Strong Songs has covered Steely Dan songs from 1976’s The Royal Scam, 1980’s Gaucho, and even 2000’s Two Against Nature, but somehow 1977’s Aja has remained unaddressed… until now. On this episode, Kirk takes a look under the hood of “Peg,” one of the most loved songs on The Dan’s most celebrated album, with all the double-stop bends, lyricon solos, and multi-tracked Michael McDonalds that entails.&nbsp;&nbsp;Written by: Donald Fagen and Walter BeckerProduced by: Gary KatzAlbum: Aja, 1977Listen/Buy via <a href="https://song.link/i/1706428468" rel="noopener noreferrer">Album.Link</a>ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:<ul><li>Strong Songs episodes on:<ul><li>&nbsp;"<a href="https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s03e03-babylon-sisters-by-steely-dan?_pos=1&_sid=5b27aabca&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer">Babylon Sisters</a>" (Full song)</li><li>&nbsp;"<a href="https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s04e10-strong-solos-vol-1?_pos=23&_sid=5d81b19c9&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer">Janie Runaway</a>" (Chris Potter's solo)&nbsp;</li><li>"<a href="https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s05e09-strong-solos-vol-2-electric-guitar-aloo?_pos=24&_sid=5d81b19c9&_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kid Charlemagne</a>" (Larry Carlton's solo)</li></ul></li><li>"Babylon Sisters" by Steely Dan from Gaucho, 1980</li><li>"Kid Charlemagne" by Steely Dan from The Royal Scam, 1976</li><li>"Janie Runaway" by Steely Dan from Two Against Nature, 2000</li><li>"Deacon Blues" from Aja, 1977</li><li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268225/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Classic Albums: Steely Dan: Aja</a>, 2000 Documentary</li><li>"Peg" live from Steely Dan, Two Against Nature tour DVD, 2000</li><li>"Midnight at the Oasis" by Maria Muldaur w/ Amos Garrett from Maria Muldaur, 1974</li><li>Tom Scott playing lyricon on "Say You Love Me," 1987</li><li>"What a Fool Believes" by Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, recorded by The Doobie Brothers, 1978</li><li>Steve Kahn's <a href="http://www.stevekhan.com/aja_steelydan_reflections.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer">blog post</a> recalling the "Peg" recording session</li><li>2020 <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/peg-it-will-come-back-to-you-steely-dans-donald-fagen-on-the-1977-hit-11586272100" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wall Street Journal interview</a> with Fagen on the meaning of "Peg"'s lyrics</li><li>Rick Beato interviews with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h0kgHWb6mc&t=910s" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jay Graydon</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h0kgHWb6mc&t=910s" rel="noopener noreferrer">Michael McDonald</a></li><li>Donald Fagan's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP_2r9zbaIY" rel="noopener noreferrer">"Peg" piano lesson</a></li><li><a href="https://playlikethegreats.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">PlayLikeTheGreats.com </a>- a fantastic transcription resource</li></ul>--------------------SEPTEMBER 2026 WHOLE NOTE PATRONSDave Florey - AccessViolation - Jeremy Dawson - Sami Samhuri - Paul Delaney - Jenness Gardner - Melanie Andrich - Ken Hirsh - Joe Laska - David Mascetti - Christopher McConnell - Jamie White - Christopher Miller - Daniel Hannon-Barry - Jay Swartz - Damon White - Catherine Warner - Pablo Castro - Ben Barron - Corpus Frisky - Cesar - Robyn Metcalfe - Scott Lystig Fritchie - Lisa Crotty - Andy - Melissa Lucas - Greg - Julie Rowe - Rich Fish - Greer Bevel - Butch Vig - Greg - Matt R - Wendy Moore - Cerise Gay - Erica Smolinski - Brute Farce - John PultzSEPTEMBER 2026 HALF NOTE PATRONSColin Hodo - James Johnson - Arjun Sharma - Justin McElroy - Alexander Polson - Richard Toller - Melanie Stivers - Matt Betzel - Jeffrey Olson - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Andrew Fair - Andrew Baker - Amanda Furlotti - Brad Callahan - Jennifer Bush - AJ Schuster - Tanner Morton - Gavin Doig - Chris K - Alexander - David - Naomi - Dave Sharpe - Caro Field - Jonathan Daniels - Jake Roberts - Eric Helm - Melmaniac - Dhu Wik - Tom Coleman - Diane Turner - Clare H - Randy Souza - Pascal Rueger - Joshua Hill - Stephen Tsoneff - Michael Casner - Diane Hughes - Angela Livingstone - cbalmain - Eric Prestemon - Lauren Reay - Nathan Gouwens - Nell Morse - Karma Jay - Dallas Hockley - M Shane Borders - Kevin Potter - Eoin de Burca - Bonnie Prinsen - Ryan Rairigh - Achint Srivastava - Doug Belew - Abbie Berg - Jason Pratt - Geraldine Butler - Bernard Khoo - David Joske - Donald Mackie - Steve Paquin - Mino Capossela - Kelli Brockington - Adam W - Josh Singer - Rob Tsuk - Michael Livingstone - Ailie Fraser - JRRJ - Jeffrey Bean - Rishi Sahay - Zak Remer - Adam Stofsky - Kenneth Jung - Bruno Gaeta - Paul Wayper - Lisa Turner - Wendy Gilchrist - Doreen Carlson - Janice Berry - Christian Hessmann - Richard Sneddon - Portland Eye Care - Deebs - Michael Shain - Jamie - David Futter - Jeff Ulm - Aaron Wade - Greg Henion - KenIsWearingAHat - Ethan Bauman - Catherine Clause - Charles McGee - Tim Sheehan - E Margaret Warton - Matt Baxter - Dr Arthur A Gray - Steve Martino - Stu Baker - Martín Salías - Peter Harding - John Halpin - Douglas H Frazer - Heather J - Alan Maass - Dave Malloy - Robert Granat - Kaya Woodall - Kellen Steffen - Sean Murphy - Ben Stein - Dick Morgan - David Boston - Misty Haisfield - Carlos Lerner - Dent Earl - Aaron Wilson - Chris Remo - Brian Johan Peter - Ethan Laser - James McMurry - Anthony Mentz - Thomas - Matthew Jones - Eric Sp - Max - Rand LeShay - Stephen Wolkwitz - Paul Bigelman - Monica St. Angelo - Henry Mindlin - Dave Kolas - Lauren Knotts - Joe Gallo - Merv Adrian - Michael Singer - Inmar Givoni - Mordok’s Vape Pen - Clint McElroy - Dan Cutter - Michael - James - Kevin Marcelo - Mitch Vega - Ashley - Melissa Kuhns - Jordan Gatenby - Andrew Hofer - Ian Pidd - Irritable - Meryl Allison - Praline - Andrew Cranin - Kevin Stafford - Daniel Nervo - Philip Kelly - Bea - Julie Kellman - Daniel Kaberon - TB - Aruni Jayatilleke - Kym Griffith - PhantomMare - Alison Dugan - Margaret McReynolds - HiddenJester - Brian Rinckenberger - RsP - Lottie Aron - Steve B - Emotional - A Basketball Podcast - Zach Putnam - Stephen - Adam Clark - Freddy Freeman - Erik - Mathias Schmidt - Tucker Ped - Sarah Vetters - Aaron Cain - Daniel Markoff - Alexis - Alex - Eric Stone - Alan Kress - Max Barnes - Michael Martin - James - Andrew Knutson - Doug - Sam Grogan - MT - Linda Lange - James Hicks - Frankie Lee - Michael Adamski - Mark MacIntosh - Jeff Stormer - Edward Reisert - Klodrik - Aron - Kevin Davis - Matt - Louise Clarke - Richard Randall - AlanB - Will King - PJ and Ethan - Cameron - Rebecca - Ned Rosen - Simon Hellman - Jim M - Néa - Karl Dube - Frank - Robin Ling - M - Mark Perna - Alan Wills - Ferdinand Von Seebach - Minoru Aoki - Joshua Gailey - Klaus - Sue Burgess - Mike! - Gabriel Hoffman - Rorey Risdon - John Auer - Mike McPherson - Mr J Martin - Todd Thomas - Anna Sahlee - Louisa Castner - Calvin73Atx - Philomène Gatien - Doannie Tran - Slatron - Megan Hiatt - Melissa Wert - Mary Beth - Hugh Blemings
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