Deacon Blues

The Zoo Crew is spinning the smooth, jazzy vibes of "Deacon Blues" by Steely Dan from their iconic 1977 album Aja, and the Zoo Freaks are surely soaking in its bittersweet groove. This track, a fan favorite, is steeped in intriguing trivia. Donald Fagen once shared in a Rolling Stone interview that "Deacon Blues" is "about as close to autobiography as our tunes get," reflecting his and Walter Becker’s suburban alienation and yearning for escape through music. The song’s title draws inspiration from football, but not in the way some fans think. While many assumed it referenced the Wake Forest Demon Deacons due to their losing streak in the '70s, Fagen clarified in an interview that the name was actually inspired by Deacon Jones, a charismatic NFL player whose name fit the song’s sonic flow. The lyric "They call Alabama the Crimson Tide, call me Deacon Blues" juxtaposes the grandeur of Alabama’s football team with the narrator’s self-deprecating identity as a dreamer chasing a romanticized jazz lifestyle.

Another gem about "Deacon Blues" is its legendary saxophone solo by Pete Christlieb. According to a Wikipedia entry, Christlieb, then a musician on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, was brought in by producer Gary Katz for the session. Fagen and Becker, unfamiliar with Christlieb by name but impressed by his reputation, simply told him to "play what I feel." He recorded the soulful solo in one take after a late-night taping, cementing its place as a standout moment. On X, fans like @carlquintanilla have echoed Fagen’s sentiment about the song’s personal resonance, quoting him in a 2022 post: “We grew up in the suburbs, felt fairly alienated... looking for some kind of an escape.” The song’s lyrical depth, paired with its intricate jazz-rock arrangement, has made it a touchstone for audiophiles, with r/SteelyDan users praising its "uncluttered space" and harmonic texture, noting the 20 unique chords driven by Fagen’s keyboard work.

Steely Dan, the brainchild of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, began in 1971 at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. The duo met in 1967 when Fagen overheard Becker practicing guitar in a café, later recalling in a 1995 interview that Becker’s playing sounded “professional and contemporary... like a black person, really.” Bonding over their love for jazz, Beat literature, and wry humor, they started writing songs together. After college, they moved to Los Angeles, initially working as songwriters for ABC Records under producer Gary Katz. Their songs, too complex for ABC’s pop acts like Dusty Springfield, led Katz to encourage them to form a band. Recruiting guitarist Denny Dias, guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder, and singer David Palmer, they named the band after a dildo from William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch, a nod to their irreverent style. Their debut, Can’t Buy a Thrill (1972), featured the hit “Do It Again,” launching their career blending rock, jazz, and cryptic lyrics.

By 1974, Fagen and Becker ditched live performances, focusing on studio perfectionism with top-tier session musicians, a move that defined albums like Aja. Their meticulous approach—Becker once admitted to demanding “30 or 40 takes” for a single part—earned them the title of “the perfect musical antiheroes for the seventies” by Rolling Stone. Steely Dan’s official website offers tour updates and merch, while their Facebook and Instagram pages share nostalgic photos and fan engagement. On @steelyvideo on X, you’ll find performance clips and tributes to their legacy. Fans gather at sites like Steely Dan’s official fan club and the Steely Dan Fans Facebook group, where Zoo Freaks might vibe with discussions about “Deacon Blues” and beyond. The r/SteelyDan subreddit is another hotspot for devotees dissecting every chord and lyric.