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Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

Edgy MD
Jan 17 2021 07:01 PM

Cooby wanted a Steely Dan thread, and now here we have one. The band/duo/solo act that managed to be a first-ballot Rock-and-Roll Hall-of-Famer despite not really liking rock 'n' roll, but presenting themselves as a rock band while harkening back to the swing, the humor, the cool, and the collegiate snobbery of modern jazz.



I'll open with this golden nugget.



[YOUTUBE]sW8rWRBmABA[/YOUTUBE]

batmagadanleadoff
Jan 17 2021 07:16 PM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

This thread is over. Shut it down. Nobody's gonna top that cover.



And it's uplifting, too.

Frayed Knot
Jan 17 2021 07:48 PM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

Good God!!





Just one question though ... which one is Donny and which is Marie?

Fman99
Jan 17 2021 08:43 PM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

I'm just amazed that Donny & Marie's celebrity marriage has outlasted so many of their contemporaries. Good on them!



Though, to bring this back to the Dan, I'm hopeful that their 2020 concert here in Syracuse, that was cancelled, comes off in 2021, as I'd love to see them a third time. I'll post one of my faves here as a deeper cut that they played live, that I was beyond happy to hear.



[youtube]PhlB7lT7UNs[/youtube]

Edgy MD
Jan 17 2021 08:48 PM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

That's a weird vid in that it looks like footage from the same concert until you realize Fagan's t-shirt keeps changing.



Up close, he looks more or less like Donald Fagan. But then the wider shots make it look like the band was taken over by Dennis Hopper.

batmagadanleadoff
Jan 17 2021 09:01 PM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

Steely Dan was named after a steam-powered dildo. Also, Chevy Chase was one of their drummers in the band's pre recording contract days.

whippoorwill
Jan 18 2021 06:53 AM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

=batmagadanleadoff post_id=54168 time=1610936189 user_id=68]
This thread is over. Shut it down. Nobody's gonna top that cover.



And it's uplifting, too.



Couldn't watch more than about 10 seconds 🤮

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jan 18 2021 07:32 AM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

There's a list here of their Top 10 songs. Makes good arguments for the ones they chose but a top 10 SD song list seems to me especially pointless inasmuch as SD to me was always an "album" band. https://www.stereogum.com/2108300/best-steely-dan-songs/lists/10-best-songs/



Also, I strongly disagree with their No. 1 choice. To me the GAUCHO album was a huge letdown. My expectations were impossibly high after AJA. Also, I'd "worked" for that album--got it as a reward for selling subscriptions to the Daily News on my paper route, was left out there along with the papers on cold morning at 6am. Tom Petty's HARD PROMISES was another btw.

Edgy MD
Jan 18 2021 07:58 AM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

Yeah, that's a weird #1. Although, if I survive a few decades, I might re-assess. Steely Dan can be like that. A static catalogue becomes dynamic in new light.



I'm fascinated by "Dirty Work," because it hovers around the classic rock canon and gets nearly as much airplay as anything they did, but sounds so little like them. With a vocalist who would soon leave the group, a distinct lack of irony, and a rhythm (from a drummer who would also soon leave) that catches the folk rock pocket, I still forget who I'm listening to when it comes on.



It may be the best Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young song that's not actually by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young.

whippoorwill
Jan 18 2021 09:35 AM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

I loved Steely Dan but for some reason did not like ‘Peg'

Frayed Knot
Jan 18 2021 09:44 AM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

Yeah, this guy's #1 & #2 wouldn't make my list either (I'd have to go back and listen to Gaucho again just to remember it) but that's OK and, as mentioned, they were never a singles band in the first place.



As replacements I'll toss in DON'T TAKE ME ALIVE and BODISHATVA (I'm positive that's spelled incorrectly) although could just as easily toss in others and be OK with them as well.

TransMonk
Jan 18 2021 09:49 AM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

I had a girlfriend a loooong time ago that loved Steely Dan. I saw them twice back in the early 90s.



