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“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” is a single released in 1974 by the American rock band Steely Dan and the opening track of their third album Pretzel Logic. It was the most successful single of the group’s career, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1974.[3]

Recording and content

Victor Feldman‘s flapamba introduction to the song, which opens the album, is cut from the original ABC single version.[4] The MCA single reissue (backed with “Pretzel Logic”) includes the flapamba intro but fades out just before the actual end of the track. The introductory riff is an almost direct copy of the intro of Horace Silver‘s jazz classic “Song for My Father“.[5] Fagen has denied the similarity, saying that it is a Brazilian bass line which is common to numerous songs.[6]

The song exemplifies Steely Dan’s growing preference for session musicians: Though Jim Hodder was Steely Dan’s drummer at the time, the track instead features Jim Gordon on drums (as does the bulk of Pretzel Logic), the piano is played by Michael Omartian instead of Fagen, and despite Steely Dan having two guitarists of their own, the acoustic guitar is played by sessionist Dean Parks. The guitar solo is by Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and was recorded with the guitar plugged directly into the console.[6]

Lyrics

Though fan interpretations have variously described “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” as being about marijuana dealing, an undercover operation, and even a homosexual romance (with the subject of the song given a female name and other feminine traits in order to throw listeners off the scent), it is actually a straightforward song of lost love.[7] As usual for songs written by them, Becker and Fagen were reluctant to speak about the song’s meaning, which was only revealed when writer Rikki Ducornet came forward in 2006 and said she recognized the song as being about her relationship with Fagen, who she knew when he was a student at Bard College. She elaborated, “I was actually a young faculty wife, I was pregnant, and he thought I was cute. So he gave me his phone number, which I lost.”[6] Ducornet was living in France at the time the song was released, and did not hear it until ten years later.[6] Donald Fagen has since confirmed that the “Rikki” in the song was a woman he had a crush on in college.[7]

Reception

Billboard described it as a “catchy, almost tango-like tune.”[8] Cash Box said that the “strong accent on harmonies with keyboard and percussion dominating the musical end make for a very entertaining track.”[9] Record World said that the “salty Latin-ish sound is in an easy vein” and that the song was a “totally nifty number.”[10]

John Lennon, in a 1974 interview discussing recent hit songs, said “I liked ‘Rikki Don’t Lose That Number’, that was a good commercial record.”[11]

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Stewart Mason called it “one of the group’s most gentle and accessible songs”.[7]

Personnel

Personnel per Anthony Robustelli.[6] Pretzel Logic's credits consist of a simple list of the musicians who contributed to the album, with no indication of what instruments they played or which songs they played them on.

Steely Dan
Additional musicians
Technical

Chart performance

Cover versions

  • 1983 – Kenji Omura recorded a version of the song for his fourth album Gaijin Heaven.[20][citation needed]
  • 1984 – Tom Robinson recorded his version for the album Hope and Glory; the single release of the song matched Steely Dan’s original version by peaking at No. 58 in the UK Singles Chart.[16]
  • 1992 – Hank Marvin did an instrumental of the song on his album Into the Light.
  • 1994 – Far Corporation made a cover of the song for their album Solitude.
  • 2007 – Chuck Loeb did an instrumental cover of the song on his album Presence.

Usage in media

The song is featured in the 1989 film Say Anything…, in which the lyrics are sung by actor John Mahoney.[21]

References

  1. ^ Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 471. ISBN 0-452-26305-0.
  2. ^ a b Panati, Charles (1991). “1974: The Lord’s Prayer”. Panati’s Parade of Fads, Follies, and Manias. New York: Harper Perennial. p. 397.
  3. ^ Steely Dan US chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
  4. ^ “Pretzel Logic Album”. Broberg.pp.se. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  5. ^ Shteamer, Hank (September 3, 2017). “Steely Dan: 10 Essential Songs”. Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e Robustelli, Anthony (2017). Steely Dan FAQ: All that’s Left to Know about this Elusive Band. Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books. pp. 97–98. ISBN 9781495025129.
  7. ^ a b c “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number – Steely Dan – Song Info”. AllMusic. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  8. ^ “Top Single Picks” (PDF). Billboard. April 27, 1974. p. 55. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
  9. ^ “CashBox Record Reviews” (PDF). Cash Box. April 27, 1974. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  10. ^ “Single Picks” (PDF). Record World. April 27, 1974. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  11. ^ “1974/09/25 John Lennon Interview with Paul Drew at RKO Radio Promoting Walls and Bridges”. YouTube. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  12. ^ “Top RPM Singles: Image 5072a“. RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  13. ^ “Steely Dan Chart History (Hot 100)“. Billboard.
  14. ^ “Steely Dan Chart History (Adult Contemporary)“. Billboard.
  15. ^ “Top 100 1974-08-03”. Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 2015-04-16.[dead link]
  16. ^ a b “rikki don’t lose that number | full Official Chart History”. Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  17. ^ Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). “Image : RPM Weekly”. Bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
  18. ^ “Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974”. Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  19. ^ “Top 100 Year End Charts: 1974”. Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  20. ^ Kenji Omura – Gaijin Heaven at Discogs
  21. ^ “Totally Random Tune At Noon – Steely Dan – Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”. Sunny 95. Retrieved 2021-03-09.