Steely Dan's debut album, Can't Buy a Thrill (1972), begins with a song that has retained its distinctiveness all the way to 2010. "Do it Again" as a musical creation speaks for itself - one listen is all it takes - but as a lyric, it demonstrates the literary backgrounds, skill and flexibility of its composers. It is a song that deals with themes of addictive and/or self-destructive behaviour in a most unusual (and vividly realized) setting: a Western. Also, it is written in the second person ("In the mornin' you go gunnin'/ For the man who stole your water/ And you fire 'til he is done in/ But they catch you at the border...") - another rarity - which provides the listener with the feeling of being at the center of the action. The song also contains examples of literary techniques such as synecdoche ("Then you find you're back in Vegas/ With a handle in your hand...") - something else you don't find in every rock song.
The other nine songs are just as interesting. Many topics and themes are touched on in many different ways. There is political commentary ("Kings", "Change of the Guard"), musings on the passing of time ("Midnight Cruiser"), contemplations on the causes and effects of failed romance ("Reelin' in the Years", "Dirty Work"), discussions of alienation and cynicism ("Fire in the Hole", "Only a Fool Would Say That") and songs that must be considered symbolically in order to glean their meaning ("Brooklyn", "Turn that Heartbeat Over Again"). And it's all done with wit, style and the light touch of art. Of course the music follows suit, as it has all through their astonishing career. But, you tell me, would the growth of their music have been possible without the lyrics?