Best "Under the Radar" Steely Dan?
 

Looking to make a Steely Dan mix that includes none of the "hits". Looking for some of their better lesser known songs. Any suggestions? I have a half dozen in mind but I'd like to get some other opinions.

To help, here are the tracklistings from their two "hit compilations":

A Decade of Steely Dan

1. F.M.
2. Black Friday
3. Babylon Sisters
4. Deacon Blues
5. Bodhisattva
6. Hey Nineteen
7. Do It Again
8. Peg
9. Rikki Don't Lose That Number
10. Reeling In The Years
11. East St. Louis Toodle
12. Kid Charlemagne
13. My Old School
14. Bad Sneakers

The Definitive Steely Dan

1. Do It Again
2. Dirty Work
3. Reelin' In The Years
4. Bodhisattva
5. My Old School
6. Rikki Don't Lose That Number
7. Black Friday
8. Bad Sneakers
9. Kid Charlemagne
10. Deacon Blues
11. Peg
12. FM
13. Hey Nineteen
14. Babylon Sisters
15. Cousin Dupree
16. Things I Miss The Most

What are some your favorites?

Title tracks to Aja and Pretzel Logic are a must.
So is Any Major Dude Will Tell You.
Oh, and of course, Josie. How is that on neither compilation?

And though they're not actualy SD songs, Donald Fagen's solo hits I.G.Y., New Frontier, and Century's End are awesome and would fit right in.

Can't Buy A Thrill- "Midnight Cruiser"
Countdown To Ectasy- "King Of The World", "Pearl Of The Quarter", "Show Biz Kids"
The Royal Scam- "Don't Take Me Alive", "The Royal Scam"

Midnight Cruiser and Don't Take Me Alive have gotten an awful lot of airplay over the past 30 years to not be included on hit compilations.

My favorite deep Steely Dan cut is Everything You Did off The Royal Scam

Steely is a group I've always wanted to check out but never have. I love the sound of the songs I've heard and they sound like very talented musicians, what should I start with (and don't say GH albums), Aja?

Any of the non-hits from Katy Lied is a great song, like "Rose Darling", "Doctor Wu", "Everyone's Gone to the Movies", or "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)".

Katy Lied -- I think it's not only their best album (Aja is overrated, still good though), it's one of the Top 10 Greatest Albums of the 1970s and a rock classic.

I'd start with Katy Lied if you like tight songs, or Aja if you like long instrumental breaks. (I started with Citizen Steely Dan, instead of individual albums, so they all sort of run together for me.)

It's not really a band. It's two songwriters who hired top studio musicians.

Just buy Citizen Steely Dan from yourmusic.com. It's a box of their first seven albums spread across 4 CDs with a handful of rarities for $27.96. Can't beat that price and it's consistently awesome.

Thanks for the suggestions. Anyone else care to chime in?

I was gonna mention "Doctor Wu" as one of my favorite Steely Dan songs. I love the sax solo... especially the notes right before the verse kicks in.

I would say take every track from the albums Countdown To Ecstacy, Pretzel Logic, Katy Lied, The Royal Scam, and Aja that aren't on those two greatest hits albums and you'll be set. ;)

No, seriously, Steely Dan is one of those bands where I love almost every song they did. But for my money, it doesn't get much better than "With A Gun," "Haitian Divorce," "Razor Boy," and "King of the World."

also, if you feel like cheating a little, go with the live version of Bodhisattva

Here's my $.02

"Your Gold Teeth" - Countdown To Ecstacy
"Daddy Don't Live in That NYC No More" - Katy Lied
"Parker's Band" - Pretzel Logic
"Night By Night" - Pretzel Logic
"Home At Last" - AJA
"Third World Man" - Gaucho

This, my friend, is the problem. :D

"Doctor Wu" has already been mentioned, so I'll take:

"Black Cow" off of Aja
"Barrytown" off of Pretzel Logic
"Razor Boy" off of Countdown to Ecstacy
Everyone always forgets about "Can't Buy a Thrill", but I love it. I'll take "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again"

Green Earrings and Glamour Profession in addition to Any Major Dude and Doctor Wu.

Oh yeah, The Fez too, any song with less than 20 words that is five minutes long is genius IMO.

I love the way Don Fagen sings the word "money" in "Rose Darling"...

I would guess she's in Detroit / with lot's of muuuhhhhnnayyyyyyyeee in the bank / although I could be wrong...

Thanks for the suggestions. Putting my mix together and I'll post it here in a few days.

Probably too late since you are starting the mix, but:

Definites already mentioned:
Black Cow
Home Again
Glamour Profession

Others that I would highly recommend:
Time out of Mind
I Got the News (I believe Michael MacDonald sang some background vocals on this one)

Thanks! I may cut Glamour Profession for length but Black Cow and Time Out of Mind are definitely on there. I'll give the other two a listen tonight.

You never did post your mix. What did you end up using?

Thanks for reminding me. I'll post the list tonight when I get home.

if you get around do mixing a volume 2, i'd submit Kings from Can't Buy a Thrill.

Too late. It's on mix #1. I love that song. :D

Here is my completed mix. Picked a few from each of the first seven albums. Many of the longer songs had to be cut for time. Last cut: Haitian Divorce :(

1. King of the World
2. Don't Take Me Alive
3. Night By Night
4. Rose Darling
5. Black Cow
6. Doctor Wu
7. Any Major Dude Will Tell You
8. Kings
9. Razor Boy
10. Josie
11. Barrytown
12. Midnite Cruiser
13. Daddy Don't Live in that New York City No More
14. Parker's Band
15. Time Out of Mind
16. Any World (That I'm Welcome To)
17. With A Gun
18. Show Biz Kids
19. Turn That Heartbeat Over Again
20. Third World Man

So, what do you think? I'm seeing these guys on Friday. :beer: