Justin, how much would a pirate pay for a pair of earrings??? A buck an ear...

@JustJP

3 жыл бұрын

😅

I'm a simple man. I see JP and Steely Dan and i click.

@JustJP

3 жыл бұрын

😃

Always the goosebumps for this tune: Chuck Rainey on bass, Bernard Purdie on drums. Remember that the Dan was off the road for nearly 20 years. When they started touring again in '93, the twelve-year old me who bought Aja in 1977 was ecstatic. And "Green Earrings" was the opening song. AWESOME!

A top track of my favourite 'Dan' album. There's a lot going on, all of it great.

I think he's a jewel thief who intends to steal the earrings - "I must take what I see." The first jazzy guitar solo was Denny Dias, who did the electric sitar solo on the very early song "Do It Again". It was his band that Fagen and Becker joined in college and slowly took over. He has contributed solos on many of their post touring days albums. Elliot Randall, who played the end solo, also played guitar solos on one of their first hits "Reeling In The Years" and also "Bodhisattva". ( P.S. : error - D.Dias and S.Baxter on Bodhisattva.)

@markdrechsler5660

3 жыл бұрын

I don’t think Randall played on “Bodhisattva.” That was Skunk Baxter.

Steely Dan!!!! Steely Dan!!!! Always put out the perfect tunes!!!! Among the gods of Rock n' Roll and Jazz Fusion!!!! Every time one hears Steely Dan, you just listen and mellow out .......lol

My favorite SD song. It's just so damn funky. Love the Purdue shuffle.

It's actually about a thief who is stealing from the women he is currently sleeping with...always go with the more cynical explanation when dealing with the Dan haha

@joelliebler5690

3 жыл бұрын

Lol and so true with Donald and Walter!

Steely Dan, what can go wrong…nothing. As always a great song. Complicated and perfect.

This is a great chill-out song for a warm friday afternoon, with a beer in hand... I`m nodding my head and everything :) Everybody have a great weekend!

@JustJP

3 жыл бұрын

Great way to start the weekend! Enjoy!

Great analysis of a really funky track! The whole album is superlative, actually, (The Caves of Altimira especially, is a widely underrated masterpiece).

@NoCanDu

3 жыл бұрын

Caves is my fave

JP, you are truly one of the best reactors out there. And there are so, so, many now.

@JustJP

3 жыл бұрын

Well ty ty😃

If you play "Fire In The Hole", then "Reelin In The Years", then "Sign In Stranger", then all of The Royal Scam Album, your body will develop an unusual feeling, a Steely Dan mood, where even if you're home alone, it feels like you're at a party, or a bar, or lounge, drinking single malt scotch or something. LOL

The guitar playing and the bass playing is groove city

One signature of theirs you notice after listening to lots of Steely Dan is that they often fade as blistering guitar keeps playing as if the song isn’t fading. Perhaps the guitarist is going to an after party! 😃

@JustJP

3 жыл бұрын

Haha may be!

One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite albums!

This song reminds me of Gentle Giant in a few specific ways: 1] The clavinet intro and its accompanying guitar part 2] The measure of 3/4 thrown into the intro 3] The figure that repeats several times, first in guitar and later in bass, starting on the "and" of 2, that goes ab cE a (rhythm | §• ♬ ♪♪ ♩| where the E is the lowest note and the § sign subs for a quarter note rest). 4] The somewhat dreamy instrumental section that starts at 3:06, reminiscent of a section in GG's "Free Hand". The overall song is very Steely Dan.

Razor Boy and Countdown to Ecstasy.🗿

I just adore this album. Most consider AJA to be their apex. To me ? The Royal Scam was their apex... 🚬😎

@eileendobbs8009

2 жыл бұрын

On any given day I can flip the two depending on my mood but most of the time I would opt for Royal Scam to play cover to cover

That is what you call funking it up!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻❤️❤️❤️❤️☮️🎼🎤🎹🎸

Speaking of earrings, there is alot of great music by Golden Earring, particularly off their Moontan album. If you haven't heard "Radar Love" you should, and another of my favorites, "Vanilla Queen" is another classic progressive rock track.

Cool song! Has a very Gentle Giant groove. I love the funk! Keep up the Steely Dan deep dive.

I always imagined the guy in the song is a jewel thief. Love it.

This is jazz-rock at its finest and that middle guitar solo is the great Denny Dias who studied with bebop guitar legend Billy Bauer Sounds like you need to do an entire Steely Dan album!

Great song - check out Your Gold Teeth I & II. Also, where's the rest of Gaucho???

