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Steely Dan — My Old School
Album: Countdown to Ecstasy
Avg rating:
7.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 640









Released: 1973
Length: 5:34
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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I remember the thirty-five sweet goodbyes
When you put me on the Wolverine
Up to Annandale
It was still September
When your daddy was quite surprised
To find you with the working girls
In the county jail
I was smoking with the boys upstairs
When I heard about the whole affair
I said, whoa no
William and Mary won't do now

Well, I did not think the girl
Could be so cruel
And I'm never going back
To my old school

Oleanders growing outside her door
Soon they're gonna be in bloom
Up in Annandale
I can't stand her
Doing what she did before
Living like a gypsy queen
In a fairy tale
Well, I hear the whistle but I can't go
I'm gonna take her down to Mexico
She said, whoa no
Guadalajara won't do now

Well, I did not think the girl
Could be so cruel
And I'm never going back
To my old school

California tumbles into the sea
That'll be the day I go
Back to Annandale
Tried to warn you
About Chino and Daddy Gee
But I can't seem to get to you
Through the U.S. Mail
Well, I hear the whistle but I can't go
I'm gonna take her down to Mexico
She said, whoa no
Guadalajara won't do now

Well, I did not think the girl
Could be so cruel
And I'm never going back
To my old school
Comments (106)add comment
 Shesdifferent wrote:
Their best album IMO {#Sunny}



GREAT ALBUM!  But, it is very difficult to determine a "BEST" Steely Dan ailbum!
Posted 1 year ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
EXCELLENT!!   
Posted 2 years ago by eileenomurphy    [ Reply ]
 Shesdifferent wrote:
Their best album IMO {#Sunny}

 
Ageed! 
Posted 6 years ago by Mustangbill    [ Reply ]
Their best album IMO {#Sunny}
Posted 6 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
 junebaby65 wrote:
God Bless Jeff Baxter-who played the solo on this.

 
The guitar work on this song is frickin awesome.
Posted 9 years ago by Citizen225    [ Reply ]
One of the great byproducts of Fagen's imagery is the stuff that simply doesn't make sense. For instance, Becker and Fagen met at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson in New York. That's the old school in Annandale. But he also writes about the oleanders blooming in the spring in Annandale--pretty much unlikely because oleanders are tropical and generally hardy in Zone 8 and higher, don't survive temps much below 0 degrees Celsius, and Annandale is on the border of Zones 5 and 6.

I've read that some recently developed mutations have had middling success in Zone 6, but that wasn't going on when Fagen wrote the lyrics. I prefer to think that Fagen simply like the image, the sound of the word, and how easily its meter fit into the song's metrics.
Posted 11 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
God Bless Jeff Baxter-who played the solo on this.
Posted 11 years ago by junebaby65    [ Reply ]
EXT-PENCEY PREP

STEELY DAN'S MY OLD SCHOOL

JUSTIN BIEBER: 'PHONIES' MASSIVE FIREBALL.

FADE.

Baz Luhrman's CATCHER IN THE RYE
Posted 11 years ago by drucev    [ Reply ]
A low evening, and then this blasts out.

What is there not to like? The horn arrangements lift the heart, the guitar sizzles, the lyrics are wonderful SD impenetrable nonsense (to my ears), the production is faultless, and suddenly the world looks a better place.

Great song. Time to go on a SD jag. The neighbours may complain...

What the hell, I feel better. 
Posted 11 years ago by catnip    [ Reply ]
 Bat wrote:
The sax run between "California tumbles into the sea" and "That'll be the day I go back to Anondale" is just fantastic, especially the final little umpf of the bass sax at the very end.
 
Yeah, man!  Little details like that, the "toot, toot" horns in the background, and the guitar wailing at low volumes behind the vocals and ripping during solos, drums and cymbals being bashed throughout the enitre song ... lots of little details adding together make a truly fabulous tune.
Posted 11 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
 idiot_wind wrote:
How about Dr Wu once in awhile?

