Another one from the illustriously fecund Whack era, buffed up in ’96 and arriving on one of those DAT cassettes w/ a Maui postmark.
It’s a fun one; it lopes along, lulling you all LouReedlike, trance-y, but then … O — that chorus!
He never fails to surprise; ever a master of the delightful juxtaposition.
That’s my thesis.
Happy birthday, dear Walter.
movie: Matt Kerns
One in the a.m.
Walter Becker, © 1996/2019
One in the a.m. on the coldest night of the year Trucking down Lexington blinking back frozen tears Thinking on the way it was the night you finally disappeared There are heartaches that don't quit, girl in my life you are it
You come up fast gliding past a night where not much mattered at all Dead end kids on the skids burning up and off the wall
Psychedelic rhythm drops the DJ's pulling out the stops Eyes locked up across the floor I followed you on out the door
On the sidewalk standing there snowflakes nestling in your hair I seen the cruel wind stole your light lucky I come out tonight
Maybe you'd like to go somewhere you don't know you don't care
Girl you're going to need a ride don't you know it's cold outside
Little pieces little pieces Mighty stabs and quick releases
All that's left is little pieces
Little pieces tiny pieces
That's what I say that's my thesis
Picking up on little pieces
There are things I don't know still and other things I never will Like for instance where you are did you get a good price for my guitar
Was that a snarl or was that a smile when I surprised you doggy style For the money for the fun you can't tell me stony one
Your sparkling eyes the night we met the way you smoked that cigarette
Your doomed angelic semi-smile Mona Lisa in the sundries aisle Candles and the Warhol prints your indestructible innocence
Golden days and then the rest the worst as slammin’ as the best
Zero Zero Fahrenheit baby it's a bitter night
Little pieces little pieces Every night the count increases
What we got here is little pieces
Little pieces tiny pieces
Taking off on random breezes
All that's left is little pieces
Crack of dawn wallet gone head feels like it weighs a ton Guess you could have slipped away most anytime in the last two days
Records strewn across the floor you didn't even shut the door You're still a diamond in my eyes counterfeit or otherwise
A birthday treat from the incomparable Mr.
Thanks as always for sharing, and happy birthday Walter. I'm so early to the party, the download version isn't even available yet. I've gotta work on my fashionably late entrances one of the days. Anyhow, onto something that really matters, like how ridiculously cool this song is. And considering all the references to cold in the lyrics, I suppose that's only appropriate. I particularly dig the song structure managing to surprise you with the chorus, not once, but twice! Bonus points for the final line of the song, how cool of a finish is that? (Ugh, I did it again, must be the weather freezing my brain and now I'm stuck on that word...)
Looks like the Download is up — with a particularly lovely thumbnail from Mr. Kerns
@Moderator: D-Mod Thanks for the heads up. @Matthew Kerns Good grief, that is a nice thumbnail. Well done, as per usual.
Seems appropriate that this comes out while much of the country is under unprecedented winter weather.
Sometimes when a new track is released, I take the opportunity to go back through a couple of previous ones. After One in the a.m., Boom Baby came on, and I was put in mind of the Robert Frost poem:
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
I feel like in these two songs, at this moment, I get a little of the same thing from WB. A song about the end of the world in a big fiery boom, and the end of a relationship on the coldest night of the year. That they both work, and that Walter wrote so much great material that wasn't formally released during his lifetime, just speaks volumes about the man's ability as a songwriter, musician, singer, instrumentalist, storyteller...he was just so damn good, and I'm so glad we keep getting "Little Pieces" of his genius.
Beautifully written Matt...and that movie is not too shabby either.!
Happy Birthday Walter! Thanks for the present.
Hear the guitar during the opening swirl, picking out open chords? That sounds like a real instrument to me...
@Moderator: D-Mod Yes I hear that, it's very subtle. Sounds like the guitar is going through some kind of phaser. No sign of it elsewhere in the song.
Great song btw and video !! :-)
@ Moderator: D -Mod,
Illustriously fecund Indeed ! ! Walter at one of his most Prolific periods.. I've been listening to this since it was first posted, and have to admit that it gave me a Very Real Deja Vu.. After the first listen it sounded So Familiar, but there has been Way too much going on recently for me to devote my full attention to it.. Still trying to put it All together but I think I've pretty much got it.. This is yet Another One of those hidden treasures from Walter's World of Musical Magic.. I'll be back when I have a bit more time, and when I'm 100% Certain that my memories are accurate..
