Ever see a Steely Dan tribute act, or some lesser artist covering their material? Some bands can approximate the chops of Fagen and Becker sufficiently to do a credible arrangement–no mean feat, by the way. But when I’m YouTubing a Steely Dan cover version I invariably cringe when the singer steps to the mic. I’ve come to expect disappointment.
You see, no one can imitate the seedy, depraved vocal snarl of Donald Fagen–can they? Well, I’ll just say I was shocked when Kipp Lennon–lead singer of Southern California rock band Venice and younger brother of the Lennon Sisters by the way–sang the first line of ‘Rikki Don’t Lost That Number’ in this performance. The very least you can say is that it’s good enough not to be a distraction. And that’s a damn sight better than I’ve ever heard previously.
Even Steely Dan alum himself Mr. Jeff “Skunk” Baxter gives him a shout-out at the end: “My word! Thank God for real singers!”
And as for Skunk himself, he reminds us all here why the band tapped him for some of their most iconic guitar parts. He’s simply a master.
See also: Songs You May Have Missed #674 | Every Moment Has A Song (edcyphers.com)
Every Moment Has A Song 