time! When we were in High School 1972 driving around Tulsa drinking beer with our buddies somewhere around 9pm, our FM station introduced us a new song that just came out by Steely Dan to which we were introduced to “Reeling in the Years”! I think they played it two or three more times by 1:00 (my curfew) due to everyone calling in to play it again! Great times…f/m radio and tape decks! (No phones for sure)
I like in the lyrics where the first time around he says the things you think are precious I can't understand. The second time he says the things that pass for knowledge I can't understand. And the third time he says the things you think are useless I can't understand.
Steely Dan is it's own genre. Every song is different. Every one is fire 🔥. Check out FM, and don't listen to Aja until you're about 6 or 7 songs in.
Next, from the same DEBUT album (CANT BUY A THRILL), check out:
MIDNITE CRUISER
DIRTY WORK
Then move on to the 2nd album COUNTDOWN TO ECSTACY for:
>MY OLD SCHOOL (studio or MIDNIGHT SPECIAL LIVE VIDEO)
>RAZOR BOY
>SHOW BIZ KIDS (MIDNIGHT SPECIAL LIVE
VIDEO)
>YOUR GOLD TEETH
THE 2ND ALBUM IS PACKED FULL OF GEMS
This was a big time radio favorite early-mid '70s. They hadn't explored their jazz chops at this point. RIKKI DON'T LOSE THAT NUMBER is from that same era. I GOT THE NEWS from the album "Aja" is an under appreciated 'Dan groove.
SD has been my favorite band for decades. They just never miss.
Like all the great Steely Dan songs, they've been on classic rock FM radio all the time since I was a kid 👍😁
This vibe is fire from the GOAT.
Reeling in the Years was the first song I heard from them back in the AM radio era maybe like 1972?
This was 1st dan song i heard at 7 in 1973❤
I was floored by the breaks/ solos in middle and end.
Jimmy pages fav solo. An 11 he calls it famously.
PLEASE react to Steely Dan -Dirty Work
❤❤❤
Yup. I agree they are the BEST!
No such thing as a bad steely tune , you can listen to the whole catalogue and still be surprised each time
You need to understand that the original Steely Dan was more of a traditional classic rock band with eclectic playing and ideas. They didn't use as much brass as they later did, it was more guitar oriented. But still jazzy and funky. After the original Steely Dan band broke up in 1974, the 2 writers FAGEN and BECKER, went on as a duo, stopped touring, and used session musicians to explore jazz and funk more. So the SD of 1972 is not going to sound like the SD of 1977. Its GROWTH AND A JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION that's the beauty of following how this band developed.
I absolutely , sooooooooooooo absolutely, love Steely Dan. Been a lover since my late teens. I'm 52..still sooooooooooooo love😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Aja is an amazing listen! Also try Deacon Blues.
Any Steely Dan album start to finish is a good listen. Go through and pay attention to all of the great musicians they worked with.
Been my favorite band since I was 12
There are some fantastic examples of the guitar just going ham at the fade out and some of these amazing 70s Rock songs, but for example in this one, my feeling is that the guitar was going nuts so incredibly all the way along it and then all the way into that outro before the fade started. It had already earned its dues so to speak, so it was okay to do the classic go nuts as it fades out thing.
Chillax with Steely Dan !
'Deacon Blues'... and 'FM'... and 'Babylon Sisters'... and...
My top three!!
For me it is Allman Brothers, Steely Dan, the Beatles.
Saw Steely in St. Petersburg 1990ish.
Everybody in the audience sang Deacon Blues including me
Walter Becker on bass is outstanding. More rock than anything.
Their best song!✌️
You can't go wrong with Steely Dan.
The genre that you're searching for is simply Rock.
i'll give no suggestions. Start with the first release and go in order. It's an amazing journey.
Their first album and my favorite. Almost every track is a winner. I recommend "Do It Again", "Dirty Work", "Midnight Cruiser" and "Only A Fool Would Say That". Thanks.
You would really enjoy seeing the video, "The Making of Aja." It's probably too long to do a reaction to, but it will give you a deeper insight to, and a greater appreciation of, this great band.
You need to decide if you want to go on a deep comprehensive journey album by album, or just dip your toe randomly, in which case you'll be all over the map timewise and stylewise.
This is the Steely Dan I grew up on--this song, especially. Later SD (post-pop period) tends to bore me, but I LOVE this. Thanks for posting.
When does the "post pop" phase start?
@@kbrewski1 To be honest, it's been decades since this all happened and I now no longer remember which album(s) marked their turn toward a more "mature" or sophisticated sound that I've never found myself returning to over the years. Possibly Katy Lied. In any case, I never found them as "heavy" as I think they BELIEVE themselves to be, just that they were highly sophisticated for pop songwriters. "Mozart they ain't," in other words. But those original hits are GIANT. That's all I meant.
@dantean
The "touring band" Steely Dan was the first 3 albums. The first all studio Steely Dan album was Katy Lied, which forecasted Aja imo. To me it's the sensible demarcation line I guess. But they were always an eclectic group who were exploring jazz, funk and r&b from the get go. As they moved along they got jazzier and funkier.
Yes it is magic
I recommend their "Kid Charlemagne," an epic song!
trust me it will blow your mind!
Show Biz Kids - one of my Dan favs and such great lyrics.
Dirty Work is gonna be your new favorite song 👍
Like a castle in his corner in a medieval game, I foresee terrible trouble, and I stay here just the same…🔥
The lyrics on this one are really smart as is typical for SD, but they’re also really accessible in their smartness. It reads like a Nora Ephron movie, lol
Donald Fagan's debut solo album "The Nightfly" is worth having a listen to as well.
