Pretzel Logic is the third studio album by the American rock band Steely Dan, released on February 20, 1974 by ABC Records. It was written by principal band members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. They recorded the album at The Village Recorder in West Los Angeles with producer Gary Katz.
The album was a commercial and critical success upon its release. Its hit single “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” helped restore Steely Dan’s radio presence after the disappointing performance of their 1973 album Countdown to Ecstasy. Pretzel Logic was reissued on CD in 1987 and remastered in 1999 to retrospective acclaim from critics.
Pretzel Logic was recorded at The Village Recorder in West Los Angeles. It was produced by Gary Katz and written primarily by Walter Becker and bandleader Donald Fagen, who also sang and played keyboard. The album marked the beginning of Becker and Fagen’s roles as Steely Dan’s principal members. They enlisted prominent Los Angeles–based studio musicians to record Pretzel Logic, but used them only for occasional overdubs. Steely Dan’s Jeff “Skunk” Baxter played pedal steel guitar and hand drums.
The cover photo featuring a New York pretzel seller was taken by Raeanne Rubenstein, a photographer of musicians and Hollywood celebrities. She shot the photo on the west side of Fifth Avenue and 79th Street, just above the 79th Street Transverse (the road through Central Park), at the park entrance called “Miners’ Gate”.
1 Rikki Don’t Lose That Number (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 4:33
2 Night by Night (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 3:38
3 Any Major Dude Will Tell You (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 3:08
4 Barrytown (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 3:20
5 East st. Louis Toodle-Oo (Duke Ellington, Bubber Miley) 2:49
6 Parker’s Band (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 2:42
7 Through With Buzz (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 1:32
8 Pretzel Logic (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 4:31
9 With a Gun (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 2:17
10 Charlie Freak (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 2:44
11 Monkey in Your Soul (Walter Becker, Donald Fagen) 2:34
Bass - Walter Becker
Bass - Chuck Rainey
Bass - Wilton Felder
Guitar - Jeff Baxter
Guitar - Ben Benay
Guitar - Dean Parks
Guitar - Walter Becker
Pedal Steel Guitar - Jeff Baxter
Banjo - Dean Parks
Keyboards - Donald Fagen
Keyboards - David Paich
Keyboards - Michael Omartian
Piano - Michael Omartian
Piano - David Paich
Sax - Ernie Watts
Sax - Jerome Richardson
Sax - Plas Johnson
Sax - Donald Fagen
Trombone - Lew McCreary
Trumpet - Ollie Mitchell
Percussion - Victor Feldman
Background Vocals - Walter Becker
Vocals - Donald Fagen
1 Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
Drums - Jim Gordon
Background Vocals - Timothy B Schmit
2 Night By Night
Drums - Jeffrey Porcaro
3 Any Major Dude Will Tell You
Drums - Jim Gordon
4 Barrytown
Drums - Jim Gordon
Background Vocals - Timothy B Schmit
5 East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
Drums - Jim Gordon
Guitar (Wah Wah) - Jeff Baxter
6 Parker’s Band
Drums - Jeffrey Porcaro
Background Vocals - Jim Hodder
7 Through With Buzz
Drums - Jim Gordon
8 Pretzel Logic
Drums - Jim Gordon
Background Vocals - Timothy B Schmit
9 With A Gun
Drums - Jim Gordon
10 Charlie Freak
Drums - Jim Gordon
11 Monkey In Your Soul
Drums - Jim Gordon
Producer – Gary KatzEngineer – Roger Nichols
Mastered By – Allan Zentz
Orchestrated By – Jimmie Haskell
Art Direction – Ed Caraeff
Design – David Larkham
Photography – Raenne Rubenstein, Ed Caraeff
Engineered At The Village Recorder
Mixed At Cherokee Studios
Phonographic Copyright ABC Records Inc
Copyright ABC Records Inc
