My guess is that "Daddy" is--or, rather, was--a pimp, gangster, or assorted low-life of some sort (a fixation of the 'Dan--see "Sign In Stranger," "With A Gun," "Pearl of the Quarter," "Do It Again," and "Charlie Freak," among others). The lyrics talk about his various depravities: partying ("celebrating Sunday on a Saturday night"), keeping a gun stored in case of 'emergencies' ("the piece he stowed out on Avenue D"--aren't the letter-streets in a bad part of NYC?), showing off his wealth by cruising around town ("don't drive that El Dorado no more"), and getting drunk on cheap liquor ("drinkin' his dinner from a paper sack").
The last verse implies that the reason he "don't live in that New York City no more" is because he's dead and burning in hell--"Daddy can't get no fine cigar/But we know you're smoking, wherever you are".
I've wondered if this is a vignette of their creation, or based on a real person or fictional character.
What . . only 1 response to one of my favorite Dan songs. You know, I just barely got the reference to him smoking . . .as in hell (duhhhh). Nobody writes as delightfully acerbic lyric as Steely Dan. I think they might have known a shady character or two. I always wondered . . . did the screw up that almost erased the "Katy Lied" tracks . . it has a deliciously tinny, not quite HiFi quality to the song. Perfect for such a disreputable character . . I wonder if that is on purpose.
check out Melegorm's channel on Youtube.
What . . only 1 response to one of my favorite Dan songs. You know, I just barely got the reference to him smoking . . .as in hell (duhhhh). Nobody writes as delightfully acerbic lyric as Steely Dan. I think they might have known a shady character or two. I always wondered . . . did the screw up that almost erased the "Katy Lied" tracks . . it has a deliciously tinny, not quite HiFi quality to the song. Perfect for such a disreputable character . . I wonder if that is on purpose.
check out Melegorm's channel on Youtube.
This is one of my favorite SD songs...especially the line "daddy can't get no fine cigar but we know you're smoking wherever you are."
This is one of my favorite SD songs...especially the line "daddy can't get no fine cigar but we know you're smoking wherever you are."
On his way to Hackensack "drinking his dinner from a paper sack" he has to get liquored up--probably before he has to beat up or kill a guy who hasn't paid some money back or something to the mob.
On his way to Hackensack "drinking his dinner from a paper sack" he has to get liquored up--probably before he has to beat up or kill a guy who hasn't paid some money back or something to the mob.
@ProfessorKnowItAll This. I've always heard this song as a requiem for a low-level Mafiosi who gets orders to break the occasional kneecap, enjoys his cigars and booze, and keeps a piece on Avenue D (which I really think is a mistress, not a gun, and possibly is Lucy).
@ProfessorKnowItAll This. I've always heard this song as a requiem for a low-level Mafiosi who gets orders to break the occasional kneecap, enjoys his cigars and booze, and keeps a piece on Avenue D (which I really think is a mistress, not a gun, and possibly is Lucy).
My guess is that "Daddy" is--or, rather, was--a pimp, gangster, or assorted low-life of some sort (a fixation of the 'Dan--see "Sign In Stranger," "With A Gun," "Pearl of the Quarter," "Do It Again," and "Charlie Freak," among others). The lyrics talk about his various depravities: partying ("celebrating Sunday on a Saturday night"), keeping a gun stored in case of 'emergencies' ("the piece he stowed out on Avenue D"--aren't the letter-streets in a bad part of NYC?), showing off his wealth by cruising around town ("don't drive that El Dorado no more"), and getting drunk on cheap liquor ("drinkin' his dinner from a paper sack").
The last verse implies that the reason he "don't live in that New York City no more" is because he's dead and burning in hell--"Daddy can't get no fine cigar/But we know you're smoking, wherever you are".
I've wondered if this is a vignette of their creation, or based on a real person or fictional character.
What . . only 1 response to one of my favorite Dan songs. You know, I just barely got the reference to him smoking . . .as in hell (duhhhh). Nobody writes as delightfully acerbic lyric as Steely Dan. I think they might have known a shady character or two. I always wondered . . . did the screw up that almost erased the "Katy Lied" tracks . . it has a deliciously tinny, not quite HiFi quality to the song. Perfect for such a disreputable character . . I wonder if that is on purpose. check out Melegorm's channel on Youtube.
What . . only 1 response to one of my favorite Dan songs. You know, I just barely got the reference to him smoking . . .as in hell (duhhhh). Nobody writes as delightfully acerbic lyric as Steely Dan. I think they might have known a shady character or two. I always wondered . . . did the screw up that almost erased the "Katy Lied" tracks . . it has a deliciously tinny, not quite HiFi quality to the song. Perfect for such a disreputable character . . I wonder if that is on purpose. check out Melegorm's channel on Youtube.
PKIA: I think you're right on.
PKIA: I think you're right on.
This is one of my favorite SD songs...especially the line "daddy can't get no fine cigar but we know you're smoking wherever you are."
This is one of my favorite SD songs...especially the line "daddy can't get no fine cigar but we know you're smoking wherever you are."
On his way to Hackensack "drinking his dinner from a paper sack" he has to get liquored up--probably before he has to beat up or kill a guy who hasn't paid some money back or something to the mob.
On his way to Hackensack "drinking his dinner from a paper sack" he has to get liquored up--probably before he has to beat up or kill a guy who hasn't paid some money back or something to the mob.
@ProfessorKnowItAll This. I've always heard this song as a requiem for a low-level Mafiosi who gets orders to break the occasional kneecap, enjoys his cigars and booze, and keeps a piece on Avenue D (which I really think is a mistress, not a gun, and possibly is Lucy).
@ProfessorKnowItAll This. I've always heard this song as a requiem for a low-level Mafiosi who gets orders to break the occasional kneecap, enjoys his cigars and booze, and keeps a piece on Avenue D (which I really think is a mistress, not a gun, and possibly is Lucy).