I visit a website to find out what all of my favorite Steely Dan songs actually MEAN (as we all know their lyricism ranges from quite clear to incredibly confusing). However I don't always agree with what they say, so here are my interpretations of some of my favorite songs-

Peg- about an old girlfriend (maybe) gone porn star. The "It will come back to you" is such a great line, because it can be both positive and negative (like, your memory of our relationship will come back to you, or, you will feel the negative (or positive, I guess) consequences of being a porn star). I choose to believe it refers to the consequences of being a porn star, but it could have the double-meaning as well- I wouldn't put it past the Dan.

My Old School- About a big drug bust at Bard in the 60's (the college the Dan went to), that the Dan were involved in. The "Gypsy Queen" betrays them, or has some sort of part in it (I guess he wouldn't want to run away with her to Mexico if she betrayed him). She gets arrested anyway, which is why her daddy finds her with the working girls in the county jail. I went to Vassar, which is really close to Bard, so this song is near and dear to my heart- although I would definitely go back to Vassar, I never got in trouble for drugs there. ;)

Brooklyn- A delightful meditation about a guy who used to live in the apartment below one of the Dan's (thus the "charmer under me") in Brooklyn. Apparently this guy used to sit on the stoop and muse with his family all the indignities Brooklyn has caused them, and what they had all earned for the suffering. A beautiful soulful tune that I find myself craving at the oddest moments. My favorite line is "The all of time to gain or lose and power enough to choose"- probably the best wish anyone can make.

Ok I could go on and on, but I want to hear about your favorite Steely Dan songs!!