Hey Nineteen

@panzer4963\r\n\r\nJust heard this song the other day, and took note of how Aretha Franklin\'s career came back after this song was released, such that even a lot of younger people today know who she was - the irony of that made me want to see if anyone else thought the same, which is why I\'m here.\r\n\r\nIn the process of satisfying that bit of curiosity, I have been amused by a lot of the commentary regarding word/phrase choice in the lyrics. And in yet another twist of irony, most of those words being debated here, are of the era; someone who lived through the time will know what they mean, but the younger commenters - the \'19s\' - won\'t get the reference, just like in the song itself.\r\n\r\nKeep in mind that Steely Dan delves into double entendre a LOT in their lyrics, so even when the song came out, people debated what some of the words/phrases meant, because they can be taken multiple ways. Purely intentional, they do it all the time in their lyrics.\r\n\r\nAll of that said, this song is very simple - I will borrow this description from some guy named Ronald Kinchion, who posted this on YouTube: "its a trip when you get a little older and go to a club, young ladies will politely let you know how old you really are, you have kids their age, but they still talk to you, and make you feel real old, steely dan captured all that awkwardness in this jam, great song, makes you want to go out and have a midlife crisis."\r\n\r\nThat\'s it really - not a \'creepy old man\' as so many want it to be. Just, as you said, the moment many guys might feel at some age, when it suddenly feels odd to be in a bar surrounded by distinctly younger people, of whom you are no longer a part.\r\n\r\nThat said, it isn\'t even clear to me if the older dude is hitting on the younger girl, or if she slid on down the bar to start the conversation with him ("slide on down" is another double entendre, of course, but the primary meaning is simply to move down the bar to sit next to someone... do people not say that anymore?). I\'m pushing 60 now, but well into my 40s, I had \'19s\' slide on the down the bar to test the water... and yeah, sometimes I would bite, but "Ain\'t nothin\' wrong with that" (which of course, ages me too - Robert Randolph is my \'Retha Franklin).\r\n\r\nA few other things, because I\'m old and remember...\r\n\r\nFine Colombian is 100% weed, NOT coke - specifically Colombian Gold. There was no ambiguity of meaning intended here, as EVERYONE of the era knew what \'fine Colombian\' was - no one here is debating what Cuervo means, and this is in the same category.\r\n\r\nGamma Chi is not a frat, it is a sorority reference (specifically, sorority recruiters), hence the next line of the song.\r\n\r\nSole survivor has double meaning, referencing the R&B band of his \'dandy\' era, when Franklin reigned as Queen of Soul.\r\n\r\nSkate a little lower is double entendre again: \'skate\' was popular slang of the time, which could mean many things, but broadly meant \'get.\' In this context, it is metaphorical - this is in a bar, not a skating rink - but basically means he is open to getting it on with the younger woman, and getting increasingly turned on by her. Call it creepy if you will, I will call it human physiology at work.\r\n\r\nIn the end, it\'s all just about "growing old."\r\n\r\nI read some tripe elsewhere from some joker trying to argue the song is all about wealthy white privilege - subconsciously no less. What a bunch of laughable crap!\r\n\r\nYes, Steely Dan intentionally uses ambiguous language, in many of their songs, but this one is not murky.\r\n\r\nit is simply about the awkwardness of realizing that we all grow old, and perhaps consensually enjoying a youthful moment or two while still on the edge of that divide: no longer in the light of youth, nor darkness of senescence, but in the penumbral shadows of fading twilight.\r\n\r\nPeople try to make more of it than is there, but there is enough. Maybe you have to have experienced this process of aging, to see this for what it is - it\'s not creepy, it\'s more just wistfully sad.

@kyhangdog
Nice mm mm mm

You're lucky -- my Walgreen's plays instrumental elevator music. I think this song is hilarious and I would sing along loudly if it came on when I was in a store.

@Brokenflow I worked for Toys R Us in the early 90's. Not only did they play this song, they played T
Tubuler Bells, which is the Exorcist theme song.

@Brokenflow I worked for Toys R Us in the early 90's. Not only did they play this song, they played T
Tubuler Bells, which is the Exorcist theme song.

@Brokenflow I worked for Toys R Us in the early 90's. Not only did they play this song, they played T
Tubuler Bells, which is the Exorcist theme song.

@Brokenflow I worked for Toys R Us in the early 90's. Not only did they play this song, they played T
Tubuler Bells, which is the Exorcist theme song.

@Brokenflow IMO,Cuervo Gold is tequila and the fine Columbian is pot. It's about a guy who's being seduced by a much younger girl. Since he was the dandy of Gamma Chi back in 1967 he's a little over forty I'd guess due to when this album was released. She roller skates and he likes it when she gets low on her skates, possibly by spreading her legs wide. As much as she turns him on he has to deny her advances.

@Brokenflow Slightly disturbing? Maybe although 19 is legal of course. Thankfully the song is not "Hey 13" ???? And anyway what seems creepy now was less of an issue in 1980 it seems but still weird enough for the guy to self reflect on it. Doesnt stop him though...

I am as confident as I can be that you are correct. I am old enough to remember partying in the 70's and "Colombian" would have most likely referred to pot, not coke, at the time. Plus, in the context of the song, he's trying to get mellow and forget his problems, to which people usually turn to drugs like alcohol and pot, not coke. If it were a song about getting amped-up, a reference to coke might be in order, but pot fits the theme of the song.

@jbecan Where'd you learn that Cheech? Drug school?

@ZacaroniNcheese

That's where I learned it, Zac. Your mom taught classes between tricks.

@jbecan agree that it's mj, not coke. But, re: Gamma Chi, the song writer is describing the distant past in that verse, "Way back when..." The "now" of the song is presumably when it was written, late 70's, so the guy is more likely in his 30's. I think that's the premise for the whole song: older guy noticing (at least) MUCH younger girl.

Created an account just to reply to this. If it wasn't intentional it's still brilliant. Well done.

Dandy: A man unduly devoted to style, neatness and fashion in dress and appearance. He may have been that way when he was in a fraternity, I don't know. But I think it's referring to drugs. Maybe being the "dandy of drugs" would mean that, in the way a sharp dresser thinks his appearance will help him with the ladies, he uses the drugs to help him make time.

@bigdc67 I'm sorry but no. For one thing, Gamma looks nothing like "R," but for another thing, Gamma Chi are the alpha-female sorority girls who help other (lower) sorority girls through their orientation into Greek life. Being the Dandy of Gamma Chi would then mean that he features himself the pimp king, lording it over the hottest of the hot girls on campus, the Gamma Chi's. Look it up on the urban dictionary if you don't believe me.

@bigdc67 Gamma Chi absolutely does look like "rx". Of course the actual symbol for prescription uses a capital "R", so there is that discrepancy but it's still there, the sort of sneaky double-entendre that's Donald Fagen's stock in trade. I agree that for storyline purposes, he's looking back on his days as the big man on campus, but I like the "rx" angle to it.