1982 - December: Donald Fagen "The Nightfly"

The Nightfly is the debut solo album from Donald Fagen.  Fagen and his Steely Dan partner Walter Becker had released the Gaucho album in late 1980, and Becker was having a lot of trouble.  His girlfriend died of a drug overdose in their apartment, and he was sued for several million dollars.  Shortly after that he was hit by a taxi, which shattered his leg.  Steely Dan disbanded in 1981, and Becker moved to Maui.  Fagen wanted “The Nightfly” to be autobiographical, and without the irony and biting nature of Steely Dan.  There is a lot of adolescence and innocence in these songs, reflecting back on Fagen's time growing up.  The album is also one of the first to be recorded entirely in digital.  Steely Dan had tried this approach fo“Gaucho,” but it didn't work out and they reverted to analog.  Audiophiles gravitate to The Nightfly, and EQ Magazine ranks it as one of the top 10 Best Recorded Albums of All Time, up there with The Beatles' “Sergeant Peppers” and The Beach Boys' “Pet Sounds.”Donald Fagan had problems with depression after recording “The Nightfly,” and largely disappeared from the music scene through the rest of the 80's.  Fagan said in 2006 that he hasn't listened to "The Nightfly" since making it.  However, he did record two other albums which are considered to form "The Nightfly Trilogy," including Kamakiriad" from 1993 and "Morph the Cat" from 2006.  There would also be a reunion of Steely Dan later on.Bruce presents this jazzy album for this week's episode. I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)<br />This lead single is also the track that leads off the album.  "I.G.Y." stands for International Geophysical Year, which was a project that lasted between July 1957 and December 1958.  It encompassed eleven earth science projects and included collaboration between East and West.  The song reflects the positivity of that time and collaboration.  The song was released in September 1982 and reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the end of November.The Nightfly<br />This track imagines a late night DJ named Lester who plays jazz on WJAZ out of Baton Rouge, and also takes calls from conspiracy theorists.  is about a spiritual quest.  While not released as a single, this song did receive some airplay on FM stations in the 80's.Ruby Baby<br />Although heavily arranged with close harmonies by Fagen, this is a cover song originally performed by the Drifters in 1956.  A number of artists have covered it over time, including Dion (number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962), Billy "Crash Craddock, Del Shannon, Mitch Ryder, and Bobby Darin.New Frontier<br />This fun single did not break into the top 40, but it was a frequent video on the then-new MTV channel.  The idea of the song is that an adolescent boy is bringing a girl over to his parents' bomb shelter for a good time.  "Yes, we're going to have a wing ding..." ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:It Might Be You by Stephen Bishop (from the motion picture "Tootsie" )<br />Dustin Hoffman stars in this cross-dressing romance comedy about an actor disguising himself as a woman to land a job. STAFF PICKS:Steppin' Out by Joe Jackson<br />Rob starts the staff picks with a song inspired by Jackson's time in New York City.  The song reflects the excitement of a drive around town, and hit number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It is off the album "Night and Day," which reflects New York City during the day on side 1, and the City during the night on side 2.Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo<br />Wayne's staff pick is a weird