Donald Fagen had a song on his solo album, The Nightfly, titled "New Frontier"- about the Cold War and a party in a fallout shelter. I think "Ida Lee" was the first attempt at this same theme. The bit about opening up the air shaft leads me to this conclusion, as well as the fact that many very early Becker/Fagen songs used phrases and themes that were later recycled on other songs. Even the word "skyway" on "Ida Lee" was later used on Fagens song, "Trans Island Skyway".
Donald Fagen had a song on his solo album, The Nightfly, titled "New Frontier"- about the Cold War and a party in a fallout shelter. I think "Ida Lee" was the first attempt at this same theme. The bit about opening up the air shaft leads me to this conclusion, as well as the fact that many very early Becker/Fagen songs used phrases and themes that were later recycled on other songs. Even the word "skyway" on "Ida Lee" was later used on Fagens song, "Trans Island Skyway".