The Dukes of September, featuring Fagan, Michael McDonal and Boz Scaggs, are also worth checking out.
He JUST STARTED listening to Steely Dan!! Cripes, quit shoving more food down his gullet while he just started eating the steak.
Boz Scaggs hmm
Only just realised this sounds like Thin Lizzy! Not the chorus, but the verses.
🤪 🤣 🤪
Or vice versa? But It does!
That baseline is pure blues.
This one has a lot of Jazz elements to it
Hey man, I can't wait for this. So glad it popped up in my feed. And also of course it goes without saying, GO CHIEFS! (Lawrence dude and long time subscriber here). 😂
SIR YOU HAVE TO DO FM. NEXT OS YOU CAN REALLY FEEL THE FUNK!!! AND GET THE EXTENDED VERSION!!!
How to turn Soul, R&B fans, into jazz heads who like rock and country *AND* vice versa. They're *so* versatile.
Your IQ will go up a point or two every song you listen to. America's Beatles, with insane levels of quality control.
My kids are about your age; they love 'em too.
If you listen to old bands out of chronological order genre will baffle you. Bands evolved over time.
Great choice and reaction! Thanks ❤️
You would really like 'Night By Night' from the Pretzel Logic album.
Rolling Stone, in a somewhat rare occasion of getting things correct, described it this way:
""a prime early example of what would become the Dan's trademark vibe, marrying a sardonic kiss-off to an ex to a bouncy shuffle groove, and adding on some white-hot guitar dazzlement courtesy of Elliott Randall to bring the whole thing home.""
Deacon Blues and FM are my favorites. Oh and Kid Charlemagne.
Superb.
Welcome to the Steely Dan rabbit-hole!
I know you are here looking for tasty treats, you will not be disappointed!
Where to begin…
Let’s throw you in the deep end of the pool! Find the longest versions of "FM" possible. There are multiple versions available, but the one that has the multiple solos at the end will get you wired all over again!
Just for fun, let’s listen to "My Old School!" That is just a fun tune. (Is there gas in the car?)
If you are looking for a musical apogee coupled with engineering brilliance, Listen to Aja. I loved this song so much, I named my god-daughter Aja.
That will be a good 2nd swipe at the beast that is Steely Dan.
Keep up the great reactions!
Peace.
Let me help you out - This is the version of FM you want:
ua-cam.com/video/316mipUnA-M/v-deo.html
I don't know what you're reading from, but Reelin in the Years was their biggest hit. One of THE Classic Rock songs of the 70s.
Rikki Don't Lose that Number and My Old School should be the next two 😎
Imo, you're better off picking the songs to play from the original studio albums rather than that box set, which is said to be mastered at a slightly wrong speed. Also, some compilations or box sets contain shorter versions or single versions of songs.
You also get to know the artwork and character of each album rather then looking at a generic box set.
This is from the very first album when they were more raw and less clinical .... "The Boston Rag" is something to chek out..
You have checked Frank Zappa when improvising on guitar. Maybe you should check him up also as a composer. And check similarities and differences with Steely Dan... check a quite diverse song like "Andy".
❤🔥❤🔥❤🔥
Check out "My Old School" it has a horns/Jazz vibe with a rockin' beat that others have tried to repeat.
Ricky don't loose that number, is one you should hit soon.
MMB, you need to understand some chronology here. This was their first big hit from their first album. This was when they were more straight ahead rockers. They were able to spread out more as their career went along.
They were a studio band. They had a pretty good album in Aja.
Please work your way through this list:
1. Haitian Divorce
2. Black Cow
3. Don’t Take Me Alive
4. Hey 19
5. Any Major Dude
6. Everyone’s Gone to the Movies
7. Kid Charlemagne
8. Bodhisstava
9. Daddy Don’t Live In New York City No More
10. Chained Lightning
11. FM
12. The Fez
13. Show Biz Kids
14. Josie
15. Black Friday
16. Do It Again
17. Deacon Blues
18. Reeling in the Years
19. My old school
20. Doc Wu
21. Ricky Don’t Loose That Number
22. Bad Sneakers
23. Dirty Work
24. Peg
I would call this blues rock or Bar Band music.
This is the ultimate Classic Rock song of the 70s. Not really bluesy at all.
Next up "Deacon Blues" Black Cow" & FM (No static at all).
i suggest you try "Doctor Wu" next 🙌🏻
Check out Dr. Wu, Bodhissatva and Deacon Blues soon. Pure dynamite.
The whole Royal Scam album....GREEN EARRINGS
For different vibes check out "Haitian Divorce" or 'kid Charlemagne " from the fourth album royal scam, amazing
After years of exhaustive research and consideration I've finally found a bad Steely Dan song. Then of course I woke from my fever dream. Oh well, I guess I'll just keep trying.
Dirty Work is another great tune by them.
Steely Dan is NEVER done with your ass! 😂😂
Bro-- dive in with Steely Dan! You'll be amazed at their tunemanship. My fav albums are the early ones-- this one (Can't Buy A Thrill), and Countdown To Ecstacy (2nd album). But any of the first 5 albums are gold! They got jazzier/poppier after that..T
Must do AJA next!
My husband calls them musical gurus.
You will NOT be Disappointed!
Like your hat!
For now, best to stick to studio versions, but there's some excellent live performances on UA-cam. I'm sure there are no shortage of great suggestions. Enjoy!!
✌🏼😊🎶❤🍁❤️✨️🕊
Deacon blues 🤩 also hey 19
HEY NINETEEN had a chart run of 19 weeks. Donald Fagen on lead vocals, electric piano and synthesizer. FIRE! Don't wait too long to react to this one.
The genre of this song is southern rock