Katy Lied
Katy Lied | ||||
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Studio album by Steely Dan | ||||
Released | March 1975 | |||
Recorded | November 1974 - January 1975; ABC Recording Studios Inc., Los Angeles |
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Genre | Jazz rock | |||
Length | 35:25 | |||
Label | ABC | |||
Producer | Gary Katz | |||
Steely Dan chronology | ||||
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Singles from Katy Lied | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Robert Christgau | A−[2] |
Rolling Stone | (unfavorable)[3] |
Katy Lied is the fourth album by Steely Dan, originally released in 1975 by ABC Records. It went gold and peaked at #13 on the US charts.[4] The single "Black Friday" also charted at #37.[5]
It is the first appearance of singer Michael McDonald on a Steely Dan album. Jeff Porcaro, then only 20 years old, played drums on all the songs except "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)", which features session drummer Hal Blaine.
Band leaders Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were unhappy with the album's sound quality owing to an equipment malfunction with the then-new dbx noise reduction system. The group has claimed that the damage was mostly repaired after consulting with the engineers at dbx, but Fagen and Becker still refused to listen to the completed album.
The album was reissued by MCA Records after ABC Records was acquired by MCA in 1979.
Contents
Concept
The album cover features a picture of a katydid, a "singing" (stridulating) insect related to crickets and grasshoppers. This is most likely a pun on the album's title; the "singing" of a katydid sounds as though they're saying "Katy did, Katy didn't." Lyrics in the song "Doctor Wu" include "Katy tried, I was halfway crucified" and "Katy lies, you can see it in her eyes".
The track "Black Friday", which was released as the first single from the album, relates the story of a crooked speculator who makes his fortune and absconds to Australia. Muswellbrook, a town in New South Wales, was chosen to fit in with the lyric, as Fagen later explained: "It was the place most far away from LA we could think of ... and, of course it fitted the metre of the song and rhymed with book". The track features Michael Omartian on piano and David Paich on Hohner electric piano.[6]
Track listing
All songs written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.
Side one
- "Black Friday" – 3:33
- "Bad Sneakers" – 3:16
- "Rose Darling" – 2:59
- "Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More" – 3:12
- "Doctor Wu" – 3:59
Side two
- "Everyone's Gone To The Movies" – 3:41
- "Your Gold Teeth II" – 4:12
- "Chain Lightning" – 2:57
- "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)" – 3:56
- "Throw Back The Little Ones" – 3:11
Personnel
- Donald Fagen - vocals, piano, keyboards, saxophone
- Walter Becker - bass, guitar (solo on "Black Friday", "Bad Sneakers")
- Jeff Porcaro - drums on all songs except "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)"
- Michael Omartian, David Paich - pianos, keyboards
- Wilton Felder, Chuck Rainey - bass guitars
- Victor Feldman - percussion
- Hugh McCracken - guitar
- Denny Dias - guitar (solo on "Your Gold Teeth II")
- Rick Derringer - guitar (solo on "Chain Lightning")
- Dean Parks - guitar (solo on "Rose Darling")
- Elliott Randall - guitar (solo on "Throw Back the Little Ones")
- Larry Carlton - guitar on "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More"
- Jimmie Haskell - horn & horn arrangement on "Throw Back the Little Ones"
- Bill Perkins - horn on "Throw Back the Little Ones"
- Phil Woods - alto saxophone solo on "Doctor Wu"
- Hal Blaine - drums on "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)"
- Michael McDonald - background vocals
- Myrna Matthews, Sherlie Matthews, Carolyn Willis - background vocals on "Everyone's Gone to the Movies"
Production
- Producer: Gary Katz
- Engineer: Roger Nichols
- Mastering: Rick Collins
- Sound Consultant: Dinky Dawson
- Consultant: Daniel Levitin
- Arranger: Jimmie Haskell
Album cover
The album cover features a photograph of a katydid by Dorothy White.
Charts
Album[4]
Year | Chart | Position |
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1975 | Pop Albums | 13 |
1975 | UK Albums | 13 |
Pop Singles
Year | Single | Label & number | Position |
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1975 | "Black Friday" (B-side: "Throw Back The Little Ones") | ABC 12101 | 37[5] |
1975 | "Bad Sneakers" (B-side: "Chain Lightning") | ABC 12128 | 103[citation needed] |
References
- ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Katy Lied at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 October 2004.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Katy Lied - Steely Dan > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 October 2004.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Katy Lied - Steely Dan > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 October 2004.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.