best Steely Dan album closer

ha, i had this conversation with someone recently. King of the World for me. best album opener would be much tougher.

Third World Man followed by Turn That Heartbeat

"King of the World". I find a lot of these albums sequenced weirdly: like, I wouldn't end Katy Lied with "Throw Back The Little Ones"; "Any World" would be somewhat better. On Pretzel Logic, I think the title song would be a better closer. On the debut, I'd take "Change of the Guard". I'm not sure about "Josie". And so on.

"King of the World" too but I'm feeling post-apocalyptic this morning so hey.

you may wonder, when this poll's results come in, who was the guy that voted for "everything must go." that'd be me.

I have not heard Everything Must Go or its last true feeling but I regardless voted "Third World Man" because I will be partial toward it no matter what new information I receive. A lot of Gaucho is gazing over the edge and "Third World Man" is completely gone over that edge and it is broken by the rocks at the bottom but it is still awfully alive.

Also what I just said was stupid because ascribing meaning = pshh whatever, because listen to those harmonies in "bright eyes" and "little guy" and how they crawl into your stomach and hatch designs that we won't see the end of.

as much as i love them, i don't think any of these are my favorite or even second- or third-favorite on their respective albums. which for me is kind of weird for a fav band ever contender. "heartbeat" i guess

i like "heartbeat" and "king of the world" better as songs but "the royal scam" is a haunting closer, summarizing the album, really sticks with you/

King of the World. Probably my favorite song of theirs.

"Third World Man" is in my top three Dan list.

I clicked on this thread pretty much only to vote for "Third World Man".

"The Royal Scam". As m coleman said, it's haunting and perfectly wraps up the album. That The Royal Scam as a whole is my favorite Steely Dan record definitely helps.

Purely subjective, of course, but "Third World Man" is the perfect capstone to the first phase of Steely Dan's career: not so much exhausted as capturing a moment of total surrender. The last minute, as those guitar and synth licks keep piling up atop the harmonies, are the aural equivalent of dirt burying the Third World Man.

love how sd brings out the poetic best in people

"King Of The World" easy, but "Royal Scam" is a favorite too.

"Royal Scam" strikes me as the most closer-ish of these, but I really can't not toss another vote for the King

this thread reminds me that I need to get the Dan albums I don't already own

KOTW easily. Josie's a great song, but a bit wierd for a closer I suppose.

A bit weird for a single too.

King of the World

Throw Back The Little Ones. It has the right tired, forgiving feel, as if to say 'man, a lotta shit went down in Dantown today, didn't it?'

i might vote for west of hollywood, the chord changes in that song are mystery to me.

Third World Man was the first that popped into my head, so that would be the one. Really has to be either that or The Royal Scam. Both songs have somewhat similar attributes as slow, brooding closers. I like it when they take a turn to the dark side at the end of their albums.

I'm leaning towards "Josie" at this point, but these are by and large not what I would list among my top SD tunes.

"king of the world" is prob my fave on this list but "third world man" is such a perfect closer in the context of both that album and that leg of their career. really strong song as well. I'm torn.

this IS impossible, will have to listen to all seven tonight to make up my mind.

third world man just beats josie

west of hollywood for me

third world man

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

didn't have a chance to listen to all of these so i'm going to vote from my gut.

voting for "King of the World."

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