Aja Poll

Josie

wheres option "it was alex in nyc"

black cow... but they're all great. didn't think so at the time. luckily i've learnt that lesson.

x-post: What?

really tough.
everything is great except from Peg, which is also great but played out (though it won the best Dan song in the ilm poll, and will probably win now)
i'll go with my current favourite - Home At Last

"Deacon Blues" but I'll change my mind tomorrow.

Peg 12
Deacon Blues 6
Black Cow 2
Josie 1
Aja 1
I Got The News 0
Home At Last 0

You knew it was inevitable...The Steely Dan Song Poll

The title track all the way for me.

Deacon Blues for sure

"Deacon Blues" no doubt, but I love "Home At Last" and "Black Cow" and "Peg" and "I Got The News" too. I tend to rep for Countdown or Royal Scam as my favorite Dan album since they're a little underrated compared to this one, but Aja really is unfuckwithable.

^ Agree with that post in it's entirety, except to substitute Josie for Peg.

"I tend to rep for Countdown or Royal Scam as my favorite Dan album since they're a little underrated compared to this one"

depends who you ask.Countdown To Ecstasy is the favourite Dan record for many fans, including myself.
Steely Dan themselvs don't like the record so much, and they said somewhere that the people who think Ecstasy is the best Dan record are crazy.

Black Cow this week. But what the hell is it about? A drink?

And if so, what is the recipe?

Ahh, the internet. When I tried to look this up a few years ago I found nothing. Now I am overwhelmed with info. So root beer and ice cream and chocolate source? In a bar?

John Justen and Fluffy Bear Will Drink Your Big Black Cow and Get Out Of Here

Four recipes here, incl. a Green Cow. One of these surely will screen out the sorrow, but where are you tomorrow?

in the corner of my eye, i saw you in
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1267/769783020_c6606269c7.jpg?v=0
you were very high.

Is it too late to change the title of this thread to "Take your big black POLL and get out of here"?

LEARN TO WERK THE SAXUHPHONE

this may be the first time i've ever agreed with geir. the last half is sex.

of 'aja'

the song

I'm at the point of disliking this album, but I vote "Deacon Blues." Other than "Peg," the rest is stuff they perfected on Gaucho

We need a Gaucho poll. Geir, start one!

This is my least favorite Steely Dan album, but it's still not bad. "Peg" and "Deacon Blues" are my favorite tracks.

(I guess Alfred and I see eye to eye on this one.)

I'm at the point of disliking this album, but I vote "Deacon Blues." Other than "Peg," the rest is stuff they perfected on Gaucho

-- Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, June 19, 2008 11:48 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

I don't hear much of anything on Gaucho that resembles "Black Cow" or "Home At Last" or "Aja," especially not anything better.

I think they took off a bit too much of the disco from Royal Scam to Aja, but they brought some of it back on Gaucho.

It's been said many times on the Gaucho thread, but I'll repeat: they wrote masterfully about ennui, dessication, and despair on Gaucho. I'm not sure what "Black Cow" and "Home At Last" are about beyond their instrumental virtuosity. I mean, they're pretty, I don't skip the tracks, but so what?

Good, I will listen to this today. I have to vote for "Peg," but it's sad that I can't also vote for "Deacon Blues." (Nothing like a Steely Dan poll to bring everyone out of the woodwork.)

Sorry, didn't realize you evaluate songs as if they're text and not music.

black cow seems like it's about a splintering relationship or friendship, i haven't figured it yet.

Sorry, didn't realize you evaluate songs as if they're text and not music.

I didn't realize you wouldn't read my post correctly.

I think he read it perfectly fine...? I mean, why do the songs have to be "about" anything unless you're someone who privileges lyrics?

Songs can't say what they mean through music? My post said nothing about lyrics.

So the chord changes and solos on Aja don't communicate ennui, dessication, and despair as well as they do on Gaucho. Gotcha.

1977 was an off year for the mu major chord.

they wrote masterfully about ennui, dessication, and despair on Gaucho. I'm not sure what "Black Cow" and "Home At Last" are about beyond their instrumental virtuosity. I mean, they're pretty, I don't skip the tracks, but so what?

How about buying a collection of good poems instead then?

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

I like Geir when he's saucy.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

drink scotch whiskey all night long

So when's the "Pretzel Logic" one? (my favourite by them besides "Aja")

I'm pleasantly shocked by the landslide for Deacon Blues. Well done, ILM.

Also, Steely Dan totally rocked the Beacon yesterday, great show.

Surprised that "I Got the News" and "Josie" did so poorly. Those would be my 3rd and 4th picks.

Hey- I was at that Beacon show too. Good show - would have liked to hear a few more pre-Royal Scam tunes, but good stuff.

I saw the tuesday night show at the beacon... I wish becker didn't sing on gaucho or do that narrative bit on hey nineteen. both were a little embarrassing. maybe fagen felt he had to throw him a bone since they played one of his solo tracks?

anyway, great show otherwise! and they played more gaucho material than aja, if memory serves. so the dan like gaucho better too!

weird, i would rate the other four tracks ahead of those

I don't dislike any of the songs on Gaucho, but side 1 is perfect.

