"Aja" by Steely Dan: A subjective, biased and irrational review

Steely Dan’s album ‘Aja’ is a musical masterpiece. Full stop. Critics to this day consider it one of the greatest Rock albums, but it’s almost an insult to call the album, and this title track, Rock. No offense to those about to. Yes, the jazz fusion is brilliant, but also organic. This is another genre. Another place and time. I’ll come back to that, but first, some business:

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• The Making of ‘Aja’
• Exploring the Title Track
• Interpreting the Lyrics
• An In-Depth Musical Journey
• Masterpiece Unveiled

Introduction

Steely Dan’s ‘Aja’ is a legendary album that continues to mesmerize music enthusiasts with its jazz-influenced soundscapes and intricate compositions.

The Making of ‘Aja’

Donald Fagen and Walter Becker’s meticulous approach to songwriting and production, along with the collaboration of top-notch session musicians, including Paul Simon, shaped the unique sound of ‘Aja.’ So this is really an orchestral piece.

Stay with me.

Exploring the Title Track

‘Aja’ stands out as a complex and mesmerizing piece, featuring a blend of jazz harmonies and exceptional instrumental performances that elevate it to a realm of its own. From the delicate beginning, it just expands into space, inner, not outer.

Interpreting the Lyrics

The enigmatic lyrics of ‘Aja’ add another layer of intrigue to the song, inviting listeners to delve into its meaning and unravel the narrative behind the music.

Up on the hill
People never stare
They just don’t care
Chinese music under banyan trees
Here at the dude ranch above the sea

Aja
When all my dime dancin’ is through
I run to you

Up on the hill
They’ve got time to burn
There’s no return
Double helix in the sky tonight
Throw out the hardware
Let’s do it right

Aja
When all my dime dancin’ is through
I run to you

Up on the hill
They think I’m okay
Or so they say
Chinese music always sets me free
Angular banjoes
Sound good to me

Aja
When all my dime dancin’ is through
I run to you

An In-Depth Musical Journey

From the captivating introduction to the mesmerizing instrumental sections, ‘Aja’ takes listeners on a musical journey filled with surprises, intricate melodies, and exceptional musicianship.

Masterpiece Unveiled

‘Aja’ emerges as a true masterpiece in Steely Dan’s discography, showcasing the band’s unparalleled creativity, musicality, and ability to transport listeners to a world of sonic beauty.

Now, For The Review

First, we have to inspect the lyrical elephant in the room, “Aja, when all my dime dancin’ is through, I run to you.” So, dime dancing is an archaic reference to “dancing on a dime,” or on one spot, as intimately as it gets. It’s guttural, really. Sexual. Not emotional. So to me, it’s the transition of an overly excited boy into an awakened man who runs back to her, like a dream, because she is just that – his illusion of the perfect woman. Soulmate level. What is promised, but never attained, if we are honest.

In fact, if you listen carefully to the narrative arc of Donald Fagan’s first solo album, “The Nightfly,” it is rife with broken promise after broken promise, and he is left in the blindingly painful spotlight of reality. In the liner notes, Fagan alludes to his lifetime of disillusionment, starting as a child, spinning 45s in the attic, DJing to himself the love stories embedded in the countless grooves of vinyl. Check out the cover art and you’ll see – it is him – high above all, cocooned within that never ending illusion, and alone, except for his music.

Except now, the boy is… a man. A disillusioned man. A lonely man. Overnights, again, DJing, but now to others. His messages of love, and loss. He is the Nightfly, but back in time, to his childhood years. Look at the cover art and you’ll quickly see it indeed was not 1980, but a point in the past, in time, where he remains frozen, fixed, on a damn dime.

I have read interviews in which he describes Aja as a composite of all of those who “got away.” Read the lyrics of the “Nightfly” album and you’ll sense his loss and disappointment in how his life turned out. How his fantastical hallucinations of the world that he was promised went up in a puff of smoke, like one of those Viceroys in his hand. In fact, on that title track, he momentarily speaks of his lost loves, and then addresses them, directly. You, Aja, you.

