My first time here, but a long-time fan of Steely Dan. My thoughts--the whole Gaucho Album is about Life in Los Angeles/Hollywood and the Entertainment Business. I see Dan as exploring themes in albums--each song playing on the overall theme/idea--the way a novel does with chapters. So to figure this song, I see it as it is, but also in the context of the overall album.
To me, this has always been fairly obvious song. The narrator is the agent/manager of a high-level(golden) actor or probably athlete (Athlete agent in Glamour Profession--so if the protagonist is the same guy in every song it would be him. An actor wouldn't be so shocking to be bi-sexual as an athlete would, but an athlete wouldn't usually have "elevator shoes" but many actors do.). Either way, the agent knows the client is bi-sexual (special friend), but knows letting it out is good for business, so he's instructed the client to keep things down low. But the client shows up with a flamboyant (obviously gay companion) to some important meeting and the agent is livid because his livelihood depends on what he books for this client (expensive kiss-off). The agent is older, smarter, and has seen it all and knows how to work the system, but the client doesn't get it (don't seem to understand) or is refusing to keep playing the game (refuse to understand). Or more likely, just thinks it's all fun and games and doesn't realize how precarious his existence as a successful actor/athlete is. Think Ari trying to manage Vincent Chase's drug addiction in Entourage.
Whether the agent is gay or not is interesting. I never thought this because he says, "I know you're a special friend." And he asks, "Who is the gaucho, Amigo?" He's not upset (jealous) that the guy has this flamboyant friend, just that he bought him to the meeting with the agent. The reference to the "spangled leather poncho" "elevator shoes" "bodacious cowboys" and "studs that match your eyes" are all sarcastic quips at the outrageous and totally unacceptable way the guy is dressed and behaving.I always took the phrase as the way the gaucho described the poncho ("see the studs match his eyes") b/c it's a flamboyant thing to say. The agent repeating it sarcastically. I always took it to simply be "WTF? Dude, I'm trying to run a business here." (Can't you see their laughing at me? Get rid of him. I don't care what you do at home.) Not caring what the guy does at home indicates there's no love relationship b/t the agent and client.
Apparently, the client realizes his error and is looking for what to do with the gaucho--no doubt so he won't be seen with him and is trying to get the agent to hide him or take care of it. But this is crossing the line. (No, he can't sleep on the floor, what do you think I'm yelling for?) This ain't a joke, dude. (I'll drop him near the freeway.) He won't even take him home, but will get him away from here. The lack of respect seems to indicate the agent finds the homo behavior disgusting--esp. since he calls the client a "nasty schoolboy". Saying he has "No place to go" seems to indicate the client can't be seen anywhere with this guy and he's not going to do whatever he does with the guy at the agent's place. "Try again tomorrow" is the agent's resignation to try to book something else for the client the next day--hopefully without the gaucho.
Finally the agent has convinced the client that the gaucho is f-ing it up for everybody and he will correct his behavior. The agent is still pissed off (Don't tell me he'll wait in the car... Look at you-holding this dude's hand--UGH!) How the hell am I supposed to sell this? Who are you? You're supposed to be the leading man. You're supposed to be the star of the team, etc. This behavior will never sell to the masses--i.e. big leagues, top movies, etc. (Custerdome)--just a generic name for an arena or big venue--Staple's Center, Phillips Arena, Gund Arena.
@JasonsLyric If your interpretation is correct, then the phrase, "I know you're a special friend" strikes me as the sort of ego-stroking, glad-handing that agents do to their talent. Just a bit of buttering up in order to get the talent in question to do the agent's bidding, in this case jettison the offensive hanger-on. Others had posited that it's an indication that the narrator is also gay but I don't think that's the case. I think he's just a patronizing father figure.
@JasonsLyric If your interpretation is correct, then the phrase, "I know you're a special friend" strikes me as the sort of ego-stroking, glad-handing that agents do to their talent. Just a bit of buttering up in order to get the talent in question to do the agent's bidding, in this case jettison the offensive hanger-on. Others had posited that it's an indication that the narrator is also gay but I don't think that's the case. I think he's just a patronizing father figure.
With that in mind, I think the second time he starts off with the "special friend" spiel, he's not addressing it to his client. I think he's now turned to the flamboyant boyfriend and is telling him off. He's a nasty schoolboy, probably younger than the client (a boy toy). He's got nowhere to go, as evidenced by the earlier attempts to let him sleep on the floor and the offer to drop him off by the freeway. The agent then sneeringly encourages him to try it on with someone else. In other words, the game is over with his client, it's time to find a new sugar daddy. Although he's surely being facetious, by calling him a "special friend" too, the agent continues to flatter his client.
My first time here, but a long-time fan of Steely Dan. My thoughts--the whole Gaucho Album is about Life in Los Angeles/Hollywood and the Entertainment Business. I see Dan as exploring themes in albums--each song playing on the overall theme/idea--the way a novel does with chapters. So to figure this song, I see it as it is, but also in the context of the overall album.
To me, this has always been fairly obvious song. The narrator is the agent/manager of a high-level(golden) actor or probably athlete (Athlete agent in Glamour Profession--so if the protagonist is the same guy in every song it would be him. An actor wouldn't be so shocking to be bi-sexual as an athlete would, but an athlete wouldn't usually have "elevator shoes" but many actors do.). Either way, the agent knows the client is bi-sexual (special friend), but knows letting it out is good for business, so he's instructed the client to keep things down low. But the client shows up with a flamboyant (obviously gay companion) to some important meeting and the agent is livid because his livelihood depends on what he books for this client (expensive kiss-off). The agent is older, smarter, and has seen it all and knows how to work the system, but the client doesn't get it (don't seem to understand) or is refusing to keep playing the game (refuse to understand). Or more likely, just thinks it's all fun and games and doesn't realize how precarious his existence as a successful actor/athlete is. Think Ari trying to manage Vincent Chase's drug addiction in Entourage.
Whether the agent is gay or not is interesting. I never thought this because he says, "I know you're a special friend." And he asks, "Who is the gaucho, Amigo?" He's not upset (jealous) that the guy has this flamboyant friend, just that he bought him to the meeting with the agent. The reference to the "spangled leather poncho" "elevator shoes" "bodacious cowboys" and "studs that match your eyes" are all sarcastic quips at the outrageous and totally unacceptable way the guy is dressed and behaving.I always took the phrase as the way the gaucho described the poncho ("see the studs match his eyes") b/c it's a flamboyant thing to say. The agent repeating it sarcastically. I always took it to simply be "WTF? Dude, I'm trying to run a business here." (Can't you see their laughing at me? Get rid of him. I don't care what you do at home.) Not caring what the guy does at home indicates there's no love relationship b/t the agent and client.
Apparently, the client realizes his error and is looking for what to do with the gaucho--no doubt so he won't be seen with him and is trying to get the agent to hide him or take care of it. But this is crossing the line. (No, he can't sleep on the floor, what do you think I'm yelling for?) This ain't a joke, dude. (I'll drop him near the freeway.) He won't even take him home, but will get him away from here. The lack of respect seems to indicate the agent finds the homo behavior disgusting--esp. since he calls the client a "nasty schoolboy". Saying he has "No place to go" seems to indicate the client can't be seen anywhere with this guy and he's not going to do whatever he does with the guy at the agent's place. "Try again tomorrow" is the agent's resignation to try to book something else for the client the next day--hopefully without the gaucho.
Finally the agent has convinced the client that the gaucho is f-ing it up for everybody and he will correct his behavior. The agent is still pissed off (Don't tell me he'll wait in the car... Look at you-holding this dude's hand--UGH!) How the hell am I supposed to sell this? Who are you? You're supposed to be the leading man. You're supposed to be the star of the team, etc. This behavior will never sell to the masses--i.e. big leagues, top movies, etc. (Custerdome)--just a generic name for an arena or big venue--Staple's Center, Phillips Arena, Gund Arena.
That's my 2c.
@JasonsLyric If your interpretation is correct, then the phrase, "I know you're a special friend" strikes me as the sort of ego-stroking, glad-handing that agents do to their talent. Just a bit of buttering up in order to get the talent in question to do the agent's bidding, in this case jettison the offensive hanger-on. Others had posited that it's an indication that the narrator is also gay but I don't think that's the case. I think he's just a patronizing father figure.
@JasonsLyric If your interpretation is correct, then the phrase, "I know you're a special friend" strikes me as the sort of ego-stroking, glad-handing that agents do to their talent. Just a bit of buttering up in order to get the talent in question to do the agent's bidding, in this case jettison the offensive hanger-on. Others had posited that it's an indication that the narrator is also gay but I don't think that's the case. I think he's just a patronizing father figure.
With that in mind, I think the second time he starts off with the "special friend" spiel, he's not addressing it to his client. I think he's now turned to the flamboyant boyfriend and is telling him off. He's a nasty schoolboy, probably younger than the client (a boy toy). He's got nowhere to go, as evidenced by the earlier attempts to let him sleep on the floor and the offer to drop him off by the freeway. The agent then sneeringly encourages him to try it on with someone else. In other words, the game is over with his client, it's time to find a new sugar daddy. Although he's surely being facetious, by calling him a "special friend" too, the agent continues to flatter his client.
@JasonsLyric
@JasonsLyric