Ανάμεσα στους μουσικούς τους γεννημένους Ιανουάριο, συναντάμε τον Donald Fagen, συνδημιουργό, τραγουδιστή και κιμπορντίστα των Steely Dan, από τα κορυφαία αμερικάνικα σχήματα εκλεκτικού ροκ των ’70s και εντεύθεν. Το γκρουπ, με μεγάλες παύσεις [πρώτη από αυτές : 1981 – 1993], επαναδυνδέσεις και σόλο κυκλοφορίες, θα συνέχιζε να υπάρχει έστω σαν περιοδεύον σχήμα, μέχρι τον θάνατο του ετέρου ημίσεως, κθαρίστα Walter Βecker, το 2017.
Η αύρα intellectual ευφορίας που αποπνέει η μουσική των SD με έλανε πάντα να τους σκέφτομαι σαν το αμερικάνικο αντίστοιχο [με γερές δόσεις jazz-funk] των 10CC.
Εδώ είναι ένα απολαυστικό ζευγάρι τραγουδιών, από το κλασικό άλμπουμ τους Countdown To Ecstasy [1973].

Among the January born musicians we meet Donald Fagen, co-founder, singer and keyboardist of Steely Dan, one of the leading American eclectic rock bands from ‘70s onwards.
The group, with long hiatuses [first one : 1981 – 1993], reunions and solo releases, would continue to exist at least as a touring unit, until the death of the other half, guitarist Walter Becker, in 2017.
The aura of intellectual euphoria that SD’s music exhales, made me always think of them as the American equivalent [with strong jazz-funk elements] of 10CC.
Here’s an enjoyable pair of songs from their classic album Countdown To Ecstasy [1973]

00:00 Razor Boy 03:11 King Of The World

I hear you are singing a song of the past
I see no tears
I know that you know it may be the last
For many years
You’d gamble or give anything
To be in with the better half
But how many friends must I have
To begin with to make you laugh?
Will you still have a song to sing
When the razor boy comes
And take your fancy things away?
Will you still be singing it
On that cold and windy day?
You know that the coming is so close at hand
You feel all right
I guess only women in cages can stand
This kind of night
I guess only women in cages
Can play down the things they lose
You think no tomorrow will come
When you lay down, you can’t refuse
Will you still have a song to sing
When the razor boy comes
And take your fancy things away?
Will you still be singing it
On that cold and windy day?
I guess only women in cages
Can play down the things they lose
You think no tomorrow will come
When you lay down, you can’t refuse
Will you still have a song to sing
When the razor boy comes
And take your fancy things away?
Will you still be singing it
On that cold and windy day?


Hello one and all
Was it you I used to know
Can’t you hear me call
On this old ham radio
All I got to say
I’m alive and feeling fine
If you come my way
You can share my poison wine
No marigolds in the promised land
There’s a hole in the ground
Where they used to grow
Any man left on the Rio Grande
Is the king of the world
As far as I know
I don’t want your bread
I don’t need your helping hand
I can’t be no savage
I can’t be no highwayman
Show me where you are
You and I will spend this day
Driving in my car
Through the ruins of Santa Fe
No marigolds in the promised land
There’s a hole in the ground
Where they used to grow
Any man left on the Rio Grande
Is the king of the world
As far as I know
I’m reading last year’s papers
Although I don’t know why
Assassins cons and rapers
Might as well die
If you come around
No more pain and no regrets
Watch the sun go brown
Smoking cobalt cigarettes
There’s no need to hide
Taking things the easy way
If I stay inside
I might live til Saturday
No marigolds in the promised land
There’s a hole in the ground
Where they used to grow
Any man left on the Rio Grande
Is the king of the world
As far as I know