A Trifecta of Steely Dan Lists

[stella_blue]

I've limited myself to one song per album (excluding compilations & live releases) on each of these 3 lists.  I've also imposed the restriction that a song may appear on one (and only one) list.  A few tough decisions had to be made.

I suspect that Steve will disagree emphatically with a number of my choices.

Favorite Track

Year		Album Title		Song Title
1972		Can't Buy A Thrill		Turn That Heartbeat Over Again
1973		Countdown To Ecstasy		My Old School
1974		Pretzel Logic		Pretzel Logic
1975		Katy Lied		Doctor Wu
1976		The Royal Scam		Haitian Divorce
1977		Aja		Deacon Blues
1980		Gaucho		Third World Man
2000		Two Against Nature		Cousin Dupree
2003		Everything Must Go		Everything Must Go

Least Favorite Track

Year		Album Title		Song Title
1972		Can't Buy A Thrill		Change Of The Guard
1973		Countdown To Ecstasy		Your Gold Teeth
1974		Pretzel Logic		Through With Buzz
1975		Katy Lied		Throw Back The Little Ones
1976		The Royal Scam		Green Earrings
1977		Aja		Josie
1980		Gaucho		My Rival
2000		Two Against Nature		Negative Girl
2003		Everything Must Go		Pixeleen

Rarity Spotlight

Year		Album Title		Song Title
1972		Can't Buy A Thrill		Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me)
1973		Countdown To Ecstasy		Pearl Of The Quarter
1974		Pretzel Logic		Barrytown
1975		Katy Lied		Your Gold Teeth II
1976		The Royal Scam		The Caves Of Altamira
1977		Aja		I Got The News
1980		Gaucho		Glamour Profession
2000		Two Against Nature		Jack Of Speed
2003		Everything Must Go		Slang Of Ages

[TheSunshineFund]

I'll just go with my favorite tracks so as not to offend  .  I also didn't list anything after Gaucho.     I like a lot of popular tracks, but I guess, they're popular for a reason.  Barrytown is seriously underrated though, I agree.  Green Earrings and Change of the Guard have awesome solos.     Josie is awful, I concur, one of my least favorite songs.


Favorite Track

Year		Album Title		Song Title
1972		Can't Buy A Thrill		Reelin' in the Years
1973		Countdown To Ecstasy		The Boston Rag
1974		Pretzel Logic		Barrytown
1975		Katy Lied		Bad Sneakers
1976		The Royal Scam		Kid Charlemagne
1977		Aja		Black Cow
1980		Gaucho		Babylon Sisters

[stella_blue]

If I had made my selections within a year of each album's release, the list would have been quite different.  As time goes on, I tend to gravitate toward the deeper album cuts.

I was able to successfully anticipate 5 of your 7 favorites, based on prior discussion.

My 2 failed predictions:

Pretzel Logic		I thought you might go with "Any Major Dude Will Tell You"
Aja		It was a tossup between "Black Cow" and the title track, but I guessed incorrectly

[TheSunshineFund]

Pretzel Logic

I thought you might go with "Any Major Dude Will Tell You"

I always thought that would make a great cover by the Dead.  It has that Jerry feel to it IMO, especially the lead guitar tone.

[TheSunshineFund]

Black Cow hype.  If you watch the Aja - Classic Albums episode they talk about this sample and how their agents advised them not to attend the awards ceremony where this rap duo won an award with the Black Cow sample.

Lord Tariq, Peter Gunz - Déjà Vu (Uptown Baby)

[stella_blue]

The appearance of a song on my "Least Favorite" list shouldn't imply that I dislike the track.  Take "Countdown To Ecstasy" as an example.  There are no weak songs to be found anywhere on that release, so I had to reluctantly choose between "Your Gold Teeth" and "Show Biz Kids", although I imagine you would have selected "Pearl Of The Quarter".  Consider it a testament to the greatness of that album.

"There ain't nothing in Chicago for a monkey woman to do."

That reminds me, I have to get moving on the SD lyric quiz.

[ebinsugewa]

Side note (also old thread bump ): nice use of the Peg sample in De la Soul's Eye Know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1CaN4thI5w

[ebinsugewa]

Favorite Track

Year           Album Title              Song Title
1972   Can't Buy a Thrill      Dirty Work
1973   Countdown to Ecstasy      My Old School
1974   Pretzel Logic      Night by Night
1975   Katy Lied      Bad Sneakers
1976   The Royal Scam      Kid Charlemagne
1977   Aja      Black Cow
1980   Gaucho      Babylon Sisters

Least Favorite Track

Year           Album Title              Song Title
1972   Can't Buy a Thrill      Change of the Guard
1973   Countdown to Ecstasy      Show Biz Kids
1974   Pretzel Logic      Through with Buzz
1975   Katy Lied      Throw Back the Little Ones
1976   The Royal Scam      Green Earrings
1977   Aja      Josie
1980   Gaucho      My Rival

Underrated Track

Year           Album Title              Song Title
1972   Can't Buy a Thrill      Kings
1973   Countdown to Ecstasy   The Boston Rag
1974   Pretzel Logic              Charlie Freak
1975   Katy Lied      Your Gold Teeth II
1976   The Royal Scam      The Caves of Altamira
1977   Aja      Home at Last
1980   Gaucho      Third World Man

Observation: The A side of Royal Scam might be one of the best sides of a record ever made by humans.