who sang lead on steely dan dirty work
Steely Dan


-the-studio concert performance of popular songs from throughout Steely Dan's career. In March 2001, Steely Dan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2003 Steely Dan released "Everything Must Go". In contrast to their earlier work, they had tried to write music that captured a live feel. Becker sang lead vocals on a Steely Dan studio album for the first time ("Slang of Ages" — he had sung lead on his own "Book of Liars" on "Alive in
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


lovable gritty bounce" which typified the album. James Riordan of the "Southtown Star" considered that the Pointers' cover matched the original's "intensity" while being "more emotional and believable". Lauren Wood recorded "Dirty Work" for her 1979 self-titled album: arranged by Bill Payne of Little Feat, Wood's version features as a background vocalist Michael McDonald, a veteran of Steely Dan's 1974 touring band who - despite fronting the Doobie Brothers from 1976 - was a regular sideman on Steely Dan's
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


"Dirty Work" is a song written by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker that was first released on Steely Dan's debut album "Can't Buy a Thrill" in 1972. The song's lyrics describe an affair between a man and a married woman, sung by the man. "Steely Dan FAQ" author Anthony Robustelli describes "Dirty Work" as a "song of self-loathing", while "The Guardian" describes the narrative as soap operatic. The singer recognizes that the woman is using him, but
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


to the "upward-modulating" refrain and "soulful" clavinet, as well as the tenor saxophone part played by guest musician Jerome Richardson. Steely Dan biographer Brian Sweet describes Richardson's sax solo as being "perfectly understated." "Dirty Work" is one of the songs on "Can't Buy a Thrill" on which David Palmer provided the lead vocal. Brian Sweet hypothesizes that Fagen did not want to sing the song himself because he and Becker did not even want to include it on the album, but
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


and the harsh lyrics. "Dirty Work" was included on several Steely Dan compilation albums, including "Citizen Steely Dan" in 1993, "" in 2000 and "" in 2006. "Seguin Gazette-Enterprise" writer J.J. Syrja expressed surprise that it was excluded from their 1978 compilation package "Greatest Hits". The song was used in the first episode of season 3 of "The Sopranos", "Mr. Ruggerio's Neighborhood," as Tony Soprano sings it while driving his SUV. The song was also
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David Palmer (vocalist)


and released several 45s on the Tomorrow Records imprint before disbanding in 1969. Palmer next formed the Quinaimes Band with several Myddle Class members, which recorded an album for Elektra Records before disbanding shortly thereafter. At the insistence of ABC Records executives, Palmer joined Steely Dan in an early incarnation in 1972. He sang lead on two tracks on their debut album, "Can't Buy A Thrill" – "Dirty Work" and "Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)" – as well as doubling parts of Donald Fagen
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


being issued as the B-side of the 1977 non-charting single release "Be Somebody". The Pointer Sisters recorded "Dirty Work" for their 1978 album "Energy" with Anita Pointer as lead vocalist. J. J. Syrja of the "Seguin-Gazette Enterprise" noted "Dirty Work" as one of "three little-known pop songs" - the others being "Hypnotized" and "Come and Get Your Love" - whose inclusion on "Energy" was an "intelligent" choice given the "
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


the executives at ABC Records wanted some more conventional tunes on the album and therefore insisted that "Dirty Work" be included. The ABC executives had also thought the song would be ideal for Three Dog Night or The Grass Roots to record. After Palmer left the group, Steely Dan stopped playing the song live in concert. It was revived in 2006, however, with the band's female backing vocalists singing it from the perspective of a woman having an affair with a married (or attached) man. AllMusic critic Stephen
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


of 1974. The Flirtations had a 1974 single release of "Dirty Work", produced by Kenny Laguna: the group's first release in two years it marked the recording debut of Loretta Noble as a group member with founding members Sheila and Earnestine Pearce. José Feliciano recorded "Dirty Work" for his 1974 album release "For My Love...Mother Music" which Feliciano co-produced with Steve Cropper. Melissa Manchester recorded "Dirty Work" for her 1976 album release "Help Is on the Way", the track
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


albums from 1975 to 1976. David Cassidy recorded "Dirty Work" in 1979 for an album in Japan that unreleased until a 1998 CD on CURB Records. The rock band Replicants recorded the song for their 1995 self-titled and only album. René Froger recorded "Dirty Work" for his 2001 album "Internal Affairs", the track being included on the CD single "The World I Threw Away" which reached #25 on the Dutch Single Top 100. Joanna Wang recorded "Dirty Work" for her 2011 album
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


emotive tenor nicely": "The Wheeling Herald" (Wheeling, Illinois) writer Tom Van Malder rates "Dirty Work" one of the album's "standout[ cut]s" - it did not accrue significant notice as a June 1974 UK/US single release. The Vancouver-based studio group Songbird - comprising Mike Flicker, Howard Leese and Rob Deans - had a Mushroom Records single release of "Dirty Work" which was a minor hit in Canada, peaking at #75 on the national hit parade in the autumn
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


used in the 2013 film "American Hustle", although Fagen and Becker did not give permission for it to be included on the soundtrack album. Ian Matthews recorded "Dirty Work" for his 1974 album "Some Days You Eat the Bear and Some Days the Bear Eats You" in a conscious effort to score a hit single but while the track has been well reviewed - Allmusic critic Brett Haretnbach cites "Dirty Work" as one of Matthews' covers of "now-classic tunes" "which suit his warm,
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Tim Moore (singer-songwriter)


