Steely Dan is known for cryptic lyrics and great music. Best to not try to understand. Just enjoy! And, as others said, Peg is a name... Peggy... Margaret.

@coolworx

10 ай бұрын

Understanding the lyrics and the stories behind them is some of the best parts of appreciating Steely Dan. Peg(gy) is an aspiring model/pornstar that the singer has the hawts for.

@scharlesworth93

6 ай бұрын

@@coolworx yep that’s it

Steely Dan was essentially Donald Fagen on keys and lead vocals, Walter Becker on guitar or bass and a rotating cast of some of the most amazing session musicians to ever play. This particular guitar solo, one of the best ever recorded, was from a player named Jay Graydon. Steely Dan is high on any musician’s list of favorite bands. They didn’t tour for most of their careers, preferring to perfect their studio recordings.

@pica6888

2 жыл бұрын

Bass on this song is the great Chuck Rainey.

@kens32052

2 жыл бұрын

Steely Dan used a lot of unusual chords in their songs.

@coach303

2 жыл бұрын

Saw them when they started out as the opening act for Chicago in 73

@ssacra22

2 жыл бұрын

Perfectly stated. Saw them live in 200 with a Brit friend of mine who worked for a number of big bands in the 70's and 80's. He said Steely Dan was widely recognized as one of the greatest recording bands especially due to their musical education and knowledge. They were perfectionists.

@donnazasgoat2274

2 жыл бұрын

@@ssacra22 That's why all the high-end stereo stores had SD playing on their expensive equipment. The production values are top notch.

The cool thing about Steely Dan they weren't really a band they were more of a studio project they hired some of the best session musicians of the 1970s to create these amazing songs R.I.P. Walter Becker

This song was sampled on the most underrated hip hop record of all time, 3 Feet High and Rising by De LA Soul. Love both songs.

@josheldridge8546

2 жыл бұрын

such a good album. and de la soul always had the best samples.

@kurttuchscherer7706

14 күн бұрын

De LA Soul is like the Steely Dan of rap/ hip hop. The people who know, they know.

In this episode of Brad & Lex, the jazz/funk influenced vibes of this iconic duo capture the couch companions collectively causing Brad to comply to the infectious vocals of Donald Fagen placed atop this well crafted funky rhythmic sound immediately making Brad surrender to us forcing his presentation of his signature "side to side sway" while pondering Peg before Jay Graydon's genius guitar solo leads Lex into Michael McDonald's ghostlyharmonies bringing her to the brink of busting out her "funk bobble bop".

@John_Chu

2 жыл бұрын

Jay Graydon solos on guitar here not Becker.

@jacqueline4514

2 жыл бұрын

Wonderfully said!! 👍

@lemmingsgohere

2 жыл бұрын

Worry about the lyrics later..

@ronparsons8786

2 жыл бұрын

Spectacular

@vivianphillips8519

2 жыл бұрын

Well said!

Yes, that is the glorious Michael McDonald doing backing vocals.

They have many great hits, these are just a few; "Hey nineteen ", "Black Cow", "Babylon sister", "Kid Charlemagne" and so many more. I hope you decide to check out their catalog, l know you'll enjoy it 😊

@fredshred5194

2 жыл бұрын

Like to see Brad try work out what Kid Charlemagne is about , lol.

@emilymartinez6961

2 жыл бұрын

@@fredshred5194 🤣🤟

@fredshred5194

2 жыл бұрын

or even , never going to do it without a fez on.

@ronwilliams6565

2 жыл бұрын

@@fredshred5194 is the fez a hat? Lol

@fredshred5194

2 жыл бұрын

@@ronwilliams6565 yes Ron and always wear one if your getting intimate.

The harmonics during the chorus is yet more Steely engineering genius as they effectively splice Michael McDonald singing at three different octaves into the final layered product that we hear.

@brettkenschaft4239

2 жыл бұрын

I thought I detected Michael's voice in there! I was gonna look it up until I saw this, thanks!

I remember buying this album [ Aja ] when it first came out. Was getting rave reviews. As a matter of fact, the back side of the album cover was filled with actual reviews of the album. The album is amazing. Every song is great. " Josie " is another upbeat song on the album that jams.

