“Parker’s Band”—first song, side two of Pretzel Logic (1974)

Never one of my favorite Steely Dan songs—as big a fan of Charlie Parker as I am—because in my mind it was always a hopped up two-and-a-half-minute sprint crammed full of pretty obvious Bird references. But listening to it more closely, it comes off better. It really does. It’s the perfect side two opener, too. It just sounds like a title song, and in this case, it’s the title song for side two of Pretzel Logic (and side one, again, once you start the record over). It occurs to me now that this also comes across like another one of their jingle songs, or movie/TV show title songs, which they’re really good at. So, I’m imaging a TV show called “Parker’s Band,” which could be a comedy/drama about Charlie Parker. Each week he lands gigs, gets arrested, grapples with relationships, hocks his sax to buy drugs, cleans up a bit, gets his horn back, plays a triumphant show. I’d watch that on TV, for sure, depending, of course, on the writing—and who they cast. I’m joking, but really, that could be something—as long as they were respectful to Charlie Parker and his circle, why not. It would be a way to share his music with people who would otherwise never hear it, as each episode could end with a dramatization featuring a vintage Parker performance. This song would be the opening theme—it really does sound like that kind of number, in part because of the wacky bridge in the middle that implies that each week’s episode will always take you to somewhere unexpected before getting you back to the gig. And the way the song ends with the crazy dueling saxes—and then puts on the brakes and stops on a dime—that’s pure TV theme song.

—Randy Russell 7.30.23