Bad Sneakers & A Pina Colada My Friend...
Steely Dan
I’ve no idea what any of their songs are about and it doesn’t bother me in the least. I’ve watched Scorsese films for fifty years without knowing what a ‘Seven and Seven’ is. I know it’s a drink but beyond that? Some people need to know every little thing, I’m not one of them. I think I’ve got every album Steely Dan has produced and I doubt there’s a single track I dislike and there’s quite a few- I love. Steely Dan’s an enterprise that’s either loved or loathed but both are felt- with an intense passion. This is ironic, as passion appears to be a component their music is studiously devoid of. Yet, by all accounts, the pair were extraordinarily demanding in the studio. They sought the best musicians and worked them - hard and, if they weren’t producing, Fagen and Becker replaced them. Steely Dan’s passion was focused on the pursuit of musical excellence.
One senses that these two looked down on open displays of passion. Truth be told, one gets the sense that they looked down on most things and possibly, most people. Had they been born half a century later, maybe they’d have become Technocrats. They’ve got that nerdy air. By rights, I shouldn’t like Steely Dan. I doubt there’s a single track that’s ‘moved’ me and, as somebody who knows fuck all about music, other than its ability to do precisely that, they ought to be a non-starter. A couple of smart Alecy posh kids, writing pretentious and inaccessible songs. Why do you like them then Mick? Hmm, because they’re so fucking good at it. Also, saying they fail to ‘move’ me is misleading, as that’s on an emotional level but there’s more than one way to skin a cat. On the opening bars to any of their tracks will have my old head a-nodding and two left feet- a-tapping. A few Steely Dan tunes have been sampled by Hip-Hop artists and, to great effect. You see, the strange truth here Cowboy, is that those two snarky, privately educated white kids, live deep, real deep- inside the groove.
Invariably, I put up tracks and very few readers ever bother to listen. This isn’t a complaint as sticking up a link from YouTube doesn’t take a great deal of effort, even for a Luddite such as myself. However, if you’re unfamiliar with Steely Dan, clicking on any of the tracks below, won’t cost much time and it might turn out to be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made. Steely Dan might be an acquired taste but you’ll know if it’s one you’ve acquired fairly sharpish. Black Cow was released in 1977 and nobody was coming up with stuff like this back then. Come to that, they still aren’t.
Do It Again; the opening track from the 72 debut album. Becker and Fagen were so far ahead of the game it’s almost criminal. Is it Jazz? Is it Rock? No. It’s music, my friend.
Bad Sneakers; A lot of their songs refer to drug activities but you know… subtly.
Pretzel Logic; Released in 74…
I stepped up on the platform
The man gave me the news
He said, you must be joking son
Where did you get those shoes?
Thursday’s post will be the centenary edition. After that, we might drop down to one a week.
Peace- Out!
