Dirty Work ( Steely Dan song ) - wikipedia Dirty Work ( Steely Dan song ) `` Dirty Work '' Song by Steely Dan from the album Ca n't Buy a Thrill Language English Recorded The Village Recorder, Los Angeles Genre Soft rock Length 3 : 08 Label ABC Songwriter ( s ) Donald Fagen and Walter Becker Producer ( s ) Gary Katz `` Dirty Work '' is a song written by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker that was first released on Steely Dan 's debut album Ca n't Buy a Thrill in 1972. It was also recorded by other artists, including the Pointer Sisters, Iain Matthews, and Melissa Manchester. Contents 1 Lyrics and music 2 Personnel 3 Reception 4 Other recordings 5 References 6 External links Lyrics and music Steely Dan FAQ author Anthony Robustelli describes `` Dirty Work '' as a `` song of self - loathing. '' The lyrics describe an affair between a man and a married woman, sung by the man. The Guardian describes the narrative as soap operatic. The singer recognizes that the woman is using him but is too infatuated to end the affair. The lyrics make an oblique reference to the game of chess, which was a hobby of Becker 's. Several critics have described the music of `` Dirty Work '' as more commercial - sounding than most Steely Dan songs. The Guardian says that it sounds like `` a radio - friendly stroll of a song, '' at least at first. Allmusic critic Stewart Mason attributes this in part to the `` upward - modulating '' refrain and `` soulful '' clavinet, as well as the tenor saxophone part played by guest musician Jerome Richardson. Steely Dan biographer Brian Sweet describes Richardson 's sax solo as being `` perfectly understated. '' `` Dirty Work '' is one of the songs on Ca n't Buy a Thrill on which David Palmer provided the lead vocal. Steely Dan biographer Brian Sweet hypothesizes that Fagen did not want to sing the song himself because he and Becker did not even want to include it on the album. But the executives at ABC Records wanted some more conventional tunes on the album and so they insisted that `` Dirty Work '' be included. The ABC executives had also thought the song would be ideal for Three Dog Night or The Grass Roots to record. After Palmer left the group, Steely Dan ceased playing the song live in concert, but revived it in 2006 with their female backing vocalists singing it and the perspective changed to that of a woman having an affair with a married ( or attached ) man. Personnel Donald Fagen -- Wurlitzer electric piano, plastic ( YC - 30 ) organ, and backup vocals Denny Dias -- acoustic guitar Jeff Baxter -- electric guitar Walter Becker -- bass guitar, backup vocals Jim Hodder -- drums, backup vocals David Palmer -- lead vocals Jerome Richardson -- tenor saxophone Snooky Young -- flugelhorn Reception Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine described `` Dirty Work '' as a `` terrific pop song that subvert ( s ) traditional conventions '' and is one of the best songs on Ca n't Buy a Thrill. Musichound author Gary Graff referred to it as being `` instantly memorable. '' Rolling Stone Magazine critic James Isaacs attributes the song 's success to the fact that it `` juxtaposes David Palmer 's sweet tenor voice with misogynistic lyrics. '' Robustelli similarly agrees that part of the song 's effect is due to the contrast between Palmer 's smooth voice and the harsh lyrics. `` Dirty Work '' was included on several Steely Dan compilation albums, including Citizen Steely Dan in 1993, Showbiz Kids : The Steely Dan Story, 1972 -- 1980 in 2000 and Steely Dan : The Definitive Collection in 2006. Seguin Gazette - Enterprise writer J.J. Syrja expressed surprise that it was excluded from their 1978 compilation package Greatest Hits. The song was used in the first episode of season 3 of The Sopranos, `` Mr. Ruggerio 's Neighborhood, '' as Tony Soprano sings it while driving his SUV. The song was also used in the 2013 film American Hustle, although Fagen and Becker did not give permission for it to be included on the soundtrack album. Other recordings One off Rock Band The Replicants recorded the song on an