Rikki Don't Lose That Number

Infobox Single
Name = Rikki Don't Lose That Number


Cover size =
Border =
Caption = Cover to Steely Dan's "Pretzel Logic"
Artist = Steely Dan
Album = Pretzel Logic
A-side = "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"
B-side = "Any Major Dude Will Tell You"
Released = 1974
Format = 7" single
Recorded = 1973
Genre = Pop/Rock
Length = 4:30 (album) 3:58 (single)
Label = ABC Records
Writer = Walter Becker; Donald Fagen
Producer = Gary Katz
Audio sample? =
Certification =
Last single = "Do It Again"
(1972)
This single = "Rikki Don't Lose That Number"
(1974)
Next single = "Kid Charlemagne" (1976)
Misc =

"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is a single released in 1974 by rock/pop/jazz group Steely Dan. Featured as the opening track of their third album "Pretzel Logic", it became the group's highest charted record, peaking at #4 on "Billboard" in the summer of 1974.

The song features Jim Gordon on drums, as does the bulk of the "Pretzel Logic" album. The keyboard riff was taken from "Song for My Father," which was released in 1964 by Jazz composer and pianist Horace Silver. The opening of both songs is nearly identical.

Victor Feldman's flopanda [ [http://www.granatino.com/sdresource/17katz.htm Metal Leg 17 - Interview with Gary Katz ] ] (a kind of electric marimba) introduction to the song (opening the album) is cut from the original ABC single version. The MCA single reissue (backed with "Pretzel Logic") includes the flopanda intro but fades out just before the actual end of the track.

In the start date|2006|3|24 issue of "Entertainment Weekly", in an article titled "Back to Annandale", it was revealed that Rikki Ducornet was the apparent inspiration for the song due to a friendship songwriter Donald Fagen had with Ducornet while he attended Bard College. Ducornet was pregnant and married at the time, but recalls Fagen did give her his phone number at a college party while attending Bard. Although Fagen himself would not confirm the story, Ducornet was quoted that she believed she was indeed the subject of the song. [ [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1174152,00.html The origins of Steely Dan | Donald Fagen | Pop Culture News | News | Entertainment Weekly | 3 ] ]

Personnel ["A Decade of Steely Dan" liner notes]

* Lead Vocals: Donald Fagen
* Drums: Jim Gordon
* Bass: Walter Becker
* Acoustic Guitar: Dean Parks
* Solo Guitar: Jeff Baxter
* Piano: Michael Omartian
* Percussion: Victor Feldman
* Backup Vocals: Donald Fagen, Tim Schmit

References