@JustJP

3 жыл бұрын

Haha, ill circle back

@markdrechsler5660

3 жыл бұрын

I second the request for both “Gold Teeth.” Top tier Dan songs.

This album's full of great tracks. Can't think of one that I'd skip off of when they come on the radio.

7:48 - Yes!

Funky for you ! Always loved this track !

Great album. One of my favourites (actually they are probably all mybfavourites...)

GODBLUFFF!!!!!

Justin……LOVE your videos. This has always been my favorite Steely Dan song (well this and Glamour Profession) . The drum fill leading into the first guitar solo floors me every time I hear it. This era Steely Dan coincides with another bands high point. If you get the chance listen to the title track from Doobie Brothers “ Livin’ on the Fault Line LP. It’s got that same “ in the pocket”groove and stellar musicianship. I think you’ll like it!

@JustJP

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks pfdcc!

Your face after the hi-hat (tss-tss-tss) and tasty guitar harmonic (pi-yinggggg....) = my face after that bit. People talk about how great the Kid Charlemagne guitar solo is, and they’re right. Green Earrings, tho.....

I absolutely LOVE Steely Dan. I know this may sound freaky, but I could see a major Broadway production with SD songs throughout. This could either be a blessing or a huge curse. Maybe it's bcuz all of their songs are so damn good and catchy.

@NoCanDu

3 жыл бұрын

It would have to have a storyline about drugs! 🤣🤣

@NoCanDu

3 жыл бұрын

Title - “Is There Gas In The Car?” 🤣🤣

Welcome to the world of the connoisseur.....

I’m so happy you got back to steely Dan! This is one sick song!

@JustJP

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! Ty Focus

I'm always ready to listen to any Steely Dan song (except 'Show Biz Kids', the only song of theirs I dislike, too repetitive). This one is funky like a lot of their stuff. They brought jazz chord changes to rock music.

Been waiting for this one

I recommend the rhythm tracks from the Royal Scam sessions. They should be on KZread. I’ve had them on cd for about 15 years, so they are not rare.

Arguably Denny Dias' best guitar solo with licks from Elliott Randall. A fantastically crafted song with the Rainey/Purdie rhythm section supplying the drive behind it. Like your comments, Justin, on how the Dan break-up their songs in parts/intervals, which you see as a signature of theirs. And I agree it is to keep us interested, because we are already in the groove and Donald just likes to make things complex....again....but I'm not complaining!

An absolute killer track. This one ranks right up there with Kid Charlemagne as the best off of this album IMO. So happy to see you react to it seemingly out of the blue!

Heeeeeeere we gooooooo

Nice! Been a while since you did The Dan. Great album, my second favorite after Aja. JP, you forgot to mention Mr. Purdie on the skins. Thanks for another great review.

I love this album .. Puts you in a good mood☺

As soon as I hear Steely Dan, my whole day changes

One of the better breakdowns of a Steely Dan song I've seen. (it's about a jewel thief, BTW) "The Royal Scam" is a better album than "Gaucho," so you should do a few more cuts from it before moving on in your SD reactions.

One of the first Dan songs i (thoughtfully) heard, on the Gold compilation. I feel I got a 5-point IQ boost just listening, heady times.

The Royal Scam entire album please! Their best easily

@Kascarilio

3 жыл бұрын

Gaucho is the best

@bobholtzmann

3 жыл бұрын

And JP should be wearing a fez for it!

@stevebinning977

3 жыл бұрын

@@bobholtzmann An actual Fez hat or a Fez in the Steely Dan sense?

@jamiedimond9419

3 жыл бұрын

@@bobholtzmann fun fact: the fez symbolizes a womb

@adamp2029

3 жыл бұрын

Countdown to Ecstasy is the best! 😁

Love this underrated track it’s so funky and as you say encapsulates everything that is great about the Dan. I think Royal Scam is possibly my favourite Dan album due to the funky feel it has. Though Aja is pretty good too lol!

Love this group. Not a single bad song produced. Thanks

Here at the Western World.🗿

As I've said before/elsewhere, The Royal Scam is a perfect transition from the early raw Steely Dan sound to their more technically polished sound. Also, a great '70's "adult" party album. How about "The Fez" next!

You can still tune your stereo system with this song...

I have known about this song since 1976

A song about a professional jewel thief...as usual, excellence...the Dan just doesn't make crappy music

As many people have said before, myself included; there are no bad Steely Dan songs. Smooth groove royalty.

As good as always, especially Elliott Randall.

If you haven't listened to the title track, (it doesn't appear you have) you might want to give it a try.

Damn, they’re so funky! I love ‘em. This is their best album for me. Always preferred it to Aja.

