Not only is Peg the best Steely Dan song ever, but it features the finest guitar solo known to man as well as some exquisitely sublime Michael McDonald backing vocals.
There aren’t many Dan tracks I don’t like (at least up to and including Gaucho) and that’s a cracking playlist but you’ve missed a few faves. Boston Rag would surely fit your bluesy/guitar based brief?. My Dan playlist would have to also include Babylon Sisters, Sign in Stranger, the aforementioned Brooklyn and Peg…probably all of Aja in fact…but they are less guitar-y I guess.
… and when they have listened to everything by Steely Dan, there are the tracks from Donald Fagen’s solo albums.
I would nominate I.G.Y, The Goodbye Look and Walk Between The Raindrops from The Nightfly and ‘H’ Gang and Great Pagoda of Fun from Morph The Cat.
Pagoda has EXACTLY the guitar tone I have always craved for my own recordings (and got nowhere near). That vintage Fender Strat or Tele through an old 60s Bassman amp, mostly clean with just a faint hint of crunch.
Green Door is an absolute must, beautifully played and a tip of the hat to the fans. I love the funkiness of Lunch With Gina and Pixeleen is easily their best duet.
So basically, the perfect Steely Dan playlist is…er…everything by Steely Dan- certainly every album track – there isn’t much in the way of b-sides and offcuts AFAIK and they don’t have a huge catalogue and quality control was very high, so it isn’t a stretch to listen to the whole lot in a weekend.
There is a good CD’s worth of unreleased tracks, on the unreleased “Gaucho”, viz. “the second arrangement”, “Kulee Baba’, etc. an unprincipled search for “lost gaucho” and ear should deliver this. There are other tracks likewise dotted around: “all too mobile home”, the bear. Again, if you look under the counter, guv’nor, they are there to be downloaded or ripped from YouTube clips. Again, great tracks: the uptown New York swing of one of the Kulee Baba And second Arrangement versions are some of my absolute favourite Dan moments. One of the few bands where you can still rate their later work.
A man walks past carrying the Citizen Steely Dan box set tucked under his arm. As he passes he sees me looking, shoots me a quick glance and a half smile. I return the smile and say, “I can see by what you carry that you have a Dan playlist.”. He nods, and replies, “It’s dirty work, but you may as well admit it’s pretty much perfect from start to finish.”. I reflect upon his wisdom, and note that I have learned the best lessons in life from passing strangers, rather than from my old school, which I vow never to revisit.
I’m not here to piss on anyone’s chips, but I recently realised that there’s a very similar sound that connects the three bands/artists that I struggle the most to listen to (even though I can on one level hear that they write good songs and are skilful musicians etc); Steely Dan, Little Feat and Joni Mitchell. This was a real lightbulb moment for me. So, do any of the fans of said artists agree about that sound connection? I can’t put my finger on exactly what that mutual sound consist of, but then I’m not a musician, so perhaps someone here can?
Discuss! 🙂
I loathe two out of the three of those but I’ve never put them together because I loathe them for quite different reasons.
Love Joni, though, and the only common ground I can see is with Steely Dan, in terms of a certain jazziness. But she’s amazing and Steely Dan are the worst thing ever to happen to popular music, so it’s a puzzle. 😉
Out of the three, Joni is the one I have most time for, but I still find most of her recordings highly annoying (which is puzzling in itself as her good moments are so very, very good!)
But I do hear a lot of similarities between SD and Joni…they sort of keep the listener at arms length, soundwise… *scratches head trying to find a better way to describe it; fails*
I can hear what you mean about The Dan and Joni, but Little Feat are different entirely. They are warm and emotionally engaging, the more so when Lowell George is heavily involved.
Yes, with Little Feat it’s not so much the produced sound (their sound is “swampier” and warmer, as you say) but there’s something about the kind of songs they write that is very much like the other two in my mind. And that similar melodic (perhaps) part of their songs make me hear the same kind of sound, just warmer.
(At moments like this I wish I knew and understood proper musical terminology and scales and instruments and production etc so I could break down what it is that I hear and explain it to others!)