His references to all things Asian in “Aja” are not clues. They are the elegance and higher love which he never attains. His Aja is on the album cover, shrouded in the darkness, shadows, of his eternal distance from her, from the ideal, from all those promises of his youth. “Aja” is a masterpiece filled with layers of hidden meaning and complexity, all too difficult or painful to fully articulate, because then they are real. At first glance, the song may seem like a simple tale of lost love and nostalgia, but upon closer examination, it becomes clear that there are deeper themes at play.

One of the key themes in “Aja” is the idea of perfection and idealism. The lyrics describe a mysterious and elusive woman named Aja, who embodies all the qualities of perfection and beauty. The protagonist of the song is captivated by her and embarks on a quest to find her, only to realize that she is out of reach. This theme of unattainable perfection speaks to the univeral human desire for something greater than what is within our grasp. That goddamn brass wedding ring, always just out of grasp.

Another important theme in “Aja” is the concept of memory and nostalgia. The song is filled with references to the past, to places and memories that hold a special significance for the protagonist. In the chorus, he sings, “Up on the hill, / They think I’m okay / Or so they say,” which suggests a sense of detachment from the present and a longing for a time gone by. All of Fagan’s work looks backward, sunken in bitter-sweetness. This theme of nostalgia is further emphasized by the intricate musical arrangement of the song, which evokes a sense of melancholy, longing, dashed hopes.

The title of the song, “Aja,” is itself laden with meaning. In various cultures, the name Aja is associated with power, mystery, and spirituality. In Hindu mythology, Aja is a masculine name that means “immortal” or “unborn,” while in Yoruba culture, Aja is a god of the forest and guardian of the animals. By choosing this name for the song, Fagan adds a layer of mysticism and significance to the narrative, suggesting that Aja is more than just a romantic interest, but a symbol of something greater and more profound.

The lyrics of “Aja” are also filled with cryptic references and allusions. In the second verse, the protagonist sings, “Chinese music under banyan trees / Here at the dude ranch above the sea,” which paints a vivid picture of a scene that is both exotic and surreal. The mention of Chinese music and banyan trees evokes a sense of mystery and other-worldliness, while the juxtaposition of the serene dude ranch with the tumultuous sea hints at a deeper conflict or tension within the protagonist.

One of the most striking features of “Aja” is its musical composition. The song is eight minutes long, not exactly radio-friendly, but it spent a long time in heavy rotation. And nobody ever noticed its length because like any writer worth his salt, Fagan entranced us, drew us in, and held on tightly, at least to us, his listeners, a poor substitute for his truest of loves, but again, he was frozen there, in that spot, grinding the needle against the record, chain-smoking death sticks, and subsiding off hot, black java.

“Aja” features a complex arrangement of jazz, rock, and fusion elements. The intricate guitar solos, lush harmonies, and intricate rhythms create a sense of grandeur and sophistication that complements the lyrics perfectly. The musical complexity of “Aja” mirrors the emotional complexity of the narrative, highlighting the protagonist’s inner turmoil and longing. They braid together and we too are trapped with him.

The bridge of “Aja” features a dreamy, ethereal section that contrasts with the rest of the song. The lyrics, “We’ll clean the teeth of the tiger,” suggest a sense of danger and defiance, as if the protagonist is determined to confront his fears and overcome obstacles in order to reach her, Aja. This adds a sense of drama and tension to the song, highlighting the protagonist’s determination and failure to launch.

“Aja” is no song. It’s a tapestry lovingly woven for us to behold, one that is rich in hidden meanings, complexities, evocative lyrics, intricate musical arrangement, and those cryptic references. Fagan weaves a tale of the realization of the unattainable perfection that never did nor ever will exist. Aja need not be a woman. It could be a place, too distant and far too remote for him. Or it could be the idealism he clings to, runs to when the real world is nothing like his dreams.

Then again, it could be just a killer rock song by Steely Dan, that band you adore, but you just can’t put your finger on why…