RIKKI DON'T LOSE THAT NUMBER (1974) by Steely Dan

'Rikki Don't Lose That Number' was off Pretzel Logic, and appears to be a favourite of Steely Dan fans. It was released in 1974. It's intro is a nod to 'Song For My Father' by Horace Silver.

Several musicians outside the band help out on the track. Michael Omartian plays keyboard, Dean Parks acoustic guitar, Jim Gordon drums, Victor Feldman percussion, and Timothy Schmit along with Fagen on backing vocals. I have done a slideshow video featuring most of these guest musos, as well as the usual Dan suspects, Donald Fagen (vocals), Walter Becker (bass) and Jeff Baxter (guitar, solo) .Denny Dias was not on the track.

This list of musos for this track is taken from the liner notes on 'A Decade of Steely Dan' compilation CD and a book I have on Steely Dan entitled 'Reelin in the Years' by Brian Sweet. According to Sweet, Jeff Baxter played the solo without an amplifier, just plugged directly into the board. Apparently the solo had to be done several times because of a 'blip' appearing on the tape. After sending the tape to the manufacturer 3M for analysis, it was found to have some little lumps which turned out to be mustard from a workman's sandwich!

Sweet also stated that the song was based on a student named Rikki from Bard College who had made an impression on Becker and Fagen, (although they were not known for giving straight answers when explaining their songs, so who knows?).

I tried to include images of Steely Dan and Donald Fagen album covers. I also obtained an add on to Windows Movie Maker, which gives a few more panning and zoom options. This is the first video using those.

(Update: as of 11 June 2012, this video is the most popular of the 90 music videos I have up on my channel with 502,904 hits).

Comments are invited.

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[bushidobonce]

One of my favourite guitar solo's of all time, still gives me shimmy's up the spine perfect combination of notes, runs, bends, chords slides, hammer ons you name.it he does it. I think the phrase "frikkin poifect" springs to mind

[KOMET2006]

The first Steely Dan song I KNOWINGLY remember hearing on FM radio back in 1975.

[Ian Rawson]

Sounds good to me.

[spongebobam888]

amazing guitar solo at 2:36

[sharon-anne gallant]

STEPHANIE AND HER FRIEND RIKKI !!!!

[sharon-anne gallant]

rikki makes makes me think of Stephanie's old friend ! RIKKI ! WHAT

[mike jones]

Jim Hodder drowned in a swimming pool in 1990, Jim Gordon is still in prison since early 80's!

[stevegetti]

My first novel deals with Steely Dan's album "Aja", and the main character basically undertakes an adventure based around the songs on the album. It's now on Amazon and titled "The Elusive Genius Project". Very much aimed at Dan fans :)

[Brendan Horan]

I was 17, on a plane from WPB Fla to San Francisco to spend the summer in San Jose. This tune and Another Park Another Sunday by the Doobie Brothers played over and over on the plane music. Great tunes! Great memories

[Jim Macintosh]

Saw some of these guys in Sydney $5bucks at local club Perfect

[KRACKER3365]

This is a real nice song

[JASCOBAR]

Funny - Listening to this tune now....it seems like not a lot of time ago did I listened to this tune mornings on the way to High School on KAAY-AM Little Rock Ark .....in 1976 on my 69 'Stang's Philco. Was it a really long time ago & as far as it feeling like it was last year is my mind only fooling me? Gosh I may never know.