Skatin' backwards at the speed of light
He's changed - in a thousand little ways
He's changed - yes indeed
You know he's movin' on metal, yes he's
Hanging tight with the Jack of Speed
Sheena's party - there's a case in point
That right-wing hooey sure stunk up the joint
He's gone - he walks through the old routines
But he's gone - guaranteed
He may be sittin' in the kitchen, but he's
Steppin' out with the Jack of Speed
You maybe got lucky for a few good years
But there's no way back from there to here
He's a one way rider
On the shriek express
And his new best friend is at the throttle more or less
He can't hear you honey - that's alright
Pack some things and head up into the light
Don't stop - he'll be callin' out your name
But don't stop when you hear him plead
You better move now little darlin' or you'll be
Trading fours with the Jack of Speed
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.
Surprising, yes. Goes to show you never can tell.
I would like to point out that Steely Dan ceased with the death of Walter Becker so the wikipedia page is mistaken. If anything Steely Dan exists as a brand for the recording industry. Half of a song writing Team, particularly when composed of two people, is not a band. It is not a collaborative effort. It is a Donald Fagen solo act.
Very true! But the remaining half is still GREAT! You got a problem with that? ...eh?
"That right-wing hooey sure stunk up the joint" -- can the Dan get anymore prescient?
Song about drugs taking control, I guess. But it's more about the woman who should just get out of that relationship. Snappy, happy melody and rhythm for a dark theme. Brilliantly pulled off. And they throw in their Dan Slang: Trading Fours With The Jack Of Speed.
Cosmically awesome Dan.
Don't stop.
Who will that comprise of then?
Surprising, yes. Goes to show you never can tell.
That's funny