Rumor has it Peg is about an actress who committed suicide but that story is not true, Donald Fagen said in an interview its just an idea he got from a character in a bette davis movie about a young starlet and a seedy photoshoot, the starlets jilted hanger on boyfriend watching her pose for pinups. Peg is also my favorite steely dan tune, and I know a lot of people will disagree but thats okay.

@r.thomas9648

2 жыл бұрын

How can some one disagree what is YOUR favorite song?

@briangray00

2 жыл бұрын

You tire of most *really catchy* pop songs, once you get the hook. Not this one, there's always a bit more to it to enjoy in it - I think it's one of their finest moments and along with Do It Again their most commercially accessible. Not my current favourite, but certainly right up there. You obviously were referring to Peg Entwistle, who famously jumped off the H in the Hollywoodland sign.

@NoCanDu

2 жыл бұрын

I’m amazed you could even PICK a favorite SD song! 🤣 I don’t think I could do it! Too, too many!

@CrayCruz

2 жыл бұрын

PEG is one of my favorite all time songs and that of Steely Dan.

@TruthIsNotTemporary

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, he is infatuated with Peg who is a pornstar

Some of their lyrics may be cryptic, obscure or even cynical; dealing with iffy situations and/or charachters, the sound they create is always uplifting, they never moan. Therefor, listening to Steely Dan always gives me a good feeling. All the goodies they put in their songs (harmonies, chord progressions, those sensual background voices etc.) makes you want to listen to their songs over and over again . I'll never get tired of them - music for the ages !

One of the greatest leads ever recorded courtesy of Jay Graydon.

"Reelin' In The Years" "Kid Charlemagne" & "FM" (No Static At All) Just a few classics by Steely Dan.

Steely Dan is how you trick people into listening to (and digging) jazz.

In addition to "Rikki Dont Lose That Number," I highly recommend Josie and My Old School. There are a ton of other great songs but these are "lighter" songs in the vein of Peg. Definite rabbit hole.

@keydad3607

2 жыл бұрын

@Geo Dio 🤣

Back when the music industry was creative and diverse.

@anthonylovavto3228

2 жыл бұрын

Peg,short for Peggy, a girls name!......... wha?

@paulstewart6203

2 жыл бұрын

@@anthonylovavto3228 don't understand what your point is.

@anthonylovavto3228

2 жыл бұрын

@@paulstewart6203 My remark was intended for Brad, who didn't know what Peg stood for! Accidently hit your icon....sorry

One of the best songs ever written. The best guitar solo ever recorded. A gorgeous drum track. Perfection

@kevinoleary1166

Жыл бұрын

Totally lost on this dynamic duo, especially Brad

In 1932 struggling actress Peg Entwistle jumped off the 'H' in the Hollywood sign. Back then it still read "HOLLYWOODLAND."

Jazz rock. Great band. Like Chicago, Donald Fagen, Toto, Doobie Brothers, Santata (latin jazz rock), War (like Santana), etc. Lot of good jazz rock bands back in the '70s, '80s.

When I was at the Musician's Institute in 1986, Bassist Chuck Rainey came in a performed solo all his bass lines from the Steely Dan Aja album. The groove was so deep you could hear this entire album in your head as he played. I will never forget it. What a master playing a masterpiece of an album for us. I am blessed.

Peg is short for Peggy which is short for Margret.

@s.mcpherson6354

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, like the name of the Mom on Married With Children, which I believe Brad and Lex have mentioned seeing.

@lindakessler8768

2 жыл бұрын

So perplexed by a name!!! 😁

@robertpearson8798

2 жыл бұрын

Small correction, Margaret, that's my Wife's name.

@DannyD714

2 жыл бұрын

that they would leap over the obvious explanation of what peg meant and think it was the sex act is hilarious. i kind of wanted them to not find out it's just a girl's name.

