Katy Lied
Encyclopedia
Katy Lied is the fourth album by Steely Dan
, originally released in 1975 by ABC Records
. It went gold and peaked at #13 on the US charts. The single "Black Friday" also charted at #37.
It is also notable for the first appearance of singer Michael McDonald
on a Steely Dan album. The album cover features a picture of a katydid, a "singing" (stridulating) insect related to crickets and grasshoppers. This is most likely a pun on the album's title; the "singing" of a katydid sounds as though they're saying "Katy did, Katy didn't" although a lyric in the song "Doctor Wu" mentions "Katy tried, I was halfway crucified", and "Katy lies, you can see it in her eyes". Jeff Porcaro
, then only 21 years old, played all drums on the album apart from "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)", which features legendary session drummer Hal Blaine
.
Band members Walter Becker
and Donald Fagen
were not happy with the album's sound quality due to an equipment malfunction with the then new dbx
noise reduction system. The group has claimed that the damage was mostly repaired after consulting with the engineers at dbx, however, Fagen and Becker still refused to listen to the completed album. To most audiophiles and fans of the group it is difficult, if not impossible, to hear the alleged sound imperfections.
The album was re-issued by MCA Records
after ABC Records was acquired by MCA in 1979.
Pop Singles
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
, originally released in 1975 by ABC Records
ABC Records
ABC Records was an American record label, founded in New York City in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records. It originated as the main popular music label operated the Am-Par Record Corporation, the music subsidiary of the American Broadcasting Company . ABC-Paramount Records' first president was Samuel H....
. It went gold and peaked at #13 on the US charts. The single "Black Friday" also charted at #37.
It is also notable for the first appearance of singer Michael McDonald
Michael McDonald (singer)
Michael McDonald is a five-time Grammy Award winning American singer and songwriter. McDonald is known for a soulful baritone singing style and a multi-octave range. He began his career singing back-up vocals with Steely Dan...
on a Steely Dan album. The album cover features a picture of a katydid, a "singing" (stridulating) insect related to crickets and grasshoppers. This is most likely a pun on the album's title; the "singing" of a katydid sounds as though they're saying "Katy did, Katy didn't" although a lyric in the song "Doctor Wu" mentions "Katy tried, I was halfway crucified", and "Katy lies, you can see it in her eyes". Jeff Porcaro
Jeff Porcaro
Jeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
, then only 21 years old, played all drums on the album apart from "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)", which features legendary session drummer Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine
Hal Blaine is an American drummer and session musician. He is most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California. Blaine played on numerous hits by popular groups, including Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Ronettes, Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, and...
.
Band members Walter Becker
Walter Becker
Walter Carl Becker is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder, guitarist, bassist and a co-writer of Steely Dan.-Career:...
and Donald Fagen
Donald Fagen
Donald Jay Fagen is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the co-founder, lead singer, and the principal songwriter of the rock band Steely Dan ....
were not happy with the album's sound quality due to an equipment malfunction with the then new dbx
Dbx (noise reduction)
dbx is a family of noise reduction systems developed by the company of the same name. The most common implementations are dbx Type I and dbx Type II for analog tape recording and, less commonly, vinyl LPs. A separate implementation, known as dbx-TV, is part of the MTS system used to provide stereo...
noise reduction system. The group has claimed that the damage was mostly repaired after consulting with the engineers at dbx, however, Fagen and Becker still refused to listen to the completed album. To most audiophiles and fans of the group it is difficult, if not impossible, to hear the alleged sound imperfections.
The album was re-issued by MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
after ABC Records was acquired by MCA in 1979.
Side one
- "Black Friday" – 3:33
- "Bad SneakersBad Sneakers"Bad Sneakers" is a song by jazz rock band Steely Dan. It was released as the second track on their 1975 album Katy Lied.It also appears on the compilation albums A Decade of Steely Dan and Citizen Steely Dan ....
" – 3:16 - "Rose Darling" – 2:59
- "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More" – 3:12
- "Doctor Wu" – 3:59
Side two
- "Everyone's Gone to the MoviesEveryone's Gone to the MoviesEveryone's Gone to the Movies is the sixth track from Steely Dan's 1975 album, Katy Lied. The strange lyrics of this particular track have made it of particular interest to Steely Dan fans. The song's upbeat feel contrasts with the disturbing content of the narrative delivered by Donald Fagen...
" – 3:41 - "Your Gold Teeth II" – 4:12
- "Chain Lightning" – 2:57
- "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)" – 3:56
- "Throw Back the Little Ones" – 3:11
Personnel
- Donald FagenDonald FagenDonald Jay Fagen is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the co-founder, lead singer, and the principal songwriter of the rock band Steely Dan ....
- vocals, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Walter BeckerWalter BeckerWalter Carl Becker is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder, guitarist, bassist and a co-writer of Steely Dan.-Career:...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals - Michael OmartianMichael OmartianMichael Omartian is an Armenian-American singer-songwriter, keyboardist, and music producer. He has been a participant in over 350,000,000 albums and CD’s sold worldwide, as a producer, arranger, artist or musician, during a career that has spanned over 38 years...
