So cool to see a new Dan Fan "get it" instantly. That's a high music I.Q. right there.

Don't Take me Alive is my favorite on this album.

I take some small comfort that a younger generation is moved and appreciates great music that came before them - such riches seem to be fading from memory.

Larry "Mr. 335" Carlton was incredible on this album. His guitar solo on Kid Charlemagne is one of the greatest ever, but to my mind, that intro solo to start Don't Take Me Alive is simply another level. You're right, his tone is something else. The whole album is amazing. Great reaction!

@SIXSTRING63

Ай бұрын

This album with Larry Carlton on Kid Charlemagne and Don’t Take Me Alive and his solo album Room 335 made me go buy a Gibson 335 and a Mesa Boogie Mark 3 combo. I know Larry used a little Fender Princeton or a Deluxe Reverb cranked on The Royal Scam sessions. He was using a Mesa on Room 335 and went to the Dumble amps by the early 80’s and has used them ever since.

@jdbroders64

Ай бұрын

@@SIXSTRING63 I have a 335 (among many others) to this day.

@wicky4473

Ай бұрын

I always wish they wouldn’t fade out too soon, just as Larry is getting going!😊

@robertsuitsjr6117

Ай бұрын

As much as I'd like a 335 I'm gonna have to (happily) go with his Sire H7 or H7F as my next addition.

@jimdukeproject

Ай бұрын

I had this album wore it out. Love Kid Charlemagne one of my favorites. Interesting Larry Carlton said he doesn’t remember how to play the solo, haha.

Guitar intro to "Don't Take Me alive" is the best ever. (IMHO)

@livenhfree

Ай бұрын

Yeah, I'm right with you. The best intro I've ever heard. His solo on Kid Charlemagne is great, of course. But it doesn't carry the impact of an intro. And at 16 bars long, to boot. Right on!

Steely Dan is so freaking awesome. One of my favorites. Their first several albums are just Fantastic! I love every song on this album.

John Klemmer played the tenor sax solo on Caves of Altamira. Best. Mike.

I sincerely hope she won't take this comment as disrespectful in the least... But, I really like this kid... She's so capable of experiencing the music many of us grew up with and felt so passionately about in our youth. She's also dead honest with her thoughts, feelings and emotions about music. It's just great to see someone her age enjoy it as we did when this was on the radio... I'm probably 3 times her age, so kid sounded correct... Love the album side reactions.. Radio stations used to play albums at midnight.. They'd even say "Get your tapes ready"... bet the record companies hated that suggestion...

@stuartdryer1352

Ай бұрын

My thoughts exactly. I love it when young people immediately "get" the music from the time when I was her age.

@nedeast6845

Ай бұрын

You may be surprised, when younger people have the opportunity of learning art or science, history, music, they can appreciate it and understand it, just understand their world

@excrono

10 күн бұрын

Many of those from younger generations still have the openness and desire for critical understanding to seek the meaning (and feeling) of art from the artist, both in context of when it was created and how it can still apply to the present, integrating those messages into how they understand themselves and the world. You could redact the first sentence from your original comment and I’d be fine with that. Two times her age and feel the same way about Verdy.

What a _GREAT_ selection !!!!! *STEELY DAN,* one of my all time favorite groups !!!!!

"The Caves of Altamira" is one of my favorite of the lesser known Steely Dan songs. I love the comparison of cave paintings to Hollywood. Ancient movies. Larry Carlton does indeed have great tone on guitar. It's a sound that a lot of guitarists have tried to emulate.

Another example of the simple fact the 70s produced some of the greatest music of all times

@keithjones7390

Ай бұрын

How true, best decade for music without question.

Great Rock band with a Jazzy Edge!!

Don't Take Me Alive is a personal favorite...but they are all superb

IMO, The Dan doesn't have a single bad song in their entire catalog. My all time favorite group. They don't make them like the Dan anymore. I love your channel VERDY. Keep up the great work!

I love Aja but I really think this is my favorite album by Steely Dan.