. After the breakup of Gulliver, Moore sought a more personal approach to his music. He moved to Woodstock, New York, the residence of Bob Dylan, The Band, and Van Morrison. He signed with Dunhill Records, which issued his first single, "A Fool Like You," on which Donald Fagen of Steely Dan sang backup. In return, Moore sang backup on the first Steely Dan single, "Dallas". Moore's self titled debut solo album came in 1974 as the first release by a
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Walter Becker


. In 1971, Becker and Fagen moved to Los Angeles and formed Steely Dan with guitarists Denny Dias and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder, and vocalist David Palmer. Fagen played keyboards and sang, while Becker played bass guitar. Steely Dan spent the next three years touring and recording before swearing off touring in 1974, confining themselves to the studio with personnel that changed for every album. In addition to co-writing all of the band's material, Becker played guitar and bass guitar and sang background vocals
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The Nightfly


The Nightfly is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Donald Fagen. Produced by Gary Katz, it was released October 1, 1982 by Warner Bros. Records. Fagen was previously best known for his work in the group Steely Dan, with whom he enjoyed a successful career in the 1970s. The band separated in 1981, leading Fagen to pursue a solo career. Although "The Nightfly" includes a number of production staff and musicians who had played on Steely Dan records, it was Fagen's first release without longtime
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


Thomas Erlewine describes "Dirty Work" as a "terrific pop song that subvert[s] traditional conventions" and is one of the best songs on "Can't Buy a Thrill", while "MusicHound" author Gary Graff refers to it as being "instantly memorable." "Rolling Stone" critic James Isaacs attributes the song's success to the fact that it "juxtaposes David Palmer's sweet tenor voice with misogynistic lyrics." Robustelli similarly agrees that part of the song's effect is the contrast between Palmer's smooth voice
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Jim Hodder (musician)


Katz and Boston guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter to relocate to Los Angeles and join Steely Dan, a new group built around songwriters Donald Fagen and Walter Becker with whom the two were working. He made the move with his girlfriend Kathi Kamen Goldmark, later a successful author and musician. He barely knew the other band members prior to beginning tracking for their first records. Hodder acted as the group's drummer, but was also given occasional lead vocal duties thanks to Fagen's insecurities as a vocalist. He sang lead on
20163447
Larry Carlton


and country. Carlton appeared on hundreds of recording sessions with Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Sammy Davis, Jr., Paulinho Da Costa, the Fifth Dimension, Herb Alpert, Christopher Cross, Dolly Parton, Andy Williams, and the Partridge Family. Carlton performed on Mike Post's 1981 "Theme from "Hill Street Blues"". In 1982 he appeared on "The Nightfly" by Donald Fagen, lead singer for Steely Dan. His guitar work on Steely
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Clydie King


, Steely Dan, Barbra Streisand, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Joe Cocker, Dickey Betts, Joe Walsh, and many others. She was a member of The Blackberries with Fields and Matthews and sang on Joe Cocker's "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" tour, which became a feature film. In 1971, she was featured on the Beaver and Krause album "Gandarva". She sang the lead vocal on the gospel-inflected "Walkin' By the River." Ray Brown played bass on the cut. Along
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Aja (song)


the song's instrumental break; it was his last appearance with Steely Dan, and thus the last appearance of any of the group's original members besides Becker and Fagen on their records. Becker's blues phrases are used over the next statement of the main theme. Fagen sang "Aja"'s lead vocals, with Timothy B. Schmit, who had just left Poco to join The Eagles, backing him up. Fagen also played the minimal synthesizer parts the song required, as well as some toots of a police whistle during
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David Palmer (vocalist)


's vocals on "Reelin' in the Years", "Only a Fool Would Say That", and "Change of the Guard" to reach the high notes. He also sang lead on most of Steely Dan's songs when performed live in their early concerts as a result of Fagen's lack of live vocal power at this point. Fagen eventually took over as lead vocalist and Palmer left the band, although he did contribute backing vocals on the band's subsequent release, "Countdown to Ecstasy". In 2014
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Steely Dan


America"). Fewer session musicians played on "Everything Must Go "than had become typical of Steely Dan albums: Becker played bass on every track and lead guitar on five tracks; Fagen added piano, electric piano, organ, synthesizers, and percussion on top of his vocals; touring drummer Keith Carlock played on every track. To complete his "Nightfly" trilogy, Fagen issued "Morph the Cat" in 2006. Steely Dan returned to annual touring that year with the Steelyard "Sugartooth" McDan and The Fab
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Donald Fagen


Donald Jay Fagen (born January 10, 1948) is an American musician best known as the co-founder, lead singer and keyboardist of the band Steely Dan, formed in the early 70s. He has also released four albums as a solo artist, and in 2001 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The 2017 death of Steely Dan’s co-founder Walter Becker leaves Fagen as Steely Dan’s sole member. Fagen was born in Passaic, New Jersey, on January 10, 1948, to
8281808
Michael McDonald (musician)


. McDonald continued to provide backing vocals for Steely Dan through their 1980 release, "Gaucho". In 2006, he joined Steely Dan on the band's summer tour, both as the opening act and as part of the band. McDonald was recruited by the rock band the Doobie Brothers in April 1975, initially as a temporary replacement for their lead vocalist Tom Johnston after he had become ill during a national tour, but his work with the band proved so successful that they decided to retain him as a full-time
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The Myddle Class


ranks included Ken Pine, who had played alongside Charlie Larkey in the Fugs, and Jerry Burnham. Dave Palmer joined Steely Dan and was featured as a vocalist on their early records and sang on Carole King's 1974 hit "Jazzman". Charles Larkey and Carole King married in September 1970, just as she was beginning to establish herself as a top recording act in the early 1970s. The Myddle Class's work has come to the attention of garage rock collectors and enthusiasts. Their songs have been included on several compilations such
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Victor Feldman


