I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)

Last updated
"I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)"
Donald Fagen - IGY.jpg
Single by Donald Fagen
from the album The Nightfly
B-side "Walk Between Raindrops"
ReleasedSeptember 1982 [1]
Genre
Length6:03 (album version)
4:56 (7" single)
Label Warner Bros. - 7-29900
Songwriter(s) Donald Fagen
Producer(s) Gary Katz
Donald Fagen singles chronology
"I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)"
(1982)		"New Frontier"
(1983)

"I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)" 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.

Contents

Background

Fagen, along with musician Walter Becker, led the rock band Steely Dan during the 1970s. Between 1972 and 1981, Steely Dan had ten Top-40 singles, including the top-ten hits "Do It Again" (1972), "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" (1974) and "Hey Nineteen" (1980). [2] : 600  In 1981 Becker and Fagen parted ways. Fagen's first album as a solo artist, The Nightfly , was released the next year. [3]

Title and lyrics

The "I.G.Y." of the title refers to the "International Geophysical Year", an event that ran from July 1957 to December 1958. [2] : 217  The I.G.Y. was an international scientific project promoting collaboration among the world's scientists. Fagen's lyric discusses the widespread optimistic vision of the future at that time, including futuristic concepts such as solar-powered cities, a transatlantic tunnel, permanent space stations, [4] and spandex jackets.

The song references the vision of postwar optimism in America and the Western world. The "76" referred to in the song is 1976, the U.S. Bicentennial year. [5]

Chart performance and accolades

"I.G.Y." debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 9, 1982, at number 56. It reached the top 40 on October 30 and eventually peaked at number 26 on November 27, 1982. [6] [2] : 217  It also reached number 8 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, number 17 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, and number 54 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart. It was Fagen's only solo Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [7]

It was nominated for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1983, [8] losing to "Always on My Mind". [9]

Cover versions

"I.G.Y." has been covered by British singer and musician Howard Jones, who included a version on his 1993 greatest hits album The Best of Howard Jones . [10]

The gospel a cappella group Take 6 covered "I.G.Y." as the title track on their 2002 release Beautiful World. The lyric of Fagen's original song was modified to recast the song with a gospel message. [11]

In 2004 Marcia Hines recorded a version for her album Hinesight . [12]

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1982–83)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [13] 53
Canada 50 Singles ( RPM ) [14] 36
Canada Adult Contemporary ( RPM ) [15] 2
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [16] 46
US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) [17] 8
US Billboard Hot 100 [18] 26
US Cashbox Top 100 [19] 19
US Rock Albums & Top Tracks ( Billboard ) [20] 17

The song was also used in a scene from the Simpsons sixteenth-season episode "Future Drama" when Homer and Bart are flying around in the 'imperfect Hovercar'. [21]

French DJ Producer Alan Braxe sampled this song for the remix on Benjamin Diamond's "In Your Arms (We Gonna Make It)". [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Steely Dan is an American rock band founded in 1971 in New York by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Originally having a full band lineup, by the end of 1974 Becker and Fagen chose to stop playing live and continue Steely Dan as a studio-only duo, utilising 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 by ABC Records on February 20, 1974. 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

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>Aja</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Steely Dan

Aja is the sixth studio album by the American jazz rock band Steely Dan, released by ABC Records on September 23, 1977. On the album, band leaders Donald Fagen and Walter Becker pushed Steely Dan further into experimenting with different combinations of session players, enlisting the services of nearly 40 musicians, while pursuing longer, more sophisticated compositions and arrangements.

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

Katy Lied is the fourth studio album by American rock band Steely Dan, released by ABC Records in March 1975; reissues have been released by MCA Records since ABC Records was acquired by MCA 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>The Royal Scam</i> 1976 studio album by Steely Dan

The Royal Scam is the fifth studio album by American rock band Steely Dan, released by ABC Records in 1976; reissues have been released by MCA Records since ABC Records was acquired by MCA in 1979. It was produced by Gary Katz. In the United States, the album peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, and it has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

<i>The Nightfly</i> 1982 studio album by Donald Fagen

The Nightfly is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Donald Fagen. Produced by Gary Katz, it was released October 1, 1982, by Warner Bros. Records. Fagen is best known for his work in the group Steely Dan, with whom he enjoyed a successful career since the 1970s. The band separated in 1981, leading Fagen to pursue a solo career. Although The Nightfly includes a number of production staff and musicians who had played on Steely Dan records, it was Fagen's first release without longtime collaborator Walter Becker.