@mrsouthjersey4956

2 жыл бұрын

Could be a nickname for someone with a wooden arm or wooden leg also. Which reminds me... what do you call a girl with 1 leg? "Eileen" What do you say to Eileen when you stop to pick her up hitchhiking? "Hop in" And don't forget her armless and legless brother who chills out by just laying there. "Matt"

Great 70s Rock/Jazz/ Funk fusion Band. These guys were so damn good.

Steely Dan are great; a unique funky, jazzy sound. You should do a few more of their numbers like Aja, Do It Again, Deacon Blue, Kid Charlemagne, Haitian Divorce, etc etc....

@thefunkybuddha69

2 жыл бұрын

etc etc etc indeed.😉

@AjatiMimi

2 жыл бұрын

Don't Take Me Alive, My Old School, FM, etc.

From Wiki: The song's guitar solo was attempted by seven top studio session guitarists-including Robben Ford and recurring guitarist Larry Carlton-before Jay Graydon's version became the "keeper". He worked on the song for about six hours before the band was satisfied. Jay Graydon spoke about his famous guitar solo in a 2014 interview: "Fortunately, I had no problems on sessions as to nailing a part, but know this-every first call studio guitarist that has played solos has been replaced by another guitarist at least once. It's just part of being a studio musician." Michael McDonald provides multi-tracked backup vocals in the choruses, and keyboardist Paul Griffin can be heard talking and improvising background vocals in the final chorus and fadeout. In 2020, Donald Fagen said "There's no hidden meaning. We just wanted a dotted half note for that spot and 'Peg' was short enough to fit with the music." Fagen added that the song "takes place at a seedy photo shoot in L.A...from the perspective of [a] jilted boyfriend.

@Hornsfan64

2 жыл бұрын

Rick Beato has this song on his “What Makes This Song Great?” series. It’s a good watch/listen.

@Hornsfan64

2 жыл бұрын

Well, I thought he did… can’t find it!

YES!!! My favorite band!! They have a HUGE catalog; you could listen to 20 more songs and not get bored. Their snarky, intelligent lyrics, the smooth Jazz/R&B flow; pure PERFECTION! Please try Caves if Altimira, Jack Of Speed, Pretzel Logic 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

Check out "Steely Dan" "Black Cow", and " Reelin in the years", worth the effort for sure. "Reelin in the years" is what caused me to start playing guitar 40 or so years ago. Love the videos. Take care. William C. central Indiana.

Kid Charlemagne is a must guitar solo is one of the best ever performed

Steely Dan's one of my favorite bands. So many flavors of music. "Josie", "Black Friday" and "Only a Fool Would Say That" all great songs, but differently unique in there sound.

This about an actress committing suicide by jumping off the Hollywood sign in LA. Happened in the 1930's or 1940's, for real. I'm glad you are doing Steely Dan. Dozens of great, interesting and perfectly written songs.

@hilarymiseroy3251

2 жыл бұрын

They need to do 'The Fez' and see if Brad gets that one.

@erikahlander3489

2 жыл бұрын

All songs quite different and almost every one as good. And that is true of very few groups. Check yourself!

@livenhfree

2 жыл бұрын

Did not know that. Thanks!

@smbonna

2 жыл бұрын

That actress name was Peg Entwistle and it happened in 1932.

@unholydriver4987

2 жыл бұрын

IMO, their best song is Babylon Sisters. I love the jazzy sound of that one.

I love how you both started almost instantly, swaying to the beat.

one of the greatest groups ever! we used to think the music was simple, it was not.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, hands down the greatest band of the 70s!

@kenperkins7921

Жыл бұрын

You are really short change ing Stesling

The song's guitar solo was attempted by seven top studio session guitarists-including Robben Ford and recurring guitarist Larry Carlton-before Jay Graydon's version became the "keeper". He worked on the song for about six hours before the band was satisfied.

Haha my just-turned-3 years old grandson can sing parts of this song, I learned at his birthday party. What can I say? His parents have excellent musical taste.

@jacqueline4514

2 жыл бұрын

Bravo! Great teaching!!