in 1967, Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell in the 1970s and Tom Waits and Joe Walsh in the 1980s. It is Feldman's percussion work on Steely Dan's song "Do It Again" that gives the song its Latin groove. Feldman appears on all seven Steely Dan albums released in the 70s and 1980 in the band’s first incarnation. Feldman's vibraphone soloing is featured extensively on the Grammy Award-winning "The Music from Peter Gunn", with AllMusic writing, "There's some particularly impressive work by drummer
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Michael McDonald (musician)


called Blue, and moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1970 to pursue a career in music. In 1974, McDonald became a member of Steely Dan's touring band, singing lead and backing vocals. He also became one of the many in-studio adjunct members of the band, providing backing vocals on tracks for 1975's "Katy Lied". He appeared on subsequent Steely Dan recordings including 1976's "The Royal Scam" and 1977's "Aja". He also played keyboards on some Steely Dan tracks
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Jim Hodder (musician)


Jim Hodder (December 17, 1947 – June 5, 1990) was an American drummer, best known as an early member of Steely Dan. After leading the Boston-based group The Bead Game, Hodder moved to Los Angeles to join the first lineup of Steely Dan. He appeared on their first three albums before leaving the group in 1974. He worked as a session musician before his 1990 death. Hodder was born in the small Long Island hamlet of Bethpage, New York in 1947. He graduated from Plainedge High
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The Royal Scam


kill the beast" in their hit "Hotel California". Frey commented, "We just wanted to allude to Steely Dan rather than mentioning them outright, so 'Dan' got changed to 'knives,' which is still, you know, a penile metaphor.". This comment refers to the name's claimed origin in William S. Burroughs' book "Naked Lunch". Timothy B. Schmit, who sang background vocals on "The Royal Scam" would later join the Eagles. The album was not as highly
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Headquarters (Monkey House album)


Winter" (1998). In 2005, they released "Big Money", a collection of singles, remasters, and rarities. Stylistically, the "Headquarters" album shows it to be influenced by the music of Steely Dan, with arranged horns and background vocals throughout. Breithaupt says the tunes are "pop songs with too many chords!" Also, some guitar work comes from guest artists Drew Zingg (who is best known for his work with Boz Scaggs and Steely Dan), as well as from Kim Mitchell
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Michael McDonald (musician)


by Steely Dan's lead vocalist Donald Fagen and featuring other artists such as Boz Scaggs and Phoebe Snow. In 1991, he released the single "Ever Changing Times", a duet with Aretha Franklin. In 1999, McDonald recorded the song "Eyes of a Child" for the "", which is a comedic ballad written by Trey Parker. It was also used at the ending credits for the movie. The same year, he sang backing vocals on the Warren Brothers' single "Better Man", from their
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Dad Behavior


that he had been a long time fan of the show, and that it was "one of those bucket list things. Doing voiceovers for The Simpsons is like...so crazy". Chore Monkey is a parody of the app TaskRabbit, and Barney has an app on his phone called "Uburp", which is a parody of Uber. After discovering Chore Monkey, Homer sings a parody of the chorus of the Steely Dan song Dirty Work. A parody of an It Gets Better poster with a picture of a grave
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Robben Ford


2006, a tribute album to Steely Dan – "The Royal Dan" – was released, with Ford covering "Peg" in his own style. In 1982, Ford was one of several guitarists who appeared on the KISS album "Creatures of the Night", playing lead guitar on the songs "Rock And Roll Hell" and "I Still Love You". Ford worked briefly with Miles Davis in 1986; and can be heard on Davis' Montreux box set. Ford released his album "Talk to Your Daughter
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Steely Dan


and No. 11 respectively on the Billboard singles chart. Along with "Dirty Work" (sung by David Palmer), the songs became staples on classic rock radio. Because of Fagen's reluctance to sing live, Palmer handled most of the vocal duties on stage. During the first tour, however, Katz and Becker decided that they preferred Fagen's interpretations of the band's songs, persuading him to take over. Palmer quietly left the group while it recorded its second album. He wrote the No. 2 hit
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Dirty Work (Steely Dan song)


is too infatuated to end the affair. The second verse features the lyrics: "Like a castle in its corner in a medieval game", referencing the chess-piece the rook, chess being a hobby of Becker's. The song's music has been described as more commercial-sounding than most of the band's other material. "The Guardian" says that it sounds like "a radio-friendly stroll of a song," at least at first. AllMusic critic Stewart Mason attributes this, in part,
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Steely Dan


flutes and clarinets. The horn parts occasionally integrate simple synth lines to alter the tone quality of individual horn lines; for example in "Deacon Blues" this was done to "thicken" one of the saxophone lines. On their earlier albums Steely Dan featured guest arrangers and on their later albums the arrangement work is credited to Fagen. Steely Dan is famous for their use of chord sequences and harmonies that explore the area of musical tension between traditional pop sounds and jazz. In particular, they are known for their use of
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Do It Again (Steely Dan song)


highest charting single. The original version of "Do It Again" is in the key of G minor, with Fagen on lead vocals. The song uses a large amount of syncopation in the vocal melody. The tune features an electric sitar solo by Denny Dias. The "plastic organ" solo by Donald Fagen was performed on a Yamaha YC-30 with a sliding pitch-bending control. David Palmer fronted the band during their live show, and he sang "Do It Again" when the group played "The Midnight Special
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The Who Tour 1996–1997


toured with Pink Floyd in their post-Roger Waters incarnation and worked with Townshend on some solo appearances in April–May 1996; a five-piece horn section, backup singers, and percussionist Jody Linscott rounded out the band. The Hyde Park show also featured special guest David Gilmour, who sang and played lead guitar on "The Dirty Jobs", sang on "Helpless Dancer" and played lead guitar on "Love, Reign o'er Me". Meanwhile, Phil Daniels, who had portrayed the lead character Jimmy in
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The Royal Scam


