Steely Dan Newsletter | Issue 52

8 songs that show Walter Becker’s brilliance

Jul 11, 2025

Show Biz Kids: Steely Dan’s Lasting Legacy

Lou Reed (who would know) once offered the following aphorism on rock music: “One chord is fine. Two chords is pushing it. Three chords, and you’re into jazz”.

One wonders what he would have made of such Steely Dan offerings as “Gaucho” (26 chords) or “Deacon Blues” (35 chords).

8 Songs That Show Walter Becker’s Brilliance

From “Pretzel Logic” to “Slang of Ages,” the Steely Dan co-founder’s sharp style always resonated.

Listen to What Is Probably the Greatest Steely Dan Show Ever, in 1974

Presented here is Dawson’s mixing desk recording of perhaps the single greatest performance ever by the original Steely Dan lineup, recorded on opening night of a two-night engagement at London’s Rainbow Theater in Finsbury Park on the evening of May 20, 1974.

The only Steely Dan song to feature a third credited writer

Paul Griffin was a fantastic pianist and one of the many session artists that Steely Dan brought in to help record their songs. With ‘The Fez’, after recording what had been written, the band realised they were a bit stuck with the direction they wanted the rest of the track to go.

The Night Steely Dan Performed Under a Different Name

Steely Dan has built a worldwide reputation primarily because of their legendary songs, but their quirky name also helped to pique listeners' interest. There was one night, however, when they had a different moniker: "Mr. Steely Dan."

The Steely Dan album Donald Fagen said went "overboard"

The appeal of Steely Dan always lay within their originality, but the Donald Fagen and Walter Becker duo always pursued perfection, often to their detriment.

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Playing At Songwriting With Walter Becker

Earlier this year, Larry Klein published an insightful and amusing account of writing songs with Walter Becker for Becker’s 2008 solo album, Circus Money, which Klein would also produce.