| Steely Dan – Aja Lyrics | 19 years ago |
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I don't know whether or not Walter Becker or Donald Fagen had started their association with Upcountry Maui before writing Aja, but I see the song as describing the area where they were to build their recording studio. This was adjacent to the Ulupalakua Ranch--which can be described as a "dude ranch above the sea". On the way to Ulupalakua you pass Keo Kea which is where many Chinese workers settled in the late 19th Century and where decendents still live. Sun Yat Sen lived here and developed his thinking about overcoming monarchs while observing the Hawaiian monarchy overthrown. There is today a tranquil Sun Yat Sen Park on the way to Ulupalakua. Maui has lots of celebrity residents, and by and large, people never stare and in general think they are OK. We do spend a lot of time gazing at the incredible stars in the sky--we also have a lot of hardware for doing so up on the summit of Haleakela (see http://www.maui.afmc.af.mil/) although "throwing out the hardware" and just using your eyes is certainly more romantic. Angular banjos sound good to me--especially the Okinawan style which is square shaped. Some are trianglular. These instruments and music styles originate from China. I would imagine that Walter and Donald would appreciate this music and certainly would have heard it on Maui. I think that the Asian ideal of putting the ego aside is healthy and indeed is a refuge from all our "dime dancing". Perhaps Walter and Donald are not being so sardonic here. |
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