Trippy lyrics, a hint of forlorn, and great musicianship.
 
That's my favorite Dan song.  I have a soft spot for this one, cause we used to play it in the Stanford Band.
Posted 11 years ago by Dave_Mack    [ Reply ]
Steely Dan, the only band that sounds like them{#Crown}
Posted 11 years ago by beans4tea    [ Reply ]
oh for a steely dan free world
Posted 11 years ago by rage    [ Reply ]
so bland...
Posted 12 years ago by Paul_Skybreakers    [ Reply ]
I love how obsessed these guys are with the production quality of their work. No wonder this song is so good.
Posted 12 years ago by kojiroh    [ Reply ]
Call me crazy, but I love this song and it's probably one of my all time favorite SD songs. It's so well produced - I never get tired of listening to it.
Posted 12 years ago by Deckard    [ Reply ]
How about Dr Wu once in awhile?

Trippy lyrics, a hint of forlorn, and great musicianship.
Posted 12 years ago by idiot_wind    [ Reply ]
How come there is no 11 rank? 
Posted 12 years ago by yellowfish    [ Reply ]
they can do no wrong in my book.
Posted 12 years ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
Still among the best produced albums out there.  RIP Roger Nichols!
Posted 12 years ago by p2h2d2    [ Reply ]
{#Dancingbanana_2}Steely Dan's greatest single!{#Bananajam}
Posted 12 years ago by olivertwist    [ Reply ]
 treatment_bound wrote:
Copy & paste the web address below into a new browsing session to read a really good article from about 5 years ago where Fagen discusses this song and college life:

https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1174152,00.html

 
That was great, thanks! (For some reason, I've been thinking Annadale was in Maryland. Now I know!)

Posted 12 years ago by cayenne    [ Reply ]
Very nice!
Posted 12 years ago by helgigermany    [ Reply ]
Copy & paste the web address below into a new browsing session to read a really good article from about 5 years ago where Fagen discusses this song and college life:

https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1174152,00.html

Posted 12 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]
My number 1 band by far!! Great album, great song!
Posted 13 years ago by Dinges,_the_Dude    [ Reply ]
The sax run between "California tumbles into the sea" and "That'll be the day I go back to Anondale" is just fantastic, especially the final little umpf of the bass sax at the very end.


Posted 13 years ago by Bat    [ Reply ]
Excellent song from an excellent album.  What a great band!
Posted 13 years ago by bachbeet    [ Reply ]
saw them in a rare 70's tour. Opening (that's right) for ELO. Early 1974.
Posted 13 years ago by Pharlap    [ Reply ]
I was thrilled to see Fagen and Becker in 1994, and was probably the only Slacker generation punk in the audience. I still love their evil cha cha music more than just about anything.
Posted 13 years ago by mike_chouinard    [ Reply ]
Wow this is "reeling in the years" for me. 9.
Posted 13 years ago by Huey    [ Reply ]
Seeing them in two weeks!  w00t!
Posted 13 years ago by Dave_Mack    [ Reply ]
Great double bill just announced coming to our town in October. Steely Dan and Steve Winwood.  I'm already counting the sleeps.
Posted 13 years ago by freddyb    [ Reply ]
God, I love Steely Dan.
Posted 13 years ago by K_Love    [ Reply ]
Saw Steely Dan live a few years ago. This is the song they blew the roof off with. Not the one I would have expected, but they totally pulled out all the stops. The live version is a good 6 minutes long.
Posted 13 years ago by Art_Carnage    [ Reply ]
 Dave_Mack wrote:
I always get goosebumps when I hear that sax section riff in the last verse.  Sooooooo  awesome!
 

Sax gives me goosebumps, too.
Posted 13 years ago by gabrielle7nt    [ Reply ]

Excellent songwriters that surrounded themselves with excellent musicians.


