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Originally released in May ], '''''The Royal Scam''''' was an album by rock group ]. The album went ] and peaked at #15 on the charts. The album featured the only Steely Dan song to be written with help from an outside source (i.e., not written solely by ] and ]), "The Fez", written with help from ]. ''The Royal Scam'' is the most ]-friendly of Steely Dan's albums, featuring extended solos by Becker, ] and former band member ]. Originally released in May ], '''''The Royal Scam''''' was an album by rock group ]. The album went ] and peaked at #15 on the charts. ''The Royal Scam'' is the most ]-friendly of Steely Dan's albums, featuring extended solos by Becker, ] and former band member ].


The song ''Kid Charlemagne'' is partially inspired by ]. The song ''Kid Charlemagne'' is partially inspired by ].

Revision as of 17:02, 4 June 2006

Untitled

Originally released in May 1976, The Royal Scam was an album by rock group Steely Dan. The album went gold and peaked at #15 on the charts. The Royal Scam is the most guitar-friendly of Steely Dan's albums, featuring extended solos by Becker, Larry Carlton and former band member Denny Dias.

The song Kid Charlemagne is partially inspired by Owsley Stanley.

With irony-leaden verses about drug dealers, safe sex, and hardships faced by immigrants, The Royal Scam is arguably Steely Dan at their most cynical. The album cover, which shows a well-dressed, possibly homeless man sleeping underneath (or perhaps dreaming of) mutating skyscrapers, is a satirical take on the American Dream (although Fagen and Becker claim to have hated the cover design when it was released). The cover was designed by Zox, and at least a portion was originally created for a Van Morrison album from 1974-75 that was never released . The mood of the album stands in contrast with the band's mellower and hugely successful follow-up, Aja.

Track listing

All songs by Becker and Fagen, except where noted

  1. "Kid Charlemagne" - 4:38
  2. "The Caves of Altamira" - 3:33
  3. "Don't Take Me Alive" - 4:16
  4. "Sign in Stranger" - 4:23
  5. "The Fez" (Becker, Fagen, Paul Griffin) - 4:01
  6. "Green Earrings" - 4:05
  7. "Haitian Divorce" - 5:51
  8. "Everything You Did" - 3:55
  9. "The Royal Scam" - 6:30

Personnel

Production

  • Producer: Gary Katz
  • Engineer: Roger Nicholas
  • Mixdown engineer: Barney Perkins
  • Sound Consultant: Dinky Dawson
  • Horn arrangements: Walter Becker, Donald Fagen, Chuck Findley
  • Art direction: Ed Caraeff
  • Cover art: Zox
  • Typography: Tom Nikosey

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1976 Pop Albums 15

Singles

Year Single Chart Position
1976 "Kid Charlemagne" Pop Singles 82
1976 "The Fez" Pop Singles 59

External link

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