OT RIP Walter Becker

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

I was fortunate to see the Dan live at Star Lake with Michael McDonald in the Two Against Nature tour. Fantastic show and the band was cooking. My favorite song is probably Kid Charlemagne, but in tribute to Mr. Becker let me offer this one, which I think is a super-underrated classic from Can't Buy A Thrill. David Palmer singing the lead.

 

[PSUBuddha]

Wow, I won't lie, this really hit me. One of my favorites when I was at Penn State and they have remained one of my favs. Always liked that you were never sure what you were going to get when you bought their albums, but you knew it would be good. RIP Walter.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

I thought the Fox was a "Pearl of the Quarter" guy. The old stuff, like most bands, was the best. Boston Rag is up there.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

Wow, I won't lie, this really hit me. One of my favorites when I was at Penn State and they have remained one of my favs. Always liked that you were never sure what you were going to get when you bought their albums, but you knew it would be good. RIP Walter.

Talk about never knowing what you'd get . . . This has to be the most sardonic, tongue-in-cheek song of all time. They could take the darkest of topics and turn them into kick-ass songs. Amazing.

So let's hear from the black sheep of the family - Cousin Dupree.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

I think that was the McDan gimmick. Great shows. Mike Mac did a lot of great work with the Dan.

 

[psuro]

I have seen them 4 times. Each show was crisp clear and well done.

 

[rudedude]

Talk about never knowing what you'd get . . . This has to be the most sardonic, tongue-in-cheek song of all time. They could take the darkest of topics and turn them into kick-ass songs. Amazing.

So let's hear from the black sheep of the family - Cousin Dupree.

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Hell there were even more sinister songs than that one! Ever listen to Everyone's Gone to The Movies? (ah yes Mr. LaPage is your man!) or how about Don't Take Me Alive. The Fez is a song about condoms ( ain't never gonna do it without the Fez on). They had a talent for having terrific music draped around really sleazy subject matter.

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

I thought the Fox was a "Pearl of the Quarter" guy. The old stuff, like most bands, was the best. Boston Rag is up there.

Fantastic song and so so sad. I walked alone down the Miracle Mile, I met my baby by the shrine of the martyr - such incredible lyrics. Skunk on the pedal steel.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Hell there were even more sinister songs than that one! Ever listen to Everyone's Gone to The Movies? (ah yes Mr. LaPage is your man!) or how about Don't Take Me Alive. The Fez is a song about condoms ( ain't never gonna do it without the Fez on). They had a talent for having terrific music draped around really sleazy subject matter.

Third world man. Great song, very prescient.

 

[rudedude]

Fantastic song and so so sad. I walked alone down the Miracle Mile, I met my baby by the shrine of the martyr - such incredible lyrics. Skunk on the pedal steel.

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Classic song, voules voules voules vez!

 

[84Lion]

Fond memories of buying Aja at National Record Mart in State College and then going back to good old Nittany 28 and listening to a classic. I'll always remember, when we played Bama for the national title in 79, stores downtown had shirts made up with a twist on the lyric from Deacon Blues:"They call Alabama the Crimson Tide, call us National Champs". Unfortunately it was not to be.

Aja is an incredible album, truly a masterpiece. The layering on the title track is so complex...I've listened to the song so many times and I still hear stuff I've never heard before.

I believe it was on the "classic albums" DVD that Fagen made it clear that they used the "Crimson Tide" thing because it sounded so presumptuous and over-the-top. I got the impression they were making fun of it.

By the time I started at University Park, Aja had been released for some time (Gaucho would've been released in my freshman year). My stereo system in Nittany 40 no doubt pumped out the great sounds of Aja many times - along with the other Dan albums. RIP Walter.

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

Very underrated was "Gaucho." Might be my favorite album. Some Dan fans hate it. Different strokes. I loved Aja too. We all get lucky for a few good years. Sad shit, I'm listening to the Dan all day today.

One of my best cared for vinyl albums is Gaucho (original label). I will play that later tonight before crashing. Drove to SC and back yesterday and played the new course (Shepard's Rock) at Nemacolin Woodlands so I am a little road weary but will enjoy a bourbon with that album.

 

[Victor E. Bell]

One of my best cared for vinyl albums is Gaucho (original label). I will play that later tonight before crashing. Drove to SC and back yesterday and played the new course (Shepard's Rock) at Nemacolin Woodlands so I am a little road weary but will enjoy a bourbon with that album.

No PBRs. Good thinking.

 

[rudedude]

A classic Dan song. Denny Dias was no slouch on guitar as was Skunk Baxter, but check out the set of choppers on one of the original lead singers, David Palmer! Man, Steely Dan wasn't a pretty band, but that dude looked like he had a pair of those Halloween ugly teeth in his mouth!

 

[Victor E. Bell]

Dick mentions the source of the name but goes no further...

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

I have to allot an hour tomorrow to watch the videos posted in this thread. I will use the Bose earbuds for that endeavor.

 

[Connorpozlee]

I thought the Fox was a "Pearl of the Quarter" guy. The old stuff, like most bands, was the best. Boston Rag is up there.

I would argue that Two Against Nature (released in the early 2000s) is up there with the best of their work. Great songs all the way through, a couple of which have already been mentioned here. I would throw Gaslighting Abbie out as worth a listen from that album.
I saw them a couple of summer back as a gift to myself for my birthday. Sounded great in what was one of my favorite days I've had in my 40s. Sad to hear the news of Becker's death.

 

[PSUBluebird]