By the way Matt - Your movie is so Bone Chillingly PpppppPerfect.. Really Good..
Happy that everyone has made it through the Bঊহর কলঔT of the past Two Months or so.. Great Music is what Keeps Us Alive...
Peace, and All the Love in my Heart...
Lary
Hello, Hello..
Is There Anybody Out There ?
Didn't expect to be gone for so long, but Alas, the Bঊহদ বলঊT continues..
The song One in the a.m. comes from the time period soon after Walter's move to Hawaii - following the Ultra-Low Depths of Gaucho, walking away from Steely Dan, and the Urgent Need for a Fresh Perspective.. In every way.. You should already know the details about this point in time, and why Steely Dan broke apart.. It felt like Any idea was a Good idea, and Walter desperately needed an Attitude Adjustment.. Our 4am phone calls had become a Nightly Event, and a song called (Salvation Comes From) Playing on the Red Guitar was floating around in the Fourth Dimension.. It began with:
Little Willy's gone to bed, Little Willy's hurt his head..
Pull the covers, shut the light, We'll Survive this Moonless Night..
We had a mostly completed song that was composed over the phone.. I had one of the early answering machines that used cassette tape and it had an Output Jack that was run through my Stereo System, and Walter had Real equipment.. So we could Play Together, and sing, or talk, and it sounded pretty good.. It was done Strictly as a Diversion, so there were Alot of Verses, desperate attempts at Humor..
We laughed alot.. A genuine process of Mental Healing.. It kept him Productive while Everything around him was in question..
It was a slow way to go, but it worked...
The next song to come out was This song.. The verses were in a different order, or not yet complete, but the Lyrics were sharp, succinct, and potent.. Man, they Really Told a Story.. It was the Last Two Lines that grabbed me..
Records strewn across the floor, you didn't even Shut the Door..
You're still a diamond in my eyes, Counterfeit or Otherwise..
Damn, that about says it All.. Walter was Back.. I told him that the imagery blew me away and asked him if he was planning on recording the song.. He said that he wasn't planning on it, that he was just 'Exercising'.. I was working on an album of my own and asked him if I could use the last two lines.. He was quite surprised by this because my tapes were all instrumental work.. I told him that I was thinking of adding vocals to a few of the tracks, and these two lines were Perfect.. Never did use them though, but I never forgot them either..
There are some things that you Never talk about, out of respect or just to retain a sense of privacy.. Walter and I became friends after he had spent Years trying to make it all work.. It wasn't long after that point that he and Donald became successful beyond their Wildest Dreams.. After the way that it ended, Walter had to Walk Away.. It had become too much, in Every respect.. The fond memories were all turning into bad experiences, and when that happens, What do you do.. You have to know when to walk away.. Walter has always cherished his friends, whether there were Many, or only a Few.. Those friends are always there for you, hopefully, and I'm very happy to have been his Brother, and more importantly, his Friend.. Most of you have known him during the later years, from the time when Steely Dan reunited, and did All of those shows that they vowed that they would Never do.. But there is nothing more Powerful, and more Creative, than a Young Artist struggling to achieve his goals, his full potential, and his Dreams..
Walter Becker was a True Artist and a Lifelong Inspiration for so many other musicians.. That is his legacy.. Once we are all gone, Walter's legacy will continue on.. It doesn't get any better than that...
Lary
Hoping that the entry above wasn't too erratic.. There was a lot about this point in time that, to me, is Personal, and should remain private.. Walter had wanted All of his work to be accessible and available.. But like all great artists, much of the Best work often comes from periods of Trauma and Despair.. From deep trouble comes great joy.. Out of confusion comes enlightenment.. Walter was genuinely outgoing, but intensely private.. Can't invade his privacy.. Steely Dan was still an Emerging band when we first met.. There were some major changes yet to come.. And Walter was More Alive than at any other time in his life.. These are the things that I remember during those exciting times.. But, of course, there are more details that really don't matter too much.. I'm hoping that everyone understands that...
Lary