Favourite Steely Dan songs/albums

[Thulsa]

How can everyone overlook Pretzel Logic, it is a classic. Of course Rikki Don't Lose That number, as well as Barrytown, Pretzel Logic, East St Louis Toodle-oo, With a Gun, Parkers band. It's a very underrated album. Then Can't Buy a Thrill, not a bad song on either album. The same of course goes for Aja, but I think a lot of people overlook a lot of Steely Dan's music, just because this was so successful commercially.

[Kid Charlemagne]

Originally posted by Thulsa
How can everyone overlook Pretzel Logic, it is a classic. Of course Rikki Don't Lose That number, as well as Barrytown, Pretzel Logic, East St Louis Toodle-oo, With a Gun, Parkers band. It's a very underrated album. Then Can't Buy a Thrill, not a bad song on either album. The same of course goes for Aja, but I think a lot of people overlook a lot of Steely Dan's music, just because this was so successful commercially.

Well, IMO the same goes for every single Dan album. It's really hard for me to pick a fave, depends mostly on which one I have been listening most to lately. I voted Katy Lied a couple of days ago. Today I would have voted Countdown to ecstasy.
It isn't really surprising that Aja wins the poll, since it is somewhat the consummate Dan album, but there is no reason to miss out on the other albums. They are just as great - all of them.

[Chad Michael]

Sat. night, my band (once again) played 'Josie'.

So, this time bandmembers have their part, all in a good mood, enjoying the moment, and recreating the feel of this cool tune.

I still have a silly grin on my face just thinking about it.... Now, if I could only snap a Rhodes like Fagen, I'd be trying 'Hey Nineteen' and let Doug play bass.



(sigh)

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by Thulsa
How can everyone overlook Pretzel Logic, it is a classic.

Well - nobody has and lots of us said we liked all their albums. I think this is why I don't like most polls, as they are often designed to force you to make a choice, whereas in reality, I can listen to hundreds of albums and like them all equally for different reasons.

I have all the Steely Dan albums and have listened to them all quite frequently, since the 80s! I would reccommend all of them - but there isn't an option in the poll for this!

[jkritchey]

I'll go with Royal Scam, but it's not an easy choice. I have probably had each one as a favorite one time or another. Interestingly, I find myslef skipping over the Aja stuff when listening to the recent 'Showbiz Kids' compilation.

All Music Guide Rates Royal Scam with only three stars, while awarding five stars to several others...

[Philbiker]

Sat. night, my band (once again) played 'Josie'.

So, this time bandmembers have their part, all in a good mood, enjoying the moment, and recreating the feel of this cool tune.

I still have a silly grin on my face just thinking about it.... Now, if I could only snap a Rhodes like Fagen, I'd be trying 'Hey Nineteen' and let Doug play bass.

The last rock and roll band that I was in covered "Peg". What a blast to play and sing backing vocals for. My brother Patrick used to sing a falsetto Michael McDonald imitation "Peeeegg!" while I took one of the lower harmonies. Fun fun stuff. The only song that was more fun to play (other than a lot of our originals) was the Jacson 5 "I Want You Back".

[Chad Michael]

Originally posted by Philbiker
..."Peg".... What a blast to play and sing backing vocals for. My brother Patrick used to sing a falsetto Michael McDonald imitation "Peeeegg!" while I took one of the lower harmonies. Fun fun stuff.

..wish we could do that one...

[secretdonkey]

Imagine the nerve of me - showing up late to this thread and then refusing to pick one album over all the others - but that's just what I'm gonna do!

Just wouldn't feel right choosing only one.

[secretdonkey]

Originally posted by bimplizkit

..wish we could do that one...

No joke.

I was going to propose Peg to my cover band but decided there was no way we'd stand a chance on the vocals. I haven't gotten anyone else in the band to learn Josie so far, so I can just be jealous of you both (Phil & Bimp).

There is a new one coming out in may

"Everything must go"

I'll get it on day 1.

[moley]

Originally posted by BassSaxMan
There is a new one coming out in may

"Everything must go"

I'll get it on day 1.

Yeah, I mentioned that one back on page 2. I'm looking forward to that coming out

[Philbiker]

I was going to propose Peg to my cover band but decided there was no way we'd stand a chance on the vocals.

I usually don't like to toot my own horn, but in that particular band our vocals were so good it was like cheating. Both my brothers Pat and Peter sang well enough to do leads, which they switched off on. Some songs had two part harmony all the way through all the verses and choruses. My voice isn't very strong but I have pretty good key and a nice blending tone. Peter sang the lead on "I Want You Back" perfectly, with his amazing range we didn't even need to transpose. Plus, with all three of us singing harmonies, being brothers, our voices blended perfectly. Best part was that I got to sing Tito's part "Ooooh! Just one more chance to tell you that I love you baby! (Baby!) Baby (Baby!) Babaaay!!!" I don't think many bands could pull off "I Want You Back", but we absolutely smoked it. It always went over incredibly well. "Peg" was another fun one, but Pat had a mental block playing the sax part on the guitar and always had trouble with it. Check out GUM on MP3.com if you're curious, there's a couple songs out there.

Sorry, I'll go back to my usual humble self now.....

[Essexbass]

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield
I've got the live DVD as well - should that be included - nice interview with Tom Barney!

Hiya,
Totally agree with you Bruce - this is probably my fave music DVD - think the whole band is absolutely superb (I'm hoping they might come over to the UK this year, although the last time I looked on the website they said they hadn't currently planned to come to Europe to tour behind the new album).

Tom Barney and Ricky Lawson make another great SD rhythm section - totally in the pocket all the way through the show.

[hateater]

How have I just now discovered this thread?!?!? Countdown to Ecstacy all the way!

[feckn_eejit]

My father got me into Steely Don and Walt when I was 14. The first album he played for me was Katy Lied - I loved it then, and I love it even more now. It's very unfortunate about the whole DBX debacle that sullied this album's sonic quality. The most recent remaster has done a pretty good job of cleaning up, but it's certainly not on the same level as some of the other albums. Gaucho is my favourite, production wise - if for no other reason than The Hitmaker dropping his stick on the snare drum and letting it bounce ever so subtly during Babylon Sisters... gorgeous.

I was fortunate enough to be able to go see them at the Gorge for the Everything Must Go tour... I cannot imagine a better concert experience. I guess it's all downhill from here... unless they tour again...?

If I were forced to take only one SD album to the proverbial desert island, it would be that one. After that, they're basically all tied for 2nd.

As for favourite songs... it's hard to choose - so I'll try to think of it as if I was compiling my own SD Greatest Hits that would contain one from each album:

Can't Buy a Thrill: Fire in the Hole
Countdown to Ecstasy: The Boston Rag (#1 SD song if I had to choose...)
Pretzel Logic: Pretzel Logic (Could also be #1...hard choice)
Katy Lied: Everyone's Gone to the Movies
The Royal Scam: Haitian Divorce
Aja: Home at Last
Gaucho: Babylon Sisters
Two Against Nature: Negative Girl
Everything Must Go: Godwhacker
The Nightfly: IGY
Kamakiriad: Snowbound
11 Tracks of Whack: Girlfriend

...err...I got a bit carried away there.

The Dan rules.

--jeff

[pyrohr]

Childhood friend comes back home to hang with the boys

[pyrohr]

Another pic taken where we come from in Brooklyn N.Y.

[Muzique Fann]

Everybody ALWAYS says Aja, and it's pretty good. But I absolutely love Pretzel Logic. There's just something about it. The production is top notch (not that their others aren't). Everything is groovy, tight & short = classic songs.