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Gaucho was Steely Dan's last album before the band's 10-year breakup from June 1981 to October 1991. The album, released in 1980, was also the band's last studio album until the 2000 release of Two Against Nature. Despite exceptional difficulties in the album's production (e.g., Walter Becker getting hit by a car as well as his girlfriend's 1980 overdose death, a dispute over which company had the rights to the album, attempts to get the record company to lower the price from $9.98 to the original $8.98 and the accidental erasing of an entire track—"The Second Arrangement"—by a recording engineer), the album reached #9 on the charts and went platinum twice. "Hey Nineteen" reached #10 on the singles charts. It went to #1 in Canada as well.
The release of the album saw a significant stylistic change in the music of Steely Dan up to that point, introducing a more minimal, groove and atmosphere based format for the songs. Songs usually revolved around a certain rhythm or mood, a definite departure from the suite-like style of Aja's title track. This focus on single-groove-driven songs would appear again in the records released after the pair's return from hiatus, Two Against Nature and Everything Must Go. The title track was intended as a tribute to Keith Jarrett, and was originally credited only to Donald Fagen and Becker. However, after hearing the album, Jarrett insisted that the track uses a part of his composition "Long As You Know You're Living Yours," and threatened Steely Dan with legal action. Becker and Fagen were then forced to add his name to the credits and to include him in future royalties. Fagen and Becker band hired Mark Knopfler to play the guitar solo on "Time Out of Mind" after hearing him play on Dire Straits' hit single "Sultans of Swing." Several hours of Knopfler's playing were recorded at the session, but his contributions as heard on the record are limited to a matter of seconds. Drummer Bernard Purdie plays his notorious "Purdie Shuffle" on "Babylon Sisters."
[edit] Track listing
All songs written by Becker and Fagen, except where noted
[edit] Side one
- "Babylon Sisters" – 5:49
- "Hey Nineteen" – 5:06
- "Glamour Profession" – 7:28
[edit] Side two
- "Gaucho" (Becker, Fagen, Keith Jarrett) – 5:30
- "Time Out of Mind" – 4:11
- "My Rival" – 4:30
- "Third World Man" – 5:18
[edit] Personnel
- Walter Becker - bass, guitar, lyre, vocals
- Donald Fagen - organ, synthesizer, keyboards, lyre, electric piano, vocals
- Anthony Jackson - bass
- Chuck Rainey - bass
- Don Grolnick - keyboards, electric piano, clavinet
- Rob Mounsey - synthesizer, piano
- Pat Rebillot - keyboards, electric piano
- Joe Sample - electric piano
- Hiram Bullock - guitar
- Larry Carlton - guitar
- Rick Derringer - guitar
- Steve Khan - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- Mark Knopfler - guitar, vocals
- Hugh McCracken - guitar
- Wayne Andre - trombone
- Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone, vocals
- Randy Brecker - trumpet, flugelhorn
- Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone
- Walter Kane - bass clarinet
- George Marge - bass clarinet
- David Sanborn - alto saxophone, vocals
- David Tofani - tenor saxophone, vocal
- Steve Gadd - percussion, drums
- Rick Marotta - drums
- Robbie Buchanan - piano, synthesizers and vocals
- Jeff Porcaro - percussion, drums
- Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - drums
- Crusher Bennett - percussion
- Victor Feldman - percussion, keyboards
- Ralph MacDonald - percussion
- Nicky Marrero - percussion, timbales, vocals
- Patti Austin - vocals, background vocals
- Frank "Harmonica Frank" Floyd - background vocals
- Diva Gray - vocals, background vocals
- Gordon Grody - vocals, background vocals
- Lani Groves - vocals, background vocals
- Michael McDonald - vocals, background vocals
- Leslie Miller - vocals, background vocals
- Jennifer James - vocals, background vocals
- Zachary Sanders - vocals, background vocals
- Valerie Simpson - vocals, background vocals
- Zack Snaders - background vocals
- Toni Wine - vocals, background vocals
[edit] Production
- Producers: Gary Katz
- Executive producers: Paul Bishow, Roger Nichols
- Executive engineer: Roger Nichols
- Assistant engineers: John "Doc" Daugherty, Gerry Gabinelli, Craig Goetsch, Tom Greto, Barbara Isaak, Georgia Offrell, John Potoker, Linda Randazzo, Marti Robertson, Carla Bandini
- Production coordination: Jeff Fura, Margaret Goldfarb, Shannon Steckloff
- Mixing: Elliot Scheiner
- Mix down: Elliot Scheiner
- Coordination: Michael Etchart
- Sequencing: Roger Nichols, Wendel
- Tracking: Elliot Scheiner, Bill Schnee
- Mastering: Bob Ludwig
- Overdubs: Jerry Garszva, Roger Nichols
- Surround mix: Elliot Scheiner
- Rhythm arrangements: Paul Griffin, Don Grolnick, Rob Mounsey, Steely Dan
- Horn arrangements: Rob Mounsey, Tom Scott
- Piano technician: Don Farrar
- Special effects: Roger Nichols, Wendel
- Consultant: Daniel Levitin
- Art direction: Vartan, Suzanne Walsh
- Design: Michael Diehl, Suzanne Walsh
- Design assistant: John Tom Cohoe
- Photography: Rene Burri
- Photo research: Ryan Null
- Liner notes: Walter Becker, Donald Fagen, Frank Kafka
- Liner note translation: Victor Di Suvero
[edit] Charts
Album
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 1981 |
Black Albums |
19 |
| 1981 |
Pop Albums |
9 |
Singles
| Year |
Single |
Label & number |
Chart |
Position |
| 1981 |
"Hey Nineteen" (B-side: "Bodhisattva" (live)) |
MCA 51036 |
Black Singles |
68 |
| 1981 |
"Hey Nineteen" |
MCA 51036 |
Pop Singles |
10 |
| 1981 |
"Time Out Of Mind" (B-side: "Bodhisattva" (live)) |
MCA 51082 |
Mainstream Rock |
13 |
| 1981 |
"Time Out Of Mind" |
MCA 51082 |
Pop Singles |
22 |
[edit] Awards
Grammy Awards
| Year |
Winner |
Category |
| 1981 |
Gaucho |
Best Engineered Recording, Non Classical |
[edit] External links
