I'm not a musician, I'm not trained, I don't even know the correct terms for things. But I was raised on opera, classical, folk music, blues, standards, and JAZZ. When I first heard SD, and it was probably either Reelin' In The Years or Rikki, I knew there was something different, and a little deeper musically, about this band. LPs, cassette tapes, then finally CDs, I got all their albums from Can't Buy A Thrill through Gaucho....and sang every song, because this was the traveling music of my life. Favorite tracks from this album? Oddly enough, the ones that did not get major airplay, such as Only A Fool, Brooklyn, Kings, And Turn That Heartbeat Over Again. They caught me both lyrically and melodically.
Can't Buy A Thrill is the only album in their official cannon that sounds like this - but to my mind - is not their only material that sounds like this. Dallas and Sail The Waterway should be on this, regardless of what the actual creators think. Hell - some of the Kenny Vance stuff, cleaned up a bit, would fit fine on here. Although not my favorite SD of all time, I still love this album. Especially for the overarching literary feel - they're trying too hard - but who cares? Also Midnight Cruiser is an underrated jem. Love Hodder's vocals on that. I agree about the non-airplay cuts too - Dirty Work and Kings are stellar. As for the hits, they're great - and that guitar solo in Reelin' In The Years still shatters. An auspicious debut - and points to things to come. Cheers, Paul
But Palmer gives Steely Dan a New Jersey connection! Didn't mind the other guys singing because ... well, nobody knew who they were! I can see having a problem with it looking back but at the time there was no 'voice of Steely Dan'.
Almost 50 years later, it's astounding to consider that Becker and Fagen were 21-22 year old kids writing those songs. Those tunes are literate and complex way beyond their years. I'll say it again - when they close the books on songwriting, those 2 twisted, genius dorks will stand on the top of the heap.
Ive always enjoyed CBAT, I suppose that I heard a bunch of these songs as my introduction to Steely Dan a few years back (im late to the party, I know). Ive always been a fan of Do it again, I knew that song before I knew it was Steely Dan who did it, and I've always enjoyed Midnight Cruiser. As far as debut albums go, its not quite perfect but its a damn fine album and a great start for The Dan.
^^When I was a little kid (~5-6 yrs old), I thought "Do It Again" was by Santana (that Latin groove...).
For years I never realized "Dirty Work" was a Steely Dan song! It's very pop radio friendly and the vocal totally threw me off. But actually the two singles are very catchy and rank as my all time favorites by this band. An album I still don't own, but I may be swayed as a long time fan of "The Dan" from album rock radio.
Absolutely love this track as well, and never understood why it doesn't get more recognition in their canon. Brilliant lyrically and structurally, killer hooks, and an absolutely bedeviling three-part vocal harmony in the "Oh Michael, oh Jesus" section. This along with "Only a Fool" are the tracks I return to the most on this LP - brilliant for a debut, but the Dan would quickly top it.
Currently, I find myself listening to Kings, Midnite Cruiser, Only a Fool Would Say That, Fire in the Hole and Brooklyn most often these days. Mainly due to the massive amount of radio airplay of the hits...wore them out a little for me. The track "Change of the Guard" is one song I thought didn't fit the LP well. The simple accents on the electric organ, the bass thumping octaves and the harmony electric guitar parts directed this tune to more of a standard pop rock song.
I have no idea what "cry a jag on me" means, anyone have a guess? I believe it means uncontrollable weeping.
I agree about "Sail The Waterway". It would have fit nicely on CBAT. I like "Dallas" as well but I can see why Becker and Fagen aren't too fond of it. It sounds more approriate for a group such Poco (who wound up recording the song a few years later).
I think for me, the varying vocal styles put me off a full embrace of CBAT for years. I first liked it for the 2 high charting hits but eventually came to dig it all. Fire In The Hole sometimes plays in my mind-love that piano-and the only way to release it is to play it on my stereo!
Yeah, that's what a "crying jag" refers to, so I assume "cry a jag on me" is just another way of putting it. Anyway, this and Countdown are Steely Dan at their best as far as I'm concerned. Having Palmer as a second vocalist seemed unnecessary; Fagen's voice has a lot more personality. There's nothing on the album I dislike, with Reelin', Cruiser and Heartbeat probably as my favorites.