Posted 13 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
I always get goosebumps when I hear that sax section riff in the last verse.  Sooooooo  awesome!
Posted 13 years ago by Dave_Mack    [ Reply ]
 apd wrote:
Song could use some more cowbell.
 
Was just going to post that!  Love those cowbells! 

Posted 13 years ago by triviagal    [ Reply ]
 k_trout wrote:
your daddy was quite surprised
to find you with the working girls in the country jail
oooh - that's going to leave a mark!
 
Especially when he found out that you were in there because you were x-dressing as a Queen in a Fairy Tale .... and was wearing a Steely Dan III .. OMG!

{#Whipit}


Posted 13 years ago by Misterfixit    [ Reply ]
Song could use some more cowbell.
Posted 13 years ago by apd    [ Reply ]
All Dan great! That is all.
Posted 13 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
The last 17 songs have been great.......12/15/2010 playlist....shit I hate to turn it off but I gotta go!
Posted 13 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
Never going back to my old school either.
Posted 13 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
driving up to Humboldt State in early 70's when I heard this song for the first time.  Nearly killed myself with joy driving and swerving and jumping up and down.  To this day, it remains one of my favorites...SD forever!{#Dancingbanana}{#Bananajam}
Posted 14 years ago by Rooney    [ Reply ]
driving up to Humboldt State in early 70's when I heard this song for the first time.  Nearly killed myself with joy driving and swerving and jumping up and down.  To this day, it remains one of my favorites...SD forever!{#Dancingbanana}{#Bananajam}
Posted 14 years ago by Rooney    [ Reply ]
My Old School is right.....God does this CD bring it all back, kickin in London, 18 years old....great times.....love this whole album! Play any song from it...Steely Dan was at its best then! Such memories listening to this looking out my flat over Portobello Rd, drinking tea....sigh.......
Posted 14 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
 ICHawk wrote:
Love it! Probably my favorite SD tune.The horn licks on the last verse are wonderful.
 
Me too - lyrics are complete nonsense - but this track really rocks!!!!!!
Posted 14 years ago by jools    [ Reply ]
your daddy was quite surprised
to find you with the working girls in the country jail
oooh - that's going to leave a mark!
Posted 14 years ago by k_trout    [ Reply ]
Love it! Probably my favorite SD tune.The horn licks on the last verse are wonderful.
Posted 14 years ago by ICHawk    [ Reply ]
 Egrey wrote:
I know am gonna catch hell for this b/c a great many people think that Mr. Dan is one of the great innovators in Rock/Jazz. But this is slowly killing me. I am in sucko/barfo land here.
 
points and laughs.

