Obviously, Dr Wu should be Number 1
A list, a Steely Dan List!
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Musings on the byways of popular culture
Musings on the byways of popular culture
by 34 Comments
Obviously, Dr Wu should be Number 1
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But Deacon Blue will do ..
Who were named after the great Steely Dan track “Dacon Blues” you know.
Didn’t he design the Zep 3 cover wheel?
Dirty Work reminds me a bit of My Drug Buddy. Or the other way round. Or perhaps I’m thinking of Midnight Cruiser. Can’t remember.
What a strange list.
Rolling Stone, innit?
Well no surprise, look at the order they’ve done it in: steely-dan-songs-ranked-1235271289/
They should be counting down to 1 in a strictly descending integer order. Honestly.
Ecstasy is what they should be counting down to.
Why “strange”, @Twang? It’s all opinion, innit.
What matters is that it’s a list of the songs of my desert island “band”, to dip in and out of, to agree or disagree with as suits.
It would be quite tedious to put “in my opinion” every time I express an option. But to be clear, “I think that’s a strange list because I don’t agree with it and it includes songs I think are inferior to many others in the canon (whilst obviously remaining brilliant because they are the Dan”. 🙂
It includes every Dan track doesn’t it?
So you’re saying you find it strange when the opinions of others don’t mirror yours, @Twang?
I find that strange.
You read something different to what Twang actually wrote.
“I think that’s a strange list because I don’t agree with it …”
My top 5 would possibly be:
Daddy don’t live in the New York City no more
Haitian Divorce (their best lyric)
Hey Nineteeen
Barrytown
Boddhisattva
But then it could all change tomorrow
West of Hollywood is my favourite, but I also sort of know it’s not quite as ‘good’ as something like Bad Sneakers.
I can recommend the book Quantum Criminals that’s referenced in this article.
“Rolling Stone” has always been rubbish.
I DISKARD them.
I wouldn’t say they’ve ALWAYS been rubbish, but they didn’t take long to become rubbish.
By the start of the ’70s they were on the slide.
I like lists of suggested books, movies, TV shows, tracks or albums but I no longer “do” lists where stuff is ranked, because they’re always wrong and they’re just clickbait, really.
My favourite Dan track changes every so often. Currently Jack Of Speed’s popularity is waning in favour of Chain Lightning, chez Mike.
I agree ranking has limited appeal, especially compared to other activities that rhyme with it, like spanking or skanking or pranking. It works for RS though, creating a little consternation. Kid Charlemagne gets my vote or Green Earrings or Haitian Divorce, I notice a Royal theme here. That album is mighty. It’s on the cusp you could say, between your old school of rock and a more refined style.
Well we can all argue about this list until the (black) cows come home however what struck me was the simple joy of seeing a list of Dan songs. Even the weaker ones are wonderful. But Dirty Work as a top 3 is odd, very odd.
What a band, what a legacy.
That’s what I was expecting! None of this ” What a strange list” tomfoolery. I can argue, and argue very coherently (?) about whether No17 is in fact much superior to No2 but the plain fact is – it’s a Steely Dan List!!
Can’t imagine a more difficult list to compile.
Your children in order of preference?
Exactly!
Only got one … still tricky though
Dirty Work might be my favourite SD song.
Wot! No Slang Of Ages!
Which, by the way, is a great track and I love Becker’s vocal.
Nice to see “I Got the News” holding down the coveted no.64 slot.
Just perusing the list again – hey I’ve got time on my hands! Somewhat surprised by the high placing of The Second Arrangement. Like many Dan fans I was very excited by the news of this discovery a couple of years ago but then somewhat underwhelmed by the song itself. It’s perfectly fine but for me not the lost masterpiece it inevitably would be lauded as being.
Where can I obtain an official copy?
No official version of the Second Arrangement as far as I know… but several versions of it out on YouTube and the like (Its the Roger Nichols DAT that you want, rather than the other remixes).
I think the reaction is because it is a rare unheard piece of prime Dan, in a sound quality that most bands would be happy with (but of course was just a rough mix for SD) rather than just a sketch or demo. Personally, it would be one of my favourites, but YMMV.
Of course I’ve heard the Gaucho outtakes. None of them zing. They need ‘re-recording by the current touring band. 😄
I’ve always been of the opinion that ” ze Dan” more “zanged ” than “zinged”.