Steely Dan Sunday: “Third World Man” (1980)

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The last song of the “classic” Steely Dan period ends Gaucho on a solemn note. “Third World Man” is a lounge ballad at heart that’s made more substantial than what that characterization might suggest by sophisticated arrangements and lyrics — most likely about war veterans dealing with post traumatic stress disorder — that are too direct and serious to ever be called sappy. With verses speaking of fireworks causing the neighbors coming out screaming, this ain’t no maudlin love song. And with this track plodding along at their slowest ever tempo, “Third World Man” doesn’t groove like the rest of the record, making it sort of an anomaly. This song wasn’t even intended to see the light of day; it was a last minute replacement for the the ill-fated “Second Arrangement” on the album.

Becker and Fagen noodled around on this song for some time, originally calling it “Were You Blind That Day.” The lyrics were revamped and the song was re-christened “Third World Man,” but much of the instrumentation of the “Were You Blind That Day” demo was retained, including, thankfully, Larry Carlton’s tasty and discriminating lead guitar work. In contrast to the times he’s gone in and ripped the roof off of a song with searing solos, Carlton takes on a different tact for “Man,” elongating his notes more and often doubling them that serves to embellish the pain being portrayed in the words.

That, plus the poignant lyrics and some really lavish harmonies, makes “Third World Man” the sleeper track on Gaucho, an album with a pair of great bookends.

S. Victor Aaron