I am pretty much ignorant of Little Feat – apart from that Dixie Chicken (?) track that occasionally gets posted here. Like the Grateful Dead, they’re a band I’m more than happy to remain ignorant of. I genuinely do not believe they could add anything of any value to my life. I’m not trying to troll or wind anyone up the wrong way, I just have no interest in them whatsoever.
Joni, I am also almost totally ignorant of (apart from Big Yellow Taxi obviously)… is that clouds one by her? The difference is I feel I should know more of her work.
Steely Dan make me ill.
Steely Dan were always a much more intellectual enterprise than Little Feat, I feel. Cleverness was always wantonly displayed.
I lost a lot of interest in the ‘Dan after The Royal Scam. I persevered up to and including Gaucho but, for me, with diminishing returns. Immaculately-played and exquisitely-wrought but lacking humanity.
To be fair, as Lowell George became disengaged from the ‘Feat, the songs written (and often sung) by the other members were also less satisfying. Again, less humanity in evidence.
I’m not the type to feel ‘obliged’ to listen to certain things- some things I get, some things I don’t and this changes over time – I prefer to stumble across things or pick up random recommendations rather than subscribing to all that “10,000 albums you must listen to before breakfast” crap.
Up until recently I listened to very little ‘Classic’ rock and very little from the 70s in fact. Steely Dan slipped through for some reason – partly through them being sampled by De La Soul and Super Furry Animals and also from going to see bands like High Llamas and wondering where they got those weird melodies from. There’s just something about otherworldly and strange about The Dan that I’m really attracted to – maybe the lack of humanity others find off-putting I’m intrigued by. There still isn’t much 70s rock in my collection although of late I’ve been getting into SAHB, Roxy Music, King Crimson and David Crosby solo stuff. Just feeling my way randomly through y’know.
@Twang can I point you in direction of East Toodle oo – a 2 cd live set released this month which is recordings from around 2002 I believe.
Splendid compilation including some solo Fagen and Becker cuts. There is a great version of Reelin in Years lead by horns – think of Reelin in the Years recorded when Aja was made.
I’m not a complete Dan Fan, as noted above, but I went to my local live music pub* tonight (29th) for a free gig by Dan tributers “Stanley Dee”. A free gig by a well-regarded outfit, just down the road from home, can never be a bad proposition.
Normally there are 11 of them but tonight one of the 3 female vocalists was not present. Probably no room for her on the tiny stage anyway.
Normal lineup is 3 female + 1 male vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, trumpet/flugelhorn/acoustic guitar, alto sax, tenor sax.
The male lead vocalist was very good. Doesn’t sound particularly like D. Fagen esq. but then DF isn’t that great a singer so it didn’t bother me. Both the female vocalists got to sing lead at some point. Also not a problem for me, both are good singers.
Two sets with a short break in the middle.
Their setlist, not in order of play:
Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
Dirty Work
Midnite Cruiser
Only A Fool Would Say That
Razor Boy
The Boston Rag
My Old School
Night By Night
Any Major Dude Will Tell You
Barrytown
East St. Louis Toodle-oo
Parker’s Band
With A Gun
Pretzel Logic
Black Friday
Rose Darling
Daddy Don’t Live In That New York City No More
Everyone’s Gone To The Movies
Doctor Wu
Sign In Stranger
Gaucho
Black Cow
Josie
Hey Nineteen
Cousin Dupree
Things I Miss The Most
I.G.Y.
Kid Charlemagne
Do It Again
Bodhisattva
Reelin’ In The Years
Musicianship was exemplary, as it would need to be for this material. Good solo and section playing from the brass, solid bass, excellent drums and keyboards, exceptionally good guitarist, good vocal harmonies. Good sound, well-mixed.
They kept very close to the recorded versions of the material with brass added to some songs to thicken the sound where the original had extra guitars or keyboards. Guitar, keyboard and sax solos kept very close to the recorded versions.
A surprisingly large female contingent in the audience, given that, according to received wisdom, “girls don’t like The Dan”. Quite a few of these ones knew the words and sang along. It is a music-enthusiast pub, though.
