Steely Dan "Katy Lied"

Today’s Cool Album of the Day ( #150 in the Series)  is Steely Dan, Katy Lied.

Last year Steely Dan did a tour where they played one of three albums in their entirety.   They would ‘hunker down’ in town for four nights.  The first three nights they would play either The Royal Scam, Aja or Goucho.  The fourth night would be requests. Unfortunately, they didn’t play my favorite Dan album, Katy Lied.

Don’t get me wrong, I love those other three releases.  But give me Katy Lied.

I could list nearly every track as a favorite.  How can you choose from Black Friday, Bad Sneakers, Doctor Wu, Chain Lightning. Everyone’s Gone to the Movies or Any World (That I’m Welcome To)

Steely Dan has always been two men, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. They would surround themselves with some of the best hand picked musicians every time they would enter into a new project.

Katy Lied had some wonderful players.

Michael McDonald was all over this record with his distinctive backround vocal sounds. (I one heard a disc jockey say Michael McDonald’s voice sounded like trying to start a car on a freezing morning. I had to laugh along but I like it.)

Numerous guitar players were asked in.  Rick Derringer added the solo to Chain Lightning, Larry Carlton played on Daddy Don’t Live in That City No More.  Elliot Randall could be heard on Throw Back the Little Ones. Dean Parks appeared on Rose Darling.

Drums were handed by Jeff Porcaro. When you have Jeff Porcaro you need not look elsewhere.

Katy Lied, 1979,  was produced by Gary Katz.

It peaked at #13 on the Billboard Album Charts

Black Friday hit #37 on the Billboard Singles Charts.

Steely Dan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001

Personnel

• Donald Fagen – vocals, piano, keyboards
• Walter Becker – bass, guitar, backing vocals
• Michael Omartian, David Paich – pianos, keyboards
• Wilton Felder, Chuck Rainey – bass guitars
• Hugh McCracken – guitar
• Denny Dias – guitar (solo on ‘Your Gold Teeth II’)
• Rick Derringer – guitar (solo on “Chain Lightning”)
• Dean Parks – guitar (solo on “Rose Darling”)
• Elliott Randall – guitar (solo on “Throw Back the Little Ones”)
• Larry Carlton – guitar on “Daddy Don’t Live in That New York City No More”
• Jimmie Haskell – horn & horn arrangement on “Throw Back the Little Ones”
• Bill Perkins – horn on “Throw Back the Little Ones”
• Phil Woods – alto saxophone solo on “Doctor Wu”
• Jeff Porcaro – drums on all songs except “Any World (That I’m Welcome To)”
• Hal Blaine – drums on “Any World (That I’m Welcome To)”
• Michael McDonald – background vocals
• Myrna Matthews, Sherlie Matthews, Carolyn Willis – background vocals on “Everyone’s Gone to the Movies”

Track listing

All songs written by Becker and Fagen.

Side one

1. “Black Friday” – 3:33
2. “Bad Sneakers” – 3:16
3. “Rose Darling” – 2:59
4. “Daddy Don’t Live in That New York City No More” – 3:12
5. “Doctor Wu” – 3:59

Side two

1. “Everyone’s Gone to the Movies” – 3:41
2. “Your Gold Teeth II” – 4:12
3. “Chain Lightning” – 2:57
4. “Any World (That I’m Welcome To)” – 3:56
5. “Throw Back the Little Ones” – 3:11

Here’s a couple live tracks. Black Friday and Bad Sneakers

OFFICIAL DAN WEBSITE: www.steelydan.com/