| Steely Dan – Black Cow Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| @[hans5:3981] Hmmmm a GUY huh? Well that's different. I guess there is nothing in the song to indicate the antagonist is a woman -so if you're of the LGBT community and it speaks to you - no reason he/she couldn't be a guy i guess. Becker and Fagan are straight and have always written about straight topics - but that's the genius in their songwriting - whatever it is you you - is what it is. @Bramdakoda -- The "Black Cow" most certainly is alcoholic - it's was a favorite at Rudy's in the '70s and still is - but it does indicate sort of a "woman-child" (immature) type of person. She's a hardcore addict but she drinks foo-foo girlie drinks. And drugs were part of EVERY scene in NYC in the '70s. Rudy's in in the middle of Hell's Kitchen - 'nuff said there. "On the counter (at home - they're living together) ... by your keys (house keys - nobody has a vehicle in Manhattan) - is your book of numbers (her Johns or her bookie's numbers ) and your remedies (drugs). | |
| Steely Dan – Black Cow Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| @[bloughmee:3979] One more tidbit folks - Both Becker and Fagan are NYC guys. They didn't grow up in Manhattan - but Passaic NJ and Queens NY are close enough - they're NYC guys. Lookin back - they didn't intend this I'm sure, but this song is as much about the state of NYC in the '70s as it is about this particular girl. It's a slice of history. Love it. | |
| Steely Dan – Black Cow Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| @[bloughmee:3978] One more thing - she's likely also a gambler. ("Book of numbers" could be from a bookie - or could be her "Johns". In any case - drugs, booze, gambling, hooking - one or all of those "remedies" will "screen out the sorrow" (temporarily help her forget her problems) --- but then "where are you tomorrow ?" Answer - right back here whre you are now - nowhere. This is a classic, great song. | |
| Steely Dan – Black Cow Lyrics | 9 years ago |
| This is cut and dry. Imagine NYC in the mid-late '70s - before Giuliani "cleaned it up" . Studio 54. Lou Reed. Guy has a Black Cow drinking girlfriend who is a drunk/drug addict. She's a waste of space. He sees here in Rudy's - a dive in Hell's Kitchen. She's wasted, as always. She works tricks "down on Greene St" but is too unravelled to even be a good hooker - He finds out that's what she's up to because she's not smart enough to change her name when she's doing tricks. These are all mid '70s NYC references. Greene St. is in Tribeca/West Village/Meatpacking district (lots of clubs) - in the '70s that area was full of hookers. Today your'e more likely to see Beyonce or Amy Poehler - that entire area is now one of the most expensive places in the USA to live - it's been completely gentrified. But back in the day.. Anyway - every tiime she screws up once again - she staggers home to her "precious one" - the narrator - who has to try to "make everything right" and put the pieces back together. He's sick of it- so tells her to "Drink her big Black Cow" (from Rudy's) and "GetOuttaHere". We all know women like this - screwed up emotional vampires. That's what the song is all about folks. | |
| Steely Dan – Black Cow Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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@[gummo:3977] Ridiculous. Black Cow has _nothing_ to do with race. Man has a girlfriend who is a drunk/drug addict. Sees her in Rudy's, wasted. She hooks for money down on Greene St in Tribeca/West Village. These are classic Manhattan, NYC references from the '70s. She always goes home to him - the one who has to "make everything right". He's sick of it. Drink your Big Black Cow (at Rudy's) and GetOuttaHere... This is SO NYC from the 70's. Today- you're more likely to see Beyonce and Amy Poehler on Greene St. than a streetwalker - but that entire area has been gentrified over the past 30-40 yrs. |
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| Steely Dan – Deacon Blues Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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I think everyone is way off here - the singer/narrator is dead - from drunk driving. ...drink scotch... all night long.. .. .die behind the wheel It's "all in the past" because he's dead He is/was a loser...but now is a VAMPIRE ... I'll make it THIS time ... ready to cross that line... "I rise when the sun goes down" "I crawl like a viper" ..... -.... Etc. The singer was a loser in life.... got drunk... killed himself with a DUI.... but is going to try it again as a vampire. That's his new scheme. The song is about all the cool stuff he's going to be able to do as a vampire. He'll learn to play the sax, "love all these women".... hang out at "every game in town" etc. etc. Alabama is the perennial winner (Crimson Tide... blood). This guy is the perennial loser "Deacon Blues". Who knows where the 'Deacon" idea came from - probably Becker-Fagan et al can't tell you either. |
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