That guitar. Yeah.

Good account.....if he played it a few more times the reaction would then be, 'Holy Shit'

One of SD's best guitar tracks. Boddhisatva is another.

As long you don’t bring a Steely Dan… crickets.

@JustJP

3 жыл бұрын

Lol :D

I know you have so many songs and albums to review but I am patiently waiting for you to begin Abacab and continue listening to Prefab Sprout!

Listen to the fez

A little lipstick,eyeliner,mascara,a wig,and said earrings hmmmm!!!Definately change the look of things! Fagin & Becker always have the best! (studio musicians & writing)Peace Transformer.

It's the Steely Dan that I really like! I mean their first five albums from Can't Buy a Thrill to The Royal Scam where you can find everything musically speaking: pop, rock, jazz, funk ... and the music is not yet too smooth like this will be the case on the Aja album which is really good but a little too jazzy & slick and Gaucho which I find too soft & laid back for my taste.

@keithjones6023

3 жыл бұрын

I agreed with every word of your comment. I think you are right about AJA, and Gaucho. l bought the albums Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go, very disappointed with those two, it's almost as though they were trying for a 'sophisticated' sound and lost all of the magic of those wonderful early albums. My favourite of theirs is Pretzel Logic, just love the short snappy songs on it, like With a Gun, Night by Night and Through With Buzz, and the title track is superb!

@a.k.1740

3 жыл бұрын

@@keithjones6023 Yes, Pretzel Logic is also my favorite of all their albums (although Can't Buy a Thrill would be a close second for me). I totally agree with you on Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go. We don't find the Steely Dan magic of the 70s at all and I think that these two are more like Donald Fagen solo albums than a duet with Walter Becker.

@keithjones6023

3 жыл бұрын

@@a.k.1740 Second place for me would be either Countdown to Ecstasy or The Royal Scam, love both of those, and have some of my favourite SD songs on them.

Probably my favorite from this album.

@keithjones6023

3 жыл бұрын

The Caves of Altamira does it for me!

The Royal Scam is a great album. The album before Aja, its more funky and alot more unique than the others. there are highlights on this such as Kid Charlemainge, The caves of altarma, Dont Take me alive, The Fez, Haitian Divorce and The Royal scam. Gaucho is good but not as good as Aja.

@SpaceCattttt

3 жыл бұрын

Gaucho is a LOT better than The Royal Scam, though.

One of the cleanest band out there try Bad Sneakers if u get a chance

He's not a complicated guy, he just has a fetish for green earrings.

To be clear, there are no bad Steely Dan albums. Having said that, this one is #2 on my list, behind only Aja. Royal Scam features such a downtrodden set of losers as the protagonists in the songs. And the playing …. wow. Great stuff!

Music like this anymore? Those days are gone forever Over a long time ago, Oh yeah!

The guitarists may have been influenced by Jan Akkerman

OK, when are you going to react to "New Frontier" by Donald Fagen? It's time.

Do what I feel - Wasn't that a Peter Frampton song?

This is the song the Average White Band weren't quite good enough to make The highly above average white band managed to pull it off, though, with some stellar help from Bernard Purdie. Listen again to the intricacy and genius of the backing track. If you can find anything to rival it please let me know - kzread.info/dash/bejne/dGemprOOc6vUfaw.html

Did Steely Dan ever release a bad track?

@keithjones6023

3 жыл бұрын

I don't think so 🤔

I don't think I've heard this before- first 5 seconds sounds like Yes The next 4 minutes sounds like Steely Dan and their influence on Prince and Field Music. It was ok. Not much of a Melody was there? Diolch.

Justin, I'm not averse to a *bit* of jazzfunk in my life, especially in Steely Dan songs. This one is way too jazzfunky, though. Not one of my Dan faves. I could recommend Here At The Western World. I could recommend a couple of dozen Dan tunes. Don't get ear rings. I don't think they're *you*.

Not one of my Steely favorites. Good track, and I love watchign them play it, but it just never clicked with me. Peace out, all.

Mixed feelings about this one. If we discount the Dan's two later comeback albums (both are awful), The Roayl Scam is my least favourite of all their albums. And yet it features some of the best playing in their entire discography. I suppose it's the songwriting that's a bit...meh. This song is a perfect example of this. The guitar solo alone is outstanding. But the song itself is just so damn boring. It's basically just a groove. I like "Haitian Divorce". And the guitar solo on "Kid Charlemagne" is legendary. The rest....no, thanks.

@adamp2029

3 жыл бұрын

Royal Scam is probably my least favorite of the original 7, but the two comeback albums are in no way awful. Not even close!