1975 Songs: Bad Sneakers
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (74615)
United States
May 3, 2025 9:12am CST
Yesterday I warned you that we’d have a string of songs with “bad” in the title. Two of the songs made it all the way to #1. This is the flop. I’m sure NJ Chic will agree, given how this is her favorite band. 
(Kidding, she hates these guys.) Here’s today’s song that’s now 50 years old!
Bad Sneakers - Steely Dan
And yes, that IS Michael McDonald you hear in the background! It’s the arrival of the king of the background singers from the mid-70s. He’s on Aja so much they could have released that as a Donald Fagen/Michael McDonald duet album. 
It’s a lovely combination: “bad sneaker and a piña colada, my friend.” As far as singles go, this was a big-time bomb. I don’t know if they even play it on “classic rock” radio anymore (last time I was forced to listen to FM rock radio, Steely Dan was relegated to “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years,” and “Deacon Blues;” however, “Black Friday,” the first single from this album, used to get a lot of airplay). But it’s still one that all the Dan Fans love.
Bad Sneakers
Written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen
Recorded by Steely Dan
From Katy Lied, 1975
Yours and mine and one more chimp who isn’t here:
(Kidding, she hates these guys.) Here’s today’s song that’s now 50 years old!
Bad Sneakers - Steely Dan
And yes, that IS Michael McDonald you hear in the background! It’s the arrival of the king of the background singers from the mid-70s. He’s on Aja so much they could have released that as a Donald Fagen/Michael McDonald duet album.
It’s a lovely combination: “bad sneaker and a piña colada, my friend.” As far as singles go, this was a big-time bomb. I don’t know if they even play it on “classic rock” radio anymore (last time I was forced to listen to FM rock radio, Steely Dan was relegated to “Do It Again,” “Reelin’ in the Years,” and “Deacon Blues;” however, “Black Friday,” the first single from this album, used to get a lot of airplay). But it’s still one that all the Dan Fans love.
Bad Sneakers
Written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen
Recorded by Steely Dan
From Katy Lied, 1975
Yours and mine and one more chimp who isn’t here:Your browser isn’t supported anymore. Update it to get the best YouTube experience and our latest features. Learn moreRemind me later
10 people like this
6 responses
@snowy22315 (189411)
• United States
3 May
Gee, I didn't know Michael MacDonald sang anywhere other than with the Doobie brother.
4 people like this
@FourWalls (74615)
• United States
3 May
Oh, yeah, you can hear him on “Ride Like the Wind” by Christopher Cross and “This Is It” by Kenny Loggins.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (74615)
• United States
3 May
You’ve got the Steely Dan t-shirt (which you probably use as a cleaning rag). 
2 people like this
@Orson_Kart (7337)
• United Kingdom
4 May
@NJChicaa What’s so bad about Steely Dan? 
2 people like this
@NJChicaa (122812)
• United States
4 May
@Orson_Kart There are 3 groups/singers that make me want to stab out my eardrums--Rush, Steely Dan, and Stevie Nicks and @FourWalls well knows this.
2 people like this
@Orson_Kart (7337)
• United Kingdom
4 May
I can’t say that Steely Dan are a favourite band of mine, but the lyrics were always clever I thought. Reeling in the Years, is probably my favourite of theirs if you had to push me for one. 
1 person likes this
@Orson_Kart (7337)
• United Kingdom
4 May
@FourWalls Funny you should say that. We have an 80’s band called “Deacon Blue”, who just got back together again.
If you’ve never heard of them, here is one of their 80’s hits:
Your browser isn’t supported anymore. Update it to get the best YouTube experience and our latest features. Learn moreRemind me later
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (74615)
• United States
4 May
@Orson_Kart — oh, yes, I know of Deacon Blue. 
I liked what I heard from them.
I liked what I heard from them.@FourWalls (74615)
• United States
4 May
My favorite is easily “Deacon Blues.” That’s strange, because it’s a song about a jazz musician and I know so little about jazz.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (74615)
• United States
4 May
At least you didn’t give me 42 puking faces like NJ Chic did.
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (84955)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 May
Yuck! Makes me thing of smelly sneakers,
1 person likes this