@flerbus

Ай бұрын

over the years, i choose to listen to this one more

This is my favorite SD album. The look of pure joy on your face says it ALL. Side 2 is just as good. This is a desert island album for sure.

Yes it is! in the caves of Altamira the sax solo is brilliant. Great reaction!

IMO, the best Steely Dan album.

@raleighsmalls4653

Ай бұрын

Correctumundo. But all the Aja recording industry dweebs can't bear da overt political innuend-oos so "the best" defaults to that fluffer nutter sandwich, Aja...

You're a Cool kiddo, Verdy! "Get along Kid Charlemagne..."

@blueboy4244

Ай бұрын

isn't that song about Owly?

@yoyodynepropulsionsystems

Ай бұрын

@@blueboy4244 Yup, from beginning to end.

@mtnvalley9298

Ай бұрын

​@@blueboy4244 Augustus Owsley Stanley III. Owlsley for short.

@jaquestraw1

Ай бұрын

@@mtnvalley9298 The Bear 🙂

Here At The Western World is a SD song that is only on a best of compilation, it is solid fire, and didn’t make this album. This album, Aja, and Gaucho in order topped off an incredible 3-4 years of music perfection. You Verdy were rocking to the music, rightly so. But lyrically in true SD fashion, so much fun figuring them out.

Bernard Purdie was the drummer on all tracks except Don’t Take Me Alive and Everything You Did. He’s 84 and hasn’t missed a beat! He’s still a monster on the drums!!

I've seen Steely Dan live many times over the years and their shows are always amazing. Walter Becker is definitely missed. 😢

Excellence. ALL beginning in the writing of course... But also in the arrangements, the playing, the mixing, the production, the instrumentation, the use of background vocals, dynamics... NO weak spots ANYWHERE. Musical perfection? Hard to say, it doesn't seem to me those two words make sense together. Musical excellence, as close to perfection as anyone. Ever.

@stefan_becker

Ай бұрын

The weak point of SD is Donal Fagens voice. But I agree about anything else 😅

Think you should react to Supertramp(Crime of the Century) you will love the keyboards, singers and great songs!!! Fantastic album)

Don't Take Me Alive is the killer track for me.

I was 16yo when this came out. One of my top 10 favorites to this day. Play it often. Have all SD albums and CD’s.

@briangray00

Ай бұрын

Me too, I gotz the outtakes and the bootlegs. There aren't many (any other) artists I go completist.

Don't take me alive will always be my favorite.

Steely Dan, in whatever incarnation, incredibly talented musicians, amazingly well written music, still so good after all these years.

This album features the superb guitarist Larry Carlton (among many other great musicians). He worked on several Dan records but also played on a ton of records in the 70s. His work with Joni Mitchell on her Asylum records in the 70s (Court and Spark, Hissing of Summer Lawns and Hejira being the best of the lot) are highlights for both artists. He also recorded many records under his own name, which I still need to find time to explore at some point.

Steely Dan has some of the most brilliantly engeneered albums ever! Great sound and music like this needs to be listened either on good headphones or quality speakers to really appreciate how far ahead they were! just brilliant!

The Fez sounds like it could have been a theme song to one of those cheesy 1970s game shows on television

@z-man2343

Ай бұрын

Musically, absolutely. But, in typical Donald Fagen style, the lyrics are a double entendre for wearing a prophylactic, or a "fez" as in: "ain't never gonna do it without the fez on."

@excrono

10 күн бұрын

Or a 2020s reality show set in Amsterdam.

Warms my heart to welcome another Steeley Dan fan into the fold!! There are only a handful of songs in their repertory that aren't perfect. Highly recommend doing Aja next. And please do Joni Mitchell's Court and Spark and Hejira. I dare you!! Thank you for what you do. It is incredibly encouraging to know there is at least one person under 50 that gets what makes great music.

You cant miss with Steely Dan. Love their music and have seen them in concert.

Verde dear, This is my favorite "Dan album of all time.. They are perfectionists and next level musicians... Bernard Purdie with his drumming was so good..

The word just came to me-Steely Dan is relentlessly intentional. Best. Mike.

