Babylon Sisters (Live 1995)

Hey there, Zoo Freaks! The Zoo Crew is spinning a classic tonight with Steely Dan's "Babylon Sisters (Live 1995)" from their live album Alive in America. This track, originally from the 1980 album Gaucho, is a smooth, jazzy gem that captures the band's meticulous sound in a live setting. One juicy tidbit about the studio version comes from an interview with Donald Fagen, where he shared that the song's inspiration stemmed from his walks along a beachfront to a house where two "extraordinarily attractive" sisters lived. Fagen described them as "quite welcoming," though he was in a relationship at the time, making those visits "particularly treacherous" for him. This real-life encounter fueled the song’s vibe of temptation and indulgence, wrapped in that signature Steely Dan cynicism.

Another cool story about "Babylon Sisters" revolves around its recording process for Gaucho. Known for their perfectionism, Steely Dan, led by Fagen and Walter Becker, went through an insane 274 mixes of the track at Village Recorders in Los Angeles. When Fagen hit mix 250, the studio crew jokingly gave him a "platinum" disk for his persistence. But even after settling on mix 274 and taking it back to New York, Fagen noticed a single bass note he didn’t like, so he dragged the team back to LA to fix it. That dedication paid off—the Gaucho album, including "Babylon Sisters," won a Grammy for Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical. The live version from 1995, recorded during their first tour since 1974, showcases a stellar band with jazz saxophonist Chris Potter and drummer Dennis Chambers, translating the studio magic to the stage with a fresh, tight groove.

Now, let’s rewind to how Steely Dan got rolling. Formed in 1971 by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the band came together at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The two met in 1967 when Fagen overheard Becker practicing guitar in a café and was blown away by his skill, thinking he sounded "like a black person, really." They bonded over their love for jazz, blues, and Beat Generation literature, naming the band after a dildo from William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch. After playing in local bands, they joined Jay & the Americans’ backing band under pseudonyms—Becker as Gustav Mahler and Fagen as Tristan Fabriani. By 1971, they moved to Los Angeles, working as songwriters for ABC/Dunhill under producer Gary Katz. Katz encouraged them to form a band to record their songs, and with guitarists Denny Dias, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder, and vocalist David Palmer, Steely Dan dropped their debut, Can’t Buy a Thrill, in 1972, blending rock, jazz, and cryptic lyrics.

After their early success with hits like "Do It Again" and "Reelin’ in the Years," Becker and Fagen ditched live performances by 1974 to focus on studio work, hiring top-tier session musicians for albums like Pretzel Logic, Katy Lied, and Aja. Their obsessive attention to detail and genre-blending sound made them critical darlings and radio staples, even as they shunned the typical rock band mold. The band disbanded in 1981 but reunited in the ‘90s, leading to the Alive in America tour and later albums like Two Against Nature, which snagged four Grammys in 2000. Sadly, Becker passed away in 2017, but Fagen keeps the Steely Dan legacy alive with ongoing tours.

Wanna dive deeper into Steely Dan’s world? Check out their official site at steelydan.com for tour dates and merch. Connect with them on socials via Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates and throwback posts. Fans are buzzing in communities like the Steely Dan Fans Facebook group, where Zoo Freaks can geek out over setlists and rare tracks. For more fan-driven content, swing by The Steely Dan Database, a treasure trove of discographies and trivia. Keep it groovy, and stay tuned for more from THE ZOO!