Forums

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Pretty Little Flower
Perhaps. I alays thought it meantmore than this, but maybe not:

"Listeners anticipating Steely Dan's patented amalgam of sonic perfection, sinuous musicality, and subversive storytelling . . ."

http://www.steelydan.com/emgpress1.html

"On this basis alone I have always maintained that Steely Dan's music was, has been and remains among the most genuinely subversive ouevres in late-20th-century pop."

http://www.voidspace.org.uk/cyberpun...teelydan.shtml

"Rock's most reclusive and subversive act of the '70's transformed into a warm and fan-friendly modern rock band when Steely Dan hit the stage for their second sold out night at the Amphitheatre in Universal City on Wednesday."

http://ubl.artistdirect.com/music/ar...ist=Steely+Dan

"As iconoclastic as they are, Steely Dan's Walter Becker and Donald Fagen apparently don't mind being icons themselves. After giving ‘70s radio listeners a stream of intelligent, jazz-imbedded, carefully crafted and entirely subversive pop hits that still haven't lost their sheen . . ."

http://www.virginmegamagazine.com/default.asp?aid=3C6

I suppose that the key to the "subversion" is combining adult-themed lyrics with well-crafted, but smooth and polished tunes:

"The resulting "Katy Lied", "The Royal Scam", "Aja" and "Gaucho" releases were wildly successful, combining a smooth, jazzy sound with some hilariously subversive lyrics."

http://www.musicinsight.com/2000/03/26.htm

I think Steely Dan fans need a different word.

Maybe they mean subversive to the Stadium rock standard that they were competing with. They were only 2 guys, with no pretty hair boy, and their lyrics tried to be smart; c.f. Kansas or some of them. But by 1980 you can't call them subversive. And I can't believe anyone under 50 would listen to them today. but that's just me.