Green Earrings

The Zoo Crew is spinning "Green Earrings" by Steely Dan from their 1976 album The Royal Scam, and the Zoo Freaks are loving this jazzy, cryptic groove. This track is a fan favorite, often praised for its slick guitar work and enigmatic lyrics. On Reddit, fans have raved about the song, with one user giving it a 9.8/10, calling the bridge entrance the best on the album, while another declared it a "top 5 Steely Dan track" for its sheer perfection. The guitar solos, credited to Denny Dias and Elliott Randall, are a highlight, with a Songfacts commenter noting their brilliance, especially Dias' transcendent middle solo. The song’s lyrics, about a jewel thief eyeing "rings of rare design," are classic Steely Dan—sly, ironic, and open to interpretation. Some fans on forums like Synner speculate the "green earrings" symbolize oxidized jewelry, tying into the song’s theme of theft and desire. The rhythm section, featuring drummer Bernard Purdie and bassist Chuck Rainey, delivers a hot groove that Reddit users have called "unreal," cementing the track’s place in the band’s discography.

Another layer of intrigue comes from the instrumentation. Fans on Songfacts debate whether Donald Fagen is playing a Rhodes or a clavinet, with some leaning toward the latter for its funky, Stevie Wonder-esque vibe. The song’s outro, with its blistering guitar solo, was a standout for a Synner user who called it "sick," reflecting the track’s ability to captivate with its complex yet accessible sound. While Walter Becker and Fagen never explicitly explained the song’s meaning in interviews, their 2000 BBC chat about The Royal Scam hinted at the album’s themes of crime and loss, which "Green Earrings" embodies with its tale of a daring thief. The song’s enduring appeal is evident in its high ratings—9.7 and 10/10 from Reddit fans—who praise its flawless execution and timeless feel, making it a perfect spin for the Zoo Crew’s eclectic airwaves.

Steely Dan began as a musical partnership between Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, who met in 1967 at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. Fagen, passing by a café, heard Becker practicing guitar and was struck by his professional, soulful style. In a later interview, Fagen recalled thinking Becker sounded "like a black person," a testament to his skill, and promptly asked him to join a band. The two bonded over their love for jazz, blues, and Beat Generation literature, starting to write songs together. After college, they played in various local groups before moving to Los Angeles, where they assembled a band with guitarists Denny Dias and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, drummer Jim Hodder, and singer David Palmer. Named after a dildo from William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch, Steely Dan signed with ABC Records and released their debut, Can’t Buy a Thrill, in 1972. The album’s blend of rock, jazz, and witty lyrics set the template for their career, with hits like "Do It Again" and "Reelin’ In the Years."

By 1974, Becker and Fagen shifted away from touring, focusing on studio work with a rotating cast of elite session musicians, a move that defined their sound on albums like The Royal Scam. Their perfectionism and genre-blending approach earned them critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone calling them "the perfect musical antiheroes for the seventies." Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, Steely Dan has sold over 40 million records worldwide. Fans can connect with the band on their official website, Facebook, and X. While no official Instagram exists, as noted in a 2023 Reddit thread, Donald Fagen occasionally posts updates on his personal Facebook. Fan communities thrive on sites like r/SteelyDan and the Fabulous Dandom, where Zoo Freaks can dive deep into discussions about tracks like "Green Earrings."