FIRST TIME HEARING Steely Dan- "Aja" (Reaction)

[@retroreactions....]

Another masterpiece by these legends...love the inclusion of so many instruments and so many musical ideas/combinations...Thanks so much for watching!!! 🥰

[@madelineshockley5906]

Yes! Your background is perfect for this reaction. I discovered the Dan at a Christmas gathering, when I excitedly asked the hostess, what is this glorious music? She exclamed, it's Steely Dan ! I've been a loyal fan ever since. So grateful.

[@retroreactions....]

Hi Madeline! It was literally one of the first backgrounds that showed up when I did a simple search of "black abstract"- was meant to be! My journey is interesting, I'm a fan of these bands, but only for a few songs. Now with this channel I get to slowly discover the full package via their discography! Thanks for watching... 😊

[@pollynicklas5220]

Great drumming by Steve Gadd!

[@brendawoodson3230]

They are extraordinary at thier craft

[@MrHisperia2001]

This is absolutely a Masterpiece by the Great Steely Dan not only this song but the whole album 💫❤️☝️ thanks for the reaction and do some more Steely Dan Brandon 💫☝️❤️

[@retroreactions....]

You're welcome.. We should be getting another Steely this Saturday!!!

[@cindipossidento5688]

Absolutely the BEST BAND ever !!! Album as well !!!!!!! 😘💥😘💥😘

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks for watching!!

[@VampeyMK]

I love when the drums come in to kill. Steely Dan is music production master class.

[@retroreactions....]

Well said Vampey! Thanks for watching...

[@g.e.5723]

Back in the 70s, when shopping for new speakers or turntable, a Steely Dan album was the one you wanted to "tryout".

[@mandandanmandamayor3511]

I am pretty sure I have the lyrics figured out, it takes some 70's sensibilty. Up on the hill, think a rehab clinic such as Betty Ford clinic. When he is tired of having to do a song and a dance to just get a dime bag, he has hit bottom and off he goes to the rehab clinic. Up on the hill they think he is ok, this is from the huge best seller of the time "i'm ok you're ok" a feel good hippy self help book. Aja is the Betty Ford clinic or something similar.

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks!

[@lucasroth7922]

Steely Dan, your favorite bands favorite band 🔥🤘✌

[@retroreactions....]

Really? How did I not know that?! I know they got big inspiration from Bowie and Kraftwerk.....

[@cityhonors1]

😚 Oooooh! 🤩 The Dan! 🥰🐰

[@retroreactions....]

Haha, hi there!!!

[@michaelbaucom4019]

Walter Becker and Donald Fagen just KNEW how to put a song together. Heard this hundreds of times, never fails to amaze and entertain Two SD requests: " Home At Last "(from this same album) " Pretzel Logic "(from the album of the same name) RIP Walter Becker RIP Wayne Shorter(the sax player on this track)

[@retroreactions....]

Heard it about 4 times now, so you've got me beat lol....Thanks for the suggestions...Happy that Walter and Wayne's work will live on for the rest of time...

[@gl2700]

Huh! #1! And #1 song and reaction! Thanks, buddy

[@retroreactions....]

Woohoo! 🥳🥇 Yet another band I mostly neglected till now... glad that trend has ended! Thanks for being first and for watching!!

[@anthonypeck2448]

Wayne Shorter providing the incredible saxophone solo was the icing on the cake of this classic. Never gets old.

[@andyshan]

Aja the album, was released the same year as Weather Report's album Heavy Weather, this track captured the spirit of jazz fusion as it was gaining commercial acceptance. You mentioned some participant musicians but most important here are the great Wayne Shorter, also of Weather Report, on tenor sax who sadly passed away a few weeks ago, and Steve Gadd on drums, both are giants in this field. Aja is a unique track in that it captures that fusion spirit so succinctly and expertly at a time when fusion had all but run it's course.

[@retroreactions....]

Wow, didn't know it was that recent. Thanks for watching and for the info Andy..

