Do It Again (Steely Dan song)

Last updated
"Do It Again"
Do It Again45.jpg
Single by Steely Dan
from the album Can't Buy a Thrill
B-side "Fire in the Hole"
ReleasedNovember 1972
RecordedAugust 1972
Studio The Village Recorder, Santa Monica
Genre
Length
  • 4:14 (7" version)
  • 5:56 (album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Gary Katz
Steely Dan singles chronology
"Dallas"
(1972)
"Do It Again"
(1972)
"Reelin' In the Years"
(1973)
Official audio
"Do It Again" on YouTube

"Do It Again" is a 1972 song composed and performed by American rock group Steely Dan, who released it as a single from their debut album Can't Buy a Thrill as its opening track. The single version differed from the album version, shortening the intro and outro and omitting the organ solo.

Contents

Released in 1972, the song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 18, 1972, and reached number 6 on the US charts in 1973, making it Steely Dan's second highest-charting single. [5]

Song

"Do It Again" features an electric sitar solo by Denny Dias. The "plastic organ" solo by Donald Fagen was performed on a Yamaha YC-30 with a sliding pitch-bending control. [6] The song is written in the key of G minor and has a tempo of 125 beats per minute. It follows a chord progression of Cm-Dm-E♭-Dm7-Gm-Cm-Dm-E♭-Dm.

David Palmer fronted the band during their live show, and sang "Do It Again" when the group played The Midnight Special in February 1973. Donald Fagen sang the vocal on the album version. [7]

Cash Box described it as a "fine commercial effort with plenty of potential as a hit record", going on to say that it "is highlighted by some fine vocal harmony and superb arrangement." [8] Record World called it a "gentle rocker" that "has a bit of the Latin rock sound" and "solid production by Gary Katz." [9]

Personnel

Steely Dan

Additional personnel

Production

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [21] Silver200,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notable cover versions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steely Dan</span> American rock band

Steely Dan is an American rock band formed in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, in 1971 by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Originally having a full band lineup, Becker and Fagen chose to stop playing live by the end of 1974 and continued Steely Dan as a studio-only duo, utilizing a revolving cast of session musicians. Rolling Stone has called them "the perfect musical antiheroes for the seventies".

<i>Pretzel Logic</i> 1974 studio album by Steely Dan

Pretzel Logic is the third studio album by American rock band Steely Dan, released on February 20, 1974, by ABC Records. It was recorded at the Village Recorder in West Los Angeles, California, with producer Gary Katz. The album was Steely Dan's last to be made and released while the group was still an active touring band, as well as the final album to feature the band's full quintet-lineup of Becker, Fagen, Denny Dias, Jim Hodder, and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, though it also features significant contributions from many prominent Los Angeles-based studio musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald Fagen</span> American musician (born 1948)

Donald Jay Fagen is an American musician who was the co-founder, lead singer, co-songwriter, and keyboardist of the band Steely Dan, formed in the early 1970s with musical partner Walter Becker. In addition to his work with Steely Dan, Fagen has released four solo albums, beginning with The Nightfly in 1982, which was nominated for seven Grammys.

<i>Cant Buy a Thrill</i> 1972 studio album by Steely Dan

Can't Buy a Thrill is the debut studio album by American rock band Steely Dan, released in November 1972, by ABC Records. It was written by band members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, and recorded in August 1972 at the Village Recorder in Los Angeles with producer Gary Katz. The album is one of Steely Dan's most stylistically eclectic, encompassing the sounds of soft rock, folk rock, jazz rock and pop, alongside philosophical, elliptical lyrics.

<i>Katy Lied</i> 1975 studio album by Steely Dan

Katy Lied is the fourth studio album by American rock band Steely Dan, released in March 1975, by ABC Records; reissues have since been released by MCA Records due to ABC's acquisition by the former in 1979. It was the first album the group made after they stopped touring, as well as their first to feature backing vocals by Michael McDonald.

<i>Two Against Nature</i> 2000 studio album by Steely Dan

Two Against Nature is the eighth studio album by American rock band Steely Dan. Their first studio album in 20 years, it was recorded from 1997 to 1999 and released on February 29, 2000, by Giant Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel (Elton John song)</span> 1973 single by Elton John

"Daniel" is a song written by English musician Elton John and his long-time songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was first released on John's 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player. The original single release was also notable for a re-recorded version of 'Skyline Pigeon" on its B-side, which went on to be a popular track in its own right.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kid Charlemagne</span> 1976 single by Steely Dan

"Kid Charlemagne" is a song by American rock band Steely Dan, released in 1976 as the opening track on their album The Royal Scam. An edited version was released as a single, reaching number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100. Larry Carlton's guitar solo on the song was ranked #80 in a 2008 list of the 100 greatest guitar solos by Rolling Stone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Are the Sunshine of My Life</span> 1973 single by Stevie Wonder

