The Nightfly

Donald Fagen was born in Pasaic, New Jersey on the 10th of January 1948. He was the son of jewish parents and with his sister they moved to Kendall Park in South Brunswick, New Jersey. He hated it there since it was like living in a prison. He evolved a teenage love for late night jazz radio show because he didn't like the modern rock music. When he studied at the Bard College he met Walter Becker. When they moved to Los Angeles Donald and Walter became song writers for ABC Records. Then they formed Steely Dan releasing their debut album "Can't Buy A Thrill" in 1972. They became very succcesful and released many albums but in 1977 after the release of "Aja" they stopped performing live and became a studio band. They released one more album in 1980 but then they split up in 1981.

Together with Walter Becker during Steely Dan

Backside of the album cover

Therefore Donald released his first solo album in 1982 without Walter Becker titled "The Nightfly". It was very autobiographical. The songs on the album relate to the mood of his suburban childhood in the late 1950s and early 1960s and incorporate such topics as late-night jazz disc jockeys, fallout shelters, and the Cuban Revolution. It represents how his live was when he lived in Kendall Park. He used many studio musicians that already worked with Steely Dan including: Jeff Porcaro (Toto), Rick Derringer (The McCoys) and Larry Carlton (Joni Mitchell). A total of 31 musicians contributed to the album. The album managed to reach #16 in the Netherlands, #11 in the USA and #44 in the UK. Singles released from the album were also highly successful: I.G.Y. (#26 in the USA and #46 in the Netherlands) and New Frontier (#47 in the Netherlands and #70 in the USA)

Donald in 1982

SONGS

I.G.Y. (International Geophysical Year)
It was about an international scientific project that lasted from 1 July 1957 to 31 December 1958. It marked the end of a long period during the Cold War when scientific interchange between East and West had been seriously interrupted.
Green Flower Street
Based on a jazz standard "On Green Dolphin Street"
Ruby Baby
A cover based on the the Drifters' version
Maxine
References the harmonies of the Four Freshmen. It was an idealized version of high-school romance
New Frontier
About a teenager inviting a girl back to his family's backyard fallout shelter for a private gathering
The Nightfly
The title song is a portrait of a late-night D.J. in Baton Rouge taking phone calls from listeners while silently battling his own loneliness and regret.
The Goodbye Look
About military unrest on a Caribbean island
Walk Between Raindrops
Based on a Jewish folk tale

New Frontier - single cover

ALBUM COVER

The cover displaying Donald as a D.J. aka The Nightfly. The cover was shot in Fagen's apartment in the Upper East Side of Manhattan by photographer James Hamilton.