Exploring The Wild Chords of Deacon Blues (Steely Dan)
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- Tim Smolens breaks down the most complex chord progression to ever breach the U.S. top 20, Deacon Blues by Steely Dan from the legendary 1977 album Aja. In addition to the elevated, jazz-inspired chord progression, Tim also discusses the expansive song form, the impeccable performances of the A-list cast of studio musicians, and the cryptic, abstractly auto-biographical lyrics. Just what is the secret of those iconic intro chords?
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How can people not like Steely Dan? Elite chords!
If you don't like Steely Dan, than you don't love American genius!
Sublime progressions
When the first intro to Steely Dan is in a retail setting with bland sights and subpar sound system, the cherished details get lost and unappreciated. It takes some effort to listen to their music in the right setting with better sound gear.
I love Steely Dan immensely, but I never analyzed them technically and just settled with the knowledge that they are an incredibly technical group; but seeing this now it’s incredible seeing the wide range of influences
Been a fan as long as your dad!! Great music
I always felt the turnaround after the solo was intentionally reminiscant of the intro, but in reverse. It climbs (ascends) and leads to the return of the full intro which descends.
My favorite band, still have the Album! Thanks for covering this! ❤
Thanks!
Really nice breakdown. I've been playing for 40 years and have been a fan Steely Dan for almost as long. I've learned a lot of their songs and have a weird approach to the Mu chord. As a guitar player I call it a m7#5. So Gadd2/B = Bm7#5. Its the same notes of course. But its a Bm7#5 voiced. 1, b7, b3, #5. Its a common voicing on guitar so I always looked at it that way until a keyboardist friend of mine called it a Gadd2/B. Then I learned the Mu chord thing and now I'm more confused, lol. Just kidding. Just my .02c on the chord. I learned it on Peg originally.
Gosh, so many little angles. Nice job.
Thanks so much for the comment. I tried to find the weird little avenues that I can add some value that might be different than some other interpretations or point out the things that might be less obvious. Well that is my goal at least and hopefully I accomplished that to some degree. Thanks for watching and there are a ton of other videos that reach that depth on my channel. Check out my one on Beach Boys surf's up
I have always loved Steely Dan. So sophisticated. Billy Joel and Steely Dan (SD) were always out of my reach. There is nothing better than SD.
Thanks for the comment. please subscribe and yes the level of Sophistication of both those artists is off the charts and hopefully my breakdown can make it more digestible for musicians who are intimidated by that level of complexity.
"Rio" (1982) is a simplified version of Deacon Blues intro (1977). Not the other way around.
Yeah good point! It's not like I didn't know that chronology but I really wonder when the first chord progression we could find that went one five flat four. I'm relatively certain it was in use before Deacon blues but I am unable to pinpoint which song. And like you said Steely Dan definitely ripped off Duran Duran here! Thanks for coming through with the facts that I did not make clear.
Much respect for what you do here! Would you please consider a tutorial for piano on the Steely Dan song Gaucho ? Fagens piano demo is on yt. Thank you for your work and contribution to the understanding of sophisticted harmony.
It is not a tune a know well, but I could give it a shot down the road. Thanks for watching.
Brother it would be greatly appreciated if you broke down Todd Rundgren's music.(His deep cuts, preferably) He and Donald Fagen are two cool peas in a pod
Man, i know nothing about Todd Rundgren. Tell me one song that I can listen to right now that will convince me. Look forward to it!
@@TimSmolens *Parallel Lines* is a great song to start off with another great one is *Love of the Common Man.* I guarantee you'll unearth some gems from those tracks.
@@TimSmolens I love Todd too - one I would recommend is Real Man - his lyrics were really meaningful during this period of his career. Another interesting one is Black and White.
As far as their lyrics....
You have to look at them from a Prog Rock lens. Which means the lyrics don't have to make sense. They are about something, but not necessarily the same thing. Different parts of the verses are referencing different stories. Sometimes they are related and sometimes they aren't.
When Fagen & Beker want to tell a definitive message, they do it. i.e... "Charlie Freak" or "Only A Fool Would Say That."
I am NOT saying they are Prog Rock... i.e. Yes, King Crimson, etc..
But they were contemporaries.
The most complex chord progression to ever breach the top 20 is probably "Never Gonna Let You Go" by Sergio Mendes. Well, he didn't write it. But his version was a big hit. It has an absurd number of modulations and non-diatonic chords. Rick Beato did a video about it called "The Most Complex Pop Song of All Time." I like "Deacon Blues" better than that song, but that one edges this one out for complexity, imo.
Oh yes. I saw that video. Incredible!
Her name is Rio, and she died behind the wheel.....
That is a classic line right there!!!
Pete Christlieb (pronounced Christleeb) plays Tenor, not alto.
Disagree strongly with characterizing G/A in C as a V chord - it's really just Asus9, a vi chord
However, I think the verse is actually in A minor and G/A is a variation on the i chord, attested by the very clear VI-V7-i just after
I can't disagree. When you do that/cord there is going to be a certain ambiguity to the sound that will not really have your ear turned towards any obvious diatonic cord. The route you propose is definitely something I considered and it definitely makes sense, in my eyes there is no easy way to classify that chord
That is a bog standard Eb major 13th voicing. jazz players usually leave out the 5th of every voicing
"the expanded man" means getting fat and middle-aged