Big part of the Steely Dan rabbit hole. Catchy "Interesting" lyrics, solid rythym section, jazzy melodies: the best studio musicians of the day. impeccable production. Enjoy the journey. BTW "Peg" short frr "Peggy" (Nickname for "Margaret") is a new, young Adult Film "Actor" in her first film. ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION to Steely Dan lyrics. Always a lot going on. Again: ENJOY

a great track that was heavily sampled on the 1989 De La Soul song "Eye Know"

Peg is the girl’s name who’s smiling for the camera. The shutter of the camera falls she’s see’s it all, they’re excited for her debut performance. He’s encouraging Peg that everyone will love her. We’re crankin’ y’all up down here in Austin!

@jackjensen4036

7 ай бұрын

Pin shot is a pornography reference! Damn son! 😂😂😂

@groverlongwire858

7 ай бұрын

@@jackjensen4036 I never mentioned the phrase “pin shot.” It’s irrelevant to meaning. I was trying to explain the overall meaning to the song lyrics. It’s ok, I know you just want to show how well versed you are in pornography lingo. Damn son, you’re a porn expert! Congratulations!

Great music with great hooks layered on top of dense, subterranean lyrics, and superb production values. Fantastic band.

Steely Dan told stories. This one is about a photographer trying to coax a young, unsure girl to "Smile for the camera" . It's her first naked shoot.

Steely Dan was very unique, I always considered them as Rock/ Jazz. Some great music from this band.

"Peg" is a great track from an all-time great album ("Aja')... You owe it to yourselves to check out all of the tracks from this album.

De La Soul sampled this for their track “Eye Know” and it’s glorious. You should check that out.

@Chillymost85

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely!

@goldboy150

2 жыл бұрын

@@Chillymost85 your handle is doing it for me. I just keep thinking…”and then we all switch places when I ring the bell”

@Truthbtold2no

Жыл бұрын

When I first heard "Eye Know" by De La Soul, I was impressed with the way they used the Steely Dan sample. Back then I had a crew and we were trying to become a rap group.. We did our fair share of sampling too!

You guys should react to… Steely Dan - Reelin' in the Years 🎸🤘

@pauljansen1137

2 жыл бұрын

yes indeed...forgot about that one!!!

@freebirdtony

2 жыл бұрын

A total banger. Excellent recommendation.👍🏻

Nope. Peg is someone he knew, perhaps when growing up, and she became famous for her looks, became an actress, and all of the work she put into her career will come back to her (in a positive way).

The masters of the music projects...top writing, top production values and top session musos.

Heck yea!!! Finally some Steely Dan! Great stuff. You gotta check out their other hits!!

It's great to see a new generation discovering old school jams like this. One of my top Steely Dan songs ever.

I was 11 when I heard this on the radio in 1977 and it blew me away! Still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Perdie on those drums. He’s the whole groove. One of the best session drummers in history. Played with the best in his years.

Oh my Lord, you guys have got to check out some more Steely Dan! They have so many amazing songs and they're like virtually no other group out there. Try Don't Take Me Alive when you get a chance. Also, Peg is her name as in Peggy LOL.

Steely Dan's lyrics were always delightfully artful and told some very dark stories. They're another of my favorite bands from the '70s. This song was a big hit on the radio, but a better song, to me, from the Aja album was "Josie." I think the story being told by this song was similar to the one being told by their earlier song, "Everyone's Gone to the Movies" which was about kiddie porn. Catchy, funky pop tunes with a dark story!

Aja is one of the best albums of the 70’s. Brilliant studio musicians. It brings me back to listening with my headphones in my basement so I won’t wake up my parents ❤️🇨🇦❤️

What are you doing listening to such sophisticated music? That's grad level class!! Nice, congratulations!!

Jazz/Rock/Funk/Blues/Pop...... Steely Dan did it all with brilliant arrangements, master musicians and creative genius.

Glad you hit this Jazzy classical hit. They are a very talented band Kid charlemagne is another great song.

Yeah… Meg, Marge, Greta & Peg all are short versions of the name Margaret. It always seemed to me about an actress or someone trying to be one, who was involved in some risqué photo shoot… but I was never sure who the song voice was… a boyfriend or wannabe boyfriend? … old boyfriend left behind? IDK

This is the band that deserves your attention. Please keep looking into them.

