"Deacon Blues" no doubt, but I love "Home At Last" and "Black Cow" and "Peg" and "I Got The News" too. I tend to rep for Countdown or Royal Scam as my favorite Dan album since they're a little underrated compared to this one, but Aja really is unfuckwithable.
― some dude, Monday, 16 June 2008 12:47 (4 years ago) Permalink
^ Agree with that post in it's entirety, except to substitute Josie for Peg.
― Frogman Henry, Monday, 16 June 2008 13:29 (4 years ago) Permalink
"I tend to rep for Countdown or Royal Scam as my favorite Dan album since they're a little underrated compared to this one"
depends who you ask.Countdown To Ecstasy is the favourite Dan record for many fans, including myself. Steely Dan themselvs don't like the record so much, and they said somewhere that the people who think Ecstasy is the best Dan record are crazy.
― Zeno, Monday, 16 June 2008 14:22 (4 years ago) Permalink
Black Cow this week. But what the hell is it about? A drink?
― Ned Trifle II, Monday, 16 June 2008 17:26 (4 years ago) Permalink
And if so, what is the recipe?
― Ned Trifle II, Monday, 16 June 2008 17:29 (4 years ago) Permalink
Ahh, the internet. When I tried to look this up a few years ago I found nothing. Now I am overwhelmed with info. So root beer and ice cream and chocolate source? In a bar?
― Ned Trifle II, Monday, 16 June 2008 17:32 (4 years ago) Permalink
John Justen and Fluffy Bear Will Drink Your Big Black Cow and Get Out Of Here
― some dude, Monday, 16 June 2008 17:33 (4 years ago) Permalink
Four recipes here, incl. a Green Cow. One of these surely will screen out the sorrow, but where are you tomorrow?
― scampering alpaca, Monday, 16 June 2008 17:35 (4 years ago) Permalink
in the corner of my eye, i saw you in you were very high.
― Zeno, Monday, 16 June 2008 17:40 (4 years ago) Permalink
Is it too late to change the title of this thread to "Take your big black POLL and get out of here"?
― ablaeser, Friday, 20 June 2008 01:13 (4 years ago) Permalink
LEARN TO WERK THE SAXUHPHONE
― Curt1s Stephens, Friday, 20 June 2008 02:03 (4 years ago) Permalink
this may be the first time i've ever agreed with geir. the last half is sex.
― strgn, Friday, 20 June 2008 02:14 (4 years ago) Permalink
of 'aja'
― strgn, Friday, 20 June 2008 03:44 (4 years ago) Permalink
the song
I'm at the point of disliking this album, but I vote "Deacon Blues." Other than "Peg," the rest is stuff they perfected on Gaucho
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 20 June 2008 03:48 (4 years ago) Permalink
We need a Gaucho poll. Geir, start one!
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 20 June 2008 03:58 (4 years ago) Permalink
This is my least favorite Steely Dan album, but it's still not bad. "Peg" and "Deacon Blues" are my favorite tracks.
― o. nate, Friday, 20 June 2008 17:15 (4 years ago) Permalink
(I guess Alfred and I see eye to eye on this one.)
-- Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, June 19, 2008 11:48 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link
I don't hear much of anything on Gaucho that resembles "Black Cow" or "Home At Last" or "Aja," especially not anything better.
― some dude, Friday, 20 June 2008 17:21 (4 years ago) Permalink
I think they took off a bit too much of the disco from Royal Scam to Aja, but they brought some of it back on Gaucho.
― o. nate, Friday, 20 June 2008 17:25 (4 years ago) Permalink
It's been said many times on the Gaucho thread, but I'll repeat: they wrote masterfully about ennui, dessication, and despair on Gaucho. I'm not sure what "Black Cow" and "Home At Last" are about beyond their instrumental virtuosity. I mean, they're pretty, I don't skip the tracks, but so what?
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 20 June 2008 18:14 (4 years ago) Permalink
Good, I will listen to this today. I have to vote for "Peg," but it's sad that I can't also vote for "Deacon Blues." (Nothing like a Steely Dan poll to bring everyone out of the woodwork.)
― _Rockist__Scientist_, Friday, 20 June 2008 18:17 (4 years ago) Permalink
Sorry, didn't realize you evaluate songs as if they're text and not music.
