Sometime around the release of 2VN, Walter and Donald had an online question and answer chat session. Here's my favorite question, with Walter's answer:
Q: "In the song 'Sign in Stranger', why does the character have 'a scar from ear to ear'?"
Walter's answer: "Because shriveled little dick doesn't rhyme with disappear!"
To that, I say "brilliant"! I think it captures his sharp wit perfectly!
You've got it all in one exchange there, thanks Lee. Interviewers were crapping their pants on the way to these encounters. You recall the flurry of mainstream Press activity around 2VN release time? Here in the UK cub reporters were sent for the gig as a baptism of fire, which would've been funny except for the crassness of the ensuing questioning. Mostly.
I hate to be that guy but I swear the question was about the hearing aid in My Rival ("because 'tiny withered dick doesn't rhyme with 'charade'") I only say this because it has stuck in my head for years. Unfortunately I'm at work so I can't google "tiny withered dick" to back this up. I believe it was from the fan interview on St. Al's site though ...
Thanks to the wonderful and all-knowing Steely Dan Reader, we can definitively answer the question:
http://steelydanreader.com/2000/05/21/fan-questions/
Oh well.....memories fade......the same point is still pertinent, though. He could have just answered "It is simply due to rhyming. Does EVERYTHING have to have a deep meaning, you bonehead?" Instead, he used his sharp wit to say almost the same thing, but with much more panache and nuance.
Agreed. I had completely forgotten about this interview, conducted and compiled by St. Al and Jim McKay. Thanks for reminding me, Lee.