Ages mainly 30s to 60s.
Could meet up for that one Twang. Not too hard to get to from Watford and it’s another freebie too. I can’t imagine they’re doing it for the money.
Here’s a clip from last year at a well-known venue.
I passed on seeing Nearly Dan recently – watched a few YouTube clips and wasn’t convinced – all sounded very professional but didn’t click somehow and not keen on the way their singer approaches the songs – think he’s missing a bit of grit.
Really impressed with Stanley Dee clips though- they’ve got the sound and the groove bang on and quite like the fact the singers do the daft moves – they’ve nailed it. Much nearer Dan.
I’ve seen Nearly a few times and they’re excellent. Great players and have a bit of humour. I agree the singer isn’t right but trying to do Fagen is a tough gig.
The Farmers had had its ups and downs like all boozers – I lived in St. A for 20 years and saw its transition from street corner boozer to cafe bar (a low point) and a prime period as a microbrewery pub – not been there for a year or so but it’s always been good for live music and a bit of a social centre so it should be good.
That’s dead good. Guitarist is excellent and seemingly unencumbered by his bizarre decision not to use his little finger. Can’t argue with the results though.
Steerpike says
‘Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)’ The choice of the cognoscenti. ;o)
Moose the Mooche says
No Peg? Is you trippin’?
ruff-diamond says
Agreed! He must be a mentalist!
Take out Home At Last and replace it with Peg
Twang says
HAL is brilliant. So is Peg of course, but choices have to be made.
Carl says
Peg!?!?
Possibly the worst Dan song from the first incarnations.
Askwith says
Not only is Peg the best Steely Dan song ever, but it features the finest guitar solo known to man as well as some exquisitely sublime Michael McDonald backing vocals.
Twang says
Sold on the basis of the solo!
Carl says
I’ve just had a listen to Peg again to see if I have been mistaken.
My ears tell me that I’m right.
Vincent says
No “The Royal Scam”? No “Everything You Did”?
ruff-diamond says
Your Gold Teeth II
nickduvet says
Yes. No guitar-heavy comp complete without this. Denny’s finest hour.
Twang says
Good point.
Ralph says
Kings and Charlie Freak
Moose the Mooche says
*hat flies vertically off head*
I’ve just noticed that!
What!
I mean……….. WHAT!!!
Ralph says
Both great examples of songcraft and a side of The Dan that isn’t always appreciated
nickduvet says
I put it to Elliott Randall that his solo on Kings was at least as good if not better than the one he is better known for on CBAT. He agreed.
The Good Doctor says
There aren’t many Dan tracks I don’t like (at least up to and including Gaucho) and that’s a cracking playlist but you’ve missed a few faves. Boston Rag would surely fit your bluesy/guitar based brief?. My Dan playlist would have to also include Babylon Sisters, Sign in Stranger, the aforementioned Brooklyn and Peg…probably all of Aja in fact…but they are less guitar-y I guess.
Twang says
This is the problem! The right answer is everything!
Askwith says
… and when they have listened to everything by Steely Dan, there are the tracks from Donald Fagen’s solo albums.
I would nominate I.G.Y, The Goodbye Look and Walk Between The Raindrops from The Nightfly and ‘H’ Gang and Great Pagoda of Fun from Morph The Cat.
Pagoda has EXACTLY the guitar tone I have always craved for my own recordings (and got nowhere near). That vintage Fender Strat or Tele through an old 60s Bassman amp, mostly clean with just a faint hint of crunch.
Markg says
My Old School no?
Vincent says
A worst of steely Dan might be easier to compile, given so much quality content. “Worst”, of course, is relative. Their worst is simply “not stellar”.
Twang says
What’s also noticeable is how consistent they are – every album has “you must have me” tracks. Now at 40 tracks and I’m still struggling.
Twang says
OK a few good cases for inclusion. …
Tiggerlion says
You’ve missed a few off Everything Must Go.
Green Door is an absolute must, beautifully played and a tip of the hat to the fans. I love the funkiness of Lunch With Gina and Pixeleen is easily their best duet.