The Royal Scam is the fifth studio album by Steely Dan, originally released by ABC Records in 1976. The album went gold and peaked at #15 on the charts. "The Royal Scam" features more prominent guitar work than the prior Steely Dan album, "Katy Lied", which had been the first without founding guitarist Jeff Baxter. Guitarists on the recording include Walter Becker, Denny Dias, Larry Carlton, Elliott Randall and Dean Parks. In common with other Steely Dan albums, "The Royal Scam" is
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Steely Dan


, several would continue to work with Steely Dan over the next decade, including bassist Tom Barney and saxophone players Cornelius Bumpus and Chris Potter. During this tour, Fagen introduced himself as "Rick Strauss" and Becker as "Frank Poulenc". The next year, MCA released "Citizen Steely Dan", a boxed set featuring their entire catalog (except their debut single "Dallas"/"Sail The Waterway") on four CDs, plus four extra tracks: "Here at the Western World" (originally released on 1978's "
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Chuck Rainey


and Rainey continued to work as a studio musician on others albums like, Betty Davis' famously shelved session from 1976 or Tim Buckley's Greetings from L.A. About this time, he bumped into friend and Steely Dan producer Gary Katz, which led to performing on tracks for "Pretzel Logic" by Steely Dan. His relationship with Steely Dan continued through "Katy Lied"; "The Royal Scam", "Aja", where he performs on every track except "Deacon Blues" (Walter Becker played bass for that track
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Drew Zingg


Dan, with Zingg joining them on the tour as a lead guitarist and music director for about two years. Others joining this "Steely Dan Orchestra" were Warren Bernhardt on keyboards, Peter Erskine on drums, and Tom Barney on bass. In 1995, Steely Dan released a live album entitled "Alive in America" that was recorded during the 1993-1994 tours, with Zingg soloing on "Green Earrings" and "Third World Man". In 1996, Zingg started touring with Boz Scaggs. He can be heard
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Steely Dan


. Striving for perfection, Becker and Fagen sometimes asked musicians to record as many as forty takes of each track. "Pretzel Logic" was the first Steely Dan album to feature Walter Becker on guitar. "Once I met [session musician] Chuck Rainey", he explained, "I felt there really was no need for me to be bringing my bass guitar to the studio anymore". A rift began growing between Becker-Fagen and Steely Dan's other members (particularly Baxter and Hodder), who wanted to
21184842
Take Off Your Pants and Jacket Tour


of the "Hartford Courant": "Blink-182 [...] has earned its place at the top. Both bassist Mark Hoppus and guitarist Tom DeLonge are tighter now from working with ace drummer Travis Barker for a few years. The show's focus is more their bracing, melodic songs rather than the childishly vulgar banter between them." Ed Masley of the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" called the trio "the Steely Dan of cartoon punk", feeling that "the [dirty] jokes were nearly overshadowed by musical highlights
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Ed Cobb


hits of the 1980s. After his performing career ended, Cobb became fully focused on work as a record producer and sound engineer, which he had already begun doing by the Four Preps' breakup. He became involved with acts such as the Standells, the Lettermen, the Chocolate Watch Band, the Piltdown Men, Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, and Pink Floyd. Cobb also wrote songs for many of his acts, most famously 1966's "Dirty Water" for the Standells, 1964's "Every Little Bit Hurts"
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Citizen Steely Dan


Citizen Steely Dan is a four-CD box set compilation album by Steely Dan, released in 1993. The set is a collection of all of Steely Dan's albums (up to 1980) in chronological order, and also contains a non-album single ("FM (No Static at All)"), a non-album B-side ("Bodhisattva (Live)"), a rare compilation track recorded during the sessions for "The Royal Scam" but released only on the 1978 "Greatest Hits
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Any Major Dude Will Tell You


"Any Major Dude Will Tell You" is a song written by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker that was first released by Steely Dan on their 1974 album "Pretzel Logic". It was also released as the B-side of the first single from that album "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." It was later released on several Steely Dan compilation albums. "Steely Dan FAQ" author Anthony Robustelli describes "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" as one of Steely Dan's smoothest songs and an exemplar of the
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Steely Dan


", "Barrytown") were re-recorded for Steely Dan albums, most were never officially released. Becker and Fagen joined the touring band of Jay and the Americans for about a year and a half. They were at first paid $100 per show, but partway through their tenure the band's tour manager cut their salaries in half. The group's lead singer, Jay Black, dubbed Becker and Fagen "the Manson and Starkweather of rock 'n' roll", referring to cult leader Charles Manson and
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The Royal Scam


him nuts. So, the story goes that they were having a fight one day and that was the genesis of the line." Given that the two bands shared a manager (Irving Azoff) and that the Eagles proclaimed their admiration for Steely Dan, this was more friendly rivalry than feud. Later that year in a nod back to Steely Dan for the free publicity, and inspired by Steely Dan's lyric style, the Eagles penned the lyrics, "They stab it with their steely knives but they just can't
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David Paich


, Boz Scaggs, Quincy Jones, Melanie Safka, Don Henley, Diana Ross, the Doobie Brothers, Neil Diamond, Seals and Crofts, Steely Dan, Elton John, Joe Cocker, Rod Stewart, Cher, Randy Newman, the Brothers Johnson and Pink. David Paich traveled to China where he worked composing theme music for the 2008 Summer Olympics. In 2009, he sang the hit song "Africa" at the Millennium Development Goals awards in New York and co-produced a new tune for George Benson. Paich was
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Steve March-Tormé