I love that the lead singer for the Doobie Brothers, Micheal McDonald, sings backup for Steely Dan. And Peg is a woman that’s involved 8n her first photo shoot and it’s R Rated.

Steely Dan is a rabbit hole. When you come out, you will never be the same musically.

This is unquestionably my favorite band. I have so many others I love, from Meshuggah to Funkadelic, but Steely Dan always delivers, no matter my musical mood. For a band that was named after a sex toy, they did great things, and influenced everything from rock to rap to jazz. Their lyrics are almost always from a very snarky, sardonic angle, talking about some of the weirdest, most random, most gritty, bizarre cultural subject matter you'll ever hear in a song. From playing tricks on your spouse so you can have fun with your lover (Gaslighting Abbie) to berating a subordinate in the film/music studio for bringing their ostentatious gay lover to the set (Gaucho), Steely Dan's lyrics take you to some unusual places.

Great choice...next: "Rikki don't lose that number"!!!

I’ve spent whole afternoons watching Steely Dan reactions.

All Steely Dan video's should be watched using a lyric video. SD's lyrics are adult, ironic, smart, sometimes obscure, and clever. Sometimes a bit too clever. This song is about a young woman Peg who has either taken a photo, made a series of photo's, or made a movie that the singer feels she'll ultimately regret. SD is one of the biggest rabbit holes you can fall into. My favorites by them are "Black Cow", "Kid Charlemagne", "Aja", "Deacon Blues", the entire "Aja" album, "Hey Nineteen", “The Fez”, “Green Earrings”, "Do It Again", "Reelin' In The Years", "Babylon Sisters", "Dirty Work", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", "Don't Take Me Alive", "My Old School", "Any Major Dude Will Tell You", and "Doctor WU. There are more because there's really no bad Steely Dan song.

Love Steely Dan. So many hits great musicians

"Peg" is short for the female name "Peggy" She's a model. "So, when you smile for the camera..."

In all the years of listening to steely dan. I've never understood the lyrics, as they tend to be dark. But, if you've got to get stuff done, steely dan's aja album is a good one to have going in the background.

Brad&Lex, you'll love their "Aja", "Deacon Blues", "Josie" and many more!!!!

@readhistory2023

2 жыл бұрын

Love Deacon Blues.

Such a great bass line. Wonderful musicians loved to play with these guys. Quality top to bottom. (Peg as in Peggy....a girl's name)

Green Earrings is a must from Steely Dan. My favorite of theirs and definitely their funkiest

You probably know " black cow", a huge rap song by Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz circa 98, used the beginning note for note and Steely Dan sued them.

New to the channel. Love it so far. Should do A LOT of Steely Dan please. FM, Green Earrings, Boston Rag, many more great tunes!

This is my all time favorite song. So simple and so complex. A perfect pop song. I’m learning to play piano. I stopped practicing the songs people practice when they learn to play because I needed to learn my favorite song!

One of the greatest duo groous of all time. This is Yacht Rock music and Steely Dan is the epitome of this genre! Michael McDonald is one of the background vocals.

How he kept a straight face and mildly moved back and forth is beyond me. Loosen up dude this is a fucking masterpiece bop

This is my high school era.....Pure Gold!!!...

I always like Steely Dan. They had a great sound and really hit the airwaves in the 1970''s-1980's with their unique sound and catchy rifts. Try their song "Hey Nineteen" which talks about age. It is my favorite Steely Dan song.

BIG Debut, her picture with lights above, PEG has become a star, someone the singer used to know. he has a letter from her with a picture he keeps

Love Steely Dan & it's 70's vibes, which was piped over the radio throughout my childhood. Song Info: "This song is about an aspiring actress named Peg -which is short for Peggy or Margaret - with the director/photographer promising her a big break." "The lyrics of Peg are believed to be based on Peg Entwistle, the Welsh-born Broadway star who leapt to her death from the top of the H on the Hollywood land sign before the release of her first movie in 1932. She was 24." Thanks for the reaction video.

once again, Brad gets bogged down in lyrics. how do you not talk about the music w/ one of the best played and produced tracks of the 70's?

