I love this entire album… they knew how to deliver! This song is amazing, yes, so many different sounds in it, very creative! Loved your reaction & appreciation! 🙂
When I was in university in the late 70s, stereo stores used Aja as their stereo speaker test music. Steely Dan was also, usually, your favourite band's favourite band! The background singers on this track are outstanding.
Listening to these beautiful Steely Dan songs over and over again will almost instantly bring back all the joyful feelings and memories of that moment. Throughout the course of many years, their beautiful songs have become part of the soundtrack of my life. Thank you, Brotherman, for playing Steely Dan - and your outstanding commentary.
Love "Aja" like crazy👍👍. 2 times platinum...I wonder why...geez. "Deacon Blues" is , of course, fabulous tune but whole album is just choice...great reaction Shawn..🎤🎶💓
Incredible song, but The Dan have so many more! Check out Babylon Sisters, Hey Nineteen, Green Earrings, The Glamour Profession, Third World Man, Josie and from Fagan's solo work, The Nightfly, Trans Island Skyway, Florida Room, Morph the Cat and Teahouse on the Tracks. That's just to get you started!
I read an article about this album, and it said that this album could not be made today. They spent just over $2 million on just producing this album. I have no idea what that be in today's dollars.
Steely Dan's "Aja" is one of the smoothest albums you can hit up, probably their signature album, as much as Chicago Transit Authority and Chicago's 2nd album for them. Chicago VII is their jazziest album (a double LP).
This is one of very few albums that I consider "perfect" -- there are no skippable songs, and they're all "bangers" as the kids say. The whole sound of this album, the "feel," is like nothing else. This came out my junior year of high school and I fell into it.
think about the albums that came out in the years around this 74-77 this , Boston debut, Hotel California, Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf, Wish you were here by Pink Floyd, and many more classic album! others can probably come up with more
Steely Dan is my favorite band and this is a great song and this entire album is a masterpiece. If you only listen to one other song from the album, it’s got to be Black Cow. So jazzy, so perfect.
Only made #19? I don't think these guys ever broke through the mainstream of popular music lovers. It seems like I remember this on the radio a lot, but it must have been mostly on FM that I heard this, and other SD hits. They had many. But a little long for AM format.
You summed it up well, in one word, Shawn -- Classy. They just knew what they were doing, and managed to get the best musicians available to help them bring their vision to life. I know you've reacted to quite of few of their songs, but here are some memorable ones I think that you might have missed: "Green Earrings", "FM", and "Hey Nineteen". Also, "The Fez", which is basically just one continuous groove--but oh, WHAT a groove, lol!
"I crawl like a viper through these suburban streets, make love to these women languid and bittersweet, I'll rise when the sun goes down, cover every game in town." Just crazily evocative lyrics that fit the music superbly. Also great chord progressions and amazing solo sax. Steely Dan is unsurpassed in its ability to create a mood and draw you into it.
and every album is a completely different sound. It's just the 2 (Fagan and Becker) and they worked with the best studio musicians in the business. So so creative! Favorites are Dirty Work, FM, Josie, Hey 19, Do It Again, and Home At Last (about Odysseus's journey)
masterful songwriting, and actually it's a very positive song. He's expressing being free from his cares (this brother is free, I'll be what he want to be)
I like a lot of music but jazz isn’t my thing. That being said. Steely Dan is the only jazzy type music I’ve ever really, really liked. They’re awesome.
For decades (literally) I always thought the line was “and done behind the wheel” because it makes sense. If he driving around hitting a bunch of club gigs, he probably drove thru to pick up food and ate while driving.
I think what they mean “I want a name when I loose” means when he is rejected by suburbia when becomes a “looser” musician. Or at least he fantasizes about leaving suburbia.
