My favorite Steely Dan song has to be...


"Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More" on "Katy Lied". What's yours?
stubby
Can't name just one, but I love "Brooklyn" from Can't Buy a Thrill and "Deacon Blues" and "Aja" and "Doctor Wu" and....the list goes on and on.
There is a terrific version of "Pretzel Logic" on the cd "New York Rock and Soul Revue, Live at the Beacon", which has Michael McDonald singing. Others on that cd are Donald Fagen,Phoebe Snow,Boz Scaggs,Charles Brown. The cd is on the Giant/Warner Bros label.--Mrmitch
OK: Let's see "Don't take me alive", (2) goners say Larry Carlton provided the incredible riffs on this song, Was it not Jeff "Skunk" Baxter?
Show business kids making movies of themselves you know they don't give a f*ck about anyobody else
Every single one of them and what Fagen as put out as a solo artist too.
I just can't pick one. It would be like, which of your child do you like best.
Another one for Don't take me alive....... Everything off Aja is trite and boring to me...... Just my opinion....
12-18-07: Slikric3000
Has anyone heard the album they made before they were Steely Dan ? I think it was walk the walk if you talk the talk. I'm not sure if that is the exact title of the album but close if not. I found it at a second hand store on 8 track like 20 yrs ago.

I believe it's "Walk it like you talk it". I look this evening. I have the LP....
Gaucho - speaks volumes about the LA celebrity scene and became the next dark chapter after the Eagles' Hotel California. A brilliant track compositionally and lyrically.
Show Biz Kids with DR Wu running a close second and bringing up the rear... Kid Charlemagne.
"Any Major Dude" - but I'm pretending there's a gun to my head preventing me from selecting a dozen more that are right there.
For just one pick, its "Kid Charlemagne." Even drug dealers need to be honored in song. Since no one else mentioned it, I would add "Bad Sneaker" for an "honorable' mention.
I guess you know Kid Charlemagne is loosely based on Owsley according to WB. Not sure I'd really classify him as a dealer but more as a promoter.
Wireless,

Yup, but Owsley was more than a promoter, he was a chemist who actually made LSD that was very popular for its strength and purity back in the day.
I stepped upon the platform
The man gave me the news
He said you must be joking son
Where did you get those shoes.....
They have so many great songs, for me, the one that evokes the most memories is Rikki don't lose that number.
Wow.... Hard question, as I've been a Dan fan since the early days....
How about the Live In America version of Bodhisattva, where they put in the jazz chord substitutions?
"My Old School". If in an automobile, it'd probably be prudent to pull over before the solo starts..
I would have to agree with the question asker , Stubby. Daddy don't live in NYC no more. Buying a new cd of that one just for that track , (but I like all the rest)
OMG - just choose ONE?!

How about a top five to start....

Dirty Work
Any Major Dude
My Old School
Barrytown
Charly Freak
Royal Scam

...oh wait, let's just say that Pretzel Logic, that epic of perfection, is my favorite Dan album.

Great songs, great arrangements, superb playing from some of the greatest session men ever.

The guys never made a bad record.

I remember seeing them live for the first time at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago. They were touring in support of the first Dan albumn before Ricky Don't Lose That Number broke big - they were third on the bill to Uriah Heep and T Rex!
Gotta go with "Pretzel Logic" with "Babylon Sister" a close second.
There's only one song I didn't like by them and that was
"Black Friday".
Really glad to stumble on this old thread and see so many admirers of the Dan. They are great. A favorite track though? Just can't pick one. Different week, different favorite. None the less, think I'm gonna go and listen to Pretzel Logic this evening and then maybe Katy Lied.
PS- thanks to Dayglow for resurrecting the thread. 3rd World Man is a great track.
Gotta vote for "Night by Night", from Pretzel Logic. Also "Charie Freak" from the same.

And one cannot forget "FM". No static at all, kind of sums up our hobby...