― some dude, Friday, 20 June 2008 18:22 (4 years ago) Permalink
black cow seems like it's about a splintering relationship or friendship, i haven't figured it yet.
― omar little, Friday, 20 June 2008 18:25 (4 years ago) Permalink
I didn't realize you wouldn't read my post correctly.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 20 June 2008 18:27 (4 years ago) Permalink
I think he read it perfectly fine...? I mean, why do the songs have to be "about" anything unless you're someone who privileges lyrics?
― jaymc, Friday, 20 June 2008 18:32 (4 years ago) Permalink
Songs can't say what they mean through music? My post said nothing about lyrics.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, 20 June 2008 18:32 (4 years ago) Permalink
So the chord changes and solos on Aja don't communicate ennui, dessication, and despair as well as they do on Gaucho. Gotcha.
― some dude, Friday, 20 June 2008 18:35 (4 years ago) Permalink
1977 was an off year for the mu major chord.
― David R., Friday, 20 June 2008 19:09 (4 years ago) Permalink
they wrote masterfully about ennui, dessication, and despair on Gaucho. I'm not sure what "Black Cow" and "Home At Last" are about beyond their instrumental virtuosity. I mean, they're pretty, I don't skip the tracks, but so what?
How about buying a collection of good poems instead then?
― Geir Hongro, Friday, 20 June 2008 21:16 (4 years ago) Permalink
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― ILX System, Friday, 20 June 2008 23:01 (4 years ago) Permalink
I like Geir when he's saucy.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Saturday, 21 June 2008 00:46 (4 years ago) Permalink
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― ILX System, Saturday, 21 June 2008 23:01 (4 years ago) Permalink
drink scotch whiskey all night long
― PappaWheelie V, Sunday, 22 June 2008 03:29 (4 years ago) Permalink
So when's the "Pretzel Logic" one? (my favourite by them besides "Aja")
― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 22 June 2008 18:36 (4 years ago) Permalink
I'm pleasantly shocked by the landslide for Deacon Blues. Well done, ILM.
― ablaeser, Monday, 23 June 2008 02:11 (4 years ago) Permalink
Also, Steely Dan totally rocked the Beacon yesterday, great show.
― ablaeser, Monday, 23 June 2008 02:12 (4 years ago) Permalink
Surprised that "I Got the News" and "Josie" did so poorly. Those would be my 3rd and 4th picks.
― o. nate, Monday, 23 June 2008 17:05 (4 years ago) Permalink
Hey- I was at that Beacon show too. Good show - would have liked to hear a few more pre-Royal Scam tunes, but good stuff.
― o. nate, Monday, 23 June 2008 17:06 (4 years ago) Permalink
I saw the tuesday night show at the beacon... I wish becker didn't sing on gaucho or do that narrative bit on hey nineteen. both were a little embarrassing. maybe fagen felt he had to throw him a bone since they played one of his solo tracks?
anyway, great show otherwise! and they played more gaucho material than aja, if memory serves. so the dan like gaucho better too!
― Alan N, Monday, 23 June 2008 18:43 (4 years ago) Permalink
Beacon Duels
― PappaWheelie V, Monday, 23 June 2008 18:45 (4 years ago) Permalink
According to my faulty memory this is what they played off each album on Saturday:
Can't Buy: nada Countdown: Showbiz Kids Pretzel: Parker's Band Katy Lied: nada Royal Scam: Kid Charlemagne, Don't Take Me Alive, The Fez (instrumental bit only), Green Earrings, Royal Scam Aja: Peg, I Got the News, Josie Gaucho: Babylon Sisters, Hey Nineteen, Glamour Profession, Gaucho
And they also played "New Frontier" off of Fagen's Nightfly and "Two Against Nature".
― o. nate, Monday, 23 June 2008 19:04 (4 years ago) Permalink
how was "Glamor Profession"?
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 23 June 2008 19:05 (4 years ago) Permalink
Sounded great. The band was in fine form.
― o. nate, Monday, 23 June 2008 19:11 (4 years ago) Permalink
Oh, I forgot they played one non-album track: "FM".
― o. nate, Monday, 23 June 2008 19:14 (4 years ago) Permalink
"home at last" way underrated
― deej, Monday, 14 July 2008 18:09 (4 years ago) Permalink
I'm somewhat surprised at the lack of love "I Got the News" got. Personally I'd take it over "Aja" or "Home at Last."