[@theivory1]

That one is special. Like a miniature fusion symphony.

[@DorothyFarias]

Steely Dan songs could be a half hour long for all I care. Everything is perfection.

[@retroreactions....]

YES! Thanks so much for watching! 😊

[@g.e.5723]

Steely Dan has an "immense" catalog of GREAT tunes. It'll take you awhile to explore them. Enjoy!

[@retroreactions....]

Woohoo, excited for the journey..

[@chadheckman2693]

Three more of my favorites you need to check out are, "Hey Nineteen", "FM", "Deacon Blues". Of course, there are many more... Enjoy!

[@retroreactions....]

I know 19, but will check the others out eventually! Thanks

[@rk41gator]

Appropriate selection with Frank Shorter's recent passing. He played the cosmic sax solo toward the end. He played with a number of rock figures, but is best know for heading up Weather Report with Joe Zawinul (think of Joe's compositions 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy' and 'Birdland') This such a GREAT Steely Dan piece to get lost in. Wonderful recording. Wonderful musicians as usual.

[@retroreactions....]

Totally agree, thanks for watching it!

[@lsp3]

This is my favorite SD song. The great drumming is done by the great session drummer Steve Gadd who also does the iconic drum beat in Paul Simon's 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover.

[@rk41gator]

Yes, Gadd shows so well on Aja. As a drummer he 'made' Paul Simon's '50 Ways to Leave Your Lover'!

[@SorendeSelbyBowen]

Also "Chuck E.'s in Love" by Rickie Lee Jones, and the best records of Kate & Anna McGarrigle. Plus he's the drummer for Stuff.

[@CthulhuWaitsDreaming]

Aja and King Of The World are the two very best Steely Dan songs. You should check that one out.

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks!

[@sammybeck7794]

This album, Aja is more jazzier than any other previous albums. It's is actually my favorite of all their their albums

[@retroreactions....]

Nice, love the jazz fusion here...Thanks for watching Sammy

[@sammybeck7794]

@@retroreactions.... I never miss a video ✌️😎

[@retroreactions....]

Really? That's amazing, thanks for all your support!!!

[@reneelyons6836]

Masterpiece Album. I have heard people refer to them as yacht rock. To me that is funny, because yes of course they are so much more that that. The production on this album is at another level. Great video.

[@retroreactions....]

Hi! Yes another great one, lucky me LOL......thank you my friend!

[@reneelyons6836]

Thank you for all the wonderful videos. You never let me down. Always Great!!

[@retroreactions....]

😎

[@moonlitegram]

One of my all time favorite bands and favorite tracks from them. Enjoyed your reaction. And on a side note, Idk if you ever considered doing ASMR, but your voice is extremely relaxing :D

[@retroreactions....]

Hi there! Thank you so much for watching and the compliment! Funny you say that, my other YT channel is an ASMR channel! Sadly, it didn't take off and it's currently dead right now, but I will keep going with it when I can....let me know if you'd like the link..😊

[@moonlitegram]

@@retroreactions.... Yea definitely. I'm always open to finding new ASMR channels.

[@retroreactions....]

Cool, I hope you enjoy some of it....I think I did some really creative and outside the box work over there....🙂 www.youtube.com/@ImplicitSanctuaryASMR/featured

[@pommie5093]

Hello! Absolutely one of the best albums of all time. It's impossible to go wrong with any SD pick, but this album is special even among all the other classics they created and I highly recommend you treat yourself to the entire Aja album at some point.

[@retroreactions....]

Hi Pommie! Thanks for watching and being early!! Well, glad I went with this album today....hmm maybe I should listen to all the songs on Aja huh? I know what you think 😊

[@helenespaulding7562]

@@retroreactions.... yes, Aja would be a good pick for an album reaction. Several if their albums would be actually

[@retroreactions....]

Nice, thought you'd probably be a fan....☺

[@79BlackRose]

@@retroreactions.... IMO The Royal Scam (1976) is their best album. Outstanding tracks from it include: Kid Charlemagne, Don't Take Me Alive, Green Earrings & Haitian Divorce.

