I was asked to listen to Steely Dan - Reelin' in the Years | First Reaction 

Steely Dan named their band after a silver dild0, from the 50s novel Naked Lunch 😊 fun fact

Jimmy Page said a few decades ago that this is one of his all time favorite leads

As a Baby Boomer myself, My generation was exposed to the The Greatest Soundtracks in Musical History. To the newer generations I say: "You're Welcome !"

The greatness of Steely Dan CANNOT be overstated.

The chorus may be in your head, but after a few more listens, the guitar solos will be in your soul. To me, that’s what pure joy sounds like.

This song has easily the best smart ass lyric ever written, or at least my favorite... "You've been telling me you're a genius since you were 17, In all the time I've known you I still don't know what you mean." The lyric you were missing is "Are you gathering up the tears, have you had enough of mine"

If this is your first Steely Dan experience, please know this: their discography is immense and worthy of your time.😊

great choice! Steely Dan is every other bands favorite band.. the chorus: are you reeling in the years, stowing away the time? are you gathering up the tears. have you have enough of mine?

I was born in 1959. I'll never forget driving with my 25 y/o daughter with the tunes turned 10:11 way up and singing our hearts out. Out of nowhere she turned the volume way down and said, "Mom, your generation created the most amazing music in the whole world! She's right!!

I don't listen to reactors that speak really fast. I feel like they're trying to sell me something. You rock. You're always respectful & insightful.

“The things you think are useless I can’t understand”. That lyric means so much more now than it did 50 years ago when I first heard it.

This song will forever be the one that speaks the 1970's to me in every way possible. This song hits the radio in my car and I am transported. It's "are you gathering up the tears. Have you had enough of mine." This song gives me every feel possible

Steely Dan, some of the finest music ever produced written by composers.

I’m a great grandma and I remember when this song came out it reminded me of a summer barbecue dance where all this ladies brought the food, the music came on, and we all just danced under the Summer sun had something cool to drink with a slice of watermelon, pretty gingham dresses, and men who looked at us like we were the prettiest things that ever existed.

Mr Polo........ I much prefer your cadence, your pauses, your thoughtful conversation.🤍

Yeah, that little smirk on your face every time you heard the chorus... In the 1970s we couldn't get that smirk off our faces, because this song was on repeat on FM radio, EVERYWHERE.

"Are you reelin in the years, stowing away the time? Are you gathering up the tears? Have you had enough of mine?"

To myself? Boomer here.👩‍🦳 Sings Steely Dan LOUD and PROUD in the Produce section of the supermarket!🗣

Guitarist Elliot Randall did that in one take! Walked in, perused the chart and played. Finished and walked out. He declined joining the band. A very independent guy who preferred session work and assignments over touring. And Jimmy Page rated this solo a 12 on a scale of 10.

Way more Steely Dan please! Deacon Blues, Aja, Black Cow, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Pretzel Logic, Dirty Work, FM (No Static at All), Hey Nineteen, Don't Take Me Alive, Kid Charlemagne....and thats just a short list. Always lyrically and musically excellent!

There’s so much to love about your channel but I’ve at last realised that it’s that look on your face when you hear a track for the first time and it’s one of being blown away by what you’re experiencing. As someone born in the sixties i sometimes feel like clapping as I see what we older subs have already experienced appear on your face; that look of musical bliss. It’s pretty wonderful Polo ❤

I always thought that song was way too short. That guitar at the end is a killer and should have continued forever.

Gathering up the "tears" have you had enough of mine

Loves me some Steely

Will always hold on for the POLO reaction! Just sayin’

Three brilliant SD albums in a row. 1. The Royal Scam 2. Aja 3. Gaucho

I would like to say that out of all of the people I have watched on RU-vid doing reactions to music you my friend get it better than any of them I have seen. Your take on the music is spot on and when you play an absolute classic song you know it within the first few lines and that for one tells me you get it and also that you really enjoy music that is considered what I would call wholesome and real. Keep up with the great music and memories for me and thanks for all your time and effort that you put into bringing us quality music that stands the test of time.

We listen the whole way through. 1970s, so much music came from that decade. You're right, we boomers have this music in our heads. :-) We're old, we've been on earth a long time, and we've heard a lot.