Gary Grant, Dick "Slide" Hyde (all of whom performed on March-Tormé's Lucky LP in 1978), Tom Scott, David Benoit, Jerry Hey, Conte Condoli, Lew McCreary, Richard Tee, Vinnie Colaiuta, Russ Kunkel, John Robinson, and George Doering. Four other musicians from this recording (Gary Herbig, Ira Newborn, Joel Peskin, and Peter Christlieb (of Steely Dan fame)) would later work with March-Tormé on future LPs. March-Tormé sang with his father Mel
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Pretzel Logic (song)


the blues, but acknowledges that a few non-blues chords are incorporated into the refrain. Scoppa particularly praised the electric guitar improvisations for their originality and for pedal steel guitar parts that don't sound like country music. Scoppa credited Jeff Baxter for this, although according to Steely Dan biographer Brian Sweet, Walter Becker played the guitar solo. This is one of the first Steely Dan songs to feature Walter Becker as a lead guitarist. Eduardo Rivadavia cites "Pretzel Logic" as one of several songs on the album on which
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Carolyn Leonhart


" toured with the jazz singer Al Jarreau during the fall of 2004. Leonhart said "Improvising with Al Jarreau was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. It opened me up to another level of creative awareness and expression". Between 2000 and 2007 Leonhart was a lead back-up vocalist with Steely Dan, singing on three world tours and two albums. She performed again with Steely Dan in 2009 and 2011. She and the group's other female backing vocalists, Cindy Mizelle and La Tanya Hall, are
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Pretzel Logic


a commercial and critical success upon its release. Its hit single "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" helped restore Steely Dan's radio presence after the disappointing performance of their 1973 album "Countdown to Ecstasy". "Pretzel Logic" was reissued on CD in 1987 and remastered in 1999 to retrospective acclaim from critics. "Pretzel Logic" was recorded at The Village Recorder in West Los Angeles. It was produced by Gary Katz and written primarily by Walter Becker and bandleader Donald Fagen, who also sang and played keyboard.
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Steely Dan


Steely Dan is an American rock band founded in 1972 by core members Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). Blending rock, jazz, traditional pop, R&B, and sophisticated studio production with cryptic and ironic lyrics, the band enjoyed critical and commercial success starting from the early 1970s until breaking up in 1981. Throughout their career, the duo recorded with a revolving cast of session musicians, and in 1974 retired from live performances to become a studio-only band
21184826
Open Here


Multiple reviewers compared "Open Here" to the work of David Bowie, Talking Heads, Steely Dan, Peter Gabriel, Prince, and XTC. Peter Brewis said he had repeatedly heard about comparisons to Steely Dan, but at the time that "Open Here" was made, he had only ever heard the band's "Greatest Hits" album and he did not consider them a major influence on Field Music. Bill Pearis of "BrooklynVegan" drew parallels between "Count it Up" and the early 1980s work of XTC
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Timothy B. Schmit


1977 hit, "Just Remember I Love You." Schmit also sang backing vocals on the Steely Dan albums "Pretzel Logic," "The Royal Scam" and "Aja." Schmit also sang backing vocals on "Never Let Her Slip Away", a top 5 UK hit for Andrew Gold in 1978, along with Brock Walsh, J.D. Souther and an uncredited Freddie Mercury. In 1977, Schmit joined the Eagles during the "Hotel California" tour, once again replacing Randy Meisner on bass/vocals after Meisner
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Mu chord


an A7sus4 chord: DEG with A in the bass. The reference to this chord as "mu major" has been popularized by fans of the jazz-influenced rock group Steely Dan, as well as by the band members themselves. This chord is used extensively in their work, often arpeggiated at the end of musical phrases. The "mu major sound" is a distinctive idiom of Steely Dan's style. In a 1989 interview with Paul Zollo, Walter Becker explained that the use of the chord developed from trying to
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Steely Dan


The duo have said that in retrospect, most of their albums have a "feel" of either Los Angeles or New York City, the two main cities where Becker and Fagen lived and worked. Characters appear in their songs that evoke these cities. Steely Dan's lyrics are often puzzling to the listener, with the true meaning of the song "uncoded" through repeated listening, and a richer understanding of the references within the lyrics. For example, in the song "Everyone's Gone to the Movies," the
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Steely Dan


Dallas" and "Sail the Waterway" are the only officially released Steely Dan tracks that have not been reissued on cassette or compact disc. In an interview (1995), Becker and Fagen called the songs "stinko." "Dallas" was later covered by Poco on their "Head Over Heels" album. "Can't Buy a Thrill", Steely Dan's debut album, was released in 1972. Its hit singles "Do It Again" and "Reelin' In the Years" reached No. 6
21184837
Yacht Rock (web series)


will lead to an endless parade of female sexual conquests. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, the Doobie Brothers' lead guitarist, is seen threatening to kick McDonald "out of the Doobies" if he doesn't write them another hit. (The real Baxter did bring fellow Steely Dan alumnus McDonald into the band but, as they achieved their greatest commercial success, Baxter left the Doobie Brothers because of his displeasure with their new commercial sound and attitude.) The Eagles (portrayed here as jock-like meatheads) and Steely
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Royce Jones


Royce Jones (born December 15, 1954) is a Grammy-winning American musician best known for his work as a touring vocalist with the bands Steely Dan (in 1973 and 1974) and Ambrosia (joined 1978). In the studio, Jones contributed vocals to David Pack's "Anywhere You Go", Odyssey's self-titled release, Steely Dan's "Countdown to Ecstasy", Bruzer's "Round 1" and Stephan Cohn's self-titled release. In the summer of 2007, Jones joined a
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Steely Dan


