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Katy Lied

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Untitled
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Robert ChristgauA−[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. It also marked the first appearance of Larry Carlton who played guitar on "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More"

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.

Concept

The album cover features a picture of a katydid, a "singing" (stridulating) insect related to crickets and grasshoppers. This is 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

  1. "Black Friday" – 3:33
  2. "Bad Sneakers" – 3:16
  3. "Rose Darling" – 2:59
  4. "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More" – 3:12
  5. "Doctor Wu" – 3:59

Side two

  2. "Everyone's Gone to the Movies" – 3:41
  3. "Your Gold Teeth II" – 4:12
  4. "Chain Lightning" – 2:57
  5. "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)" – 3:56
  6. "Throw Back the Little Ones" – 3:11

Personnel

Steely Dan

Additional musicians

  • Phil Woods – alto saxophone solo on "Doctor Wu"
  • Jimmie Haskell – horn & horn arrangement on "Throw Back the Little Ones"
  • Bill Perkins – horn on "Throw Back the Little Ones"

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
1975 Pop Albums 13
1975 UK Albums 13

Pop Singles

Year Single Label & number Position
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

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Katy Lied at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 October 2004.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Steely Dan > Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 5 March 2006.
  3. ^ Mendelsohn, John (May 8, 1975). "Steely Dan Katy Lied > Review". Rolling Stone. No. 186. Archived from the original on 7 December 2007. Retrieved 28 August 2007. {{cite news}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 17 December 2007 suggested (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b Katy Lied - Steely Dan > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 October 2004.
  5. ^ a b Katy Lied - Steely Dan > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at AllMusic. Retrieved 27 October 2004.
  6. ^ Sweet, Brian (2000). Steely Dan: Reelin' in the Years. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780711982796.
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