College Student Reacts To Steely Dan - Fire In The Hole & Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me)!!!

[@garymcghee2249]

Listening to their first album is a deep and neglected dive into the Dan catalogue and very rewarding. It's great to see a young man get into this.

[@mjwaldrep]

Brooklyn is one of my favorite Steely Dan songs! Love his voice!

[@tedcole9936]

Appreciate you doing all tracks on this great album!!!

[@chrisbarlow2131]

Well done Silas. You're starting to tune your ear to the music of The Dan. Keep going. It gets better and better.

[@Mike-rk8px]

Steely Dan was known for having the “L.A. sound” and that’s a perfect description of their music. When I lived in L.A. I used to listen to this album constantly, it just fits the vibe of driving around L.A. from the beaches to the mountains and all over the city.

[@stevedahlberg8680]

Brooklyn! I haven't heard that in so long. It sounds so good. Fun reaction, Silas.

[@stevegirard-voiceaudiopodcasts]

One of the two first albums I ever bought - got them at the same time. I was 14 and absorbing the cool rock/pop, the jazz tinglings, and trying to figure out the lyrics. But of course I did not have any of the world experiences that occurred in the Steely Dan worlds! So it was impossible… and most I didn’t figure out until I was in college ‘75 -‘79. I grew up musically with the Dan - my most important band… as they released an album nearly every year, and I listened to their catalog incessantly until the next one came out! On Can’t Buy a Thrill, there were 3 impeccable tracks, which you’ve heard: Dirty Work, Reelin’, and Do It Again. But we Couldn’t help but fall for many of these other tracks, too! Fire in the Hole i so identified with - being young and feeling like a freak a lot of the time, and not knowing what I wanted to do. Brooklyn, I have always thought, was from the perspective of a guy who lived over or near a strip club… or maybe just over a girl or girls who worked at one. Many clues… “the lady’s aching to bring her body down - she daily preaches on where she wants to be.” Working girls like this have plans to do something else, be somewhere else. Also, “a case of aces, done up loose for dealing” sounds like a stack of one dollar bills used when you go to a strip club. He calls her/them “the charmer” as kind of a cute but perhaps sarcastic name for someone who may be attractive, but has a hard edge from her work. Like, “Yeah, she’s a real charmer!” Anyway… the Dan’s lyrics are often a bit obtuse. In one clip I remember them saying that if they’re lyrics were too clear, and you could tell who or what it was about, they’d purposely swap lines from one verse to another. Very important band - maybe from another time - but most of us feel they’re timeless. Keep going…

[@Yaktahbay]

iirc, Fagen once explained that "the charmer" was a nasty downstairs neighbor. But I don't recall where I saw that.

[@SilverMinstrel]

good review Steve. This album is so nostalgic for me and probably you. Brings me back to some happy younger times

[@stevegirard-voiceaudiopodcasts]

Oh, in case anyone is wondering… the other album I bought together with SD’s “Thrill” was The Doobie Brothers’ “The Captain and Me”. What a great album that was as well.

[@joannerichards1750]

Two of the finest tracks on this classic album !

[@alansmith7626]

please do not jump ahead, follow the albums as they came out, lol AT least you wont have to wait as long! 😄

[@gj8683]

Read that the "charmer" was this entitled guy who lived a floor below Fagen and Becker when they had a place in Brooklyn, so it's sarcasm. It's another sweet song with an opaque hard edge.

[@469buck]

I love seeing a young'un dig deep into music that was created in 1972. Steely Dan is timeless.

[@theivory1]

These are great reactions. I hope you continue with the rest of their discography, you'll love it.

[@mikeloomis687]

Silas, I think you're getting closer to REALLY liking the Blues. You are starting to recognize their music influences and music patterns. Love it!

[@Ibanezed210]

Looks like someone is becoming a Dan fan right before our eyes. In other words, he's been blessed like the rest of us.

[@scottzappa9314]

I enjoy most if not all of Steely Dan's catalogue. It's merely because the other songs on the album are so epic.

[@marcbenjamin9436]

When you listen to music 50 years old you expect to feel some daring. You don’t find it with Steely Dan. Timeless and ageless.

[@aragon77]

I like his reactions. He gets into it. He always appreciates all the music he listens to.

[@chuckdivish1342]

Brooklyn has kind of a country vibe to it. Both great songs.

[@richkurl]

With a healthy dose of Gospel in the backup vocals and piano fills

[@fermisparadox01]

Jeff Baxter on steel guitar

[@Mike-rk8px]

Aimee Mann also does a truly excellent version of it.

[@richkurl]

@@Mike-rk8px Absolutely

[@antoniomontanacalset1970]

I'm glad to see Young guys appreciate Old music, where it comes from your music, distorted..... But anyway music changed, and notes... But I hate.. when . When they skip it.. you absorb everything, ... 🎉🎉🎉❤

[@MichaelTrogdon1990]

React to the album "Countdown to Ecstasy" next. It's the 2nd Steely Dan album. You might as well go in chronological order with the 9 Steely Dan albums.

[@edcedera]

Deep down the Steely Dan rabbit hole i see...

[@mikeloomis687]

Yeah, wait until album #2.

[@stevesnow315]

Skunk made that steel sing.😊

[@appledoreman]

Although many comments urge you to go on listening to Steely Dan as their albums get better & you'll enjoy them more, I wouldn't bet on it. Those people are die-hard fans. To me, an unprejudiced music-lover, they became increasingly obtuse as their career progressed, eventually dispensing with melody altogether in favour of clever, six-note jazz chords. To me, not nearly as appealing as this debut, which strikes just the right balance between melodic rock & jazz. Anyway, I love your reaction, which shows how deeply you appreciate good music. Keep it up!

[@dt1064]

Even their filler tracks aren't that bad.