Lyrics Your everlasting summer and you can see it fading fast So you grab a piece of something that you think is gonna last Well, you wouldn't even know a diamond if you held it in your hand The things you think are precious I can't understand Are you reelin' in the years? Stowin' away the time Are you gatherin' up the tears? Have you had enough of mine Are you reelin' in the years? Stowin' away the time Are you gatherin' up the tears? Have you had enough of mine You've been telling me you're a genius since you were seventeen In all the time I've known you I still don't know what you mean The weekend at the college didn't turn out like you planned The things that pass for knowledge I can't understand Are you reelin' in the years? Stowin' away the time Are you gatherin' up the tears? Have you had enough of mine Are you reelin' in the years? Stowin' away the time Are you gatherin' up the tears? Have you had enough of mine I've spent a lot of money and I've spent a lot of time The trip we made to Hollywood is etched upon my mind After all the things we've done and seen you find another man The things you think are useless I can't understand Are you reelin' in the years? Stowin' away the time Are you gatherin' up the tears? Have you had enough of mine Are you reelin' in the years? Stowin' away the time Are you gatherin' up the tears? Have you had enough of mine Source: Musixmatch

For me, all I have to do is hear the opening guitar portion, and I'm like TURN IT UP! I already know what's coming after that 🔥🔥🔥

I find it so funny, I cant remember SHIT at my age now but dam you start playing all my old favorites! I can remember every dam lyric lololol the power of MUSIC. Thanks ✌️

One of the great classic rock songs

Session guitarist Elliott Randall says that he used the melody of the chorus as the basis for his intro. He did just two takes to get this, and only because the recording engineer forgot to hit the start button on the first take (which everyone in the room thought was even better). Randall was invited to join the band, but declined the offer because he correctly guessed that songwriters Donald Fagen and Walter Becker had no long-term interest in being a touring rock band. Two years later, in July 1974, Steely Dan concluded their "Pretzel Logic" album tour of the U.S. and England and would not tour again until August of 1993. My wife and I saw their tour stop at the U. of Toledo on April 21, 1974. They were so good live that we never forgave them for not giving us a concert album from that tour. We had to follow band members Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Michael McDonald over to The Doobie Brothers the following year to get our live music fix for the rest of the decade.

One of the things that I also appreciate about Steely Dan (been listening to them since 1970) is that you can UNDERSTAND THE WORDS!

You never grow out of Steely Dan....you grow into them. Jack

Genius is right! I love listening to this driving down the highway!!

"Are you reelin' in the years, stowin' away the time? Are you gatherin' up the tears? Have you had enough of mine? Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the only truly permanent members of the band, were literal perfectionists. They knew exactly what they wanted to make, and they hired just the right session musicians to get what they wanted. Then they'd play and play and play until what they had matched what they imagined.

Tube amps just hit different in the 70/80’s. They would play through so many amps looking for that sound. Waiting on the tubes to dang near go and get that wild unique sound for a few weeks. 😂 Good ole days.

“Are you gathering up the tears?”…”Have you had enough of mine?”

Some of the best guitar work ever recorded.

Excellent choice. Great band. 👩🏻✝️💙🐕🖤🎸

Gathering up the TEARS

took my young daughter to hear them in person. She loved it. I loved sharing something I grew up on. yum.

Not many groups can have so many different sounds and do them all well.

This is my dad’s music. And I love it! Fantastic guitar solo! Great lyrics! The production is top notch! 🖖🏼

"Are you reelin' in the years? Stowin' away the time Are you gatherin' up the tears? Have you had enough of mine"

The lyrics are genius!!! ❤

Oh, please don't start rushing things. I can't stand people rushing their words and hurrying us along like we are in a really busy railway station or something. We're here to enjoy your company and the music. By the way, Reelin' In the Years is one of my essential long car trip songs. Thank you, Polo and have a great day! PS: You are smooooth. 👍😎

"...Are you gathering up the tears? Have you had enough of mine..." Great song and reaction.

You can't react to this song without knowing these lyrics, "Are you gathering up the tears? Have you had enough of mine?"

I'd love to have you react to Deacon Blues by these guys.

The Dan is just getting started at this point in their incomparable musical journey. Donald and Walter (and a whole host of elite level musicians) would continue to make some of the most enjoyable, complex and enigmatic music ever laid down on vinyl...pure genius.

