Reelin’ In the Years (Live 1995)

Zoo Freaks, get ready to groove with the Zoo Crew as they spin Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ In the Years (Live 1995)” from the Alive in America album, a track that captures the band’s jazzy, sardonic essence. This song, originally from their 1972 debut Can’t Buy a Thrill, is a fan favorite, but here’s a wild twist: Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, the masterminds behind Steely Dan, weren’t exactly thrilled with it. In a 2009 Rolling Stone interview, Fagen called it “dumb but effective,” while Becker bluntly said, “It’s no fun.” Despite their shrugs, the tune’s infectious shuffle and biting lyrics about a scorned lover made it a chart-climber, hitting No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. The 1995 live version, recorded during their reunion tour, swaps the original’s fiery guitar for a jazzier vibe with a horn chart and electric piano intro, surprising fans with a Count Basie-inspired swing. Talk about reelin’ in a new sound!

Here’s some juicy trivia to keep you Zoo Freaks vibin’. The iconic guitar solo in the original 1972 track was laid down by session musician Elliott Randall in just one take, invited to the studio by guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page called it his favorite guitar solo ever, rating it a perfect 12/10 in a 2016 chat with YouTuber Oliver Patrick Loughnan. Randall himself said the song “virtually played itself,” making its magic seem effortless. Fun fact: an engineer’s goof during recording accidentally helped the track’s crisp sound when they forgot to run the tape, giving it a raw edge. On Reddit’s r/SteelyDan, fans rave about the solo’s legendary status but note the song’s overplay on radio, with one user hilariously mishearing “gathering up the tears” as “gathering up the cheese” as a kid. Oh, and Irish Zoo Freaks might recall the song as the theme for the TV show Reeling in the Years, tying it to nostalgic vibes of history and heartbreak.

Now, let’s rewind to how Steely Dan got their start. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker met in 1967 at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, bonding over their love for jazz and cynicism. Fagen overheard Becker shredding guitar in a campus café and thought he sounded “like a black person,” as he recalled in a 1989 interview, sparking their instant connection. They started writing songs together, playing in local bands before moving to New York City in 1969. There, they worked on a movie soundtrack and backed an “oldies” act, eventually landing in Los Angeles in 1971 as songwriters for ABC Records. With producer Gary Katz, they secretly formed Steely Dan—named after a quirky reference to a prosthetic phallus in William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch—with young musicians like Baxter and Denny Dias. Their 1972 debut, Can’t Buy a Thrill, shocked everyone with hits like “Do It Again” and “Reelin’ In the Years,” blending rock, jazz, and cryptic lyrics. By 1974, they ditched live shows to focus on studio perfection, becoming the “antiheroes of the seventies,” as Rolling Stone dubbed them.

For you Zoo Freaks wanting to dive deeper, connect with Steely Dan’s official website for tour dates and news. Check out their Facebook and Instagram for throwback pics and updates, though they don’t have an active X account. Fan hubs are where the real party’s at: join the r/SteelyDan Reddit community for lively discussions or the Steely Dan Fans Facebook group to swap stories with fellow freaks. For obsessive trivia, The Steely Dan Dictionary decodes their cryptic lyrics. So, keep reelin’ with the Zoo Crew, and let Steely Dan’s slick grooves light up your airwaves!