"Gaucho" is the seventh studio album by the American rock band Steely Dan, released on November 21, 1980, by MCA Records. Known for its meticulous production and polished sound, the album represents a shift towards a more atmospheric, rhythm-focused style compared to the band's previous work. It was also their last album for MCA before a long hiatus. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording – Non-Classical and was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
The making of Gaucho was plagued by a series of personal, professional, and creative challenges. By 1978, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen had become the sole permanent members of Steely Dan, utilizing a rotating cast of session musicians. However, their relationship became strained, primarily due to Becker's escalating drug issues. The recording sessions were fraught with difficulties, including a near-fatal car accident involving Becker in 1979, which sidelined him for months. During his recovery, he and Fagen continued their musical collaboration via phone. To add to Becker's woes, his girlfriend tragically died of a drug overdose in early 1980, and he became embroiled in a legal battle with her family. Despite these personal setbacks, the duo pressed on with the album's production.
Sessions for Gaucho took place in both Los Angeles and New York, with the latter city becoming the primary recording location. The band worked with numerous session musicians, including notable figures like Mark Knopfler, who contributed a guitar solo to "Time Out of Mind". However, many of the session musicians were frustrated with the long, laborious process and obsessive perfectionism of Becker and Fagen, who would frequently spend hours on a single track or musical element.
One key innovation during the sessions was the creation of a drum machine, affectionately called "Wendel", by engineer Roger Nichols. The drum machine was used to create perfect, customizable drum beats for several tracks on the album, and it became a notable part of Steely Dan's sound on this album. The Wendel machine even earned a Platinum record when the album went gold.
The production process was marked by perfectionism, with Becker and Fagen repeatedly revising songs until they were satisfied. For example, the fade-out of the song "Babylon Sisters" took over 55 attempts to perfect. Similarly, the drum track for "Gaucho" was created by combining 46 different takes. The band also faced technical issues, such as when an assistant engineer accidentally erased part of the song "The Second Arrangement," leading to its eventual abandonment. Other tracks, like "Third World Man," were completed using older recordings from the Royal Scam sessions, due to time constraints.
Musically, Gaucho combines jazz, rock, and R&B influences, with a significant focus on rhythm and atmosphere. The album is often categorized within the "yacht rock" genre, known for its smooth and polished sound. The title track, for example, is often cited as a quintessential yacht rock song. The album's mood is generally laid-back, but its lyrics are laced with cynical observations about various social and personal issues. The songs on Gaucho tackle a range of themes, from addiction and lust to existential confusion. "Hey Nineteen" is a song about an aging man trying to connect with a much younger woman, while "Time Out of Mind" deals with the allure and dangers of heroin use. The latter song features evocative, surreal lyrics, painting a vivid picture of addiction and disillusionment. "Babylon Sisters" and "Glamour Profession" delve into themes of hedonism and excess, with sharp, witty lyrics.
In addition to its sharp lyrics, Gaucho was praised for its impeccable musicianship and detailed production, though some critics argued that it lacked the emotional depth of earlier works like Aja. Nevertheless, the album’s sophisticated, jazz-infused pop sound earned it a devoted following and it remains one of Steely Dan's signature works.
After the album's release, Steely Dan found themselves embroiled in a legal battle with jazz pianist Keith Jarrett. Jarrett claimed that the title track of Gaucho bore a striking resemblance to his composition "'Long As You Know You're Living Yours" from his 1974 album Belonging. Following the lawsuit, Becker and Fagen acknowledged the influence and agreed to credit Jarrett as a co-writer of the track, as well as provide him with royalties. This lawsuit is one of the few legal issues Steely Dan faced over their lengthy career, but it cast a shadow over the album's release.
Several tracks recorded for Gaucho were left off the final release. Among them were songs like "Kind Spirit," "Kulee Baba," and "Talkin' About My Home." Some of these tracks have surfaced on bootlegs, with The Lost Gaucho bootleg featuring alternate versions of "Third World Man" and other unreleased material. One notable outtake, "The Second Arrangement," was a fan favorite that was accidentally erased during the final stages of mixing. While Steely Dan tried to re-record it, the track was abandoned, and it was not performed live until a 2011 show.
The cover art for Gaucho features a low-relief sculpture by Argentine artist Israel Hoffmann. The piece, titled Guardia Vieja – Tango (Old Guard – Tango), is displayed in the Caminito street museum in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The cover's stylized, almost surreal aesthetic complements the album's themes of decadence, excess, and existential reflection.
Gaucho is widely regarded as a hallmark of Steely Dan’s career, though it marks the end of an era for the band. The album was highly influential, especially within the yacht rock genre, and has been praised for its meticulous production and polished musicianship. However, it was also seen as lacking the gritty, raw energy of earlier Steely Dan albums. The legal issues surrounding the album’s release, combined with the long and difficult recording process, led to Steely Dan's hiatus, with the band not releasing another studio album until Two Against Nature in 2000.
In the years following its release, Gaucho has been acknowledged as one of Steely Dan's most important works, with songs like "Hey Nineteen" and the title track continuing to resonate with fans and critics alike.
