Steely Who?
My mother introduced me to all genres of music while I was growing up - Stevie Wonder, Deep Purple, ZZ Top, and above everything else . . . Steely Dan. Now, when I first listened to this group, I thought they sounded really cool. Like "I'm too young to get what they're singing about but I know it's cool" kind of cool. I sang along with them about Rikki not losing that number, or reeling in the years (with CHEESE and not tears), and so on. And, for the longest time, I thought they were black. I wasn't trying to be offensive or anything like that - it's just that to my young ears, they sounded like black guys. Imagine my surprise many years later, when I discovered that not only were they white but also Jewish! And you know what? My love for them has not changed one bit, even as I embrace my 47 years of life on this planet. I loved Steely Dan back then and I love them now. In fact, I even got to see them in concert several years ago. When I saw Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, I felt as though an item on my Bucket List had been crossed off. I never thought that I would ever get to see Steely Dan perform live, and yet I was doing just that. Recently, I've found myself humming tunes such as Black Cow, Rikki Don't Lose That Number, Gaucho, and many others while going through my day. The songs, filled with many symbols of interest (it took me years to realize what they meant by Fine Columbian) plus hip jazzy rock blues whatever and everything music. Their music reminded me of a time when my life had little worries; when all I had was school homework to worry about. When I listen to their music now, their sound is so clear and crisp and honestly, timeless. When Walter Becker died, I was crushed as I wondered if Steely Dan would fade away into the night for good. Would that part of the world be forever closed off, now that one of the founders was dead? However, I realized that the answer to those questions is no. Steely Dan will live forever, even when the members of the band are long gone. Their magick in their music will continue to spark creative juices in people, making them want to dance, paint a mural, or chill with your friends over margaritas and nachos. As for me, their music will always be my go-to whenever I need to feel that solid comfort that comes from them. Although my music tastes are all over the place, Steely Dan will be one of the rocks.
Thank you, Walter and Donald.
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