"Josie" is a song written by
Walter Becker
Walter Carl Becker (February 20, 1950 – September 3, 2017) was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was the co-founder, guitarist, bassist, and co-songwriter of the jazz rock band Steely Dan.Russonello, Giovanni,Listen t ...
and
Donald Fagen and first released by
Steely Dan on their 1977 album ''
Aja''. It was also released as the third single from the album and performed modestly well, reaching #26 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and #44 on the
Easy Listening
Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to 1970s. It is related to middle-of-the-road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit songs, n ...
chart that year. It has appeared on several Steely Dan
live and
compilation albums.
Lyrics and music
Becker and Fagen wrote an early version of "Josie" well before the recordings for ''Aja'' took place.
[ While most of the songs on the album fuse ]jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
with rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
, AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
critic Stewart Mason describes "Josie" as the album's "most conventional rocker." Nonetheless "Josie" incorporates many jazz chords. Don Breithaupt sees an influence from the Delta blues, particularly in the "stark open fifths and lyric-driven rhythm
Rhythm (from Greek , ''rhythmos'', "any regular recurring motion, symmetry") generally means a " movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions". This general meaning of regular re ...
," but Breithaupt also notes that it incorporates "exotic open chord
In music for stringed instruments, especially guitar, an open chord (open-position chord) is a chord that includes one or more strings that are not fingered. An open string vibrates freely, whereas a fingered string will be partially dampened u ...
s derived from the parallel Phrygian scale
The Phrygian mode (pronounced ) can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek ''tonos'' or ''harmonia,'' sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set of octave species or scales; the Medieval Phrygian mode, and the modern ...
."[ '']Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' critic Michael Duffy describes it as having "tight, modal tunes with good hooks in the choruses, solid beats with intricate counter rhythms and brilliantly concise guitar solos" as well as a complex horn chart and "schmaltzy" L.A. jazz riffs
A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accomp ...
. Mason praises the song's "sly irony and danceable R&B groove."[ J.J. Syrja notes that the song even echoes disco, but doesn't "fall victim" to it.] Music reviewer and YouTuber
A YouTuber is an online personality and/or influencer who produces videos on the video-sharing platform YouTube, typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006.
Influence
Influe ...
Rick Beato
Richard John Beato (born April 24, 1962) is an American YouTube personality, multi-instrumentalist, and music producer and educator. Since the early 1980s, he has worked variously as a musician, songwriter, audio engineer, and record producer, a ...
describes the unique and complex beginning of the song as "The Weirdest Pop Song Intro of All Time" and continues in his in depth look at the song to praise the individual contributions of the musicians playing on the piece.
Becker plays a guitar solo on the song, one of the few on ''Aja''.[ Steely Dan biographer Brian Sweet particularly praised his solo, calling it "a real stormer."] Fagen sings the lead vocals.[ The other musicians on the song include Chuck Rainey on ]bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
, Victor Feldman
Victor Stanley Feldman (7 April 1934 – 12 May 1987) was an English jazz musician who played mainly piano, vibraphone, and percussion. He began performing professionally during childhood, eventually earning acclaim in the UK jazz scene as ...
on electric piano and Larry Carlton and Dean Parks
Weldon Dean Parks (born December 6, 1946) is an American session guitarist and record producer from Fort Worth, Texas.
Albums
Parks was member of the North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher ...
on guitar. The drummer is Jim Keltner
James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America". Howard Sounes. ''Dow ...
, whom critic Victor Aaron particularly praises for a fill that restarts the song near the end after a brief pause.[
]
Reception
'' Billboard'' described "Josie" as a "rhythmic rocker" and praised its "outstanding vocals," "funky, steady beat" and "wry lyrics." '' Cash Box'' said it has a "clean crystalline rhythm and lead lines," "understated yet invigorating rhythm guitar funk," and a "clever 'up' lyric," among other virtues. '' Record World'' said that "The opening guitar figure is an eerie hook in itself, while the balance of the song blends pop and jazz in fine fashion." '' Seguin Gazette-Enterprise'' reviewer J. J. Syrja describes the song as "a tasty ditty about a community girl in the truest sense of the word."[ "The lyrics describe the boys of the neighborhood celebrating the return of a fun-loving girl named Josie who may have a shady past and anticipating the debauchery that may ensue.] Sweet suggests that she may be returning from prison.[
]
Personnel
Source:
* Donald Fagen – synthesizers, vocals
*Walter Becker
Walter Carl Becker (February 20, 1950 – September 3, 2017) was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was the co-founder, guitarist, bassist, and co-songwriter of the jazz rock band Steely Dan.Russonello, Giovanni,Listen t ...
– guitar solos
* Victor Feldman
Victor Stanley Feldman (7 April 1934 – 12 May 1987) was an English jazz musician who played mainly piano, vibraphone, and percussion. He began performing professionally during childhood, eventually earning acclaim in the UK jazz scene as ...
– electric piano
* Larry Carlton – guitar
* Dean Parks
Weldon Dean Parks (born December 6, 1946) is an American session guitarist and record producer from Fort Worth, Texas.
Albums
Parks was member of the North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher ...
– guitar
* Chuck Rainey – bass
* Jim Keltner
James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America". Howard Sounes. ''Dow ...
– drums, percussion
* Timothy B. Schmit – backing vocals
Reception
Josie was released as the third single from ''Aja'', following " Peg" and "Deacon Blues
"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 ...
."[ A non-''Aja'' single, " FM (No Static at All)," was released between "Deacon Blues" and "Josie."][ Although the earlier two ''Aja'' singles reached the Top 20, "Josie" fell a little short of that, peaking at number 26 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.][ It also reached #44 on the ''Billboard'' ]Adult Contemporary chart
The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by sta ...
.
"Josie" was included on several Steely Dan compilation albums, including ''Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
'' in 1978, '' Citizen Steely Dan'' in 1993 and '' Showbiz Kids: The Steely Dan Story, 1972–1980'' in 2000. Several live versions were released, including on '' Alive in America'' in 1995, ''Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party
''Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party'' is a live video recording of a PBS ''In the Spotlight'' special on Steely Dan, released in 2000. This video focuses on a special concert, recorded live in January 2000 at the Sony Studios in New York City, New York, ...
'' in 2000 and ''Green Flower Street: Radio Broadcast 1993'' in 2015.
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Steely Dan songs
Songs written by Donald Fagen
Songs written by Walter Becker
Song recordings produced by Gary Katz
1977 songs
1978 singles
ABC Records singles