September 11, 2023

1982 - December: Donald Fagen ”The Nightfly”

50 minutes

The Nightfly is the debut solo album from Donald Fagen. Fagen and his Steely Dan partner Walter Becker had released the Gaucho album in late 1980, and Becker was having a lot of trouble. His girlfriend died of a drug overdose in their apartment, and he was sued for several million dollars. Shortly after that he was hit by a taxi, which shattered his leg. Steely Dan disbanded in 1981, and Becker moved to Maui.

Fagen wanted “The Nightfly” to be autobiographical, and without the irony and biting nature of Steely Dan. There is a lot of adolescence and innocence in these songs, reflecting back on Fagen's time growing up. The album is also one of the first to be recorded entirely in digital. Steely Dan had tried this approach fo“Gaucho,” but it didn't work out and they reverted to analog. Audiophiles gravitate to The Nightfly, and EQ Magazine ranks it as one of the top 10 Best Recorded Albums of All Time, up there with The Beatles' “Sergeant Peppers” and The Beach Boys' “Pet Sounds.”

Donald Fagan had problems with depression after recording “The Nightfly,” and largely disappeared from the music scene through the rest of the 80's. Fagan said in 2006 that he hasn't listened to "The Nightfly" since making it. However, he did record two other albums which are considered to form "The Nightfly Trilogy," including Kamakiriad" from 1993 and "Morph the Cat" from 2006. There would also be a reunion of Steely Dan later on.

Bruce presents this jazzy album for this week's episode.

I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)

This lead single is also the track that leads off the album. "I.G.Y." stands for International Geophysical Year, which was a project that lasted between July 1957 and December 1958. It encompassed eleven earth science projects and included collaboration between East and West. The song reflects the positivity of that time and collaboration. The song was released in September 1982 and reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the end of November.

The Nightfly

This track imagines a late night DJ named Lester who plays jazz on WJAZ out of Baton Rouge, and also takes calls from conspiracy theorists. is about a spiritual quest. While not released as a single, this song did receive some airplay on FM stations in the 80's.

Ruby Baby

Although heavily arranged with close harmonies by Fagen, this is a cover song originally performed by the Drifters in 1956. A number of artists have covered it over time, including Dion (number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962), Billy "Crash Craddock, Del Shannon, Mitch Ryder, and Bobby Darin.

New Frontier

This fun single did not break into the top 40, but it was a frequent video on the then-new MTV channel. The idea of the song is that an adolescent boy is bringing a girl over to his parents' bomb shelter for a good time. "Yes, we're going to have a wing ding..."

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

It Might Be You by Stephen Bishop (from the motion picture "Tootsie" )

Dustin Hoffman stars in this cross-dressing romance comedy about an actor disguising himself as a woman to land a job.

STAFF PICKS:

Steppin' Out by Joe Jackson

Rob starts the staff picks with a song inspired by Jackson's time in New York City. The song reflects the excitement of a drive around town, and hit number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is off the album "Night and Day," which reflects New York City during the day on side 1, and the City during the night on side 2.

Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo

Wayne's staff pick is a weird one. This new wave act describes listening to the broadcasts of high-wattage unregulated Mexican radio stations whose signals were strong enough to be picked up in small town U.S.A. Wall of Voodoo's $15,000 video would be on constant repeat on MTV.

Maneater by Hall & Oates

Lynch brings us a big Hall & Oates hit that spent four weeks at number 1 on the charts. The song describes a woman who is bad news, only looking for money. The video features a live panther, that got loose in the rafters of the set at one point, prompting a hasty retreat from Darryl Hall. The sax part is played by Charles "Mr. Casual" DeChant, who also appears in the video during his solo.

She Sheila by The Producers

Bruce finishes up the staff picks with Atlanta's own The Producers. This is the big single off the band's second album "You Make the Heat." It went to number 48 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts, and alternates between an ethereal synth part and a high energy New Wave sound.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Bonzo's Montreux by Led Zeppelin

John Bonham's live drum solo closes out this week's podcast.

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By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks, John Lynch

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