@@L33Reacts as a fellow drummer I highly recommend Rick Beato's interview with Bernard Purdie ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6uusF1iie88.html Rick's channel is outstanding and his interviews with music legends is second to none. He's also interviewed Chuck Rainey, Larry Carlton and said his goal is to interview all the musicians that are still with us that played on Aja. Love your channel man.
Someone else mentioned Homer’s “Odyssey” as the model for the lyrics…is that the “tired sea song”? 🤔 That’s likely true, Fagan and Becker had that kind of classical education. But I always envision a Viet Nam vet, suffering from what we now call PTSD, living on the road back in the USA, perhaps a trucker (like me). Steely Dan’s lyrics usually let you provide your own context/meaning, which is part of their genius. The other part is this music, my favorite song on AJA, the understated power of all these cats is indeed “unfairly” good!
I bought this album in 1977, the week it came out in Sept, I was 18 years old, and man I wore it out on my new system! Musical perfection. Need I say more! Anyone who appreciates the Dan is/ hip in my eyes! I love to see you youngsters get it!😊😊😊
Back in the day we used to listen to albums all the way through. Put on the headphones, put on track one and then remove the headphones at the end of the last track. I feel it's the best way to get the most out of what the album was meant to portray.
Purdie had just other-worldly talents for the shuffle that is named after him and he swung so hard with it and all the feel and finesse he employed…the absolute gold standard. The whole album is just a pantheon of the best session players in the business back then. On drums there was Gadd, Marotta,Keltner, Humphrey, Greene and Purdie. A master class on how world rated players get it done.
Well Lee, you finally got there. I’ve been listening to Steely Dan for 50 years and this, to me, is the pinnacle of their tracks. In large part down to Bernard. Also, it’s about PTSD which had not even been defined at that time even though the Vietnam War had not long been over and there was no shortage of sufferers.
Before finding this channel, I had only heard a few of Steely Dan songs. Now I'm a fan. I feel so grateful to be introduced to so much music I never heard before. I hope you are feeling better, Lee. You are so strong to show who you are to the world. I hope people who read this will also check out Curved Air from today. That was an incredible track. If you're like me and never heard of them before, you won't be disappointed!
Thanks for the tip, and welcome to the music of Steely Dan! May I also recommend Donald Fagen's first solo album, 'The Nightfly', as well as an obscure track from the Heavy Metal movie soundtrack titled 'True Companion'. you can find that track on the Steely Dan compilation album 'Steely Dan Gold'. Enjoy the ride, my friend!
Oh yeah, if you want a mind-blowing rendering of the Purdie Shuffle, definitely check out their hit Fool in the Rain from the last Led Zeppelin album, In Through the Out Door, before John Bonham died.
I listen to "Home at Last" and I'm gobsmacked as to how incredible that tune is. Then I listen to Black Cow, and bam, same thing....and then I go back to their earlier stuff, and damn.....wow. But it's explainable, it's Steely Dan.
My fave from this Aĵa album is Josie, although I've listened to the whole thing, both sides of the record, so many times and it's so good. Love all their earlier stuff as well. Just one of those unique bands.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the Bernard Purdie halftime shuffle (the basis for what Jeff Porcaro did in Rosanna..note the ghost snare hits interspersed in the shuffle pattern on the hi hat creating triplets).
I think I've mentioned before, but I'm looking forward to you hearing The Dan's Green Earrings. It has two different guitar solos by two different guitarists. And it's funky and mind-blowing and incredible!
This is one of my favorite all time steely tracks. Another one I think you would like off of the pretzel logic album would be a cut cold night by night. That was the one that even though I had all their albums up to that point night by night on pretzel logic was a turning point in my listening ability as it were. I'm so glad I found steely Dan Sunday. Been my favorite group since I was 19 years old
Careful with that yacht, (E)ulysses! Donald just told you - so stay tied to the mast. Enough said bout the qualitiy and perfection of their music and especially this track - I don´t have to repeat it. I was so into that groove back then, God. The purdie-shuffle transferred itself immediately to your body (and soul) and you just had to move and swing, even not knowing who or what Purdie and his shuffle was. I think it was the first time I´d found out about the existence of them ghost notes he later "x-plained" in a drummerworld-video - and man, how I liked all that.
Walter's solo is perfect. Josie too. Don and Walt rip as players. To their credit, they were willing to hire even better players for the music's sake...and we all benefit forever. They're singular. There's only Dan in the Dan realm.
This album is one covered by the classic video series "Classic Albums", which has artists on to discuss and break down their most famous albums. Some are better than others, but this is a really good one. They had a parade of top talent on their albums at this time. And of course they are cynical, ironic guys who are a lot of fun to listen to talk about their work and the folks they worked with.