Some people would say The Royal Scam is Steely Dan's greatest album. And those people would be correct. 😉

@Wordsmyth8

Ай бұрын

Really? That’s one of my least favorite Steely Dan albums. I bought all of theirs, and this is the one that I never listened to very much because I just couldn’t get into it.

@rosieohdonald1364

Ай бұрын

@@Wordsmyth8 Oh my...I guess you don't play an instrument, sorry for you

@williammckay9229

Ай бұрын

Definitely the best.

@mikewingate284

Ай бұрын

I prefer AJA over this, but it's cool that you like Royal Scam better. Honestly, all Dan is great!

@ianhampton1208

Ай бұрын

Went downhill after this album in my opinion.

You should get yourself a set of Drums!!

I swear sometimes I saw tears in your eyes. If that's true then you're like me - this music is so good that it makes me cry. Which is as ironic as Steely Dan's lyrics themselves lol.

When Jimmy (Page) is chilling at home, he plays Steely Dan!

Fantastic album, I have loved it since I was a teenager (many many years ago)! Don't Take me Alive is crazy hard rock guitar tone

You’ve struck gold on this band! Production, musicianship, there are not many peers to compare to. Enjoy!

Where does that ending to 'Sign In Stranger' come from - Genius !!

Although Aja is considered their "pièce de résistance" (and rightfully so) I believe The Royal Scam is Steely Dan's finest album. Every track absolutely slaps, the groove is relentless throughout, and the songwriting and musicianship is beyond elite level...there is just no comparison in all of modern music.

@keithjones7390

Ай бұрын

Yes although Aja is undoubtedly a wonderful album, for me though it's almost too polished and sophisticated. Pretzel Logic is my favourite with its shorter highly melodic tunes such as Through With Buzz, Barrytown, With a Gun and the superb title track. The Royal Scam is second choice.

@kerryfoerster1767

16 күн бұрын

AJA least good, Scam second least good. They got too smooth, lost bite. Katy Lied my favorite. Then Thrill and Pretzel.

I agree with everything SD songs are always well recorded and produced!

@zeroceiling

Ай бұрын

They are possibly the best produced albums in the industry. Very often, testing new speakers is done by audiophiles by putting on a Steely Dan album…any of them.

If you listen closely, you can hear Michael MacDonald's backing vocals in the later verse in Kid Charlemagnne. :-)

I first heard Kid Charlamange as a child, I was already in love with Steely Dan anyway, at age 8, I loved Reelin' In the Years,, and their music, even at the age of 11, like Ricky Don't lose that Number....later on, I learnt what the lyrics were referring to, and it made me love Steely Dan and their songs even more, I bought every album and every song of theirs, I am just amazed that Donald and Walter actually know me, and understand me in their music, and wrote it for me, when you start playing imaginary instruments and singing silently along, you are a Dan Fan, welcome aboard

If you like this fusion of jazz, funk, and rock, I recommend David Bowie's Station to Station. It was released around the same time as this and is one of his best.

Saturday morning, having coffee, with Ms Verdy and Steely Dan. Doesn't get much better than this. ❤👍

This album has its own sound compared to their others. It’s fantastic. The last song, the title track is one of their best.

@keithjones7390

Ай бұрын

I agree, the title track is fantastic, as is the title track to Pretzel Logic, one of my favourite songs ever.

A Full tone from the guitar is a very correct way to describe a particular sound. This guitar is lightly distorted but still hot when it was hot.

if i had to pick my favorite steely dan album i could not but this one is it i think maybe.

I love AJA but Royal Scam was always my favorite. Don't Take me Alive is the ring tone on my cel.

@keithjones7390

Ай бұрын

I love Aja too, but love Pretzel Logic and The Royal Scam even more!

I love your reaction to hearing each song kick off, so much a similar reaction we had back in the day when it was released. Sitting in front of the stereo, fine Columbian already inhaled, and sit in quiet amazement as song after song washes over you. If Aja is the sweet, refined sugar for your soul, then Royal Scam is the raw cane sugar cut in the field and gnawed on for its natural unrefined greatness. Keep up the great reactions, enjoy the music - as you know all too well, you can only hear them for the first time.... once.

