And just like that, another great Walter tune leaves the proverbial nest, and flies straight into my well-sculpted receptors.
Walter's metaphor as love game is always on point. The metaphor of a game of chance occurs in several places, notably in Hard Up Case ( "They dealt us houses full with the queens and kings/And now they're calling out our bluff/'cause you and me girl we had everything/But it just wasn't quite enough" ). Here, the metaphor is love—or at the very least ostensibly loving relationships—as war. Makes sense, the two situations in Lyly told us "all's fair." The French have a phrase (and wouldn't they just) c'est la guerre , that translates literally to "that's war," but means "That's just the way it is." It would be clever of me to make that observation, had Walter not already included it in his song here, because of course he's that clever and that kind of a lyricist, even in the tracks we aren't hearing until now.
And HOW ABOUT THAT BASS LINE?
-Matt
War Baby Walter Becker © 1994/2019 Zeon Music LLC
Can this really be all that we came together for
Battling dawn to dusk and fighting door to door
When we call a truce girl now I come to see
Maybe this is the righteous struggle you believe your life should be
And when I try to speak, talk to you like a friend
There goes those dominos all tumbling down again
Just tell me what to do, show me where to sign
When do I get to be on your side of the firing line
Now War Baby
We’ve been fighting right along
But soon you got to see
I'm not the enemy
No I'm not girl
War Baby
Now I'm not saying that it's wrong
Just to be dissin' you
But I keep missing you
Why is that now?
Well I guess you disagree with something I just said
Judging by that suede cruise missile hurtling past my head
So now you make your last stand on the soggy higher ground
Wet with the blood of the martyrs or is that the tears of the clowns
You wiped our little noses, sent us on our wicked ways
Full bore for the killing floor which is where we are today
Still you stand so tall big ideals and all And me just waiting for the other high heeled shoe to fall
Now War Baby
All your reasons and your rhymes Don't appeal to me They're not real to me No they're not now War Baby You know the life you've lived so far Is no great tragedy That's all history That's all that is I guess you got your reasons no matter what I might say All's fair c'est la guerre sometimes it just be that way
I say viva la struggle I say viva el good fight But can't the revolución keep until tomorrow night now?
War Baby
Now can't you separate yourself
From that party line
It's no friend of mine
Not at all girl
War Baby
We've been going low so long
The things you say to me
That's an atrocity
Yes it is girl
War Baby
Were You Close Today
(Words & Music: Walter Becker ©Zeon LLC 1997/2018)
MP3 available for download at: http://walterbecker.com/media/wyct/were_you_close_today_320.mp3
FLAC available for download at: http://walterbecker.com/media/wyct/were_you_close_today.flac
MOV available for download at: http://walterbecker.com/media/wyct/were_you_close_today_hq.mov
Adam Rogers - Guitar
Fima Ephron - Bass
Ben Perowsky - Drums
Dave Russell - Engineer
Were you close today
How close were you
More than half the way
Or just in the mood to
Were you on the phone
Did you reach the driveway
Were you in the car
Getting on the freeway
Did you cross some line
Did you whisper to me
Did you say my name
Did you look right through me
Going past the point
Where there’s no return
Were your feet on fire
Was the sidewalk burning
Were you close today
How close were you
Were you close today
How close were you
Was the luggage packed
Was the passport on you
Were you fingers curled
Did you palms start sweating
Did your arms fill up
Were you unforgetting
Did you board that train
Did you quit the station
Did you just renounce
Your renunciation
When they played our song
Did you turn and face it
Was it on your lips
Could you almost taste it
Was I there too
And how close were you
Were you close today
Were you close today
How close were you
Did you make your play
Did you get some on you
And then run away
Back to your rough and tumble
Down on the old back bed
Where you dropped your bundle
Were you satisfied
Did you get that feeling
Did you take a ride
Staring up at the ceiling
Did you face that thought
That you don’t care to mention
Did your screen go black
With your bad intentions
Was your throughput clean
Was your picture steady
Were you duty free
Were you cable ready
You were just right there
Just this far away
You came close today
(close today)
You got close today
(close today)
You’re So close today
(close today)
You were close today
(close today)
You came close today
(close today)
You got close today
(close today)
So close today
(close today)
You got close today
(close today)
So close today
(close today)...
This is awesome! Thanks for sharing!
Nice! So Walter.
