Everything Must Go

The Zoo Crew is spinning Everything Must Go by Steely Dan, the title track from their 2003 album, and Zoo Freaks, this one’s got some stories behind it. The song’s lyrics were inspired by the Enron scandal, capturing a corporate collapse with lines like “It’s high time for a walk on the real side / Let’s admit the bastards beat us.” In an NPR interview with Steve Inskeep, Donald Fagen explained that he and Walter Becker had long wanted to write a song about shady business dealings, even joking about an earlier idea for a track called “Greenmailing Bastard” that never took off. Becker added a humorous quip about being on the “irony float” at a fictional postmodernity march, showing their signature wit. Fans on Reddit’s r/SteelyDan have noted the song’s live-band feel, with drummer Keith Carlock anchoring the album as the sole drummer, a rarity for Steely Dan’s typically polished productions.

Another tidbit comes from the album’s promotional DVD, Steely Dan Confessions, where Becker and Fagen cruise Las Vegas in a taxi, fielding scripted questions in a mock-serious Taxicab Confessions style. A reviewer on Slow Review called it a “larf of mock staged-seriousness,” noting Becker’s claim that the album was a “party album,” though the mellow jazz-rock vibes might not scream dance floor to younger listeners. The song’s recording aimed for a looser, live-in-the-studio feel, as Fagen later called it his favorite Steely Dan effort in a recent interview, a sentiment shared on r/SteelyDan. Despite mixed fan reactions—some on Discogs praise its “wicked-punchy” vinyl sound, while others find it lacks the edge of earlier work—it’s a fitting closer for the band’s final studio album.

Steely Dan began with Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, who met in 1967 at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. Fagen overheard Becker practicing guitar in a café and was drawn to his professional sound. They bonded over jazz, Beat literature, and a shared cynicism, playing in various bands before moving to New York City in 1969. There, they worked on a movie soundtrack and backed an “oldies” act before landing in Los Angeles as staff songwriters for ABC Records. Their songs were too complex for ABC’s artists, so, with producer Gary Katz, they secretly formed Steely Dan—named after a dildo in William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch—with guitarists Denny Dias and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder, and singer David Palmer. Their 1972 debut, Can’t Buy a Thrill, spawned hits like “Do It Again” and “Reelin’ in the Years,” setting the stage for their jazz-rock legacy.

Zoo Freaks can stay connected with Steely Dan’s official website for tour updates and merch. Check out Steely Dan’s Facebook for concert announcements and Donald Fagen’s Facebook for solo project updates. There’s no official Instagram for the band, as fans on r/SteelyDan have noted, with only fan accounts or fakes floating around. On X, follow @SteelyDanMusic for occasional posts. For fan communities, r/SteelyDan is a hotspot for discussions, and Steely Dan Fans on Facebook offers a space for devotees to share memories. Dive into Steely Dan Archives for deep-cut trivia and historical gems.