Drummer reacts to "Black Friday" & "Bad Sneakers" by Steely Dan

[@HiddenSymmetry]

Katy Lied has a special place in my heart. In 1976 I was 17 & a sax player from a local college invited to a jam session at his house. We were doing the Real Book thing, typical jazz standards. We took a break & he put on a Jazz Crusaders lp. the guitar player just knocked me out, so tasteful..of course that was Larry Carlton...After the session broke up his girlfriend came home..To my complete surprise it was a keyboardist that was in my band during high school (small time but had fun, gigs like opening for The New York Dolls) I hadn't seen her in over a year, she was coming home from where she work at a record store. She was carrying an armful of cut outs & handed one to each of us. She said that I would probably dig this one & handed me a cut out of Katy Lied..I checked the back credits & again Larry Carlton's name pops out at me!..(among all the other incredible musicians) it was a memorable day.. I think this album gets a bit overlooked but like all their albums there's great writing & musicianship on every track...nothing like The Dan.. hope you enjoy the listen..

[@yes_head]

Great story. And you're right, this one is sort of overlooked given the albums before and after it. But the great thing about SD is pretty much every album is a winner.

[@robinstarkey6071]

Dr Wu is so so good from this LP. Possibly my favorite SD song

[@neonpark1874]

Are you with me doctor?....

[@Cheryworld]

On Katy Lied: Daddy Don't Live in that New York City No More, is a really cool song. Chain Lightning is pure Jazz. Really Loved the album. Steely Dan stood out as so unique in the mid 1970s

[@danl.909]

Two winners, for sure. My favorite cuts on the album.

[@steved525]

19 year old Jeff Porcaro's debut on a Steely Dan album. Brilliant drumming track. Also I was so surprised to learn that this was Walter on the guitar solo. So nasty! A fun and snarky opening track!

[@kevinpolito1529]

That's Michael McDonald doing multipart harmony backing vocals on Bad Sneakers. Michael provided backing vocals on the Katy Lied, The Royal Scam, Aja, and Gaucho albums. He also played keyboards with the Steely Dan touring band. And of course, his singing and songwriting made the Doobie Brothers a Grammy-winning band before he began his solo career.

[@markransome7052]

this and Dr Wu are absolute favourites from Katy Lied

[@davidboivin7996]

Jeff Porcaro was a co-founder of Toto and the famous Rosanna shuffle.

[@brucehenninger2662]

"Black Friday" is definitely one of my top ten Steely Dan songs - maybe even top five.

[@L33Reacts]

I see why! That was excellent!

[@JoeCruz-hs2yt]

the great jeff pocaro the drummer for the band toto on drums i think the whole album !

[@yournamehere6002]

Guaranteed you'll eventually love "Bad Sneakers" the more you listen to it.

[@L33Reacts]

I'll definitely give it a few more spins and see where it takes me. I know they have "growers" for songs sometimes.

[@alrivers2297]

More proof that just about anything off their albums up to Guacho is gold

[@midnightrambler7716]

The album cover is an example of Becker/Fagan wit. A Katydid is a type of cricket/grasshopper. So naturally…Katy Lied! 😂

[@marcbenjamin9436]

It’s Steely Dan code, like the little fun song play with The Eagles.

[@ChasBeauregarde]

You said one side of Steely Dan and then the other. These guys are almost as multi-faceted as The Beatles. True, they had a “sound” you knew was theirs, but as well as their musicianship, their approach to songwriting is unique and is always fresh.

[@marcbenjamin9436]

An underrated album as the Steely Dan catalogue goes. Doctor Wu is a signature piece that sounds like an Aja piece three years early.

[@jimdukeproject]

I’ve been so into Steely Dan lately. Glad to see others are appreciating them too.

[@ripvanwinkle2002]

SD is your favorite band's favorite band! :)

[@XFLexiconMatt]

I love how "Black Friday" manages to stay heavy while retaining and keeping the Jazz elements. "Bad Sneakers" is great too. People forget that Walter Becker could be a great lead guitar player when he wanted to, they had so many great guitarists, he could hold his own. I highly, highly recommend "Doctor Wu" ASAP.

[@rodolfogonzales6818]

The guitar and piano in bad sneakers sounds beautiful together. The replay value of steely dan is great. The more I listen to each track, the more I grow to like them. So unique

[@GreggoMusicChannel]

I'm so glad you got to Black Friday! It's got such a good groove.

[@toddfrank3344]

The late GREAT Jeff Porcaro on drums.

