What is your favorite Steely Dan lp side

what is your favorite album side of Steely Dan studio releases and why?


To me it's a hard toss up between Scam side A and Aja side a
Both have very deep songs with strong imagery perfectly executed
Such great music

The drug smuggling fast paced evasion of Kid C, the beautiful horns and childlike influence of Caves of Altimira, the frenetic fugative with Larry Carlton's explosive guitar, the odd other worldly sci fi piano filled Sign in Stranger - brilliant

The sparse overwrought relationship with a narcicist game playing woman, a perfect escape Asian suite of music complete with incredible soloists, and their most audobiographic bohemian recluse

 

I was coming here to say just that, but you beat me to it...which makes sense because you're the OP.....

 

Side 2 of The Royal Scam.

The title track is my favourite SD song and the three before are all good, too.

 

i thought about just asking the question

Sorry

So many good sides

 

Side 1 of Aja: Black Cow/Aja/Deacon Blues
Close second - Side 1 of Gaucho: Babylon Sisters/Hey Nineteen/Glamour Profession

 

I like all sides of Steely Dan...

 

Side two, Countdown To Ecstasy.

Great rock music, created before they started to disappear up their own fundaments...

 

Side one of Can't Buy a Thrill

 

For songs, side 1 of Katy Lied. And it's not so much that it's stronger than the six Dan sides that preceded it -- more that it's strengthened by comparison to the weaker KL side 2 (IMO).

But for song flow, I have to go with side 2 of Pretzel Logic. "Parker's Band" going into "Through with Buzz" and the title cut. And then the last three songs, which fit so well together that I could never include any of them alone in a comp -- it's all three or nothing.

 

Side 2 of Pretzel Logic, because it's all over the map musically and most of it swings like a you-know-what.

Parker's Band/Through with Buzz/Pretzel Logic/With a Gun/Charlie Freak/Monkey in Your Soul

 

Katy Lied - Side One

Many of Steely Dan's LP sides shine with luster, or rock with studio precision, but this one just confidently delivers each time I spin it - with all the best qualities that Donald and Walter can muster - witty lyrics, clever wordplay, joyful cynicism, faultless musicianship, and great melodies that can't be hummed even if you dare tried.

Black Friday - ominous disaster
Bad Sneakers - lyrical earworm
Rose Darling - unexpected harmony
Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More - thriving cynicism
Doctor Wu - mysterious profession

 

Side 1 of Aja....the title track followed by Deacon Blues...my two favorite Steely Dan songs.

 

Gotta go with Gaucho, side A: Babylon Sisters is my favorite song in the planet and Glamour Profession is their most underrated. In the middle we got Hey 19 to get the party started and a guy I went to high School with once famously called it "Country S**t".

 

You do know that Rose Darling is referring to one's palm

 

I think Haitian Divorce and Everything You Did are 2 of the funniest, subversive lyrics Steely Dan ever wrote!
But Side on of Royal Scam might be my favorite too.

Well........Aja side one.......?
Umm.......Pretzel Logic side one.......?

Nah- Royal Scam side one.
Sorry.

 

Where exactly is the "country"?
(Your friend was !)

 

yup

 

No contest for me-- Countdown side 2. Begins with two of their greatest rockers, ends with the definitive "ultra cynical yet somehow uplifting" SD song, and in between comes their least characteristic song ever!

 

Scam, side 1

 

1. My Old School is everything. Showbiz Kids and Pearl Of The Quarter fall just behind and if Bodhisattva were the closer, the side would be perfection.

 

Both sides of the underrated "Everything Must Go"; the musicianship, led by Keith Carlock and John Harrington, is amazing.

 

... I guess all the more reason to enjoy the song!

Kind of like Jellyfish's "He's My Best Friend"...

 

Like bread, prefer two sides toasted.

 

side one of Royal Scam.

it's got the smooth AND the edge.

 

No love for Aja side 2?

Peg
Home At Last
I Got the News
Josie