I mean, same goes for Aja though

I used to think that I Got The News was the only dud here, but I've learned to love the herky-jerk rhythm and Victor Feldman's piano

I'm not particularly bothered by it today but I do think I see his point. The part is not in the same league as songs on the rest of the album.

Also worth noting that I believe Roger Nichols didn't have the same involvement in the engineering of this record as compared to the others, which helps explain Aja didn't *sound* quite as lush as the records before and after it (tho it is certainly every bit as smooth if not more so).

Side one of Aja takes a great steaming shit all over side one of Gaucho.

Counterpoint: no it doesn't

the real answer might be that whatever Steely Dan album out of the first 7 is your favorite, you're right (mine changes all the time.)

I agree with nomar.

xp to naive teen idol

that's really interesting. i wasn't talking about the drum performance in particular (which I agree is not the best) but the rhythm of the song in general as defined by the bassline. keeps the whole thing off-balance and makes the lyrics seem even weirder than they already are

man "Stand by the Seawall" is niiiice

Glamour Profession, My Rival and Time Out Of Mind are my favorite Gaucho songs. „Show me my rival, I'll match him whim for whim now“ is the quintessential Steely Dan battlecry

― gospodin simmel, Thursday, September 14, 2017 11:45 AM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah those three are heart of gaucho for me as well

― harbinger of failure (Jon not Jon), Thursday, September 14, 2017

dude "Third World Man"

Gaucho the song is the defining moment of their career for me. The perfect climax right near the very end of their first run.

Yes

Let me be clear, I consider gaucho a perfect album and I love every song on it, but those three songs I love especially madly

Whenever I put Gaucho on, which admittedly isn't often and mostly when it crops up in conversation, it's very rare that I make it to the end of side one, finding myself wanting to turn it off about a couple of minutes into 'Glamour Profession' ' if I do make it to side two, then I find myself wanting to switch it off after the title track. It's a shame that 'Third World Man' is buried at the end.

Mark Knopfler is on Gaucho, but I find Brothers in Arms a more engaging record.

Not enough FPs in the world...

https://youtu.be/Ghp88V3Qm8w

Jay Graydon breaks down his solo on Peg

nice clip, thanks for sharing. love watching virtuoso guitar dudes talk with a guitar in their hands, it's like half words half licks.

The solo is great but holy shit when he toys around playing the rhythm around 5m55s is a fucking revelation... how he makes those stacked gospel chords sounds so effortless in standard barre chording... shows you how amazingly talented he is.

I'm also amazed that he can remember his exact setup including the levels on his amp, it was only 40 years ago

https://youtu.be/DP_2r9zbaIY

^ Newly uploaded clip of Donald playing the Peg chords !

I’ve been going pretty Peg crazy lately

"newly uploaded" my ass, lol

Me drinking scotch whiskey all night long: Haha fuck yeah!!! Yes!!

Me dying behind the wheel: Well this fucking sucks. What the fuck.

— ｂｏｓｓ (@bosscrood) July 17, 2022

Anyone heard the 45 rpm version?

You’ve always been able to play it at 45 if you wanted. They have played us for absolute fools.

The Michael McDonald backing vocals on “I Got the News” are the best and worst thing on the album.

not really backing vocals, are they? he only turns up during the bridge and sings lead on a couple of lines

I've never really warmed up to I Got the News

On the doc it’s the only song not discussed at gets played during the end credits lol

I’ll admit the first 30 seconds are underwhelming but when McD comes in all is forgiven

victor feldman does his thing on that song

What’s “Spanish kissing”anyway

Not sure but it glistens.

Yuck.

It's the "Green Earrings" of this record, just a chance to give the musicians an opportunity to show off.

Green Earrings is much better

broadway duchess you monsters

why they always gotta give McD the weirdest lines to sing in his weird voice

This is the Dan album I never feel like listening to but it's still fine

brimstead otm what is this madness. I Got the News is incredible

BLAAAAAAAAAAH - tss-pa-tss-oom-pa-tss-oom-papa - BLAAH BLAAH - tss-pa-tss-oom-pa-tss-oom-pa papatapa

Steve Gadd karaoke

*ed greene karaoke.

fun fact, each track on aja has a different drummer

Doesn't Purdie play on both "Deacon Blues" and "Home at Last"?

you’re right, six drummers for seven songs

not really backing vocals, are they? he only turns up during the bridge and sings lead on a couple of lines

The Michael McDonald backing vocals on “I Got the News” are the best and worst thing on the album.

ha i did listen to the song a couple times to see if i could catch any stray mcdonald harmonies during the verses

you'll never hear the lyricon solo the same way again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK8uFVc0AkU

can't stop watching this

They really employed every last session musician they could find for this album.

lmao