There’s no band out there quite like Steely Dan. This jazz rock fusion outfit was called “musical antiheroes of the seventies” for good reason. That being said, choosing their very best songs is no easy feat. So, we just picked four of our favorites. And those favorites happen to be some of Steely Dan’s greatest and most memorable songs. Let’s dive in!
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1. “Deacon Blues”
We couldn’t leave this stellar track from the 1977 album Aja off our list. “Deacon Blues” had a massive influence over culture at the time of its release. In fact, a Scottish band named Deacon Blue even took their name from this Steely Dan hit.
If you’ve never really been into Steely Dan before, this might just be the jazz rock tune that will make you a fan of the legendary yacht rock outfit.
2. “My Old School”
“My Old School” is one of the greatest Steely Dan songs to come out of the 1973 record Countdown To Ecstacy. And it’s definitely a product of its time.
This jam was written about the time that Donald Fagen got busted for drugs at Bard College in the late 1960s after an acquaintance turned him into a local prosecuter named G. Gordon Liddy, a.k.a. “Daddy G”. Lyrical digs aside, this song is dripping with joy and an unabashed stoner anthem.
3. “Black Friday”
This Katy Lied track from 1975 is a great example of Steely Dan’s ability to rock out. “Black Friday” was the single that got everyone excited for this particular album, and we get why. It’s the kind of guitar-carrying song that likely had crowds screeching during live performances. Walter Becker’s guitar solo is on another level on this track.
4. “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”
This 1974 track from Pretzel Logic is by far one of Steely Dan’s greatest songs. It’s an early-career hit from the band that features all of the telltale elements of a solid Steely Dan jam. The bass is funky, the chorus is euphoric, and the guitar work on this song is some of Jeff Baxter’s very best. That introduction is so delightfully weird, too.
Photo by BSR Agency/Gentle Look via Getty Images
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