"Is there gas in the car? Yes,there's gas in the car...."

I have seen several mentions of this song line(Kid Charlemagne,Steely Dan) and wonder if it has some special import that may only be familiar to our guys and gals across the pond?

 

I always took it to mean, "is the car fueled up in case we need to split town" because the song is about a guy who manufactures illegal drugs. I think it was based on Owsley, the San Francisco LSD manufacturer.

 

As Ben has stated the story line, I am guessing it may have been an actual comment made by Owsley at the time. Hard to run from the narcs if you don't have any gas.

 

Yes, I get the whole import of the song: your observation seems to fit nicely in that context...I just wondered if it had some oblique meaning.....Us Limeys had no idea what "Deacon Blues" meant until Googled!

 

The special import I know of is that you're listening to one dang fine piece of music.

 

I just find the line kind of humorous in that DF seems to have a hard time reaching the high note.

 

I believe it was on VHq Storytellers where Walter Becker talked about having a taxi driver tell him that Steely Dan had one of the stupidest lyric lines ever, and then quoting this one.

 

And Owsley actually did run out of gas.

 

Also mentioned on the Classic Albums : Aja series as well.

 

There is a ‘specialness’ about the way Donald sings those lines. Is it beyond description? Probably not.
But I can’t say why every time I
hear that line, it brings a smile to
my face.

 

He’s just going for a falsetto voice on that last “car.” Whether it’s for effect or because the note is above his regular range, it sounds fine to me.

 

In America, at least, that line perfectly captures how you bicker with your partner/lover/mate. Fagen said recently [edit] that Becker [end edit] was a very perceptive observer and also a brilliant mimic. That line sort of captures what Becker brought to the lyrical equation

 

It's just such an atypical line from the Dan boys. No Custerdome, no kirschwasser, not even a squonk.

 

That's part of the magic of their lyrics (which often get short shrift around here because of the justified love of the music)--they combine very relatable observations of human character combined with very erudite, cryptic references

 

I guess "petrol in the lorry" doesn't sound as good.

 

When I first found this out I shivered at the genius of Becker and Fagen.

 

Yes there's gas in the Cah!

 

What? Mind. Blown.

 

Indeed.

 

Lyrics like these caused me to fall in love with Steely Dan.

 

Gotta love any lyric inspired by realistic drug-fueled fun/paranoia.

You can tell there is a lot of truth in their lyrics. You can only write that credibly if you have actually lived that lifestyle. "Bad craziness" as Hunter S. would say.

 

I think Owsley was also the Grateful Dead's first sound guy.

 

For me it always had a feel of capturing a wave of panic in a stoned moment between stoners; like holy [bleep] are we screwed?…. long pregnant pause… no we are not screwed; and cue the smiles.

As far as this side of the pond, I would venture a guess that we are equally as clueless to three quarters of the stuff they say as anyone else in the world; excepting of course that we are all reared knowing Cathy Berberian as a household name.

 

Agree! Their cryptic and subversive lyrics play a huge part in their basic approach and appeal to me!
That’s why I get all angry and petulant when anyone says they’re “Yacht Rock”. Steely Dan is Too gritty lyrically and quirky musically to be put on that box!
(Yes, the flawless production makes people who aren’t truly listening think SD is part of that vague genre. Ugh!)

 

Stupid/not stupid interpretation of this line? You decide.