Posted 14 years ago by zipper    [ Reply ]
67nj wrote:
prophetic!
Prophetic indeed: my brilliant and gorgeous 20 year old goddaughter is a student at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson (the alma mater of Fagen and Becker). She's been a fan of Steely Dan since she was three years old.
Posted 16 years ago by justin_thyme    [ Reply ]
I know am gonna catch hell for this b/c a great many people think that Mr. Dan is one of the great innovators in Rock/Jazz. But this is slowly killing me. I am in sucko/barfo land here.
Posted 16 years ago by Egrey    [ Reply ]
prophetic!
Posted 16 years ago by 67nj    [ Reply ]
I know there are those who think SD is fluff, but I think there is quite a bit of substance in their lyrics, even this one. You need to think a little . . .
Posted 16 years ago by steeler    [ Reply ]
Finally some Dan! For those of us who like our fruit round and full.
Posted 16 years ago by Deccapod    [ Reply ]
Dig the guitar, escpecially as the song fades out.
Posted 16 years ago by manchester1    [ Reply ]
handyrae wrote:
I turned RP on during an instrumental part of this song, and my first thought was, "Did I get the wrong station, is this some cheesy 70s sitcom theme song?"
... Like This ... ?
Posted 16 years ago by a_genuine_find    [ Reply ]
I turned RP on during an instrumental part of this song, and my first thought was, "Did I get the wrong station, is this some cheesy 70s sitcom theme song?"
Posted 16 years ago by handyrae    [ Reply ]
for me the whole song is structured around the guitar solos, works well. Horror fade out at the end
Posted 16 years ago by tobstar    [ Reply ]
healyf52 wrote:
IMHO, Steely Dan is probablly the finest pop band ever. Musically, nobody else can touch them. Great lyrics, awesome pop hooks, monster chops, killer compositions. I've always thought that these guys were the best musicians on the planet - next to Yes, that is.
Beautifully stated. Definitely a pop band, but what CHOPS!!
Posted 16 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
ejsamuel wrote:
However, I found their vocals (even their harmonies) always lackluster because of a limited range (others I'm sure will disagree).
Donald Fagen's voice has dramatically, upwardly shifted octaves since the 70s. I prefer his earlier register, but yes, his voice wasn't as spectrally interesting as some other artists of the era. Fagen's vocal stylings peaked, imo, around '78 on "FM."
Posted 16 years ago by redeyespy    [ Reply ]
I have always liked this tune. There are like 16 different tunes played all on top of each other. With their own time signatures. And it works. Posted 16 years ago by Grizzly_old_man    [ Reply ]
ArbiterOfGoodTaste wrote:
As with just about all Steely Dan, they sound so smooth and bland... unless you are paying attention. Mind blowing.
Instrumentally, they have few peers. Lyrically - always thought them very clever. However, I found their vocals (even their harmonies) always lackluster because of a limited range (others I'm sure will disagree). I think that's where their blandness emanates for my taste. Even though I have a compilation of Steely Dan, it rarely hits my CD tray as I find the alternatives too compelling.
Posted 16 years ago by ejsamuel    [ Reply ]
mshort wrote:
One word:
agreed. sounds like a prom band from hell.
Posted 16 years ago by indigosun    [ Reply ]
The_Enemy wrote:
But there's something about their music that aggravates the hell out of me and raises my back. I can't put my finger on it.
Could it be the 12 inch thick veneer of high gloss polish? That's what gets to me.
Posted 16 years ago by handyrae    [ Reply ]
I gotta have me more cowbell!
Posted 16 years ago by ohaganclan    [ Reply ]
ArbiterOfGoodTaste wrote:
As with just about all Steely Dan, they sound so smooth and bland... unless you are paying attention. Mind blowing.
Exactly.
Posted 16 years ago by rtrudeau    [ Reply ]
IMHO, Steely Dan is probablly the finest pop band ever. Musically, nobody else can touch them. Great lyrics, awesome pop hooks, monster chops, killer compositions. I've always thought that these guys were the best musicians on the planet - next to Yes, that is.
Posted 16 years ago by healyf52    [ Reply ]
mshort wrote:
One word:
Steely Dan is one of those bands that people are either cult followers or they hate them. They always sound to me like nails across a blackboard. Not literally. I recognize that there's some talent here. But there's something about their music that aggravates the hell out of me and raises my back. I can't put my finger on it.
