Reelin' in the Years

Steely Dan, 1972. Solo by Elliott Randall.

Jimmy Page called it his favorite solo; Randall reportedly nailed it in one take.

The solos belong to Elliott Randall, a session guitarist who was never in Steely Dan. By his own account he plugged a Stratocaster straight into an Ampeg SVT, with no pedals, and improvised his parts on the spot; the performance kept is one continuous take with no punch-ins. The playing blends rapid bluesy runs with jazz-flavoured double stops and wide bends, giving the song its sparkle, and Jeff Baxter added harmony lines that answer Randall's lead. It shows how a hired player walking in cold can create the defining part of a hit. Listen for the double stops, two notes played together with a slight bend, that give Randall's lines their bright, almost horn-like punch.

Reelin' in the Years by Steely Dan is ranked #41 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Elliott Randall and the song was released in 1972. It appears on 13 lists, placing as high as #8 (The Metal Circus (Spain), reproducing Q magazine).

The story of Reelin' in the Years

"Reelin' in the Years" was written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen for Can't Buy a Thrill, the 1972 debut album that introduced Steely Dan. Sung by Fagen, the lyric reads as a sour kiss-off to a lover who has moved on, delivered with the sardonic edge that would become the duo's trademark. As usual, the writers said little about its meaning, and one line may nod to a drug bust at Bard College, the school where the pair met.

The album was cut at the Village Recorder in Los Angeles in August 1972 with producer Gary Katz. The core band featured Denny Dias and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter on guitars, Becker on bass and Jim Hodder on drums, but the lead guitar was handed to New York session player Elliott Randall after Baxter found the solo part a struggle and invited Randall to try it.

Issued as the album's second single in March 1973, the song climbed to No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 that May and helped push Can't Buy a Thrill toward eventual platinum status. Trade papers of the day singled out the guitar playing as the record's selling point. The writers themselves were unsentimental about their hit: Fagen dismissed it as dumb but effective, and Becker said it was no fun. Fans and guitarists took a very different view, and the track became one of classic rock radio's most durable staples.

The solo

The solos belong to Elliott Randall, a session guitarist who was never a member of Steely Dan. By his own account he plugged a Fender Stratocaster he had owned since 1965 straight into an Ampeg SVT, captured with a single AKG 414 microphone and no pedals. Nothing was written out: Randall improvised his lead parts on the spot, and the whole performance was kept from one continuous take with no punch-ins or edits. Songfacts adds that the first attempt was lost because the engineer forgot to hit record, so the keeper was effectively take two. Jeff Baxter overdubbed the harmony guitar lines that answer Randall's lead. The playing blends rapid bluesy runs with jazz-flavoured double stops and wide bends, and the quadraphonic mix preserves extra lead fills missing from the stereo release.

Legacy

Jimmy Page has repeatedly named this his favourite guitar solo, once scoring it 12 out of 10. Guitar World readers ranked it the 40th greatest guitar solo in 2016, and Q magazine listed the song at No. 95 among the 100 greatest guitar tracks. The parent album later reached No. 168 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums, and the song remains one of Steely Dan's most-played recordings on classic rock radio.

Top 10 facts about Reelin' in the Years

Jeff Baxter was originally meant to play the lead but struggled with it and asked Elliott Randall to have a go.
Wikipedia
Randall recorded the solo in one continuous take, with no edits or punch-ins.
Wikipedia
Randall used a Fender Stratocaster plugged straight into an Ampeg SVT, recorded with a single AKG 414 microphone.
Guitar World
The first take was lost because the engineer forgot to press record.
Songfacts
Jimmy Page has called it his favourite guitar solo of all time and rated it 12 out of 10.
Songfacts
The quadraphonic mix contains extra lead guitar fills that are absent from the familiar stereo version.
Guitar World
The single peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 1973.
Wikipedia
Donald Fagen called the song dumb but effective, and Walter Becker said it was no fun.
Wikipedia
Can't Buy a Thrill was recorded in August 1972 at the Village Recorder in Los Angeles with producer Gary Katz.
Wikipedia: Can't Buy a Thrill
Randall later played on the Steely Dan albums Katy Lied and The Royal Scam.
Songfacts

Live versions

The Midnight Special (NBC TV) (1973) Rare footage of the early touring band with Jeff Baxter handling the lead guitar; resurfaced in 2023.
Alive in America (Hoffman Estates, Illinois) (1994) Recorded 26 August 1994 on the reunion tours, the band's first shows since 1974.
Elliott Randall with Giants of Rock (UK) (2014) Randall revisiting his famous solo on stage in Britain.

Notable covers

The Fearless Flyers (2022) Instrumental version by the Vulfpeck offshoot, previewing The Fearless Flyers III.
Marvelous 3 Listed among recorded covers of the song.
The Dukes of September Donald Fagen's side project with Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs recorded a version.

In our lists

The Road Trip 50 — #10
The 25 Greatest Classic Rock Guitar Solos — #13
The 1970s — #15
Solos in Hit Singles — #10
Played on a Stratocaster — #17

Sources

What guitar was used on the Reelin' in the Years solo?

A fender stratocaster through an Ampeg amp, according to widely reported accounts.

Where does Reelin' in the Years rank among the greatest guitar solos?

#41 in the GreatestSolos consensus of 79 published lists; it appears on 13 of them.

Who played the guitar solo on Reelin' in the Years?

Session guitarist Elliott Randall, who was never an official Steely Dan member.

What guitar was used on Reelin' in the Years?

Randall played a Fender Stratocaster plugged directly into an Ampeg SVT amplifier.

Was the Reelin' in the Years solo done in one take?

Yes. Randall improvised it in one continuous take with no edits, after a first attempt went unrecorded.

What album is Reelin' in the Years on?

Steely Dan's 1972 debut album, Can't Buy a Thrill.

What is Jimmy Page's favourite guitar solo?

Page has named Elliott Randall's solo on "Reelin' in the Years" as his favourite, rating it 12 out of 10.