You are so sorely missed Walter. Thanks for the gift of this song. Rest in peace,
Already a classic as far as I'm concerned.
fuck, this is great.
a lot to dive into here, but on the surface, it’s interesting this was recorded in 97. i wonder if this was intended for another solo album. arrangemenr wise it feels like a demo. but the performances are polished.
Your great music lives on. RIP man.
Man, RIP! Major impact on my life. See you in heaven.
Chris, I wonder if copyright year is different than when it was recorded. Seems like WB would have been knee deep in Two Against Nature in 97.
I love the stretched-out, taut, tension of this one - I want to own it though! What a man, what a musician, what a master! 20 years goes quick. RIP Walter.
I wonder if something went wrong with the upload. There is no bass.... very tinny sound.....
I'd be really more than happy to pay for a proper mix as it sounds like a lost gem of a song.... Excellent stuff indeed. His album "11 Tracks of Wack" was good but I thought Walter really nailed it with "Circus Money". Donald Fagen could always manage to do albums as good as Steely Dan albums...... and Walter Becker proved that he could do the same with his release of Circus Money.
Terrible loss.... I hope Donald has something in the pipeline.... I understand they had been working together for a while on new material.
Thank you very much. Only Walter Becker could have written a song that smart. He lives on.
I agree there seems to be a problem with the mix, ross. Goodness knows how deep down in the box Ms. Becker may have to go for some of these unreleased gems. For one thing you can figure that by the very fact that they are unreleased, they are going to be songs that were abandoned before being release-ready ("were you cable ready?" :-)) . Maybe unreleased may turn out to mean unfinished as well, or maybe just judged "not good enough" to complete or release, and that we will be able to hear that in the shortcomings. I just pray to god we have a chance to find out more, and that this experiment isn't blown up by the trolls. I for one would be more than happy for even "demo-quality". Did anyone else recognize the guitar as the Lost Tribe player Adam Rogers? That's who I heard even before I looked at the credits...so distinctive and appropriately almost spooky on this very haunting song. But will I really be the first to say that Walt's singing is just f'ing fantastic here!? Expressive, blusey as always--but it doesn't even sound like its been pitch corrected! (or a I missing it?), Anyway, fantastic vocals. Thank you Mr Becker, god i am going to miss you forever. And thanks also to whoever helped put this whole site together, great great work!
What a nice surprise to wake up to. Let's hope there is appetite for a commerical release of this and any other unreleased tracks even if they are demo's!
I'm in the UK and saw a CD release in stores before Christmas, 'Steely Dan A Tribute To Walter Becker' 2 live SD shows and a third disc with some of the 11 Tracks of Whack outtakes, and a couple of Walter interviews.... I presume this is not an official release?
I’d be surprised if this was recorded in ’97. The best ideas of this song were used to far greater and inspired success in a few of the songs on 11 Tracks Of Whack. Yes, sentimentally it’s nice to hear something ”new” that Walter recorded but you’d expect any curator of someones’ legacy to want to start any public exposure with the best they could find. If this is the best, I’m afraid this doesn’t excite me nor make me think ”I can’t wait for what’s coming next”, unfortunately.
"This" sounds like an early "Moody Bastard" with different lyrics to me.
Thanks for the post wbm, looking forward to more...
hb wb
I don't know how I was included into this community as I don't think I have signed up to the Walter Becker website, nominally the only access point. Privacy is important but a gift like this just makes me grateful. Love the ease and leisure of the musicianship, particularly the bell-like guitar and of course, the vocal. Love the way the world stops while the song plays - how do they do that?
Hi Zebalby:
According to our ancient logs, an email address starting with Zebalby (server name redacted to protect your privacy) signed up for The Walter Becker Newsletter 2009-02-21 15:39 and confirmed subscription request at 2009-02-21 13:54. Long time ago! If you would like to confirm email server (the rest of your email address) and/or unsubscribe, please just let us know. Thanks for the comment,
- WB Mod
Wow! That's super-efficient! But then how come this is the first issue of the newsletter I have seen? Never mind, glad to be on board for this trip!
Zebalby -
Wish we had figured out how to message privately...soon hopefully. It may be your "first" because we have sent practically no Newsletters out over the years! Archive of past mailings are here:
http://walterbecker.com/newslarchive.html
Welcome :-)
- WB Mod