“Midnite Cruiser”—fourth song, side one of Can't Buy a Thrill (1972)

In a parallel universe, Steely Dan might have only released one album: this one—an intriguing pop-rock country and jazz influenced collection of hits that people might still be discovering. In yet another parallel universe, Steely Dan would have just kept this band together throughout their career, with three lead singers, much like The Band, including drummer Jim Hodder who sang on this song. He's a good singer, and he was also the best looking guy in the band. His drumming is also very good—he might have been their drummer throughout the decade—if they hadn't kept getting better and insanely better drummers. I'm one of those people who think that drums are the key instrument to any band, and the most important instrument in rock'n'roll, and that the drummers were the most irreplaceable members of many bands (I don't mean, of course, from a songwriting perspective, but from an instrumental perspective—for example: the Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, The Band, Led Zeppelin). The drums are where it begins, with me, and sometimes where it ends, too.

In yet another parallel universe, “Midnite Cruiser” could have been this band's biggest hit. It's a great song, solid and catchy. It's one of those songs that kind of fades in your memory, but always sounds better when you actually hear it. It's got a sing-along chorus. It's probably only my fifth favorite song on this record, but that's not bad, since there are some amazing songs on this record, and no weak ones. It's kind of a sad song, full of regret, a bit world-weary—it sounds like a song from much older people—it's easy to forget that these guys were very young at this time. But I think in 1972 a lot of people felt the weariness, after the explosion and then implosion of the Sixties—the assassinations, the early drug deaths, Vietnam, optimism crushed by cynicism. I was only 12, and I felt it—that's about the time I started drinking, started my first band, began writing my memoirs, and pretty much gave up on romance. I was lucky enough to have more second chances than a cat. One of them, punk rock, was just around the corner. And then I was also lucky enough to have the time to reexamine all this stuff and rediscover fun.

—Randy Russell 4.12.20