"Classic Albums". After "Aja's "success, Becker and Fagen were asked to write the title track for the movie "FM". The movie was a box-office disaster, but the song was a hit, earning Steely Dan another engineering Grammy award. It was a minor hit in the UK and barely missed the Top 20 in the U.S.A. Becker and Fagen took a break from songwriting for most of 1978 before starting work on "Gaucho". The project would not go smoothly: technical, legal
21184849
Zazu (album)


Zazu (1986) is the debut (and, to date, only) album released by American model and singer-songwriter Rosie Vela. The album was produced by Gary Katz, best known for his work in that capacity with Steely Dan, and many of the songs feature Steely Dan's Donald Fagen on keyboards and Walter Becker on guitar. Also noteworthy is that Tony Levin plays Chapman stick on the songs "Tonto" and "Zazu". Despite receiving positive reviews and the single "Magic Smile" reaching #29
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Steely Dan


It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat". Becker later said bluntly, "We did it for the money." A series of demos from 1968 to 1971 are available in multiple different releases, not authorized by Becker and Fagen. This collection features approximately 25 tracks and is notable for its sparse arrangements (Fagen plays solo piano on many songs) and lo-fi production, a contrast with Steely Dan's later work. Although some of these songs ("Caves of Altamira", "Brooklyn
21184832
The Nightfly


. "The Nightfly" is considered more jazzy than Fagen's previous work with Steely Dan, and his lyrics are more wistful and nostalgic than biting. Fagen aimed for his lyrics to have "as little irony as possible”, and his goal was to make an album that was fun to listen to. As many of the songs come from an adolescent viewpoint, he hoped for them to maintain "a certain innocence”. Walter Becker was responsible for the more sardonic elements in Steely Dan, and many writers have considered
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Steely Dan


run at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. Jamalot Ever After, their 2014 United States tour, ran from July 2 in Portland, Oregon to September 20 in Port Chester, New York. 2015's Rockabye Gollie Angel Tour included opening act Elvis Costello and the Imposters and dates at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The Dan Who Knew Too Much tour followed in 2016, with Steve Winwood opening. Steely Dan also performed at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with an accompanying orchestra. The band played its final
21184867
Josie (Steely Dan song)


"Josie" is a song written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen and first released by Steely Dan on their 1977 album "Aja". It was also released as the third single from the album and performed modestly well, reaching #26 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 and #44 on the Easy Listening chart that year. It has appeared on several Steely Dan live and compilation albums. Becker and Fagen wrote an early version of "Josie" well before the recordings for "Aja" took place. While most
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Josie (Steely Dan song)


little short of that, peaking at number 26 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. It also reached #44 on the "Billboard" Adult Contemporary chart. "Josie" was included on several Steely Dan compilation albums, including "Greatest Hits" in 1978, "Citizen Steely Dan" in 1993 and "" in 2000. Several live versions were released, including on "Alive in America" in 1995, "Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party" in 2000 and "Green Flower Street: Radio Broadcast 1993"
11856271
Bad Sneakers


"Bad Sneakers" is a song by jazz rock band Steely Dan. It was released as the second track on their 1975 album "Katy Lied". Producer Gary Katz later regretted not releasing the song as the first single. It also appears on the compilation albums "A Decade of Steely Dan" and "Citizen Steely Dan". Michael McDonald's vocals on the song are one of his first for the band; he would continue to perform background vocals for the band in recordings until 1980. The alternative band The
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Deja Vu (Uptown Baby)


million copies. However, the duo's success would be short-lived, as they broke up in 1999 without releasing a follow-up album or single. The song is built around a sample of Steely Dan's "Black Cow". In exchange for clearing use of the sample, Steely Dan requested an advance payment of $115,000 as well as 100% of publishing royalties, and as a result of this agreement, Steely Dan members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen are the sole credited songwriters on "Deja Vu (
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Aja (song)


best." While "Aja" has not been played as frequently on the radio as the album's three singles—"Deacon Blues", "Peg" and "Josie"—it has become a staple of Steely Dan's live shows since the band resumed touring in the 1990s. Stewart Mason of AllMusic calls it "an absolute masterpiece, not only one of Steely Dan's finest songs, but also a pinnacle of '70s studio rock." Critic and John Lennon biographer Tim Riley recommends "Aja" as one of ten Steely Dan songs
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Steely Dan


It also features performances by session drummer Bernard Purdie. The album sold well in the United States, though without the strength of a hit single. "Haitian Divorce" (Top 20) drove sales in the UK, becoming Steely Dan's first major hit in that country. Steely Dan's sixth album, the jazz-influenced "Aja, " was released in September 1977. "Aja" reached the Top Five in the U.S. charts within three weeks, winning the Grammy award for "Engineer – Best Engineered Recording –
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Steely Dan


the Steely Dan name after Becker's death, and instead have toured with the current iteration of the group under another name, but was persuaded not to by promoters for commercial reasons. In 2018, Steely Dan performed on a summer tour of the United States with The Doobie Brothers as co-headliners. The band also played a nine-show residency at the Beacon Theatre in New York City that October. In February 2019, the band embarked on a tour of Great Britain with Steve Winwood. Guitarist Connor Kennedy of The
21184871
Steely Dan


the add 2 chord, a type of added tone chord, which they nicknamed the mu major. Other common chords used by Steely Dan include slash chords for example Bb/C or E7/A. This notation shows a chord (shown to the left of the slash) with a note other than the tonic (shown to the right of the slash) as the lowest pitched note. Steely Dan's lyrical subjects are diverse, but in their basic approach they often create fictional personae that participate in a narrative or situation.
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A Decade of Steely Dan


