Frazz by Jef Mallett for September 30, 2023

Ah! So Jef is a fellow fan of the “Dan”! I love it ;-)

It’s hard times befallen the sole survivors…

Well, I’m a lot older than he is and I have no idea what he’s going on about.

Getting close to retirement.

Just don’t explain the Cuervo Gold or the Fine Colombian.

Just checked I was 32

I remember when we got an FM radio. No static at all.

So he was born in ’61

Those last couple of lines give me Eric Bogle vibes, but I’m sure it’s not meant to be.

Probably can’t dance much any more, either.

Excellent! of course, now I will be singing that in my head all day.

I think of “Hey Nineteen” every time I get out my bag of “Fine Colombian” coffee. I don’t think Becker and Fagan were referring to.

As good as it gets on Frazz.

I’m over 20 years older than Mr. Spaetzle and I agree with his comment. I can say for certain that there is very little conversation about music, movies, books, tv programs, politics, life styles, etc between myself and almost anyone else in our neighborhood.

It’s ok. We get along on most things and we chat, share lawn parties, help when needed but don’t interfere in their lives or they in ours. T’is the way of it.

Funny how Caulfield brags about his ignorance

I have that problem at work. I’m about to bring up something to a coworker, then realize they were too young at the time to remember, then realize that their parents may have been too young at the time too remember, and the coworker still far from being born.

As a contract employee, still new to this industry, they put me out in the cubical farm with the recent college grads.

Please take me along as I slide on down

Hold on, wasn’t that 1980? the dude’s looking pretty worn out for only 43

When that song came out I had an attractive co-worker around that age. I used to think of her when I heard the song. I was in my early 30s.

40-some years later, she’s still attractive. Me, not so much. Nothing new there.

No we’ve got nothing in common.

Funny, as it’s a song about not dating a girl after one has slept with her, because she’s a generation younger. ’lombo and tequila will bridge the gap only for one night.

It’s about an older guy dating a much younger girl. They got nothing in common.

AMAZING SONG!

Maybe Caulfield isn’t familiar with Steely Dan, but I bet he knows Aretha Franklin. And he’s way younger than 19…

We can’t talk at all, Hey Nineteen.

I was 19 when that song came out. I wasn’t able to follow the lyrics back then so I didn’t understand that it was about an older guy who was dating a 19 year old girl and discovered that they really don’t have anything to talk about. Do you think our esteemed principal understood the lyrics any better?

Quite possibly the best song by one of the best non-improvisational bands of all time!

And we can’t talk about what “steely Dan” refers to.

Very, very good Jef! I loved it!

Just as an example:

When Jef and I were both younger, watching cartoons, there was a catchphrase in one, “Help Mr Wizard! I don’ wanna be a…” (fill in the blank) So many times it would have been appropriate but absolutely no one would get it.

I know what he’s talking about with that song. Shows how old I am.

So he’s about 62. Also, that year, he turned 19 on the 19th! How often does that happen?

My 13th birthday was on a Friday the 13th. The movie Friday the 13th was released on my 18th birthday. I wasn’t allowed to see in on my birthday and I refused to watch it on principle after that. Now I’m really glad that I didn’t. Slasher films are not my forte

Fantastic!

He’s reelin’ in the years, he is. Any major dude would tell you that.

In two years, he’ll say he’s 64 and The Beatles will then be the subject.

Dated: Spaetzle is 62 years old.

So that makes him 62. I’m sure his pension is fully vested by now. Why is he still hanging around there?

Paul and Storm, “Steely Dansplaining” >

And I’m never going back to my old school…

I had a similar experience with that song when I substitute taught in 1985. A teen girl in one of my classes. heard the song and had no idea about it. It doesn’t take long to become uncool.

When that song was fairly new, I remember my dad asking if I was familiar with it. He would have been in his 50’s. He was big on the Big Bands when I was young (Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Harry James). This was about the only post-1970 music I remember him mentioning.