[@retroreactions....]

Added your votes, thanks Simon!

[@rk41gator]

You just don't want it to end. Aja could go on for an hour. Steve Gadd is one of my favorite drummers.

[@retroreactions....]

Yes, I want the 2 hour remix!

[@kellydelay18]

Got this on cassette tape in 1980

[@retroreactions....]

Nice....I still have a lot of my cassettes!

[@michaelyork4554]

"Josie" is Great, ALL of The Royal Scam Album for Sure

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks! Adding your vote

[@drmagic60]

Great choice today Brandon. I really like Steely Dan but didn’t follow them as much as others I did during the 70s and 80s. You do find several great songs on virtually every album. I’m sure we’ll be hearing more of them in the future.

[@retroreactions....]

Thank u! 100% a certainty for Steely!....and I think you'll be quite happy with tomorrow's video....😏

[@drmagic60]

I’ll be anticipating it! I’m sure it will be enjoyable as usual.

[@retroreactions....]

Alert!! Depeche just did a surprise release of a new song today. So the song I was going to do today will be released Saturday instead, sorry about that...I know you know what DM means to me 🙂

[@Nightrelic]

I grew up on Steely Dan's Greatest Hits. I got it in the middle of High School. At some point in college I realized I liked all the songs so much, I really needed to get the regular albums and check out the deep cuts. I bought them one by one and discovered all their albums could be greatest hits albums. They didn't do anything even mediocre. Not one dud.

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks so much for watching! 😊

[@lucasroth7922]

" Through out the hardware, let's do it right" should pretty much tell you what the song is about! lol.🔥🤘✌

[@retroreactions....]

A carpenter tossing out his tools, and changing his profession to fingerpainting?? 😏 🌫

[@lucasroth7922]

@@retroreactions.... yeah, that's it! Lol

[@retroreactions....]

🤣

[@andrewmadeloni7173]

"Home at Last" and "Green Earrings"!

[@retroreactions....]

Thanks Andrew!

[@Jack-D-Ripper]

R.I.P., Wayne you Sax-god.

[@ButternutGOLD]

You have good taste…

[@retroreactions....]

Thank you so much and thanks for watching!

[@doplinger1]

I’ve thought about this a lot lately, and I’d have to say this is my favorite song ever. Followed by Supertramps “School” and Al Stewart’s “Year of the Cat”. Funny because while I really do like Steely Dan overall, there’s a lot of their stuff I don’t enjoy. And I would not consider this Yacht Rock. Steely Dan does have quite a few songs I would classify that way, but this is definitely not one of them!

[@retroreactions....]

Wow, I'm honored to have reacted to your favorite song of all time! School is amazing too! Not sure I know the 3rd one, sounds a bit familiar, would have to have been from the radio or TV. Thanks for watching early Dave 🙂

[@sourisvoleur4854]

Definitely not Yacht Rock. I'd say it was prog jazzrock.

[@retroreactions....]

That sounds right to me....

[@doplinger1]

@@retroreactions.... - back in the day (mid-late 70s) when you’d go into a stereo store to look at speakers or whatever, the highlight was going into the listening room. Those were THE 3 songs you’d want to hear because of their incredible fidelity.

[@briangray00]

I think you might like to roll back on Steely Dan being filed under 'Yacht Rock'. There are worse things (elevator music, Dad rock) to be categorised as. I'm sure you'll agree they're much more.

[@retroreactions....]

Yea, I was kind of just stating what I'd read in research...probably could have left that part out. I love Y.R. music, but I agree- with the few I've heard from SD, their musical styles much transcend that category, and I've only scratched the surface with them!...thanks so much for watching Brian...

[@lsp3]

This is my favorite SD song. The great drumming is done by the great session drummer Steve Gadd who also does the iconic drum beat in Paul Simon's 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover.

[@retroreactions....]

Nice! Thanks for the info and for watching..