Showing posts with label donald fagen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label donald fagen. Show all posts

2/20/2010

Steely Dan - Aja - 1977

Steely Dan Aja Record Album
Steely Dan Aja Record Album
It was 1977. I was a senior in high school. Steely Dan released a new record called Aja, their follow up album to their critically acclaimed 1976 The Royal Scam record. Aja was a welcome alternative to the disco era tunes that flooded the airwaves. Yes kids, we listened to the FM radio for our music. We didn't have Ipod's and MP3 players.

The cover is basic black, with the title of the album, Aja, in red at the top right with the Steely Dan in white lettering below it. On the left, you have to look closely, is a picture of a Chinese woman's profile. A red and white ribbon streak down the center of the album.


Steely Dan is comprised of two music legends. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. They are pictured on the bottom left side of the album jacket. There is plenty of liner notes written by Michael Phalen who was invited to observe a Steely Dan recording session and then to report back to a prominent European publication. Alas, things went sour as Fagen and Becker confiscated his tape recorder and notes once they learned who he was.

The liner notes continued on the right inside jacket. Oddly enough, the European publication went belly up before Phalen could publish his story. However, a year later, Fagen and Becker invited him to write the liner notes for their new album, Aja. He accepted and it is what you see here on the jacket.

Also part of the liner notes are from the president of ABC Records, Steve Diener. He touts how great and modern the album sounds.


The back cover of Aja is dressed in black with the song titles listed on the top left corner in white lettering.

Side One offered: Black Cow, Aja, Deacon Blues. Side Two offered: Peg, Home At last, I Got The News, Josie.

Peg was the song that got the most air time on the radio and made it to number 4, while Deacon Blues made it to number 11 and Josie made the top 20.


The dust cover contains all the lyrics from the album along with the musicians who assisted in creating the album.

Lyrics to the hit single Peg are below.

I've seen your picture
Your name in lights above it
This is your big debut
It's like a dream come true
So won't you smile for the camera
I know they're gonna love it

I like your pin shot
I keep it with your letter
Done up in blueprint blue
It sure looks good on you
And when you smile for the camera
I know I'll love you better

Peg
It will come back to you
Peg
It will come back to you
Then the shutter falls
You see it all in 3-D
It's your favorite foreign movie




Steely Dan Aja Album Lyrics
Steely Dan Aja Album Lyrics


LURKING AND ROCKING ON THE GRASSY KNOLL