@ronwilliams6565

2 жыл бұрын

I agree sometimes he concentrates waaay too much on lyrics instead of the music which Steely Dan is known for.They always got the best studio musicians to play with them.

@mitchelltyler5972

2 жыл бұрын

I dont know..maybe the same way you never considered he may not actually like the music?

@scurvybro8850

2 жыл бұрын

@@mitchelltyler5972 Maybe he doesn't. But if not, why not say so? These are "reaction" videos, after all.

@lantose

2 жыл бұрын

@@ronwilliams6565 I think Brad might quit listening to them for not having a clue to their lyrics! Let him try to figure out Show Biz Kids, which is really not a hard one, but I know he’d be totally confused!

@ronwilliams6565

2 жыл бұрын

@@mitchelltyler5972 I agree totally!

These guys have made a lot of great songs and it seems there's always different musicians playing on different albums

This is a masterclass in studio musicianship!

It was happier, in all shapes and sizes. It lifted you up.

Class act band with top notch musicians!👍👍 So much great stuff to check out by them, they made no bad music ever.

@michaellambert5223

2 жыл бұрын

Btw, I always took it that Peg was a girl😎

"light vibe" welcome to the world of Yacht Rock!

Fagan’s musical training and early years were exceptional. He made the most of it.

Such a happy sounding song, regardless of what it’s about 😂

All of S.D.s song are great! The smooth vibe makes you feel good even after a Sh---y day! Aja. Wore out the c.d. Need to buy another one. At 64 I still want some more Steely Dan!!

Steely Dan is so good ... jazz inflected rock. Audiophile quality production.

Another Steely Funkalisious MASTERPIERCE

Love these guys. Very precise in their music: play it our way or nice knowing you. I believe there’s a documentary on the recording of this album. They hired Michael McDonald to sing one word: “Peg”.

One of the most wondrous things about Steely Dan is that much of their songs is left open to interpretation. But... Peg is also a woman's name. In the beginning, the song is talking about "your name in lights above it".

Chuck Rainey's smooth as butter, funky as limberger, bass lines MAKE this song! Well, that and Michael McDonald's tighter-than-a-Scotsman's-wallet backing vocals. Amazing, amazing track.

Basically the song is about a girl named Peg. She is starring in her first “foreign movie” which was slang back then for soft core adult films usually filmed in another country, like France. The singer is or was her boyfriend and he sees her picture on the movie poster and her name on the marquee. He has her letter and picture she sent him(snapshot or pin shot), but he can see from her pin shot that she loves him better because of the look on her face in his picture. Pretty straight forward meaning.

Peg! It's a name! A name! Short for Peggy. Aye eye eye!🤣

That bass line has always made me feel like Gene Kelly had just taken my hand and was leading me through a dance that I'd never thought I could do. It's just so damn open and free.

This song is legendary and just never gets old to me. My take on the meaning is that "Peg" was probably some kind of movie star or celebrity back in the day whose now gotten older and has been out of the spot light for a long time and lacks the confidence she once had. The singer (Don) is now trying to convince her to make a come back appearance again on film, after being away for years, and is trying to build back up her confidence in the process. He's trying to convince her that she's still got it and that all the same qualities that made her a star before are still there inside of her. In the line from the chorus when he says "Peg, it will come back to you" he's basically saying to Peg that once she gets back in front of the camera, maybe starts to receive the love from fans again, she'll quickly begin to remember all those same star qualities within herself that she was loved for in the past and then she'll be able to project those qualities onto the screen again. Its basically a song about helping someone, in this case a beautiful mature woman, to regain her confidence to go out and realize unfinished dreams.

Perfectionist, only the best session musicians of the day. Thinking man’s music

Listen, you get up early on a Saturday morning......you bang on Steely dans greatest hits and suddenly the sun is shining and you can smell the coffee.....

Steely Dan is fantastic. Glad you found them. A quick suggestion, while I'm thinking of it. Try out The English Beat, album called Special Beat Service. I know you'll have fun with that too! BTW...I really dig your channel. Brads usually trying to make sense of it, and Lex is almost pure intuitive. Really like and enjoy you guys!

I BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE