In fagen146;s web

The Nightfly continues to awe Jayashree Singh of Skinny Alley, 25 years after she first heard it

The Nightfly continues to awe Jayashree Singh of Skinny Alley, 25 years after she first heard it
It8217;s not easy to decide which work of art8212;a book, a piece of music, a film or a painting8212;has inspired one the most in one8217;s creative journey. However, I think the first work I really sat down with and tried to analyse as a very new and clueless songwriter would have to be Donald Fagen8217;s first solo album, The Nightfly 1982.

I remember sitting with the vinyl LP on my bed and playing the record over and over again, the album sleeve in one hand and a pen in the other, writing and writing God knows what. I wish I had kept those copious notes.

I listened to the intros a thousand times 8212;I knew these were very important, the intro has to draw the listener in straight away. The first song in the album, I.G.Y, has a killer intro8212;muted but sparkling guitar chords and then, the most gorgeous, evocative horn lines you ever heard. The spider had woven its web and I was a very willing victim.

I paid careful attention to the instrumentation from a writer8217;s point of view. Why does a blues harp here work better than a saxophone or a flute8212;does it make the moment more plaintive? Why has Fagen used an acoustic piano in the solo when the rest of the song has electric piano? Is it just a textural thing or is there an emotional connect with acoustic piano that electric piano doesn8217;t bring? The notes, course, were growing by the moment.

I have always loved language in any form and the words on this album gave me such joy8212;the syncopation of the lyrics, the exact number of syllables used to fill a certain measure, the textures of the words, the stylish but always careful setting of each song8217;s scenario. It was a songwriter8217;s dream and despair! How am I ever going to write like this, I would think and continue to think so 25 years on.

I8217;ve just pulled out the album from the dark recesses of the cabinet it8217;s been in for a long time we listen to the CD version now, and as soon as I finish writing this, I am going to play it again on my brand new turntable! This time without the pen in hand.