"You Are the Sunshine of My Life" is a 1973 single released by Stevie Wonder. The song became Wonder's third number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and his first number-one on the Easy Listening chart. It won Wonder a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and was nominated for both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. This song was the second single released from the 1972 album entitled Talking Book, which stayed at number one on the R&B albums chart for three weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deacon Blues</span> 1978 single by Steely Dan

"Deacon Blues" is a song written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen in 1976 and recorded by their group Steely Dan on their 1977 album Aja. It peaked at number 19 on the Billboard charts and number 17 on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100 in June 1978. It also reached number 40 on the Easy Listening chart. In Canada, it peaked at number 14, a position it occupied for two weeks, and number 20 Adult Contemporary. In 2021, it was ranked No. 214 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peg (song)</span> 1977 single by Steely Dan

"Peg" is a song by the American rock group Steely Dan, first released on the band's 1977 album Aja. The track was released as a single in 1977 and reached number 11 on the US Billboard chart in 1978 and number eight on the Cash Box chart. With a chart run of 19 weeks, "Peg" is tied with "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" and "Hey Nineteen" for being Steely Dan's longest-running chart hit. In Canada, "Peg" spent three weeks at number seven in March 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hey Nineteen</span> 1980 single by Steely Dan

"Hey Nineteen" is a song by the band Steely Dan from their album Gaucho (1980).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reelin' In the Years</span> 1972 single by Steely Dan

"Reelin' In the Years" is a song by American rock band Steely Dan, released as the second single from their 1972 debut album, Can't Buy a Thrill. It peaked at No. 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and at No. 15 in Canada.

"Show Biz Kids" is a song composed by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen and performed by Steely Dan with Rick Derringer on slide guitar. It was the first single from Steely Dan's 1973 album Countdown to Ecstasy, and reached number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was edited for the single release.

<i>The Best of Steely Dan: Then and Now</i> 1993 greatest hits album by Steely Dan

The Best of Steely Dan: Then and Now is a compilation album by Steely Dan, released in 1993. The album cover is a photograph of Carhenge in Nebraska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rikki Don't Lose That Number</span> 1974 single by Steely Dan

"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is a single released in 1974 by rock/jazz rock group Steely Dan and the opening track of their third album Pretzel Logic. It was the most successful single of the group's career, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FM (No Static at All)</span> 1978 single by Steely Dan

"FM (No Static at All)" is a song by American jazz-rock band Steely Dan, the title theme for the 1978 film FM. It made the US Top 40 that year when released as a single, a success relative to the film. Musically, it is a complex jazz-rock composition driven by its bass, guitar and piano parts, typical of the band's sound from this period; its lyrics look askance at the album-oriented rock format of many FM radio stations at that time, in contrast to the film's celebration of that medium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)</span> 1982 single by Donald Fagen

"I.G.Y. " is a song written and performed by American songwriter, singer and musician Donald Fagen. It was the first track on his platinum-certified debut solo album The Nightfly, and was released in September 1982 as its first single. It charted within the top 30 on the Billboard Hot 100, Mainstream Rock, R&B Singles and Adult Contemporary charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josie (Steely Dan song)</span> 1978 single by Steely Dan

"Josie" is a song written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen and first released by Steely Dan on their 1977 album Aja. It was also released as the third single from the album and performed modestly well, reaching number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 44 on the Easy Listening chart that year. It has appeared on several Steely Dan live and compilation albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweet Seasons</span> 1972 single by Carole King

Sweet Seasons” is a song written by Carole King and Toni Stern which appeared on King's 1971 album Carole King Music. It was the only charting single from the album, and was her second of four Top 10 hits in the US.

References

  1. Mason, Stewart. "Do It Again – Song Review". AllMusic . Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  2. Hoffmann, Frank, ed. (2005). "Steely Dan". Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound . Routledge. ISBN   0-415-93835-X.
  3. Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 471. ISBN   0-452-26305-0.
  4. Sampaio, Gerard (2005). "Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 257.
  5. 1 2 "Steely Dan – Awards". AllMusic . Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  6. "Discography, or Who Played What On....?". Combo Organ. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  7. Greene, Andy (7 March 2013). "Flashback: Steely Dan Live in 1973". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  8. "Singles Reviews > Newcomer Picks" (PDF). Cash Box. November 4, 1972. p. 20. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  9. "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. November 4, 1972. p. 16. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5297." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  12. "Steely Dan – Do It Again" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  13. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 1, 1973" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  14. "Steely Dan – Do It Again" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  15. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 228.
  16. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending FEBRUARY 17, 1973". Cash Box . Archived from the original on October 2, 2012.
  17. "The Singles Chart" (PDF). Record World . February 24, 1972. p. 27. ISSN   0034-1622 . Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  19. "Top 100 Singles of '73". RPM . Vol. 20, no. 20. December 29, 1973. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  20. "Top 100 Hits for 1973". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved September 5, 2014.
  21. "British single certifications – Steely Dan – Do It Again". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  22. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 278. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  23. "Music". Smash Mouth. Smash Mouth Music, Inc. Retrieved 4 September 2023.