1973 Steely Dan – Countdown To Ecstasy
Countdown to Ecstasy is the second studio album by the American rock band Steely Dan, released in July 1973 by ABC Records. It was recorded at Caribou Ranch in Nederland, Colorado and at The Village Recorder in West Los Angeles, California. After the departure of vocalist David Palmer, the group recorded the album with Donald Fagen singing lead on all the songs.
Although it was a critical success, the album failed to generate a hit single, and consequently charted at only number 35 on the Billboard 200. It was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), having shipped 500,000 copies in the United States. Well-received upon its release, Countdown to Ecstasy received perfect scores from music critics in retrospective reviews.
Tracks
1 Bodhisattva (Donald Fagen, Walter Becker) 5:20
2 Razor Boy (Donald Fagen, Walter Becker) 3:11
3 The Boston Rag (Donald Fagen, Walter Becker) 5:41
4 Your Gold Teeth (Donald Fagen, Walter Becker) 7:02
5 Show Biz Kids (Donald Fagen, Walter Becker) 5:25
6 My Old School (Donald Fagen, Walter Becker) 5:47
7 Pearl of The Quarter (Donald Fagen, Walter Becker) 3:50
8 King of The World (Donald Fagen, Walter Becker) 5:03
Musicians
| Bass | Walter Becker |
| Drums | Jim Hodder |
| Guitar | Denny Dias |
| Guitar | Jeff Baxter |
| Pedal Steel Guitar | Jeff Baxter |
| Acoustic Guitar | Ben Benay |
| Piano | Donald Fagen |
| Synthesizer | Donald Fagen |
| Percussion | Jim Hodder |
| Background Vocals | Jim Hodder |
| Background Vocals | Walter Becker |
| Background Vocals | Sherlie Matthews |
| Background Vocals | Myrna Matthews |
| Background Vocals | Patrica Hall |
| Background Vocals | David Palmer |
| Background Vocals | James Rolleston |
| Background Vocals | Michael Fennelly |
| Vocals | Donald Fagen |
Other Musicians
2 Razor Boy
| Double Bass | Ray Brown |
5 Show Biz Kids
| Slide Guitar | Rick Derringer |
6 My Old School
| Sax | Bill Perkins |
| Sax | Ernie Watts |
| Sax | John Rotella |
| Sax | Lanny Morgan |
Liner Notes
Producer – Gary Katz
Arranged By (Saxes) – Jimmie Haskell
Engineer – Roger Nichols
Mixed By (Stereo Mixmaster General) – Denny Dias
Design – Dotty Of Hollywood
Photography By – Ed Caraeff
Record Company – ABC Records, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – ABC Records, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Probe
Recorded At – The Village Recorder
Recorded At – Caribou Ranch