Posted 16 years ago by The_Enemy    [ Reply ]
a_genuine_find wrote:
My Old School From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search My Old School is a song by Steely Dan from their 1973 album Countdown to Ecstasy. In its March 24, 2006 edition, Entertainment Weekly details a return trip to Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York by Donald Fagen, in which he describes a raid by sheriff's deputies on Halloween 1967.<1> Fagen, his girlfriend, Steely Dan bandmate Walter Becker, and some 50 other students were arrested. Charges were dropped, but the harassment was the origin of the grudge alluded to in "My Old School". Fagen was reportedly so upset with the school being complicit with the arrests that he refused to attend graduation. The same article speculates that a Bard professor's wife, Rikki Ducornet, was the inspiration for "Rikki Don't Lose That Number". Because of the reference to The College of William & Mary in the lyrics, "My Old School" has long been a favorite of W&M students and alumni, although the song is actually about Bard College. Steely Dan collectors should seek out the single version of this song. It is quite different to the album version and it "loops" a sax piece at the end rather than a straight "fade- out"
Ah, NOT such obscure lyrics after all...thanks! This song played live often uses the horn ending too.
Posted 16 years ago by danagraves    [ Reply ]
Great choice for a Friday afternoon, Bill!
Posted 16 years ago by Geo_orc1    [ Reply ]
My Old School From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search My Old School is a song by Steely Dan from their 1973 album Countdown to Ecstasy. In its March 24, 2006 edition, Entertainment Weekly details a return trip to Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York by Donald Fagen, in which he describes a raid by sheriff's deputies on Halloween 1967.<1> Fagen, his girlfriend, Steely Dan bandmate Walter Becker, and some 50 other students were arrested. Charges were dropped, but the harassment was the origin of the grudge alluded to in "My Old School". Fagen was reportedly so upset with the school being complicit with the arrests that he refused to attend graduation. The same article speculates that a Bard professor's wife, Rikki Ducornet, was the inspiration for "Rikki Don't Lose That Number". Because of the reference to The College of William & Mary in the lyrics, "My Old School" has long been a favorite of W&M students and alumni, although the song is actually about Bard College. Steely Dan collectors should seek out the single version of this song. It is quite different to the album version and it "loops" a sax piece at the end rather than a straight "fade- out"
Posted 16 years ago by a_genuine_find    [ Reply ]
Such great horns! Such obscure lyrics! Such blazing guitars! Steely Dan!!
Posted 16 years ago by danagraves    [ Reply ]
Gotta love those horns!
Posted 16 years ago by RParadise    [ Reply ]
This run is the shiznit: Steely Dan -> Beatles-> Paolo Conte-> Air. Awesome!
Posted 17 years ago by arcas2000    [ Reply ]
most fun SD song
Posted 17 years ago by sfListener    [ Reply ]
Just recently moved to the Hudson Valley (NY) and there is a small college here called Bard that is in a hamlet called Annandale-On-Hudson. I believe Walter Becker and Donald Fagen originally met at Bard. Not sure why they are never coming back.
Posted 17 years ago by saltsoft    [ Reply ]
G mu: 3x020x, D mu: xx0252 and A mu: x0242x Try it, you'll Like It!
Posted 17 years ago by Misterfixit    [ Reply ]
Not my fave SD song.
Posted 17 years ago by hippiechick    [ Reply ]
Play anything from this album!
Posted 17 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
One of my favorite Steely Dan songs. So perfect in so many ways.
Posted 17 years ago by DoctorHooey    [ Reply ]
As with just about all Steely Dan, they sound so smooth and bland... unless you are paying attention. Mind blowing.
Posted 17 years ago by ArbiterOfGoodTaste    [ Reply ]
AlienRelic wrote:
I never much cared for these guys way back when, but I think that I might have been mistaken....
I thought I was wrong once, too....but it turns out i was mistaken.
Posted 17 years ago by yellowfly    [ Reply ]
