Pretzel Logic

Pretzel Logic
Studio album by Steely Dan
Released	March 2, 1974
Recorded	October 1973-January 1974 at The Village Recorder, West Los Angeles and Cherokee Studios, Chatsworth, California
Genre	Jazz rock
Length	34:02
Label	ABC
Producer	Gary Katz
Steely Dan chronology
Countdown to Ecstasy (1973) Pretzel Logic (1974) Katy Lied (1975)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	(A+)[2]
Rolling Stone	(favorable)[3]
This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

Pretzel Logic is the third studio album by the American jazz-rock band Steely Dan, originally released in 1974. The album's opening song, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", became the band's biggest hit, reaching #4 on the charts soon after the release of the album.^[4] The album itself went gold, and then platinum, reaching #8 on the charts.^[5] The album was also highly regarded critically, appearing near the top of several end-of-year polls including the number one slot on NME Album of the Year and the number two spot on the Village Voice end-of-year list compiled by Robert Christgau.^[6] In 2003, it was placed at number 385 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.^[7]

Overview

Steely Dan was still considered a true “group” at the time this, their third album, was released; in addition to core members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, guitarists Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Denny Dias and drummer Jim Hodder (as well as multi-instrumentalist Victor Feldman) had appeared on both previous Steely Dan releases along with a host of session aces; all five appeared on the inside cover of the album, though Hodder was replaced on drums by Jim Gordon and Jeff Porcaro for the recordings (Hodder did, however, contribute backing vocals to "Parker's Band").

The tour supporting this album would be the last time any version of Steely Dan appeared live until decades later, as Becker and Fagen's disillusionment with live performance during the tour would lead both to an end of such performances and a disbanding of the Steely Dan lineup. Much of this disillusionment was due to audiences' lack of reception of more complex material. This would lead Becker and Fagen to move to being a studio duo with varied backing on following albums, still under the name Steely Dan.

One of the tracks, "Parker's Band," was a tribute to legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker.

Initial versions of the Remastered CD issue contained an abridged version of "Rikki Don't Lose That Number". This has been corrected on subsequent pressings. The album was originally released in 2 channel Stereo and also in a special 4-channel Quadrophonic mix. There are some significant musical differences between the two mixes. This was the last of three Steely Dan albums to be issued in both 2 and 4 channel formats.

Track listing

All songs written by Becker and Fagen, except where noted

Original album version

Side 1

1. "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" – 4:30
2. "Night by Night" – 3:36
3. "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" – 3:05
4. "Barrytown" – 3:17
5. "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" (Duke Ellington, Bubber Miley) – 2:45

Side 2

6. "Parker's Band" – 2:36
7. "Through with Buzz" – 1:30
8. "Pretzel Logic" – 4:28
9. "With a Gun" – 2:15
10. "Charlie Freak" – 2:41
11. "Monkey in Your Soul" – 2:31

Personnel

Steely Dan

• Donald Fagen - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
• Walter Becker - bass, guitar, vocals
• Michael Omartian - keyboards
• David Paich - keyboards
• Timothy B. Schmit - bass, vocals
• Wilton Felder - bass
• Chuck Rainey - bass
• Denny Dias - guitar
• Jeff "Skunk" Baxter - guitar
• Ben Benay - guitar
• Dean Parks - guitar
• Plas Johnson - saxophone
• Jerome Richardson - saxophone
• Ernie Watts - saxophone
• Lew McCreary - horn
• Ollie Mitchell - trumpet
• Jim Hodder - drums
• Jim Gordon - drums
• Jeff Porcaro - drums

Production

• Producer: Gary Katz
• Engineer: Roger Nichols
• Consultant: Daniel Levitin
• Orchestration: Jimmie Haskell
• Design: David Larkham
• Art direction: Ed Caraeff
• Photography: Ed Caraeff
• Cover photo: Raeanne Rubenstein

Charts

Album^[5]

Year	Chart	Position
1974	Pop Albums	8

Pop Singles^[4]

Year	Single	Label & number	Position
1974	"Pretzel Logic" (3:59 edit) (B-side: "Through With Buzz")	ABC 12033	57
1974	"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" (B-side: "Any Major Dude Will Tell You")	ABC 11439	4

References

1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Pretzel Logic at Allmusic. Retrieved 27 October 2004.
2. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Steely Dan > Consumer Guide Reviews". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=steely+dan. Retrieved 5 March 2006. 
3. ^ Scoppa, Bud (May 23, 1974). "Steely Dan Pretzel Logic > Album Review". Rolling Stone (161). Archived from the original on 13 November 2007. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/pretzel-logic-19740523. Retrieved 22 August 2007. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles at Allmusic. Retrieved 27 October 2004.
5. ^ ^{a b} Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums at Allmusic. Retrieved 27 October 2004.
6. ^ "The 1974 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. January 20, 1975. http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres74.php. Retrieved 6 January 2005. 
7. ^ Levy, Joe; Steven Van Zandt (2006) [2005]. "385 | Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan". Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (3rd ed.). London: Turnaround. ISBN 1932958614. OCLC 70672814. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-19691231/pretzel-logic-steely-dan-19691231. Retrieved 5 March 2006. 

External links

• Complete lyrics