Reelin' In the Years (1972) 7/16/20

Most jazz-rock critics and Steely Dan fans believe 1972's “Reelin' in the Years” is a “Great Song of the '70s.” There are two notable exceptions, however: Donald Fagen and Walter Becker of Steely Dan!

In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Fagen said the song was “dumb, but effective,” while Becker claimed the song was “no fun.

”To misquote Shakespeare, “Methinks they doth protest too much!”

After all, the song was a bona-fide hit: #11 on Billboard's Hot 100, and #15 on Canada's Top 40. Readers of Guitar World Magazine rated the guitar solo the 40th best of all time, and Led Zepplin guitarist Robert Plant rates it a “12 out of 10!” (Trivia: The guitar solo was done in one take, by session musician Elliot Randall.)

So regardless of what Fagen and Becker think, “Reelin' in the Years” is a “Great Song of the '70s!”

What the heck do THEY know, anyway!? :-)