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“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” – Steely Dan
(Words/music: Walter Becker and Donald Fagan, available on Pretzel Logic, MCA 1974)

Aside from eye rolling, the most popular image of Steely Dan connects to their perfectionism in the studio.  Rightfully so, as Steely Dan essentially consists of Walter Becker, Donald Fagan, and a cavalcade of hotshot studio players, each selected to bring their particular talents to a given song.  This concept of Becker and Fagan as studio hermits makes them seem more like producers and arrangers than musicians and undercuts their skill as songwriters.  Without some killer songs, I can’t imagine Becker and Fagan recruiting the type of players they feature on their records.  More importantly, their chops as songwriters keep these sessions from devolving into endlessly meandering jams.  That’s not to say that some of their songs aren’t self-indulgent (hence the eye rolling from many), but most of their best songs feel grounded by melody.

“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” especially when compared with some of the other songs on Pretzel Logic, isn’t as flashy.  Instead, it relies on a fairly simple arrangement and its laid back feel.  Even the guitar solo – flawlessly executed, per usual – feels restrained.  Becker and Fagan’s sense of arranging keeps the song from feeling overcrowded by any extraneous instrumentation, letting the song breathe naturally.  The most interesting part of the song (to me, at least) is the bridge.  If the chorus of a song gets the most attention, the bridge (or “middle eight” to some) plays the supporting role that pushes the entire production over the top.  Here, the bridge modulates slightly (I’m rusty on my chord theory, forgive me) – just enough to distinguish itself from the rest of the song and leave our ears waiting for the chorus to come back one more time.  Fagan also saves his key lines for the bridge, revealing his narrator’s resolve when the harmonic shift grabs our attention.

More on Steely Dan: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

TAGGED UNDER: steely dan | 1974 | 1970s | mca records | yacht rock |
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“Already Gone” – The Eagles
(Words/music: Jack Tempchin and Robb Strandlin, available on On the Border, Asylum 1974)

After spending far too long listening to classic rock radio, including a couple jobs where this was on constantly, I’ve overdosed on the Eagles.  I’m at a point where Don Henley’s voice causes me to turn the radio to any other station instantaneously.  Perhaps it’s a reaction to being told how wonderful “Hotel California” was for years, because I can’t say I actively loathe their songs (“Hotel California” included, even if I wouldn’t mind going a few years without hearing it).  The Eagles do a few things well – for example, they can harmonize with the best of them.  They just tend not to do these things on the songs that get blasted over the radio.

“Already Gone” plays on the band’s strengths.  Specifically, the band uses harmonies without letting them overpower the rest of the song.  Rather than push the multiple part vocals out into the front of the mix, the harmonies blend in with the rest of the track.  This way, the harmonies strengthen Glenn Frey’s lead vocal, whether it’s the subtle underscoring in the verses or the more forceful and direct backing vocals in the chorus.  These harmonies also tend to wash over the vocals, emphasizing the sound of their voices rather than the specific words they sing – another plus since the Eagles craft sounds better than words.  Additionally, the constant interplay between the lead and slide guitars breathes a lively spirit into the song.  These two guitar lines run through the entire arrangement, rarely going more than a few bars without emerging for a fill or two.  It provides a harder edged counterpoint to the smoother sounding harmonies and offers another dimension to the track.  It gives me hope enough to think that there’s a few more songs like this (or like “Take it Easy”) in the band’s catalog – well constructed rock songs that won’t drive me to furiously press my car radio’s “scan” button.

More on The Eagles: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

TAGGED UNDER: the eagles | 1974 | 1970s | classic rock | track analysis | brian's disdain for don henley |
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“Mod Lang” – Big Star
(Words/music: Alex Chilton and Richard Rosebrough, available on Radio City, Ardent 1974)

Sometimes, it’s not the specific words we say, it’s how these words are said.  “Mod Lang” is that type of song for me – Alex Chilton delivers his fractured lyrics in a semi-snarl (at least as much of a snarl that a power-pop icon is capable of) buried beneath the song’s distinctive riff.  It’s tough to piece together the actual words Chilton sings without an actual lyric sheet (and then even then, it’s hard to put together a cohesive narrative).  However, the song’s attitude is loud and clear – Chilton sounds confused and anxious, but completely confident at the same time.  He manages to turn the line “how long can this go on” on its head; in one of his other songs, this might carry desperation or despondency.  In “Mod Lang” Chilton’s tone sounds like he’s almost bragging that he “can’t be satisfied” rather than being let down by it.

Between this declaration of being unfulfilled and the bluesy riff that sets the song’s tempo, “Mod Lang” sounds like a Rolling Stones song put on its head.  Like Mick Jagger, Chilton has swagger and bravado - it’s just not in the same “larger than life” way that Mick Jagger continues to sing “Satisfaction” years later.  It’s this frustration without release that helps to build Chilton’s reputation as the patron saint of rock’s outsiders.  Noted Chilton disciple Paul Westerberg (who appropriately wrote a song titled “Unsatisfied”) would perfect this hybrid of blues rock, youthful rebellion, and somewhat awkward introspection with The Replacements, but it took songs like “Mod Lang” to put these ideas out in their rawest form.

More on Big Star: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm

TAGGED UNDER: 1970s | 1974 | alex chilton | ardent records | big star | mick jagger | paul westerberg | radio city | track analysis | power-pop |
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