The so-called holy grail of lost Steely Dan recordings is now online. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen recorded "The Second Arrangement" back in December 1979 during the sessions for their 1980 album, ‘Gaucho.’
The song was almost done with only a few enhancements to go. However, when they went back to the studio to finish recording it, Becker and Fagen discovered the tape had been erased. They tried re-recording it, but Fagen wasn't pleased with the result and the song was scrapped.
They performed the song once in concert in 2011 and there have been bootlegs out there, but it was never officially released.
The newly released online version comes from a rough mix made by the duo’s longtime engineer, the late Roger Nichols. His daughters, Cimcie and Ashlee, discovered the tape following his death from cancer in 2011 and had it cleaned up. It's now up on the Expanding Dan website.
The cassette tape containing the song been framed along with the sheet music, and will soon go up on the auction block. Proceeds from the auction will go to the production costs of a documentary Nichols's daughters are making on him.
Donald Fagen has not commented on the discovery.
[Source: Classic Hits Today]