Duuuude! Don't take me alive with these incredible Steely Dan reactions.🎸👍

You just listened to the front side of one of the best albums ever produced. Everybody's got their own taste but, to me, I can't think of one better. Looking forward to side two.

Probably my favourite Steely Dan, but to be honest all their classic albums are quite perfection. During a long time I had only listened to Can't Buy A Thrill (which I always loved) - but gee, I was really missing out!

Elliot "Reeling In the Years" Randall's raking technique on Sign In Stranger - pure bliss.

One of my most favorite albums! I love rockin’ out with you Verdy! I can clearly see that you are deeply and genuinely enjoying and absorbing this incredible music 🔥🎶

if there really is such a thing as 'eargasms', steely dan makes 'em...

One of my favorites also the doobie brothers what were once vices are now habbits ! Be well ! 🤘

@Robert-xl4mm

18 күн бұрын

All the Dan Albums of the 70’s, Vices was great by the DB but my favorite of their’s was Captain and Me

Glad you enjoyed this. You seem to like Steely Dan as much as I do. I owned the Royal Scam back in the 70's and played it constantly. Caves of Altamira still holds up today and is my favorite Steely Dan song. You have a keen ear for detail. Well done young woman!

@keithjones7390

Ай бұрын

Caves of Altamira is one of my favourite Steely Dan songs.

I've watched your reaction video for "Aja" many times, because I'm happy to see you enjoy that brilliant album so much. I would recommend "Gaucho" because it has a more similar sound to "Aja" (more 'jazzy') than "The Royal Scam", which has a bit too much funk for my tastes - except for "The Caves of Altamira," which, I feel, is one of the top 10 songs Steely Dan ever recorded.

@nedeast6845

Ай бұрын

I know what you mean....and of course Donald took it further with Nightfly and Kamakiriad....it was his direction which maybe Walter didn't want to go

Love the Necromonger album design

Larry is the GOAT. Any style, any tempo he can create something so original and creative. One of a kind. Musicality on the guitar at the highest level.

Steely Dan mudou completamente minha visão sobre o que é música. Hoje Steely é uma das minhas bandas favoritas.

Aja & Can't Buy A Thriill & Pretzel Logic All great albums by Steely Dan. Excellent Studio musicians and songwriters!

@jdbroders64

Ай бұрын

I would add Countdown to Ecstasy. Just killer.

@briangray00

Ай бұрын

@@jdbroders64 plus all the other ones; their quality levels are insane 😍.

@jdbroders64

Ай бұрын

@@briangray00 Can't argue with that!

@keithjones7390

Ай бұрын

Love all their wonderful albums, have to admit though that l could never get into Everything Must Go 😢

@jdbroders64

Ай бұрын

@@keithjones7390 I hear you. Not my cup of tea.

I wish I could listen to this for the first - or even the hundredth - time again. It's fun watching you hear it with new ears.

That most definitely is a sax that you hear on Caves Of Altamira. But there are definitely horns/trumpet in the cut!

It *was* a sax I could also be completely wrong about this. Lovely reaction to one of my absolute favourite LPs. It's nice to see new listeners being so immediately entranced by something 48 years young. Doesn't it sound good? Isn't it well produced? isn't the instrumentation magnificent? What a fine voice! etc. I'll enjoy your next reaction to side 2 hopefully soon. I'm certain that you'll be equally as moved and impressed. The 'Extraordinary Men Of The Groove' don't miss on any of their albums, but The Royal Scam is where they really hit stride. It paid off enough to fund Aja the most expensive album ever (to that date). That one delivered a shed-load of sales and prizes. .

Thank you for bringing this classic album to light. And thank you for appreciating it.

@nedeast6845

Ай бұрын

Every album of steely dan is classic and perfect to me....the only song of theirs that I could never get into was "Everyones Gone to the movies", and the silly drumming from Jeff Pocaro (I hope i am not a heretic)

There are no bad Steely Dan songs. Realize that all these sings are done by jazz and rock session musicians, some playing just what they feel fits the song.

