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Steely Dan- Any good?

Vocals. Michael Mcdonald.

Not for me. I prefer Donald Fagin's sardonic vocal style.
It's more fitting I think.
 
For me it's the lyrics that stand out. Judging from their solo albums, Fagen was the better lyricist but like Hollywood screenwriters there's an alchemy between two like-minded creatives. An old friend of mine Jeff Young, now sadly passed, played with Steely Dan for a short while and he described how Fagen and Becker would get together and laugh and joke for hours in an endless stream of invention. The lyrics had a flavour all of their own, mixing everyday slang with witty college erudition. Lines like....

I'm working on gospel time these days
(The summer, the summer, this could be the cool part of the summer)
The sloe-eyed creature in the reckless room, she's so severe
A wise child walks right out of here
I'm so excited I can barely cope
I'm sizzling like an isotope

First, she's all feel, then she cools down
She's pure science with a splash of black cat
She's almost gothic and I like it like that
This dark place, so thrilling and new
It's kind of like the opposite of an aerial view

The songs are very wordy, with a lot of narrative in them. If you love literature there's plenty here to treasure. Very much the opposite of minimalistic lyrics with a lot of repeated hooks which has been the usual pop fare. I'd put them on the same level as the best of Lennon and McCartney, songs like She's Leaving Home and Eleanor Rigby. Except that Lennon and McCartney showed much more care and sensitivity, even love, for the personalities in their lyrics, while Fagen and Becker were generally pretty detached, satirical and critical.
 
I find them to be a guilty pleasure.

One half of me thinks of them like the music college brats they are, with no spontaneous soul to their output.

But then the arrangements and musical skill involved in the overall results are impossible to not enjoy.
 
Yes. 'Peg', of course... still think on that the Dan harmony and rhythm don't merge towards Doobies though...
 
I find many of their tracks ‘impressive’ with excellent productio, good demo tracks whether you like the music or not.
 
les24preludes said:
For me it's the lyrics that stand out. Judging from their solo albums, Fagen was the better lyricist but like Hollywood screenwriters there's an alchemy between two like-minded creatives. An old friend of mine Jeff Young, now sadly passed, played with Steely Dan for a short while and he described how Fagen and Becker would get together and laugh and joke for hours in an endless stream of invention. The lyrics had a flavour all of their own, mixing everyday slang with witty college erudition. Lines like....

I'm working on gospel time these days
(The summer, the summer, this could be the cool part of the summer)
The sloe-eyed creature in the reckless room, she's so severe
A wise child walks right out of here
I'm so excited I can barely cope
I'm sizzling like an isotope

First, she's all feel, then she cools down
She's pure science with a splash of black cat
She's almost gothic and I like it like that
This dark place, so thrilling and new
It's kind of like the opposite of an aerial view

The songs are very wordy, with a lot of narrative in them. If you love literature there's plenty here to treasure. Very much the opposite of minimalistic lyrics with a lot of repeated hooks which has been the usual pop fare. I'd put them on the same level as the best of Lennon and McCartney, songs like She's Leaving Home and Eleanor Rigby. Except that Lennon and McCartney showed much more care and sensitivity, even love, for the personalities in their lyrics, while Fagen and Becker were generally pretty detached, satirical and critical.
Click to expand...
Jesus! “If you love literature“. If that was in a book I’d burn it.
 
There is a Steely Dan dictionary it it’s online only. Fagen!s ‘Eminent Hipsters’ is available in print form.

True Dan fans will never admit they like David Palmer;)
 
MVV said:
Jesus! “If you love literature“. If that was in a book I’d burn it.
Click to expand...

Have you actually tried writing good lyrics? Try and write anything as good as the best of Steely Dan and when i see it in print I'll believe you.

If you think writing good lyrics is easy, think again.
 
les24preludes said:
Have you actually tried writing good lyrics? Try and write anything as good as the best of Steely Dan and when i see it in print I'll believe you.

If you think writing good lyrics is easy, think again.
Click to expand...
Don't be ridiculous, that piece of crap illustrates exactly your point. Severe, here, cope, isotope, cat, that, new, view. Good God, and saying what, speaking to what? Well, it seems that he is 'sizzling like an isotope'! Jesus it is utter shit!
 
Here you go, just knocked these up, completely original:

Twisted Tango of Mystery
Down on the boulevard, neon lights in the rain,
Whispers of secrets, hidden in the refrain.
Jazz clubs and dive bars, where the night never sleeps,
In the city of angels, where the lost souls weep.

Hey, hey, Josie, won't you come out tonight?
With your diamond eyes shining, in the pale moonlight.
Hey, hey, Josie, won't you dance with me?
In this twisted tango of love and mystery.

Cigarette smoke rising, from the lips of the damned,
In the backstreets of nowhere, where the dealers make their stand.
Broken hearts and shattered dreams, paved in gold,
In the heart of the city, where the stories unfold.

Hey, hey, Josie, won't you come out tonight?
With your diamond eyes shining, in the pale moonlight.
Hey, hey, Josie, won't you dance with me?
In this twisted tango of love and mystery.

Saxophone wails, like a siren's call,
Through the alleys and the streets, where the shadows fall.
In this world of illusion, where nothing is what it seems,
We're all just chasing ghosts, in our shattered dreams.

Hey, hey, Josie, won't you come out tonight?
With your diamond eyes shining, in the pale moonlight.
Hey, hey, Josie, won't you dance with me?
In this twisted tango of love and mystery.

(Noodle, noodle, brilliant guitar solo, fantastic drum break, perfect three part harmony, noodle noodle.)
 
"Battleships confide in me and tell me where you are,
Shining, flying, purple wolfhound..." etc

That's some proper lyrics.
 
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