This was a great request! I remember riding down the highway in the back seat traveling with my parent. It was always louder in the back seat than the front. This made me smile. I needed a smile today. Thank you very much! God Bless

Steely Dan has made no bad songs, not one, I will brook no argument!

Cold beer and either a creek or a swimming pool o warm sunny say... ahhhh!

The guitar licks in this song are as tasty as they get.

Timeless classic!

Please, please, please go down the Steely Dan rabbit hole.

Stellar track. One of the greatest leads. Great reaction.

You caught me, I’m a baby boomer and they don’t write em like the did 🥰🥰

1973! Yes! Fun

When you learn that the two permanent members of Steely Dan, Don Fagan and Walter Becker, were not only talented but technical perfectionists, and they brought in the very best session musicians for every track, doing each section over and over and over again until they were hated... but result was PERFECT. And that's what we have to listen to. The perfection of each musical vision. That may be why it sticks with you. There are no errors.

Personally I love their song bodhisattva as one of their best, but they have so many great songs!

Audiophiles loved these studio recordings …. Sound was fantastic on a quality stereo system.

Guitar solo in the beginning is instantly recognizable and it has one of my favorite verses of all time. The one that ends with “the things that pass for knowledge I can’t understand”.

For your next Steely Dan, play Babylon Sister. You will be smitten.

I think that it's, "Are you gathering up the tears. Have you had enough of mine? "

Steely Dan they were a different kind of Band Very Unique Great Sound

See them Steely Dan live! They are still out there killin it!

I like the non-overhyped start and your approach in general.

Word! It reminds me of my teen years....driving down country roads with my friends during warm summer nights....radio turned up.... windows rolled all the way down....the smell of fresh cut hay....wind in our hair....❤

Excellent driving song btw

Doesn’t get much better than Steely Dan. 🎶✌️❤️

Steely Dan ❤ makes me feel young again.

I've always loved Steely Dan. That was my feel good housework days.

superb band

My brother played SD all the time when I was a kid. Great song! Thanks!😎

I remember seeing Steely Dan live in the early 80’s, one of the best concerts! I can honestly say that every one of their songs can take me back to a specific place and time in my memory.

Ya just feel better after listening to Steely Dan!

Appreciation to you… at 63 I am falling back into lots music of my youth. Thanks to u.☮️

Your right!!! Your superpower works!!!❤You do get it though, we’re right!😊

gathering up the tears

Tears

8:43 I rocked my ass off to Steely Dan as teenager! THX💜💜💜

"Gathering up the... tears Have you had enough of mine?"

Check out Midnight Cruiser from the same album! Enjoy!

Not just boomers but genx as well!! So glad to have grown up in this era! Brings back memories of music spilling out of open windows on hot summer nights!

Steely Dan have a deep catalogue of great songs. Among my favorites: "Home at Last," "Haitian Divorce," "Babylon Sisters," "Jack of Speed," "Kid Charlemagne," "Third World Man," "Pretzel Logic."

This song came out when I was in High school, sure brings back some memories, Oh to answer your question; "reeling in the years, are you gathering up the tears?-Tyler

I love that you hear it like I do. I love old blues, rock, some folk or jazz music. All taken from blues, soul.

Are you reeling in the yeaes Stowing away the time, Are you gathering up the tears Have you had enough of mine

I'm generally a heavy metal fan but you will enjoy Steely Dan. A lot of good songs with a slight jazz and blues element to their songs.

“Are you reeling in the years? Storing away the time? Are you gathering up the tears? Have you had enough of mine?” The chorus of Reeling in the Years. Okay Polo? 😊🙏😊

There is no wrong time for some Steely Dan.

Hey Polo ~ Welcome to your newest rabbit hole. Steely Dan were absolutely incredible in damn near everything they did. Their first hit was "Do It Again" off their Can't Buy A Thrill album. You will love that track!

Steely Dan is Amazing !! Your so right Polo, they don't make this music anymore ☺️❤️

"Are you reeling in the Years Stowin' away the time Are you gathering up the tears Have you had enough of mine . . .

Steely Dan, your favorite band’s favorite band

The best band I usually forget about then ask myself how when I hear them. Stunning guitar and brilliant lyrics.

Legends. Thank you Sir