The 100 Greatest Bands of all time - #70 Steely Dan

Donald Fagen and Walter Becker first met at Bard College in 1967 and right away began playing together with one band or another. After a few years of trying to make it as songwriters, they put together a group of crack studio musicians like Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Denny Dias, Jim Hodder, and David Palmer to record their first album “Can’t Buy a Thrill”. It produced a couple of hit singles and a good deal of interest in the band and their jazz-influenced arrangements. Though there was a good deal of shuffling of the backing players through the 70s, the essence of the band remained the partnership between Fagen and Becker. Walter Becker has been one of rock’s most original guitarists creating some of the more interesting and intricate guitar solos of the 70s. Donald Fagen is a tremendous lyricist telling stories that drip with irony and he’s a hell of a good keyboard player as well. The partnership has lasted for over 40 years. They are still touring and recording to this day having sold more than 30 million albums through their career and getting inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame in 2001.


Here's Do It Again, their first big hit.





Here's Reelin in the Years. Check out who introduces the band.





A fantastic song set to a great piece of video. Won't you show me the shine of your Japan, the sparkle of your China. Bodhisattva. Bodhisattva. Oh yeah. Walter Becker kicks ass.





You might use it if you feel better, when you get home.





Another favorite. When Black Friday comes.





They call Alabama the Crimson Tide. Call me Deacon Blues.





It's your favorite foreign movie.





One of my very favorites. Here come those Santa Ana winds again.





The Cuervo Gold. The fine Colombian. Make tonight a wonderful thing. We conclude our look at Steely Dan with this classic