Twang says
Lunch with Gina was supposed to be there. Operator error!
Tiggerlion says
But, but, but …. Green Door is the best track on EMG!
Twang says
OK OK Stop your naggin’. I assume you mean Green Book, not the Shaky classic.
Tiggerlion says
Yes yes. Green Book. Operator error due to over excitement.
Moose the Mooche says
An SD cover of Green Door is something I would very, very much like to hear.
duco01 says
Equally, it would be quite fun to hear Shakin’ Stevens having a go at, say, “Babylon Sisters”.
GCU Grey Area says
No, it wouldn’t.
Oh, who am I kidding. It would.
‘Babylon sisterrrrr-ah’.
Askwith says
I’ve now got this image in my head of Chas and Dave doing a Dan cover…
“Ay-JAAHH, when all me dime dancing is A-through. Oii Run to A-YOU-AHHH… (Ava Banana)”
GCU Grey Area says
I have a soft spot* for The Wurzels’ version of ‘Peg’.
‘It will come back to you, ooh-ar, ooh-ar’.
*the boggy area in the lower field.
mossquito says
Dirty Work. The best sax solo ever.
colrow26 says
err…surely that accolade goes to Dr wu????
The Good Doctor says
So basically, the perfect Steely Dan playlist is…er…everything by Steely Dan- certainly every album track – there isn’t much in the way of b-sides and offcuts AFAIK and they don’t have a huge catalogue and quality control was very high, so it isn’t a stretch to listen to the whole lot in a weekend.
SteveT says
Can’t believe you have missed out Haitian Divorce.
I would also have found space for Barrytown.
Vincent says
There is a good CD’s worth of unreleased tracks, on the unreleased “Gaucho”, viz. “the second arrangement”, “Kulee Baba’, etc. an unprincipled search for “lost gaucho” and ear should deliver this. There are other tracks likewise dotted around: “all too mobile home”, the bear. Again, if you look under the counter, guv’nor, they are there to be downloaded or ripped from YouTube clips. Again, great tracks: the uptown New York swing of one of the Kulee Baba And second Arrangement versions are some of my absolute favourite Dan moments. One of the few bands where you can still rate their later work.
nickduvet says
RE: the out-takes, I just came across this:
jazzjet says
Never understood why ‘Gaucho’ is often ignored when discussing the Dan’s best work. I love it.
fitterstoke says
Indeed – me too….although I note a few calls for Babylon Sisters above, so not universally ignored…
Tiggerlion says
Time Out Of Mind must be included. It’s super cool. It’s perfection and grace.
Vulpes Vulpes says
A man walks past carrying the Citizen Steely Dan box set tucked under his arm. As he passes he sees me looking, shoots me a quick glance and a half smile. I return the smile and say, “I can see by what you carry that you have a Dan playlist.”. He nods, and replies, “It’s dirty work, but you may as well admit it’s pretty much perfect from start to finish.”. I reflect upon his wisdom, and note that I have learned the best lessons in life from passing strangers, rather than from my old school, which I vow never to revisit.
Moose the Mooche says
To think, that wouldn’t have happened if you’d had gas in the car.
Locust says
I’m not here to piss on anyone’s chips, but I recently realised that there’s a very similar sound that connects the three bands/artists that I struggle the most to listen to (even though I can on one level hear that they write good songs and are skilful musicians etc); Steely Dan, Little Feat and Joni Mitchell. This was a real lightbulb moment for me. So, do any of the fans of said artists agree about that sound connection? I can’t put my finger on exactly what that mutual sound consist of, but then I’m not a musician, so perhaps someone here can?
Discuss! 🙂
JustB says
I loathe two out of the three of those but I’ve never put them together because I loathe them for quite different reasons.
Love Joni, though, and the only common ground I can see is with Steely Dan, in terms of a certain jazziness. But she’s amazing and Steely Dan are the worst thing ever to happen to popular music, so it’s a puzzle. 😉
Locust says
Out of the three, Joni is the one I have most time for, but I still find most of her recordings highly annoying (which is puzzling in itself as her good moments are so very, very good!)
But I do hear a lot of similarities between SD and Joni…they sort of keep the listener at arms length, soundwise… *scratches head trying to find a better way to describe it; fails*
Tiggerlion says
I can hear what you mean about The Dan and Joni, but Little Feat are different entirely. They are warm and emotionally engaging, the more so when Lowell George is heavily involved.
Locust says
Yes, with Little Feat it’s not so much the produced sound (their sound is “swampier” and warmer, as you say) but there’s something about the kind of songs they write that is very much like the other two in my mind. And that similar melodic (perhaps) part of their songs make me hear the same kind of sound, just warmer.
(At moments like this I wish I knew and understood proper musical terminology and scales and instruments and production etc so I could break down what it is that I hear and explain it to others!)
badartdog says
I am pretty much ignorant of Little Feat – apart from that Dixie Chicken (?) track that occasionally gets posted here. Like the Grateful Dead, they’re a band I’m more than happy to remain ignorant of. I genuinely do not believe they could add anything of any value to my life. I’m not trying to troll or wind anyone up the wrong way, I just have no interest in them whatsoever.
Joni, I am also almost totally ignorant of (apart from Big Yellow Taxi obviously)… is that clouds one by her? The difference is I feel I should know more of her work.
Steely Dan make me ill.
Mike_H says
Steely Dan were always a much more intellectual enterprise than Little Feat, I feel. Cleverness was always wantonly displayed.
I lost a lot of interest in the ‘Dan after The Royal Scam. I persevered up to and including Gaucho but, for me, with diminishing returns. Immaculately-played and exquisitely-wrought but lacking humanity.
To be fair, as Lowell George became disengaged from the ‘Feat, the songs written (and often sung) by the other members were also less satisfying. Again, less humanity in evidence.
Kaisfatdad says
You’re not the only one who has thought in the same terms about Joni and the Dan, Locust. Are they “smooth jazz”?
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/smooth-jazz-aesthetic-in-some-70s-pop-steely-dan-joni-mitchell.246881/
They definitely shared some of the same musicians such as Larry Coryell and Tom Scott.
The Good Doctor says
I’m not the type to feel ‘obliged’ to listen to certain things- some things I get, some things I don’t and this changes over time – I prefer to stumble across things or pick up random recommendations rather than subscribing to all that “10,000 albums you must listen to before breakfast” crap.
Up until recently I listened to very little ‘Classic’ rock and very little from the 70s in fact. Steely Dan slipped through for some reason – partly through them being sampled by De La Soul and Super Furry Animals and also from going to see bands like High Llamas and wondering where they got those weird melodies from. There’s just something about otherworldly and strange about The Dan that I’m really attracted to – maybe the lack of humanity others find off-putting I’m intrigued by. There still isn’t much 70s rock in my collection although of late I’ve been getting into SAHB, Roxy Music, King Crimson and David Crosby solo stuff. Just feeling my way randomly through y’know.
badartdog says
I need an anti-hystemine.
Askwith says
That will be the hissing of the summer lawns 😉
NigelT says
An aside…can we pursuade Michael Eavis to book them for Glastonbury 2019..?
SteveT says
@Twang can I point you in direction of East Toodle oo – a 2 cd live set released this month which is recordings from around 2002 I believe.
Splendid compilation including some solo Fagen and Becker cuts. There is a great version of Reelin in Years lead by horns – think of Reelin in the Years recorded when Aja was made.
Twang says
I spotted that on, um, Spotify. Will investigate!
mojitojoe says
wot dis ? ….where ?
Twang says
Ahhh sorry must have been the Dodgers.
mojitojoe says
ah…… ok……cheers anyway.
SteveT says
Was the Dodgers – £16 for a double CD of about 150 minutes of Dan.
Mike_H says
I’m not a complete Dan Fan, as noted above, but I went to my local live music pub* tonight (29th) for a free gig by Dan tributers “Stanley Dee”. A free gig by a well-regarded outfit, just down the road from home, can never be a bad proposition.