[@levpoplow7354]

Glad you're doing Katy Lied! Although it's hard to choose thismay be my fav Dan album. I'm pretty sure that it was Larry Carlton playing lead guitar on both track.

[@lewismaddox4132]

I have the feeling you're right. I've never heard Walter get naked and go beast mode like that, although I'm pretty sure he's capable. He's never struck me as the kinda guitarist who tears through guitar strings like tissue paper.

[@RayEvans-j1q]

This great album marked the beginning of SD’s studio’s career! No more touring!

[@MikeOstrowski-iq8wf]

Michael McDonald from the Doobie Brothers on backing vocals (Bad Sneakers) ❤️

[@annbanderson]

Bad Sneakers brings back vivid memories of NYC in the 70s. The city was in rough shape. Lots of guys like the one in the song.

[@lakephillip]

I graduated HS in 1974, and next summer this was a popular song on the FM(which was just starting out)(First way to get broadcast stereo sound)Summer of 1975 JAWS.

[@AirDOGGe]

Yes! A very cool Steely hit, Black Friday is one of their most popular hits and one of my favorites. Bad Sneakers also got lots of radio airtime, but not nearly as much as the former.

[@paulgatton1785]

Yes--Steely Dan has many sides---like a disco ball---all Great!

[@YellowJello57]

Jeff Porcaro was the greatest drummer who ever lived with the possible exception of Bernard Purdie. Dive into the rabbit hole. RIP, Jeff.

[@bryanschuler7158]

Love steely Sundays! Loving your channel, Lee!

[@benoitdesmarais2948]

Seeds of Aja. Right on. Pretzel Logic was the first where they weren't a band anymore.

[@dianedavies8291]

I love this album. Still have my original. ✌️♥️🎶

[@denniszimmerman1279]

Dr Wu is definitely worth the wait.

[@L33Reacts]

We'll be there sooner than you think 😊

[@marklsimonson]

My first Steely Dan album and a longtime favorite. Weirdly, found it in a cut-out record bin (i.e., discounted) at a department store not that long after it was released.

[@timwirasnik5878]

Bad Sneakers one of my Dan Favorites!

[@jamesnorrisbarrett8927]

while admitting that every Dan album is great, this is still my favorite

[@smffeb58]

When you get to Dr. Wu, and you will 😉. Listen to it lyrically as a dope-therapy-love triangle. Katie lies, you can see it in her eyes 😂

[@paulweber686]

...or dr. wu as a heroin dealer who eventually gave in to the temptation of the drug (katie) as the best interpretation of the lyrics that i have seen...

[@smffeb58]

@@paulweber686 cryptic, and evasive answers abound, according to Becker Dr Wu was based on a real Dr, who prescribed tranquilizers, and amphetamines to the LA celebrity clique, who suffered various addictions. The woman Katy, see the answer to her needs, but the cure is worse than the disease.

[@soulhealer20]

Love these tunes. I was working in a record store when Katy Lied was new.

[@lewismaddox4132]

How many bands reached that level of success without touring...? I can only think of one other. The Beatles!

[@genecase9464]

I prefer Bad Sneakers over Black Friday myself. Just seems a more tighter, professional production. And very catchy! I remember Bad Sneakers on AM radio quite a bit but I never really heard Black Friday on AM at all. 1975 was about the time I started to switch to FM. Before then I was mostly listening to music on my "transistor" radio which was only AM because I didn't have "a large sum of money to spend"!

[@HareDeLune]

Effff Emmm! No static at all!

[@randyhochstein8455]

Mosswell Brook, is a town in south eastern Australia. Hence feeding all the kangaroos. ✌🏼😎🇺🇸

[@GrowingUpJersey]

Katy Lied was my introduction to Steely Dan and my favorite. You've got to listen to Dr. Wu

[@carsonfran]

I don't even need to watch more than a few minutes until I give your videos a thumbs up.

[@guinkoo]

Jeff Porcaro is the drummer for TOTO❤️!

[@neonpark1874]

And a gazillion other artists recordings.

[@tonywtyt]

Wow, these 2 you chose stand in contrast to one another, and both great in their own right! Oh, and there's Michael McDonald again on "Bad Sneakers" : )

[@dcramblermusic317]

Pound for pound, start to finish, this album is in my top 5 !

[@atimtambaby]

The album cover is that of a katydid. And that voice of Michael McDonald is so recognizable.

[@chitownlee]

I believe this was the first album that Michael McDonald sang backup on, you can clearly hear him.