I respect their talent and vision. It seems like they always did what they set out to do artistically. Their music is not my cup of tea, though. A bit too sterile and soulless.



My favorite album is THE ROYAL SCAM.

whippoorwill
Jan 18 2021 09:59 AM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

Bodishatva (I prolly spelled it wrong too) always reminded me of when I was little and sat by our registers ‘playing' them like a harp

Fman99
Jan 18 2021 10:15 AM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

Agree with JCL - there's no sense in a top ten list of songs. Totally an album band.



Agree also with TM -- The Royal Scam is the album I always go back to. I'm also partial to the 1982 Fagen solo album "The Nightfly," which I think holds its own with the best SD albums.



I generally favor the songs least beaten to death on FM radio and The Royal Scam/The Nightfly really don't have any songs that get much commercial air play.

Johnny Lunchbucket
Jan 18 2021 11:53 AM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

Yeah Nightfly totally embarrassed GAUCHO

Edgy MD
Jan 18 2021 01:17 PM
Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

Back in 2010, L'Osservatore Romano, the daily newspaper of the The Vatican City, owned by The See but independently controlled, named their Top Ten Rock Albums. The top pick — Revolver — was a little surprising. Sure, there's nothing controversial about The Beatles on top, and while many Beatles fans (possibly including myself) would name Revolver their favorite, the consensus in these sorts of polls almost always goes to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.



But things only got weirder from there.


[list=1]

  • [*]Revolver — The Beatles

  • [*]If I Could Only Remember My Name — David Crosby

  • [*]The Dark Side of the Moon — Pink Floyd

  • [*]Rumours — Fleetwood Mac

  • [*]The Nightfly — Donald Fagen

  • [*]Thriller — Michael Jackson

  • [*]Graceland — Paul Simon

  • [*]Achtung Baby — U2

  • [*](What's the Story) Morning Glory? — Oasis

  • [*]Supernatural — Santana
    • [/list]

    Apart from the list being overwhelmingly white, I had to hand it to the editorial board for plucking the gorgeous Nightfly out of nowhere, even though, like much of the list, it's not particularly rock, and in many ways, is anti-rock.

    Frayed Knot
    Jan 18 2021 02:03 PM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    Edgy MD wrote:

    Apart from the list being overwhelmingly white ...


    Including Michael Jackson

    Lefty Specialist
    Jan 18 2021 03:03 PM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    My Old School was always one of my favorite songs of all time. Amazing sax, classic lyrics.



    I remember the thirty-five sweet goodbyes

    When you put me on the Wolverine up to Annandale

    It was still September

    When your daddy was quite surprised

    To find you with the working girls in the county jail

    I was smoking with the boys upstairs when I

    Heard about the whole affair, I said oh no

    William and Mary won't do

    whippoorwill
    Jan 18 2021 03:09 PM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    No lie; I couldn't sleep last night and when that happens my brain scans songs and last night featured Reeling in the Years and waking up to Donnie and Marie blowing it to chunks just sucks

    Edgy MD
    Jan 18 2021 03:35 PM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    Lefty Specialist wrote:

    My Old School was always one of my favorite songs of all time. Amazing sax, classic lyrics.



    I remember the thirty-five sweet goodbyes

    When you put me on the Wolverine up to Annandale

    It was still September

    When your daddy was quite surprised

    To find you with the working girls in the county jail

    I was smoking with the boys upstairs when I

    Heard about the whole affair, I said oh no

    William and Mary won't do


    I heard a great interview with Fagan on New York radio once with something like this exchange:



    　"So, it's great to have you back. Have you spent a lot of time in New York?"



    　　　"Well, I grew up in the outer Jersey suburbs, but when I became a teenager, I would take the train in to see shows in the Village.

    　　　And then of course, in college, I came down from Bard and had a great time."



    　"Oh, you went to Bard, just up the Hudson? That's great. Have you ever been back?"