Normally there are 11 of them but tonight one of the 3 female vocalists was not present. Probably no room for her on the tiny stage anyway.
Normal lineup is 3 female + 1 male vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, trumpet/flugelhorn/acoustic guitar, alto sax, tenor sax.
The male lead vocalist was very good. Doesn’t sound particularly like D. Fagen esq. but then DF isn’t that great a singer so it didn’t bother me. Both the female vocalists got to sing lead at some point. Also not a problem for me, both are good singers.
Two sets with a short break in the middle.
Their setlist, not in order of play:
Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
Dirty Work
Midnite Cruiser
Only A Fool Would Say That
Razor Boy
The Boston Rag
My Old School
Night By Night
Any Major Dude Will Tell You
Barrytown
East St. Louis Toodle-oo
Parker’s Band
With A Gun
Pretzel Logic
Black Friday
Rose Darling
Daddy Don’t Live In That New York City No More
Everyone’s Gone To The Movies
Doctor Wu
Sign In Stranger
Gaucho
Black Cow
Josie
Hey Nineteen
Cousin Dupree
Things I Miss The Most
I.G.Y.
Kid Charlemagne
Do It Again
Bodhisattva
Reelin’ In The Years
Musicianship was exemplary, as it would need to be for this material. Good solo and section playing from the brass, solid bass, excellent drums and keyboards, exceptionally good guitarist, good vocal harmonies. Good sound, well-mixed.
They kept very close to the recorded versions of the material with brass added to some songs to thicken the sound where the original had extra guitars or keyboards. Guitar, keyboard and sax solos kept very close to the recorded versions.
A surprisingly large female contingent in the audience, given that, according to received wisdom, “girls don’t like The Dan”. Quite a few of these ones knew the words and sang along. It is a music-enthusiast pub, though.
Ages mainly 30s to 60s.
*The Horns, Watford.
Twang says
Ooh good review Mike. As this is my manor too Ishall try to get along to see them. They have a gig in St. Albans in July which looks good.
duco01 says
St. Albans, as I may have mentioned before, is my old hometown, or rather home city.
The venue that Stanley Dee are playing on 15 July is a pub on the London Road called the Farmer’s Boy.
I’ve only been in the Farmer’s Boy once. It was with Mrs duco, around 1989 or 1990.
We walk up to the bar.
Me: what wine do you have?
Barman: well, we’ve got red ……. white ………. or Liebfraumilch.
We decided to take our custom elsewhere.
Moose the Mooche says
Farmer’s Boy? Is it out in the country?
Mike_H says
Possibly when it was built.
Mike_H says
Could meet up for that one Twang. Not too hard to get to from Watford and it’s another freebie too. I can’t imagine they’re doing it for the money.
Here’s a clip from last year at a well-known venue.
Junglejim says
That band is tight as a very tight thing & the guitarist looks like he could give Jon Herington a run for his money!
Very impressive.
The Good Doctor says
I passed on seeing Nearly Dan recently – watched a few YouTube clips and wasn’t convinced – all sounded very professional but didn’t click somehow and not keen on the way their singer approaches the songs – think he’s missing a bit of grit.
Really impressed with Stanley Dee clips though- they’ve got the sound and the groove bang on and quite like the fact the singers do the daft moves – they’ve nailed it. Much nearer Dan.
Twang says
I’ve seen Nearly a few times and they’re excellent. Great players and have a bit of humour. I agree the singer isn’t right but trying to do Fagen is a tough gig.
Twang says
Yes that would be fun. I’ll PM you.
The Farmers had had its ups and downs like all boozers – I lived in St. A for 20 years and saw its transition from street corner boozer to cafe bar (a low point) and a prime period as a microbrewery pub – not been there for a year or so but it’s always been good for live music and a bit of a social centre so it should be good.
Mike_H says
Circled on calendar.
Twang says
That’s dead good. Guitarist is excellent and seemingly unencumbered by his bizarre decision not to use his little finger. Can’t argue with the results though.
Tiggerlion says
Wait. What’s Nerina Pallot’s Watch Out Billie doing on the end there? Is that Skunk on guitar?