A Decade of Steely Dan is a compilation album by Steely Dan, released in 1985. It was the band's first compilation specifically for the compact disc market, and was certified a gold record by the RIAA. The album acts as a "de facto" singles package, including every Top 40 hit enjoyed by the band prior to its release with the exceptions of "Josie" from 1978 and "Time Out of Mind" from 1981. The remaining six tracks include two additional charting singles "My Old School" and
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The Doobie Brothers


July 15 and 29 concerts, sharing the bill with the Eagles and Steely Dan. The success of these concerts led to the Classic Northwest concert on September 30 at Safeco Field, where the Doobies opened for the Eagles. The band took the last leg of their 2017 world tour to Europe in late October and early November, opening for Steely Dan at a few of their shows. The Doobies have announced that they would once again be touring with Steely Dan in 2018. The tour began in May in Charlotte, North Carolina
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Quill (band)


Many musicians who became international stars were a part of their coterie of bands, like the J. Geils Band, Peter Wolf & the Hallucinations (with Wolf later joining Geils to form a hit combination), Skunk Baxter (later of Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan fame), Jim Hodder of The Bead Game (who went on to become a drummer and vocalist for Steely Dan), Andy Pratt, Jimmy Thompson, drummer Russ Levine (Ultimate Spinach, Donna Summer, Bobby Womack) and Country Funk whose bass player Jim Lanham
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Do It Again (Steely Dan song)


"Do It Again" is a song composed by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, performed by American rock group Steely Dan, which was released as a single from their 1972 debut album "Can't Buy a Thrill". The single version differed from the album version, shortening the intro and outro and omitting the organ solo. Released in 1972, the song debuted on the "Billboard" Hot 100 on November 18, 1972, and reached number 6 on the US charts in 1973, making it Steely Dan's second
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Aja (song)


they reunited late in the 20th century and began touring again as Steely Dan. They released one live version, which appeared on the album "Live in America". Many artists, including Woody Herman, have covered it on Steely Dan tribute albums. Songwriters Walter Becker and Donald Fagen had formed Steely Dan in 1972 as a rock sextet, with Becker playing bass (occasionally guitar) and Fagen on keyboards. Even on the group's first album, "Can't Buy a Thrill", however, they had been willing
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Pretzel Logic (song)


"Pretzel Logic" is a song written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen that was released as a single by Steely Dan from their album "Pretzel Logic", originally released in 1974 by ABC Records. It reached number 57 in the Billboard charts. "Steely Dan FAQ" author Anthony Robustelli describes "Pretzel Logic" as a bluesy shuffle about time travel. Fagen has stated that the lyrics, including anachronistic references to Napoleon and minstrel shows, are about time travel. According to "Steely Dan FAQ" author Anthony Robustelli
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Steely Dan


a note released to the media, Fagen remembered his longtime friend and bandmate, and promised to "keep the music we created together alive as long as I can with the Steely Dan band." After Becker's death, Steely Dan honored commitments to perform a short North American tour in October 2017 and three concert dates in the United Kingdom and Ireland for Bluesfest on a double bill with the Doobie Brothers. The band played its first concert following Becker's death in Thackerville, Oklahoma, on October 13. In tribute to
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Jay Graydon


songwriter, arranger and engineer. Foster and Graydon have worked together on several album projects, including the band Airplay, a pop-rock group they formed in the late 1970s, and the JT Super Producer concert in Japan in 1994 with René Angélil and Céline Dion. Graydon and Randy Goodrum formed a group named JaR. In 2008, they released an album titled "Scene 29", described as "Steely Dan meets Airplay and Pages". Graydon played the guitar solo on the song "Peg" on Steely Dan’s 1977
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Aja (song)


a beautiful woman." Despite its complexity, and unlike most of the other tracks on the album, "Aja" took a very short time to record, which Steely Dan credit to the musicians' abiility to learn it quickly, without rehearsals. Denny Dias's guitar work, including a solo, marked the last appearance on a Steely Dan record by any other founding member of the group. On the other hand, were tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter and drummer Steve Gadd made their first appearances. Both play solos during the
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David Palmer (vocalist)


, Palmer sued Steely Dan for unpaid royalties. After his exit from Steely Dan, Palmer worked with a number of songwriters, including Carole King in the composition of "Jazzman". He later formed the band Wha-Koo with Danny Douma. Wha-Koo released three albums, "The Big Wha-Koo" in 1977, "Berkshire" in 1978 and "Fragile Line" in 1979. He also contributed the song "Silhouette" to the 1985 film "Teen Wolf". Since 2002, David Palmer has
19600353
Cornelius Bumpus


and after that he began his association with many well-known groups. His role in these bands was primarily as a saxophonist. His most notable touring was with the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan. Bumpus toured with Steely Dan from 1993 to 2003. In 2002, he worked on the "Big Blue Earth" project sponsored by the Church of Christ, Scientist. During the 1980s, Bumpus enjoyed a short tenure with Café Society, a Los Angeles pop band, in which he played in a horn section with the trombonist
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Steely Dan


10 on the pop chart in early 1981, and "Time Out of Mind" (featuring guitarist Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits) was a moderate hit in the spring. "My Rival" was featured in John Huston's 1980 film "Phobia". Roger Nichols won a third engineering Grammy award for his work on the album. Steely Dan disbanded in June 1981. Becker and his family moved to Maui, where he became an "avocado rancher and self-styled critic of the contemporary scene." He stopped using
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Steely Dan