― ablaeser, Tuesday, 15 July 2008 00:04 (4 years ago) Permalink
LOVE "Home At Last"
― some dude, Tuesday, 15 July 2008 00:11 (4 years ago) Permalink
I was just singing along to Deacon Blues on my way back from the supermarket. It would be my ideal karaoke song if it didn't have such a long sax solo.
I think I missed voting on this poll, probably would have chosen the title track for that sweet Steve Gadd beat during the fade-out.
― Moodles, Tuesday, 15 July 2008 01:02 (4 years ago) Permalink
Alfred if we ever have a few hours to kill together I will explain to you why this is a better album than Gaucho and you will agree by the time I get done.
― J0hn D., Tuesday, 15 July 2008 01:15 (4 years ago) Permalink
Oh man I have to see that! My wife might even agree to that one.
― Hierophantiasis (Jon Lewis), Monday, 7 May 2012 14:25 (1 year ago) Permalink
cool, yeah i'll watch all of these. the lou reed transformer one wasn't particularly amazing, but some good bits. nice that reed really goes out of his way to credit mick ronson with a lot of the album's sound (as opposed to just bowie bowie bowie). ronson's comments on lou are pretty funny.
― tylerw, Monday, 7 May 2012 14:34 (1 year ago) Permalink
god this album is great, i was sitting here enjoying the hell out of "I Got The News" for a few minutes when it suddenly occurred to me that oh this is the consensus 'worst' song on the album and it's awesome.
― some dude, Friday, 25 May 2012 18:03 (11 months ago) Permalink
haha yeah, it's pretty astonishing
― that is a weird thing to bring up over lean cuisine (DJP), Friday, 25 May 2012 18:06 (11 months ago) Permalink
there isn't a day that's gone by recently that i don't get this stuck in my head
In the corner Of my eye I saw you in Rudy's You were very high (You were high)
― omar little, Friday, 25 May 2012 19:49 (11 months ago) Permalink
I get that, followed by West side, baby/West side, baby
― that is a weird thing to bring up over lean cuisine (DJP), Friday, 25 May 2012 19:53 (11 months ago) Permalink
i got the news is so great bc of the michael mcdonald bit.
― of family bonds and individual triumph. Narrated by Tim Allen, (zachlyon), Friday, 25 May 2012 19:54 (11 months ago) Permalink
the original Katy Lied version of "I Got The News" is pretty good too but i really don't know which i prefer
― some dude, Friday, 25 May 2012 19:56 (11 months ago) Permalink
can never hear the 'you were high' verse without picturing Don doing his lyrical walk-thru on the classic album show
also classic yeah the Purdie bits. "you done did it, you hired the hitmaker" etc
― piscesx, Friday, 25 May 2012 20:18 (11 months ago) Permalink
christ now i'm watching the whole damn show again.
― piscesx, Friday, 25 May 2012 20:38 (11 months ago) Permalink
so funny this thread got bumped as i just listened to this album today in my car.
their best but now wondering if i might actually like Gaucho more these days. that doesn't take away anything from this album however.
― Bee OK, Saturday, 26 May 2012 03:48 (11 months ago) Permalink
DRINK THCOTCH WHITHKEYALL NIGHT LONG
― this guy's a gangsta? his real name's mittens. (Hurting 2), Saturday, 26 May 2012 04:41 (11 months ago) Permalink
this album is los angeles for me.
'aja' is the most evocative track because i imagine a cross of the hollywood hills with ojai or something for the chorus and the sex finale. the last minute or so is legit transcendent.
'deacon blues' is viscerally embarrassing because i did a weird-lonely-guy karaoke of it at la cita (and 'life during wartime' by talking heads the same night).
i've still never had a black cow.
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:16 (2 months ago) Permalink
josie is maaaaybe my favorite track
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:20 (2 months ago) Permalink
(this might have something to do with c0ry skl4r.)
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:21 (2 months ago) Permalink
ok, specifically, i remember chaki posting something about that track and then i recognized.
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:23 (2 months ago) Permalink
Ojai is a pretty strange and isolated place. I don't know what you mean about Aja. But this album is amazing and I'm glad you sang deacon blues. Deacon blues is the only thing that makes me feel better about the NCAA football championship game
― that Django got me Nuages (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:24 (2 months ago) Permalink
I guess I mean that ojai is strange in a boring way
― that Django got me Nuages (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:25 (2 months ago) Permalink
But c'mon. Peg?
