5. September 2017 By Walter Price 0

Three-Way: Steely Dan – “Reelin’ In the Years”

Steely Dan on iTunes.

In 1972 you met very few offers you couldn’t refuse. Like when your favorite pop station offered you, Carl Simon, The Bee Gees, Barbra Streisand, and a young Michael Jackson…you were cool with it. Even if your cooler friends were into Big Star, Deep Purple, YES, Uriah Heep, and ZZ Top. You let your differences didn’t stop you to decided to meet in the middle over one band. That band was an intricate New York jazz infused rock outfit going by the name Steely Dan.

And Steely Dan’s album in 1972 was called ‘Can’t Buy a Thrill’ and the second single had you, your friends, and the masses all a chilled out buzz. That track was “Reelin’ In the Years”, and breakup songs would never be the same. And come on, lovers of heavy rock, pop, and laid back vibes alike couldn’t deny guest player Elliot Randall’s guitar mastery. Oh, the memories.

Memories are what they are, but this is now and the reality is the world has unfortunately lost one of the most creative, technical, and influential rock artists of all time. Founding Steely Dan member and studio master, Walter Becker, has passed. Succumbing to an undisclosed illness and the world is at a great loss.

In celebration of one of the greats, I’ve dug through YouTube to find three interestingly cool cover versions of “Reelin’ In the Years”. A small tribute, but one I could not refuse.