, David PaichDavid PaichDavid Frank Paich is a session musician, keyboard player, recording producer, arranger, vocalist and main composer of the Los Angeles-based rock/pop band Toto. David is the son of the late jazz composer, musician, and arranger Marty Paich...
- pianos, keyboards - Wilton FelderWilton FelderWilton Lewis Felder is both a saxophone and bass player, and is best known as a founding member of The Crusaders, initially called the Jazz Crusaders. Felder, Wayne Henderson, Joe Sample, and Stix Hooper founded the group while in high school in Houston...
, Chuck RaineyChuck RaineyChuck Rainey, is an American bass guitar session musician, known for playing with many well-known American musicians and acts, including Donald Byrd, Steely Dan, Quincy Jones, and Aretha Franklin.-Biography:Rainey's youthful pursuits included violin, piano and trumpet...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
s - Victor FeldmanVictor FeldmanVictor Stanley Feldman was a British jazz musician, best known as a pianist.-Early history:...
- percussion - Hugh McCrackenHugh McCrackenHugh McCracken is a rhythm guitar player and session musician, arranger and producer based in New York.Especially in demand in the 60s, 70s and 80s, he appears on many recordings by Steely Dan, as well as albums by Donald Fagen, Jimmy Rushing, Billy Joel, Roland Kirk, Roberta Flack, B. B...
- guitar - Denny DiasDenny DiasDenny Dias is an American guitarist, most known for being a founding member of Steely Dan.- Career :Dias was working with his own band out of his basement in Hicksville, Long Island, when he placed an ad in The Village Voice that read: "Looking for keyboardist and bassist. Must have jazz chops!...
- guitar (solo on 'Your Gold Teeth II') - Rick DerringerRick DerringerRick Derringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.-1960s:When he was seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot. The song was...
- guitar (solo on "Chain Lightning") - Dean ParksDean ParksDean Parks is an American session guitarist and record producer from Ft. Worth, TX.-Albums:Dean was member of The North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher in 1970. Dean is best-known through his many contributions to albums by Steely Dan...
- guitar (solo on "Rose Darling") - Elliott RandallElliott RandallElliott Randall is an American guitarist, most known for being a session musician with popular artists. Randall has played the well-known guitar solos from Steely Dan's hit "Reelin' in the Years" and Fame. Legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has reputedly said that Randall's solo on...
- guitar (solo on "Throw Back the Little Ones") - Larry CarltonLarry CarltonLarry Carlton is an American jazz, smooth jazz, jazz fusion, pop, and rock guitarist and singer. He has divided his recording time between solo recordings and session appearances with various well-known bands...
- guitar on "Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More" - Jimmie Haskell - horn & horn arrangement on "Throw Back the Little Ones"
- Bill PerkinsBill Perkins (saxophonist)Bill Perkins was a cool jazz saxophonist and flutist popular on the West Coast jazz scene, known primarily as a tenor saxophonist. Born in San Francisco, California, Perkins started out performing in the big bands of Woody Herman and Jerry Wald. He also worked for the Stan Kenton orchestra, which...
- horn on "Throw Back the Little Ones" - Phil WoodsPhil WoodsPhilip Wells Woods is an American jazz bebop alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer.-Biography:...
- alto saxophone solo on "Doctor Wu" - Jeff PorcaroJeff PorcaroJeffrey Thomas "Jeff" Porcaro was an American session drummer and a founding member of the Grammy Award winning band Toto. Porcaro was one of the most recorded drummers in history, working on hundreds of albums and thousands of sessions...
- drums on all songs except "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)" - Hal BlaineHal BlaineHal Blaine is an American drummer and session musician. He is most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California. Blaine played on numerous hits by popular groups, including Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Ronettes, Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, and...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
on "Any World (That I'm Welcome To)" - Michael McDonaldMichael McDonald (singer)Michael McDonald is a five-time Grammy Award winning American singer and songwriter. McDonald is known for a soulful baritone singing style and a multi-octave range. He began his career singing back-up vocals with Steely Dan...
- background vocals - Myrna Matthews, Sherlie MatthewsSherlie MatthewsSherlie Matthews is an American singer, songwriter and record producer, best known as a backing vocalist for Pop, R&B and Rock groups from the mid 1960s to the present time.-Early life:...
, Carolyn Willis - background vocals on "Everyone's Gone to the Movies"
Production
- Producer: Gary KatzGary KatzGary Katz is an American music producer, best known for his work with Steely Dan.-Steely Dan:Katz is most famous for his work as a producer on every Steely Dan album recorded during the first run of their career, from Can't Buy A Thrill in 1972 to Gaucho in 1980, as well as the Donald Fagen solo...
- Engineer: Roger Nichols
- Mastering: Rick Collins
- Sound Consultant: Dinky Dawson
- Consultant: Daniel Levitin
- Arranger: Jimmie Haskell
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Pop Albums | 13 |
Pop Singles
| Year | Single | Label & number | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | "Black Friday" (B-side: "Throw Back The Little Ones") | ABC 12101 | 37 |
| 1975 | "Bad Sneakers" (B-side: "Chain Lightning") | ABC 12128 | 103 |