AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Steely Dan

Artist:Steely Dan

Song:Rikki Don't Lose That Number

Album:The Definitive Steely Dan

Steely Dan was very successful as an album band in the 70s. The 1974 single Rikki Don't Lose That Number was their highest charting single. But they didn't need hit singles and their music holds up well today. They stopped touring in 1974 so they didn't even need to play live. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen both attended Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY. Fagen sang and played keyboards and Becker played guitar. They started working together and were in Jay and the Americans' touring band. Gary Katz produced a 1970 album by Linda Hoover that was never released. But Becker, Fagan and guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter played on that album. After Katz moved to Los Angeles to be an ABC Records house producer, he hired Becker and Fagen as staff songwriters. Realizing that their songs were too complex for most artists, Katz suggested they form Steely Dan with guitarists Denny Dias and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder and singer David Palmer. Steely Dan is a reference to the William S. Burroughs novel Naked Lunch. Palmer was hired because ABC didn't think Fagen's voice was good enough and he suffered from stage fright. Katz produced the 1972 album Can't Buy a Thrill and the debut single Do It Again reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified Platinum. When Steely Dan played live, Palmer sang the vocals because of Fagen's stage fright. After the tour, Katz and Becker told Fagen that his vocals are better. So Palmer left. Though it sold well, Becker and Fagen were unhappy with the 1973 album Countdown to Ecstasy because it was recorded hastily while they toured. So they spent a lot more time recording the 1974 album Pretzel Logic and that would lead to Steely Dan becoming a studio band. Rikki Don't Lose That Number reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified Platinum. For years it was rumored that Rikki Don't Lose That Number was about weed. But Fagen claims that the song is about a girl he lusted after in college. For this album, the major change was that session drummer Jim Gordon played on most of the album. When Becker and Fagen decided to quit touring, the others simply left. Dias was the only one to stay. So they mostly used session musicians like drummer Jeff Porcaro, keyboardist David Paich, bassists Chuck Rainey and Wilton Felder and Michael McDonald on background vocals. This continued until Becker and Fagen decided to end Steely Dan after the 1980 album Gaucho. This comp has all their hits. Fagen recorded a very successful solo album The Nightfly in 1982. Both guys worked as producers. Steely Dan reformed in 1993 and continued to tour and record until Becker's 2017 death. Fagen continues to lead a version of Steely Dan. They are currently on tour with Eagles. Here's the video for Rikki Don't Lose That Number by Steely Dan.