album of songs not written by band members. Iain Matthews recorded `` Dirty Work '' on his 1974 album Some Days You Eat the Bear and Some Days the Bear Eats You. Allmusic critic Brett Haretnbach described it as a `` now - classic tune '' well suited to Matthews ' voice. The Herald writer Tom Van Malder described it as a `` standout. '' The Pointer Sisters included it on their 1978 album Energy. Syrja called it an `` intelligent '' choice for the album. References ^ Jump up to : Robustelli, Anthony ( 2017 ). Steely Dan FAQ : All That 's Left to Know About This Elusive Band. Backbeat Books. pp. 65 -- 66. ISBN 978 - 1495025129. ^ Jump up to : Mason, Stewart. `` Dirty Work ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 14. ^ Jump up to : `` Old music : Steely Dan -- Dirty Work ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 14. ^ Jump up to : Sweet, Brian ( 2016 ). Steely Dan : Reelin ' in the Years. Omnibus. ISBN 978 - 1468313147. Jump up ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. `` Ca n't Buy a Thrill ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 14. Jump up ^ Graff, Gary ( 1999 ). Graff, Gary ; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. MusicHound Rock : The Essential Album Guide. Schirmer Trade Books. p. 1084. ISBN 0825672562. Jump up ^ Isaacs, James ( November 23, 1972 ). `` Ca n't Buy a Thrill ''. Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 14. ^ Jump up to : Syrja, J.J. ( February 22, 1979 ). `` Manzanera, Pointer Sisters aim for pleasure ''. Seguin Gazette - Enterprise. p. 46. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 14 -- via newspapers.com. Jump up ^ Long, Christian ( April 14, 2016 ). `` ' Sopranos ' Music Moments That Helped Define Tony Soprano ''. Uproxx. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 15. ^ Jump up to : Hartenbach, Brett. `` Some Days You Eat the Bear and Some Days the Bear Eats You ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 14. ^ Jump up to : Van Malder, Tom ( June 14, 1874 ). `` New Webb Album a Winner ''. The Wheeling Herald. p. 15. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 14 -- via newspapers.com. Jump up ^ Hanson, Amy. `` Energy ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 14. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Steely Dan Donald Fagen Walter Becker Jeff `` Skunk '' Baxter Denny Dias Jim Hodder David Palmer Royce Jones Michael McDonald Jeff Porcaro Studio albums Ca n't Buy a Thrill ( 1972 ) Countdown to Ecstasy ( 1973 ) Pretzel Logic ( 1974 ) Katy Lied ( 1975 ) The Royal Scam ( 1976 ) Aja ( 1977 ) Gaucho ( 1980 ) Two Against Nature ( 2000 ) Everything Must Go ( 2003 ) Live albums Alive in America ( 1995 ) Plush TV Jazz - Rock Party ( 2000 ) Marian McPartland 's Piano Jazz with Steely Dan ( 2005 ) Singles `` Dallas '' `` Do It Again '' `` Reelin ' In the Years '' `` Show Biz Kids '' `` My Old School '' `` Rikki Do n't Lose That Number '' `` Pretzel Logic '' `` Black Friday '' `` Bad Sneakers '' `` Kid Charlemagne '' `` The Fez '' `` Haitian Divorce '' `` Peg '' `` Deacon Blues '' `` FM ( No Static at All ) '' `` Josie '' `` Hey Nineteen '' `` Babylon Sisters '' `` Cousin Dupree '' `` Janie Runaway '' Album tracks `` Aja '' `` Any Major Dude Will Tell You '' `` Dirty Work '' Compilations Greatest Hits ( 1978 ) Steely Dan ( 1978 ) Gold ( 1982 / 91 ) A Decade of Steely Dan ( 1985 ) Reelin ' In the Years ( 1987 ) Do It Again ( 1987 ) Citizen Steely Dan ( 1993 ) Then and Now ( 1993 ) Showbiz Kids ( 2000 ) The Definitive Collection ( 2006 ) Related articles Discography Gary Katz Roger Nichols Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dirty_Work_(Steely_Dan_song)&oldid=854534196 '' Categories : Steely Dan songs Songs written by Donald Fagen Songs written by Walter Becker Song recordings produced by Gary Katz 1972 songs Hidden categories : CS1 : Julian -- Gregorian uncertainty Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 12 August 2018, at 02 : 08 ( UTC ). 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Question: who sings vocals on dirty work by steely dan
Answer: Donald Fagen