You worked by candlelight
Those San Francisco nights
You were the best in town
Just by chance you crossed
The diamond with the pearl
You turned it on the world
That's when you turned the world around
Did you feel like Jesus?
Did you realize
That you were a champion in their eyes?
On the hill, the stuff was laced with kerosene
But yours was kitchen clean
Everyone stopped to stare
At your Technicolor motorhome
Every A-frame had your number on the wall
You must have had it all
You'd go to L.A. on a dare
And you'd go it alone
Could you live forever?
Could you see the day?
Could you feel your whole world
Fall apart and fade away?
Get along, get along, Kid Charlemagne
Get along, Kid Charlemagne
Now your patrons have
All left you in the red
Your low-rent friends are dead
This life can be very strange
All those Day-Glo freaks
Who used to paint their face
They've joined the human race
Some things will never change
Son, you were mistaken
You were obsolete
Look at all the white men on the street
Get along, get along, Kid Charlemagne
Get along, Kid Charlemagne
Clean this mess up
Else we'll all end up in jail
Those test tubes and the scale
Just get it all outta here
Is there gas in the car?
Yes, there's gas in the car
I think the people down the hall
Know who you are
Careful what you carry
'Cause the man is wise
You are still an outlaw in their eyes
Get along, get along, Kid Charlemagne
Get along, Kid Charlemagne

Steely Dan is an American rock band founded in 1971 in New York by Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals). Originally having a full band lineup, by the end of 1974 Becker and Fagen chose to stop playing live and continue Steely Dan as a studio-only duo, utilising a revolving cast of session musicians. Rolling Stone has called them "the perfect musical antiheroes for the seventies".
Becker and Fagen played together in a variety of bands from their time together studying at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. They later moved to Los Angeles, gathered a band of musicians and began recording albums. Their first, Can't Buy a Thrill (1972), established a template for their career, blending elements of rock, jazz, Latin music, R&B, blues and sophisticated studio production with cryptic and ironic lyrics. The band enjoyed critical and commercial success with seven studio albums, peaking with their top-selling album Aja, released in 1977.
After Steely Dan disbanded in 1981, Becker and Fagen worked sporadically on solo projects through the 1980s, although a cult following remained devoted to the group's work. Since reuniting in 1993, Steely Dan has toured steadily and released two albums of new material, the first of which, Two Against Nature, earned a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Their final album of new studio material was 2003's Everything Must Go and the band has continued to release compilations, box sets and live albums on a regular basis. After Becker's death in 2017, Fagen reluctantly continued the group with himself as the sole official member.
They have sold more than 40 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2001. VH1 ranked Steely Dan at No. 82 on their list of the 100 Greatest Musical Artists of All Time. Rolling Stone ranked them No. 15 on its list of the 20 greatest duos of all time.
No need to "confess".
The Dan are and have always been way cool.
What Makes This Song Great? Ep. 3 Steely Dan - Rick Beato
"4 out of 5 dentists recommend Trident gum"
Someone has to be the 5th that does not.
There is no such thing as too much Steely Dan
That's what she said...
Here's a fantastic study of this fantastic song:
What Makes This Song Great? Ep. 3 Steely Dan - Rick Beato
Great link, thanks!
but, I hate to say it knowing there are die hard fans here..... Lyrically- I don't recall a single S.D. song that "moved" me. Some are far better than this though......
Used points to get flights and a hotel and bought excellent seats immediately to the left of the sound board for the middle week, Wed/Fri/Sat.
Worked hard all my life - this is why I did it.
There is no such thing as too much Steely Dan
Amen brah. Is there gas in the car?
Meanwhile: "is there gas in the car? yes, there's gas in the car!"
+1 to 9, loving this jazzy tune from some of the best session players ever....and some Michael McDonald! Long Live RP!!
Donald Fagen – lead vocals, organ Larry Carlton – lead guitar Walter Becker – rhythm guitar Don Grolnick – Fender Rhodes electric piano Paul Griffin – Hohner Clavinet Chuck Rainey – bass Bernard Purdie – drums Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, Venetta Fields, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews – background vocals
Yep +1 to 9
And I +1'd your comment, too.