[@ronjm945]

I was 15 when Katy Lied was released and was the first Steely Dan album I bought, it was far from the last…

[@viewfromvt4698]

But you have to remember you have only heard the song once. I m not saying your going to fall head over heels for a certain song but songs do grow on you. The solo albums from Donald Fagen really grow on you after multiple listenings. I went WTF after hearing the songs multiple times. But that’s just me. Some songs hit you the first time other’s grow into your favorite after awhile. I was in the same boat as you when I was younger. I’m sixty three. I finally got my act together in my thirty’s. I owe it to my wife and friends, music and always wanting to learn and experiencing new things.

[@L33Reacts]

You got it right brother at the end. All it takes is a little effort, some purpose, and lots of love and we will make it through. I will definitely listen to these again and maybe bad sneakers will hit me at a later date. And I'll end up liking it more then the track I originally liked more lol

[@kevinpolito1529]

That insect on the cover is a katydid.

[@alrivers2297]

Katy did lie

[@modmary3527]

Dr. Wu is brilliant ❤

[@bryanhale5254]

Another song off Gaucho you'rr gonna love is Third World Man

[@Phillphine]

Seeds of Aja? Have you tried "here at the western world? It's a song that didn't make it onto "royal scam", but then didn't get added to "Aja" either. It's a good song though, and eventually got added to "best of" albums. Well worth a listen.

[@joelliebler5690]

Great choice of songs!one of my favorite albums. Dr. Wu is another great one from this album.Michael McDonald is so good singing background on Bad Sneakers!Lee for a young guy it is amazing how correct you are about 1975 where the 1960s faded away and disco was becoming prevalent or about to be!

[@johncampbell756]

Katy Lies is a line from "Doctir Wu." The insect on the cover is a katydid, a relative of crickets. Bad Sneakers (cluck on the sing title on Wikipedia) Personnel Donald Fagen - lead vocals Michael Omartian - piano Walter Becker - lead guitar Hugh McCracken - rhythm guitar Chuck Rainey - bass guitar Jeff Porcaro - drums Victor Feldman - percussion, vibraphone Michael McDonald - backing vocals Black Friday surprisingly doesn't have a separate page.

[@captjeter2]

Jeff Pocaro was the drummer in the band TOTO

[@johndbrandhorst4434]

Walters ride in a cab....“I was in a cab in New York City and the cab driver picked me up in front of the rehearsal hall, so he knew who I was, right? And he started telling me, ‘Yeah, those Steely Dan, y’know, those guys wrote the stupidest line of any song I ever heard.’ And I said, ‘No kidding, what was that?’ And he said, ‘Y’know, in “Kid Charlemagne” where the guy goes “Is there gas in the car?/Yes, there’s gas in the car.”’ I guess that’s quite a distinction for us, to have written the stupidest line in any song that’s ever been written.” LoL

[@guinkoo]

They don’t have a SIDE they are ALL encompassing!!!!

[@yes_head]

Correct, this is the album where they went fully to being just the two of them in the studio. "Black Friday" is a relatively basic song harmonically and rhythmically by SD standards. That turnaround is sick, though. "Bad Sneakers" is one of those "Tales from the East Coast" SD songs (you correctly spotted it as an 'Aja' forebear, Lee), featuring future Doobie Brother and pop star Michael MacDonald on backing vocals for the first time.

[@Squarewave39]

Rick Derringer on Lee guitar on bad sneakers and then that was Larry Carlton playing his famous Gibson ES 335 solos on Bad Sneakers Katie Lloyd is always been my favorite Seely down album. I’ve been waiting for almost a year for it to be released on UHQR.

[@L33Reacts]

It says that Walter did the solos for both black Friday and bad sneakers on wiki but who fucking knows with that website. It does say those guys were on the record though so 🤷 it was sick either Way 😆😆

[@Squarewave39]

@@L33Reacts Wiki is cluttered with wrong information, notice the edge of the guitar sound of the first song more rock in style not the flowing style Walter Becker plays( see Asia ) Larry Carlton has a very distinct sound he is famous for his Steely Dan solos Such as Bad Sneakers

[@martindarin5832]

Michael Macdonald on backup vocals in Bad Sneakers.

[@geob3963]

Lyrics from Bad Sneakers alway pop up in my head from time to time. Heatwave - The Groove Line Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies Chicago - Old Days Led Zeppelin - Achilles Last Stand Sweet - The Six Teens

[@rosemarypugliese2984]

My favorite song of SD- Dr Wu.

