How to Play “Deacon Blues” by Steely Dan on Piano

A step-by-step guide on how to play “Deacon Blues” by Steely Dan on piano.

Introduction

“Deacon Blues” is a song by American rock band Steely Dan, written by members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, and released as the lead single from their seventh studio album Aja (1977).

The song is told from the perspective of a musician who has resigned himself to a life of menial work, despite his dreams of fame and success. The lyrics contain numerous references to jazz musicians and elements of the jazz subculture.

“Deacon Blues” was a commercial success upon its release and remains one of Steely Dan’s best-known songs. It has been covered by several artists, including Steve Khan, Us3, and Branford Marsalis.

Verse

“Deacon Blues” is a song by American rock band Steely Dan, released as the lead single from their seventh studio album Aja (1977). Composed by group founders Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the song is a jazz-influenced ballad about a musician who has given up on his dreams.

The song’s verses are written in a stream-of-consciousness style, with the narrator listing a series of images and impressions. The chorus features the repeated lines “I want to play my Deacon Blues/I want to play my Deacon Blues/I want to play my Deacon Blues on the PIANO.”

To play “Deacon Blues” on piano, you’ll need to know how to read music and have some experience playing chords. Start by finding the key of the song, which is C major. Then, look for the verse’s chord progression: Cmaj7-A7-D7-G7. The chorus chord progression is slightly different: Cmaj7-Fmaj7-D7-G7.

Once you know the chord progression, you can start playing the melody. The verse melody is mostly made up of eighth notes, while the chorus melody features some quarter notes. Pay attention to the dynamics listed in the music, as it will help give your performance more feeling.

Chorus

One of the most iconic parts of “Deacon Blues” is the chorus, which features a saxophone solo over a simple piano line. The chords for this section are relatively easy, but the rhythm can be tricky. Here’s a breakdown of how to play it:

Piano:
The chords for the chorus are Cmaj7, D7, Em7, and A7. Play each chord once on beats 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively.

Saxophone solo:
The solo is based around the chords from the chorus, so it should be easy to follow along. Just improvise and have fun with it!

Bridge

In the bridge, Fagen plays a solo over the A minor chord. The left hand plays a type of boogie-woogie bass, while the right hand plays a more complex melody. After the solo, the piano and horns play the main melody together for eight measures. Then, for the last four measures of the bridge, everyone except for the horns rests, and Becker and Fagen sing “Can’t buy a thrill.”

Outro

This is the final section of the song and consists of a solo piano performance of the main melody. The chord progression in this section is the same as in the Intro and Verse sections. To end the song, simply play through the chord progression one last time and then hold the final chord for two measures.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we hope you enjoyed learning how to play “Deacon Blues” by Steely Dan on piano. This classic song is a great way to show off your skills on the piano, and we’re sure your friends and family will be impressed. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Thanks for reading!