", compiled from recordings of several 1993 and 1994 concerts. The Art Crimes Tour followed, including dates in the United States, Japan, and their first European shows in 22 years. After this activity, Becker and Fagen returned to the studio to begin work on a new album. In 2000 Steely Dan released their first studio album in 20 years: "Two Against Nature". It won four Grammy Awards: Best Engineered Album – Non-Classical, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Performance by Duo or Group
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Warren Bernhardt


to work on solo projects. In 1971, he provided the piano accompaniment on the song "Crossroads" by Don McLean. Bernhardt has released jazz and classical recordings over the past twenty years, and is also featured in teaching sessions in both audio and video formats from Homespun Tapes. Bernhardt toured as the musical director with Steely Dan in the United States from 1993 to 1994, and can be heard on Steely Dan's "Alive in America" album. He has more recently performed with Simon and Garfunkel's "" tour
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Roger Nichols (recording engineer)


will notice'. Everything had to be as near perfect as technically and humanly possible. The album sold well and yielded two hit singles, ensuring Nichols would be tied to the band's fortunes. Nichols was involved in engineering every Steely Dan album. Interviewed in 1993 for 'Metal Leg, the Steely Dan Magazine', Nichols stated (regarding his nickname that appears on many of his credits): ...they were trying to kill me. I was working on a Johnny Winter session on the weekends, with Steve Barri
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Jeff Baxter


singer Buzzy Linhart. By this time, he was using the moniker "Skunk," although the nickname's origins have been kept secret by Baxter. After the breakup of Ultimate Spinach, Baxter relocated to Los Angeles, finding work as a session guitarist. In 1972 he became a founding member of the band Steely Dan, along with guitarist Denny Dias, guitarist-bassist Walter Becker, keyboardist-vocalist Donald Fagen, drummer Jim Hodder and vocalist David Palmer. Baxter appeared with Steely Dan on their first three albums, "
6794457
Hotel California


are based on Henley's break-up with his girlfriend Loree Rodkin. According to Frey's liner notes for "The Very Best Of", the use of the word "steely" in the lyric, "They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast," was a playful nod to the band Steely Dan, who had included the lyric "Turn up the Eagles, the neighbors are listening" in their song "Everything You Did". Frey had also said that the
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Two Against Nature


Two Against Nature is the eighth studio album by Steely Dan. The album was released on February 29, 2000, by Giant Records. The album won the group four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for Cousin Dupree. It marked the first Steely Dan studio album in 20 years, following 1980's "Gaucho". It has been certified Platinum in the United States. "Two Against Nature" marked Steely Dan's first
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Steely Dan


of Steely Dan's live band, whose repertoire included songs by all three songwriters. Longtime studio engineer Roger Nichols died of pancreatic cancer on April 10, 2011. Steely Dan's Shuffle Diplomacy Tour that year included an expanded set list and dates in Australia and New Zealand. Fagen released his fourth album, "Sunken Condos", in 2012. It was his first solo release unrelated to the "Nightfly" trilogy. The Mood Swings: 8 Miles to Pancake Day Tour began in July 2013 and featured an eight-night
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Steely Dan


albums Becker produced for the British sophisti-pop group China Crisis, who were strongly influenced by Steely Dan. Becker is listed as an official member of China Crisis on the first of these albums, 1985's "Flaunt the Imperfection", and played keyboards on the band's Top 20 UK hit "Black Man Ray". For the second of the two albums, 1989's "Diary of a Hollow Horse", Becker is only listed as a producer and not as a band member. In 1986 Becker and Fagen
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Kamakiriad


Kamakiriad is the second solo album by Steely Dan artist Donald Fagen, released in 1993. It was his first collaboration since 1980 with Steely Dan partner Walter Becker, who produced the album. The album is a futuristic, optimistic eight-song cycle about the journey of the narrator in his high-tech car, the "Kamakiri" (Japanese for praying mantis). It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1993. Music videos were produced for "Tomorrow's Girls" (starring Rick Moranis
8764276
Champion (Kanye West song)


type of sense that I put on "Stronger". That's why "Flashing Lights", "Champion" all of them have that certain synthesizer, a real 80s synthesizer type of sound." The track contains multiple elements of the 1976 recording "Kid Charlemagne" by jazz-rock band Steely Dan. West cleared this sample by sending band member Donald Fagen a letter describing the backstory of the track after he and fellow Steely Dan member Walter Becker didn't initially approve of West sampling their work. Within "Champion
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Katy Lied


Katy Lied is the fourth studio album by American rock band Steely Dan, released in 1975 by ABC Records. It went gold and peaked at No. 13 on the US charts. The single "Black Friday" charted at No. 37. The album was the first after the break-up of the original five-piece Steely Dan; most of the original members had left during a rift over touring and recording schedules. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, who had been increasingly using session musicians in the studio on prior
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Gaucho (album)


track, approximately three-quarters of the song was accidentally erased by an assistant engineer who had been asked by Katz to ready the track for listening. The band attempted to re-record the track, but eventually abandoned the song entirely. Steely Dan biographer Brian Sweet has written that the group abandoned the song in favor of focusing on "Third World Man". "The Second Arrangement" was never played live by Steely Dan until a rarities show on September 17, 2011, and a studio recording of the song remains
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You, Me and Dupree


for 84 days, the film grossed $75,628,110 at the North American domestic box office, and in addition earned $54,803,258 in international markets, for a worldwide total of $130,431,368. The film's title caused a minor stir as the uncommon name, Dupree, is the same as the title character in the Steely Dan song "Cousin Dupree" from their 2000 album, "Two Against Nature" which also concerns a ne'er-do-well relative who becomes a problem houseguest. Steely Dan founders, Donald Fagen and Walter
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