I never much cared for these guys way back when, but I think that I might have been mistaken....
Posted 17 years ago by AlienRelic    [ Reply ]
Awesome.
Posted 17 years ago by Magnus    [ Reply ]
Art_Carnage wrote:
I don't now what software was used to rip this, but it did a pretty poor job. Sounds muffled and muddy. Should be much brighter and cleaner. I've got this on both vinyl and CD, and both sound much better than this.
Which might be fixed... as it would explain why this was just listed as "Last Played: Never"
Posted 17 years ago by nate416    [ Reply ]
coding_to_music wrote:
This rip seems muted and not as sonically expansive as previous songs today... It's almost muffled...
Heh, glad to know I'm not the only one who noticed.
Posted 19 years ago by Art_Carnage    [ Reply ]
I don't now what software was used to rip this, but it did a pretty poor job. Sounds muffled and muddy. Should be much brighter and cleaner. I've got this on both vinyl and CD, and both sound much better than this.
Posted 19 years ago by Art_Carnage    [ Reply ]
This rip seems muted and not as sonically expansive as previous songs today... It's almost muffled...
Posted 19 years ago by coding_to_music    [ Reply ]
A decade of Steely Dan? Countdown to ecstacy, surely Great number
Posted 19 years ago by Huey    [ Reply ]
Nothing against their later stuff (Aja and beyond) which I think is superb, but I always missed the looser guitar-driven sound of these earlier albums, and always liked this one... overplayed or not.
Posted 20 years ago by Cyclehawk    [ Reply ]
Oooops! Mute. No SD... No way, no thank you , no how. No. Sucko-barfo! Guy couldn't 'sing' to save himself.
Posted 20 years ago by trekhead    [ Reply ]
One word:
Posted 20 years ago by mshort    [ Reply ]
You've got to see SD do this live. it's AMAZING!
Posted 20 years ago by Art_Carnage    [ Reply ]
Skeletor wrote:
Agreed. This one has been KILLED by FM. How about one of the side trax from, say, Can't Buy a Thrill? Midnite Cruiser, anyone? Only a Fool Would Say That?
"Only A Fool Would Say That" is being reviewed right now. Or, it's been in review status for quite a while anyways. I also uploaded "Brooklyn" from the same album but got rejected. Too bad. Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter's steel guitar is excellent in that song. There's still hope for the first one. :)
Posted 20 years ago by veegez    [ Reply ]
MoxyP wrote:
Ick! Steely Dan has so many great underplayed songs, why dig up this overexposed one? (Flashing back to my tenure in Top 40 radio ...)
Agreed. This one has been KILLED by FM. How about one of the side trax from, say, Can't Buy a Thrill? Midnite Cruiser, anyone? Only a Fool Would Say That?
Posted 20 years ago by Skeletor    [ Reply ]
MoxyP wrote:
Ick! Steely Dan has so many great underplayed songs, why dig up this overexposed one? (Flashing back to my tenure in Top 40 radio ...)
Don't you recognize that the sets aren't random? The tunes are usually related, Dude.
Posted 20 years ago by pseudafred    [ Reply ]
Ick! Steely Dan has so many great underplayed songs, why dig up this overexposed one? (Flashing back to my tenure in Top 40 radio ...)
Posted 20 years ago by MoxyP    [ Reply ]
It always picks up my day to hear a little of the Dan!!! Thanks for playing them!
Posted 20 years ago by deacon_blue2001    [ Reply ]
Cyclehawk wrote:
There is just no such thing as too much steely dan. These early albums sound just as crisp as they did 30 years ago.
YUP!
Posted 20 years ago by Red_Dragon    [ Reply ]
Posted 20 years ago by Beez    [ Reply ]
Businessgypsy wrote:
Is that Larry Carlton? One of my favorite guitar solos of all time!(or maybe tied with LC's solo on Kid Charlemane)
Actually, it's Jeff "Skunk" Baxter doing his usual fine pickin'! I agree about Carlton, he smoked on several later Dan cuts.
Posted 20 years ago by redeyespy    [ Reply ]
Is that Larry Carlton? One of my favorite guitar solos of all time!(or maybe tied with LC's solo on Kid Charlemane)
Posted 20 years ago by Businessgypsy    [ Reply ]
There is just no such thing as too much steely dan. These early albums sound just as crisp as they did 30 years ago.
Posted 20 years ago by Cyclehawk    [ Reply ]
Talk about giving my afternoon a jump-start... Yeah! The Dan's all time best! If ever there was a ten, this is it.
Posted 20 years ago by GregX59    [ Reply ]
Still wonderin' who Chino and Daddy Gee are.........
Posted 21 years ago by redeyespy    [ Reply ]