― that Django got me Nuages (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:28 (2 months ago) Permalink
I played "I'm not the same without you" on the jukebox at the James Joyce today. The reception was lukewarm.
― that Django got me Nuages (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:30 (2 months ago) Permalink
i meant 'ojai' in the sense of an apart-y silverlake-y place: "up on the hill / people never stare / they just don't care" and "here at the dude ranch / above the sea." i've never been to ojai and it's obviously not like this.
where is the James Joyce?
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:38 (2 months ago) Permalink
I see it now. It is in Santa Barbara.
― that Django got me Nuages (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:46 (2 months ago) Permalink
deacon blues is a fucking masterpiece isn't it?
all of this is prompted by checking out most of the steely dan catalog from the city library and putting it on my computer. because yeah i'm pretty poor.
'i learn to work the sax o phone"
xp yeah!
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:47 (2 months ago) Permalink
although when they wrote the song i wonder where it actually was? some hill east of downtown? the hollywood hills? what hill
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:48 (2 months ago) Permalink
Dude ranch above the sea can work for ojai. But I feel faaaaaaaar away from the sea there. Deacon Blues is amazing. I learned to play the acoustic guitar chords as an act of devotion, but they are barley audible.
― that Django got me Nuages (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:50 (2 months ago) Permalink
Dude ranch above the sea could work for Santa Barbara, actually.
― that Django got me Nuages (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:51 (2 months ago) Permalink
I think you need to get north of west ho to be in dude ranch territory
― that Django got me Nuages (Sufjan Grafton), Sunday, 3 March 2013 08:52 (2 months ago) Permalink
i'm co-locating it with zuma just on feel.
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 09:40 (2 months ago) Permalink
ANYONE here ever have a Black Cow? even Don n Walt seemed unsure of the actual recipe but it seems its root beer and milk? sounds revolting tbf.
― piscesx, Sunday, 3 March 2013 10:28 (2 months ago) Permalink
otm
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 10:32 (2 months ago) Permalink
not sure if it's as bad as this rum and water i'm swallowing atm.
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 10:33 (2 months ago) Permalink
What?
― Mark G, Sunday, 3 March 2013 10:56 (2 months ago) Permalink
that's the question i always ask after i read everything you post on here to bee really real.
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 11:00 (2 months ago) Permalink
but everyone else seems able to read egyptian english or w/e so i never complain.
― Gunoka Cuntles (Matt P), Sunday, 3 March 2013 11:02 (2 months ago) Permalink
I've never listened to the Dan before but this is great! I get what the fuss is about now.
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 3 March 2013 14:11 (2 months ago) Permalink
A Black Cow, a.k.a. a Root Beer Float, is usually root beer and vanilla ice cream, though there are regional variations.
― Hideous Lump, Monday, 4 March 2013 03:34 (2 months ago) Permalink
drink your big black cow and get out of here
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 4 March 2013 03:34 (2 months ago) Permalink
Black Cow can refer to either:A cow that is black.A Root Beer Float.An alcoholic drink (sometimes referred to as a Black Cow #2) featuring Kahlúa, half-and-half, and Coca-Cola.A 1977 song by Steely Dan on the Aja album, referring to the alcoholic drink.A candy, a Sugar Daddy bar covered in chocolate.
― fit and working again, Monday, 4 March 2013 03:39 (2 months ago) Permalink
(c) is more likely
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 4 March 2013 03:39 (2 months ago) Permalink
Aja and a lot of steely dans work has a topanga canyon feel, even thought doesn't precisely reflect the music of that area I guess. I feel like the royal scam is the pt of frisson where the 60s dream burns away and melts into late 70s sleaze and Aja and gaucho is the takeover by the survivors who have cashed in but remain fucked up and hanging on to the more base elements of their youth minus the empty idealism. Or at least that's how those albums sometimes sound. Whatever the case they sound like nothing but LA. I feel like I prepared myself pretty well for this city by listening to steely Dan and ice cube, though admittedly the times had changed somewhat since those albums.
― christmas candy bar (al leong), Monday, 4 March 2013 03:46 (2 months ago) Permalink