The Royal Scam
by Steely Dan
- Type: Album
- Released: April 1976
- Label: ABC
- Country: United States
- Length: 41:01
- Community rating: 3.9/5 from 11 ratings
Artists on this release: Gary Coleman, Chuck Rainey, Plas Johnson, Dean Parks, Elliott Randall, Denny Dias, Dick "Slyde" Hyde, Dick Hyde, Jim Horn, Bob Findley, John Klemmer, Victor Feldman, Larry Carlton, Bernard Purdie, Paul Griffin, Don Grolnick, Rick Marotta
Album Notes & Community Reviews
Arguably the most guitar-oriented and cynical release in their legendary catalog, Steely Dan's fifth album is a darkly humorous exploration of seedy urban characters. 'The Royal Scam' weaves remarkably sarcastic, drug-fueled lyricism into flawlessly produced, highly technical jazz-rock, yielding a wonderfully mellow yet fiercely rhythmic, deeply melodic masterpiece.
Genres
Descriptors: drugs, rhythmic, melodic, technical, sophisticated
Tracklist
- Kid Charlemagne (4:34)
- The Caves Of Altamira (3:31)
- Don't Take Me Alive (4:13)
- Sign In Stranger (4:21)
- The Fez (3:56)
- Green Earrings (4:06)
- Haitian Divorce (5:47)
- Everything You Did (3:57)
- The Royal Scam (6:31)
Credits
- Steely Dan - primary artist
- Chuck Findley - arranged by [horns]
- Donald Fagen - arranged by [horns], backing vocals [back-up vocals], keyboards, lead vocals, songwriter [all songs written by]
- Walter Becker - arranged by [horns], bass, guitar, songwriter [all songs written by]
- Ed Caraeff - art direction, design
- Charlie Ganse - artwork [cover art], artwork
- Zox - artwork [cover art], artwork
- Clydie King - backing vocals [back-up vocals]
- Michael McDonald - backing vocals [back-up vocals]
- Sherlie Matthews - backing vocals [back-up vocals]
- Timothy B. Schmit - backing vocals [back-up vocals]
- Venetta Fields - backing vocals [back-up vocals]
- Chuck Rainey - bass
- Bernard Purdie - drums
- Rick Marotta - drums
- Elliot Scheiner - engineer [a&r studios]
- Roger Nichols - engineer [abc studios], engineer [mix down]
- Barney Perkins - engineer [mix down]
- Dean Parks - guitar
- Denny Dias - guitar
- Elliott Randall - guitar
- Larry Carlton - guitar
- Bob Findley - horns
- Dick "Slyde" Hyde - horns
- Jim Horn - horns
- John Klemmer - horns
- Plas Johnson - horns
- Don Grolnick - keyboards
- Paul Griffin - keyboards, written-by
- Victor Feldman - keyboards, percussion
- Brian Gardner - lacquer cut by [runout etching ⁀⁀ ⁀⁀], lacquer cut by [runout etching ❀]
- Karen Stanley - other [nurse]
- Gary Coleman - percussion
- Gary Katz - producer
- Bob DeAvila - technician [techno]
- Buns - technician [techno]
- Jerry Garszva - technician [techno]
- John - technician [techno]
- Leslie - technician [techno]
- Roy - technician [techno]
- Stuart "Dinky" Dawson - technician [techno]
- Warren Wallace - technician [techno]
- Tom Nikosey - typography [typographic design], design [typographic design], design
- Dick Hyde - horn