Footwear Song Top Ten: Bad Sneakers (#5)

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Things are looking bad for my Wednesday, but that's okay. The best-laid plans of mice, men, and hillbillies, y'know. But that doesn't mean I can't give you another song with footwear in the title. This is the only song that doesn't have "shoe" in the title; rather, a type of shoes. And who would have guessed it would be the exception, coming from this band? Here it is. #5: Bad Sneakers - Steely Dan Yeah, The Dan makes a return appearance here. It's a great song, but as usual you can find 20 different websites that'll give you 22 different interpretations. That's part of the joy of Steely Dan: amid the great music you can find lyrics that are pretty much open for interpretation. And, unless Donald Fagen tells you you're wrong, it's probably not. It's obviously set in New York ("stopping on the avenue by Radio City"), but even that isn't clear: there's a Magnolia Boulevard in L.A., and "that ditch down in the valley that they're digging just for me" has a little more L.A. feel to it (given that you don't usually hear people talk about "the valley" in NYC). Wherever it's set, it's great. Bad Sneakers Written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen Recorded by Steely Dan From Katy Lied, 1975 Five names I can hardly stand to hear: