Steely Dan – Midnite Cruiser

• 0
  General Comment:The nihilistic sorrow conveyed by this song is enough to put a thoughtful person over the edge. If you have ever lived in NYC and or fallen in love with dark ladies, don't drink and listen to this song.

  Flag NomadMonadon May 17, 2013   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:"I am another gentleman loser". Fagan is the kind of guy who would make me honored to call me that. To be a loser is easy -- to be a gentleman loser is to know the sweet and the bitter.

  Flag HudFudon February 16, 2013   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• +1
  General Comment:this is clearly about a Cab driver in NYC

  Flag charcolon November 02, 2011   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:It is Felonius not Thelonius as in Monk ~ buy the album the lyrics are on it. Geez
  
  I think the song is pretty self explanatory guys meet up and have a good time or what they perceive to be a good time......maybe a bit sarcastic in the lyrics

  Flag Dmaguireon August 29, 2011   Link

  • 1 Reply Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
    0

    Felonious vs. Thelonius is a mini-controversy in itself.
    Thelonius immediately brings associations of the jazz musician and jazz culture, while "Felonious" connotes crime and low-grade thuggery. Cognate with "felony".
    The problem is that not everyone buys the album - and the singer slurs and lisps a lot so that Felonious sounds like Thelonius the way he pronounces it.

    Flag NomadMonadon May 17, 2013  
• 0
  My Opinion:Seems like this is about a criminal cruising NYC streets late at night looking for drugs and hookers, and nostalgic for a time when these endeavors were easier.
  
  Alternate: About a taxi driver who drives a man around looking for drugs and hookers.
  
  Hodder's voice is a bit nasal to my ear with less-than-stellar intonation, but the harmony in the chorus is good. For me, the overall vibe of the tune and the crispy guitar solo outweigh the weakness mentioned above.

  Flag strangemanon March 15, 2011   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• -1
  General Comment:I believe the first word is "Felonious" essentially, I believe this song is about a troublemaker. "Felonious" is a name, but it is also short for the word Felony..which is the reference in this song. When hes telling him to come in and shake his hand, and let his madness run with his..hes referring to getting himself in some kind of trouble with the law again (or metaphorically a low place)
  I also think it may be that whatever the crime is, he is trying to get money (maybe robbing, drug trafficing, or just plain theft) because hes wondering where everyone around him is going, asking where their bounty of fortune and fame is...seeing people around him not live the life of a criminal, and being able to make it in life better off then him. He refers to himself as a gentleman loser..and says just get me out of here.
  Also the part "Drive me to Harlem, or somewhere the same" means that he is not planning on changing, even though he wants too. One of my favorite lines in the song is "the world that we used to know, people tell me it dont turn no more, the places we used to go, famiilar faces that aint smilin like before,the time of our time has come and gone, we feel weve been waiting too long" hes referring to how the world is changing, and getting more cruel in nature.
  Love this song, played it on repeat many many times, one of my all time Steely favorites.

  Flag chiliconhollyon March 04, 2011   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:This song has such a great guitar solo and duet.We used to listen to this riding the back roads back in the day all smoked up, late at night, young and thinking we were bullet proof party animals.

  Flag BH61on February 13, 2010   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• -1
  General Comment:The lyrics remind me of an aging hipster trying to relive his past. The whole narration is of him talking to himself He's trying to re-live the 50's Jazz era in the 1970's knowing full well that those days are now over. He mispronounces Thelonious's name because he is drunk. In the chorus he asks "Where are you driving Midnite Cruiser?" to which he answers his own question. The lyrics indicate that another
  person is present but I believe that the "other person" is in the Narrators own head. Sad song in a way

  Flag Udiceon September 21, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:How come Jim Hodder sang this and not Fagen or Palmer? I quite like the slide guitar motif at the beginning and the piano playing. As ever, the harmonies must have been overdubbed like 30 times! I don't think Steely Dan ever made a bad song, frankly. Each one has its merits

  Flag Danfanon February 19, 2008   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.
• 0
  General Comment:Could this discuss the relationship between Donald and Walter? It's rarely mentioned in the songs, but it must have been fascinating.

  Flag Dantexon December 08, 2007   Link

  • No Replies Log in to reply
    
      There was an error.

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!