You can tell your a true fan now. when you hear a new song it's like sitting and hearing your friends jam with a new song, and just be amazed you know guys that cool 😎
If you ever see a clip of Bernard Purdy playing this track live you can really see how much he is enjoying himself. He took ownership of this song. Also, there is one track on Aja that some people think isn't quite up to the rest of the album. I don't feel that way. The more I hear that particular track, the more I like it. Just a great album.
One you might miss 'cause it's only on "best ofs", but didn't make it onto this album. "Here at the western world" . I forgot the exact story. It didn't make it on one album, but didn't get added to the next either, but Aja was one of the albums. It's good though. Among several that aren't on studio albums, but well worth hearing. Edit: couple more that aren't on studio albums but still good. "FM", a song from a movie with the same name, and "True Companion" from the "Heavy Metal" movie soundtrack. "True Companion" is really Donald Fagen solo, and mostly a long guitar solo with a few lyrics at the end, but still really good.
'Here at the Western World' is indeed another good one! Are there any bad ones? 'True Companion' is my personal favourite. It can be found on the album 'Steely Dan Gold'.
Not mythology so much but classic literature. Homer's "Odyssey" (to which this song refers) is the epic 7th C. BCE Greek story of the hero Odysseus' return voyage from the Trojan War. What should've been a 6-week cruise by sail and oar turned into a 20-odd year adventure. Forewarned of the Sirens -- a tribe of hot female monsters who used their looks and seductive songs to lure ships onto the rocks where they dwelt so to have their fill of seamen -- Odysseus has his crew tie him hard to the mast and tells them to row their hardest and not set him free until well clear of the Sirens' Shoals. He then has the crew stuff their ears with beeswax to render them immune to the Siren's Song. Now If you wanna know what happens next, READ THE GODDAMB BOOK!
My favorite song on Aja. William De Vaughn - Be Thankful For What You Got Cannons - Golden (Harry Styles cover) Cable Ties - Sandcastles Adrien Belew - I Am What I Am Oingo Boingo - Good For Your Soul
This song is an Odysseus reference. Hence the "tied to the mast". Odysseus had his men tie him to the mast of his ship so he couldn't be led astray by the Sirens
Same story as William below. Aja is like an exquisite, seven course gourmet dinner. You think the first course in perfect and the rest can't live up to it but are happily wrong.
Yeah that is a perfect example. Every song is amazing. This one really got me thinking on multiple listens. These guys are the tip of the mountain of music. Occupied by a very few select bands of the past 60 years.
The 1970s was incredible for music. It seemed that Every week a new album would come out that would be a classic… so many great artists. We thought it would last forever… obviously it didn’t.
This album is one of the greatest of all time IMHO. I’m probably in the vast minority here, but I Got the News is my favorite song on this masterpiece,
They are from NY. In the early 70's they went to LA for a few years but felt out of place. They went back to NY and wrote this song about their experience of having been in LA and finally being back "Home At Last". I'm from the Bay Area BTW. Never been to LA or NY.
The Subject of this song finally finds he is "Home At Last" when he leaves this life. Tormented through his life, the subject is sure he will finally find "Peace" when he Dies.
@@MrRabbit43 PARTLY...! Yes I agree it is the story line, but SD always puts a twist on everything they write. Actual Quote: "You Think you heard this one before"...He is telling you directly, not the story you think it is... The Subject is romanticizing his death by quoting History... PLUS, Music is OPEN to the mind of the Listener. SO.... I'm NOT WRONG YOU ARE...LOL
@@alldayadventures5418 So how can you relate “ Danger in the Rocks is surely passed”( the siren singing to attract Ulysses) who was tied to the mast of the ship , to anything else . Poetic license ? “ I’m the lucky one”
The Two Sides of Tony McPhee The Hunt 1973. is a single psychedelic art rock electronic composition in four movements, featuring Arp 2600 synthesizers, electric piano, and The Rhythm Ace drum synthesizer it explores McPhee's strong stance against fox and stag hunting ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BRIUUBlFVZ8.html
Katy Lied is a great album. For your next reaction. Once again not a bad tune on it. Hell get a beach chair by a creek and put on some SD it'll change you life.
When I´d first heard a song of them ("Ricky...") I thought they were Soft-Rock, can you imagine that? I was deteriorated by hearing too much Led Zeppelin and stuff at the time obviously, but I soon got "educated".
I've always thought of their music as a kind of "sophisticated urban music". Like something a person living in a skyscraper penthouse would be listening to. Just my imagination...
This album was one of my picks for 10 for 10 cents mail offer in the 70s. Don't remember the other 9, but this one was worn out from constant playing...