[@bryanhale5254]

There is a electric sitar guitar on the start of Bad Sneakers probably Denny Diaz try Chain Lightning on this record

[@mstewart109]

Just along for the view. I dont pay to have a song heard.😂 seriously, i donate to local causes in my neighborhood. So many people here in San Diego homeless and in such need. I work for a homeless outreach company and feel blessed to give back. Yep. Ya never know what life has up its sleeve due to 10th highest rent city and cost of living . Income naturally no way matches or exceeds the costs here. But its my home since childhood and warm climate most of year. Im on my feet again finally and believe for now thats where my extra goes. Love your channel. Love your personality. Play more Ren and your stats will shoot up.. maybe try some Asaf Avidan( not 60s 70s) been around like 16yrs from Israel originally. Musically over talented. Not stream at all. His lyricism is so damn good. Ive only known of him few months. Where have i been? Ren referred him. Another gem. Definitely not mainstream either. I like different and amazing.

[@mikelundquist4596]

Chuck Rainey might be my favorite bassist ever.

[@kristinemckee9279]

Steely Dan is perfect to turn up the volume for cleaning house!!

[@L33Reacts]

Haha I totally agree. It gets you up and moving. Always full of inertia and energy :)

[@jtenaz]

My second favorite band. The first are XTC.

[@jstock2317]

whoa! Michael MacDonald is on this?? I always thought it sounded like him 😂 go figure

[@L33Reacts]

He sure is lol I think he's been involved with a couple of their albums actually

[@heartoftherose]

Someday soon, Lee, you will list Bad Sneakers among your favorite tracks, even though the others have not diminished. It's because you love poetry as well as music.

[@danl.909]

Nice. The best cut on the album is _Chain Lightning_ IMO. Don’t miss that one.

[@donholl]

I'm a fan of the "Plush TV" live version of BF. Some SD zealots don't care for Jon Harrington, but I think his interpretations of Carlton/others are tasty (I'm quite sure Becker/Fagen wouldn't have used him, if they weren't satisfied).

[@petertrotman7708]

Bad Sneakers reminds me of the beginning of the Springsteen/Tom Waits era in the verses.

[@827dusty]

This song is about the crash of the stock market in 1929. It was known as "Black Friday. Then the "Great Depression." In the lyrics, he talks about guys jumping out of buildings to their deaths, because they had invested everything in the market, and then it crashed. True story obviously, if you know your history at all.

[@scotstevens5263]

I think this whole album is just the best. Was that Micheal McDonald on background vocals on Bad Sneakers?

[@L33Reacts]

I believe so. That is what Wikipedia said at least lol

[@guitarman0551]

FYI, Katy Lied is actually the first full album they did "Post Band", if you will. Pretzel Logic was partially Steely Dan band and partially not "band". It was during the recording of Pretzel Logic, or right after, that the full band was disbanded.

[@L33Reacts]

Thanks I didn't know where the cut off was lol they brought some of the band back as session musicians. That's wild to me 🤣🤣

[@davidjames7361]

Keep your ears open for Michael McDonald on backup vocals throughout the album!

[@michaelbadyna1715]

DONALD AND WALTER LAMENTING ON HAVING TO BE IN LA RECORDING AND MISSING NYC!

[@L33Reacts]

That's hilarious to me. I'm the same way. Always wanting that I don't have lol

[@StewartUSAF]

I've said before and I'll say again: Nobody writes smoother songs about worse people than The Dan does.

[@HXERkYJclMcKLAWwQW]

The cover is a Katydid - then Katylied

[@stevenblock9712]

If you think you are running out of great Steely Dan songs to play, I suggest you check out Donald Fagan's brilliant solo albums which pretty much have the same sound. Many will like The Nightfly most but I am partial to Morph the Cat, which is dark and cynical following 9/11 and other terrible news events.

[@HareDeLune]

Mary Shut the Garden Door.

[@bkshields76]

Katy Lied is probably my least favorite Dan record and it's still excellent!

[@jimgreen2080]

I think you'll find you enjoy Bad Sneakers more after repeated listeinings. That can be true of a lot of great tracks, particularly Steely Dan's ...

[@dansavoie5087]

Donald Fagan hated this album. Recordings were destroyed accidently. ABC Records salvaged much of recordings but wanted to release album before Fagan restored them to his liking. He doesn't listen to this album.

[@ManyThingsSeem]

U have a good ear.

[@L33Reacts]

Thanks I appreciate that. Mom told me that since I was around 4 😊 and she's a musician and so was my dad.