    　　　"Oh, yeah, I go back to visit all the time."

    TransMonk
    Jan 18 2021 04:54 PM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    Lefty Specialist wrote:

    My Old School was always one of my favorite songs of all time. Amazing sax, classic lyrics.

    The guitar tone on the lead is pretty great, too.

    Fman99
    Jan 18 2021 07:15 PM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    Edgy MD wrote:

    Back in 2010 L'Osservatore Romano, the daily newspaper of the The Vatican City, owned by The See but independently controlled, named their Top Ten Rock Albums. The top pick — Revolver — was a little surprising. Sure, there's nothing controversial about The Beatles on top, and while many Beatles fans would name Revolver their favorite (possibly including myself), the consensus in these sorts of polls almost always goes to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.



    But things only got weirder from there.


    [list=1]
  • [*]Revolver — The Beatles

  • [*]If I Could Only Remember My Name — David Crosby

  • [*]The Dark Side of the Moon — Pink Floyd

  • [*]Rumours — Fleetwood Mac

  • [*]The Nightfly — Donald Fagen

  • [*]Thriller — Michael Jackson

  • [*]Graceland — Paul Simon

  • [*]Achtung Baby — U2

  • [*](What's the Story) Morning Glory? — Oasis

  • [*]Supernatural — Santana
    • [/list]

    Apart from the list being overwhelmingly white, I had to hand it to the editorial board for plucking the gorgeous Nightfly out of nowhere, even though, like much of the list, it's not particularly rock, and in many ways, is anti-rock.


    Not to hijack this thread, but that David Crosby album is in fact tremendous. It's another one of my faves.



    [youtube]Hug_ovoGFOU[/youtube]

    Johnny Lunchbucket
    Jan 19 2021 05:26 AM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    Wtf, Vatican, Supernatural?!?

    seawolf17
    Jan 19 2021 06:26 AM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    Steely Dan is one of those bands that my dad loved but I just could never get into. Then a guy I worked with at Stony Brook was a HUGE Dan fan and he tried to turn me on to some of it, but it just never clicked. They've got some stuff I like, but I've never really spent serious time with them.

    Edgy MD
    Sep 14 2021 10:34 AM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    Pointer Dan, posted by someone at the other place.



    Not a giant leap forward but not half-bad either.



    [YOUTUBE]ftG8Vpu7Wus[/YOUTUBE]

    Edgy MD
    Jun 26 2022 12:00 PM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    The Velvet Fog gets his Fagan on.



    [YOUTUBE]VIAZdoE1fCA[/YOUTUBE]

    Fman99
    Jun 26 2022 06:06 PM
    Re: Jo, Would You Love to Scrapple? — The Steely Dan Thread

    Just saw them again, this past Thursday, for the fourth time.



    I missed out on the Walter Becker era, having not seem them for the first time until after his passing. I attended with my buddy Bob who, like me, had seen each of the previous three post-Becker SD shows here in the 'Cuse.



    Only this time, the lead guitar player was a different guy than the last guy. We noticed it fairly early on - "Hey, this isn't the same guy from last time, he's considerably better." They confirmed this when announcing the various band lineup.



    It was a great show, much as it always is.



    For the record, also, when they play "Dirty Work," as they do each time, he always lets one of the lady background singers (the "Danettes") drive lead vocals on that one. Aside from "Godwhacker," which is the only representative sample from their 2000/2003 albums that I'm largely indifferent to, this is a great selection of Steely Dan songs and I always feel like they do a great job of catering to the fans who go deeper into the album cuts, as I do.



    Set list:



    Night by Night

    Hey Nineteen

    Black Friday

    Aja

    Kid Charlemagne

    Home at Last

    Time Out of Mind

    Godwhacker

    Babylon Sisters

    Black Cow

    Rikki Don't Lose That Number

    Dirty Work

    Bodhisattva

    Peg

    My Old School

    Encore - Reelin' in the Years