<i>Kamakiriad</i> 1993 studio album by Donald Fagen

Kamakiriad is the second solo album by Steely Dan artist Donald Fagen, released in 1993. It was his first collaboration with Steely Dan partner Walter Becker since 1986, on Rosie Vela's album Zazu. Becker played guitar and bass and produced the album. The album is a futuristic, optimistic eight-song cycle about the journey of the narrator in his high-tech car, the Kamakiri. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year 1994.

Gary Katz is an American record producer, best known for his work on albums by Steely Dan. Katz has also produced numerous other recording artists and assisted in the discovery and signing of a number of subsequently successful acts. He has four Grammy nominations.

<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 #40 on the Easy Listening chart. In Canada, it peaked at #14, a position it occupied for two weeks, and #20 Adult Contemporary. In 2021, it was listed at No. 214 on Rolling Stone's "Top 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).

<i>A Decade of Steely Dan</i> 1985 compilation album by Steely Dan

A Decade of Steely Dan is a compilation album by Steely Dan, released in 1985. It was the band's first compilation specifically for the compact disc market, and was certified a gold record by the RIAA.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do It Again (Steely Dan song)</span> 1972 single by Steely Dan

"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.

<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.

<i>Sunken Condos</i> 2012 studio album by Donald Fagen

Sunken Condos is the fourth and most recent solo album from Steely Dan co-founder Donald Fagen, released in October 2012 through Reprise Records. It contains eight new songs and a cover of Isaac Hayes' "Out of the Ghetto". Fagen began recording the album in 2010 and described it as having a lighter feel than his earlier work, rather than being a continuation of his Nightfly trilogy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Frontier (song)</span> 1983 single by Donald Fagen

"New Frontier" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Donald Fagen for his debut studio album, The Nightfly (1982). The song was released as the second single from the album in January 1983 through Warner Bros. Records. The song received acclaim from music critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time Out of Mind (Steely Dan song)</span> 1981 single by Steely Dan

"Time Out of Mind" is a song by the American rock group Steely Dan that was first released on their 1980 album Gaucho. It was also released as the album's second single in 1981, peaking at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remaining on the chart for 11 weeks. It was Steely Dan's final hit before disbanding in the summer of that year.

References

  1. ↑ "Donald Fagen - I.G.Y. (What A Beautiful World)" – via www.45cat.com.
  2. 1 2 3 Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). Billboard Books. ISBN   0-8230-7499-4.
  3. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Steely Dan biography". AllMusic . Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  4. ↑ Mason, Stewart. "Song review: Donald Fagen: I.G.Y." AllMusic . Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  5. ↑ Aaron, S. Victor (2012-07-08). "Steely Dan Sunday: "I.G.Y." (1982)". somethingelsereviews.com. Retrieved 2017-12-24.
  6. ↑ "Music: Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart". Billboard.com. 1982-11-27. Retrieved 2016-10-31.
  7. ↑ "Donald Fagen: Billboard Singles". AllMusic . Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  8. ↑ Hilburn, Robert (February 21, 1983). "Grammys could gain needed respectability by honoring Nelson". Ottawa Citizen . Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Johnny Christopher Grammy awards". AllMusic . Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  10. ↑ DeGagne, Mike. "The Best of Howard Jones". AllMusic . Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  11. ↑ Edelstein, Paula. "Beautiful World - Take 6". AllMusic . Retrieved March 28, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Hinesight - Marcia Hines | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  13. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  14. ↑ "RPM 50 Singles" (PDF). RPM . 37 (17). Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada. December 11, 1982. OCLC   352936026 . Retrieved December 3, 2016.
  15. ↑ "RPM Contemporary Adult" (PDF). RPM . 37 (20). Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada. January 15, 1983. OCLC   352936026 . Retrieved December 3, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Donald Fagen – New Frontier" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Billboard Top 50 Adult Contemporary Survey for Week Ending 3/19/83". Billboard. 95 (11). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 23 March 19, 1983. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Donald Fagen Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Cashbox Top 100 Singles: December 4, 1982". Cashbox . Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Billboard Rock Albums & Top Tracks Survey for Week Ending 12/4/82". Billboard. 94 (48). Nielsen Business Media, Inc.: 20 December 4, 1982. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  21. ↑ ""The Simpsons" Future-Drama (TV Episode 2005) - IMDb" – via www.imdb.com.
  22. ↑ "Benjamin Diamond's 'In Your Arms (We Gonna Make It Mix by Alan Braxe)' - Discover the Sample Source". WhoSampled.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.