It's great to see you digging the same music I was grooving to, over 40 years ago! Steely Dan is great and their production and arrangements have been top notch since the start. Good stuff!!

This was ALWAYS my favorite SD album. Many people claim Aja to be their favorite. I was a Senior in HS when it came out. I felt it was forced down our throats to like it.

@keithjones7390

Ай бұрын

Aja would be a favourite for many fans, but strangely for me it's almost too polished and sophisticated. My favourite is Pretzel Logic with the Royal Scam as second choice.

@patmurray9730

Ай бұрын

@@keithjones7390 mine is RS, PL, Aja.

Another of my staple 'go to' Maestro's and as always your Reactions because it's evident You actually and always 'feel' the music continue to be captivating. Still miss seeing more of your air guitar gestures as it added even more content to the song but still a genuine reaction to an iconic album. Thanks ☺️

Verdy, great to see your appreciation for this!! Your reaction shows your understanding of the amazing performances!! I just saw Steely Dan again two months ago when they opened for the Eagles. Again, great reaction!!

Yes, that was a sax you heard played by John Klemmer

Think about the shape of a Fez on a different object......naughty but fun. ✌️

One of my fav album of SD love it❤

I love just by the look on your face that you're into this and, honestly, I haven't heard a bad Steely Dan song yet! Keep it up!

Kid Charlamagne is a real life person named Owlsly, the acid Guru and chemist!!

Ps. Get a print or the of the album cover and put on the wall behind you. Would be so cool. Because the sleeping woman is you ,dreaming, in another life !

Wish the last 30 seconds could go on for 30 minutes! Whoa what a groove.Almost forgot you're doing the whole side! I meant Caves of Altamira.

Speaking French your pronunciation of Kid Carolus Magnus is the most correct😊

Kid Charlemagne one of the my favorites. Larry Carlton is great.

ahhh The Great Larry Carlton on guitar (Kid Charlemagne solos) Superb

This channel has great vibes.

I have not started to watch the video. Great album.

I can hear Verdy interviewing Donald Fagen: "I don't think that's a saxophone. OMG. Seriously? Come on!"

Yes, this mix and composition of sounds infused together never seems to disengage the listener from enjoying the unique steely dan signature music ,even after 40 odd years of replaying it.

Sounds like an alto... love your reactions!

Great album selection Miss Verdy :)

How could you not enjoy this album. It's killer. I envy you getting to hear this music for the first time you lucky kid!!

ça me fait toujours plaisir quand les jeunes découvrent et "sentent" ma musique préférée du temps où j’avais le même âge qu’eux maintenant. Greetings from Houston.

Been a fan of SD since 1973. Royal scam is my favorite album. Not a bad song on any of there albums. This is what talented musicians sound like.

22:55-They went full brass on that one, Verdy-Chuck & John Findley with John Klemmer. Royal Scam was pretty much Becker, Fagan and lots of guest Musicians, including Rock Hall of Fame backup vocal girl team : Vernetta Fields, Clydie King and Shirlee Matthews, who you already heard on the Aja LP. Can't wait for the side 2 reaction to the title track.

Caves of Altamira: Definitely a saxophone.

"The mechanized hum of another world ?" Hunh ?

That is You asleep on the Album cover....dreaming of Steely Dan's music. How did you do that? You were meant to listen to this, your other self back in the 70s. How surreal! Be Born Again My Friend! XXX

Hey there! You have this taped! From someone who's age makes me completely suspect. I am so enjoying. Amazing the variety in subject. Guys are just incredible.

What I like in "The fez", it's the gaudy lounge sounding organ. It's kitsch, but it works!

@MarcosElMalo2

Ай бұрын

I do not know if this is true, but I heard that The Fez was originally commissioned by the Department of Health for a sexual health PSA. Another song commissioned for the campaign was Zappa’s Little Green Rosetta, which he eventually used to adorn Joe’s Garage.