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“The Second Arrangement” – Steely Dan’s Lost (Erased) Gaucho Track
Introduction
In the annals of popular music history, few lost songs carry the mystique of Steely Dan’s “
The Second Arrangement.” A track originally slated for inclusion on the band's 1980 album
Gaucho, it was infamously erased due to a studio assistant’s catastrophic mistake. Though never officially released, the track has attained legendary status among fans and audiophiles, representing both a “what could have been” moment and a symbol of Steely Dan’s perfectionism. This essay explores the history, mythology, and musical characteristics of “
The Second Arrangement,” contextualizing its loss within the broader narrative of Steely Dan’s career and the tortured production of
Gaucho.
Background: The Making of Gaucho
By the late 1970s, Steely Dan—comprised of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen—had transitioned from a touring rock band to a sophisticated, studio-based project. Their previous albums, particularly
Aja (1977), had demonstrated a meticulous approach to music production, blending rock, jazz, and R&B with surgically precise arrangements and a parade of elite session musicians.
But the follow-up to
Aja,
Gaucho, proved to be an even more demanding undertaking. Recorded over two years and costing more than a million dollars—an astronomical figure for the time—the album was plagued by legal battles, drug problems, and constant revisions. In this context, “
The Second Arrangement” was not just another track: it was considered a cornerstone of the record in progress.
The Catastrophic Erasure
According to multiple sources, “
The Second Arrangement” had been recorded with a full band and received substantial work from Becker and Fagen. As legend has it, they had returned from lunch to find that the track’s master tapes—containing the completed rhythm section and essential parts—had been accidentally recorded over by a studio assistant who was tasked with preparing a cassette reference.
Despite efforts to re-record it, Becker and Fagen were so devastated by the loss that they abandoned the track entirely. Steely Dan biographer Brian Sweet notes that this event marked a turning point in the
Gaucho sessions, one that deepened the already simmering frustrations in the studio.
Lyrical Themes and Tone
Though no studio-quality version exists, a rough demo of “
The Second Arrangement” circulates among collectors and online. Based on this demo, the lyrics seem to reflect Steely Dan’s characteristic blend of cynicism and narrative detachment. The song tells the story of a man who lives a double life, with two “arrangements”—implying romantic or domestic duplicity. In typical Steely Dan fashion, the lyrics are cryptic yet suggestive:
“Pour out the wine, let your man arise / We’re gonna have a wingding / A summer smoker underground / It’s just the second arrangement.”
The sense of irony, aloofness, and dark humor aligns it with other
Gaucho tracks like “Glamour Profession” and “Babylon Sisters.” It may also function as a thematic bridge between the slick hedonism of
Aja and the disillusionment permeating
Gaucho.
Musical Characteristics
Musically, the demo version of “
The Second Arrangement” showcases Steely Dan’s hallmark jazz-influenced chord progressions, tightly arranged horn sections, and complex rhythm structures. Though unfinished, it features an upbeat shuffle groove, an engaging melody, and Fagen’s distinctively dry vocal delivery. The harmonic sophistication is evident even in demo form, with modulations and voicings that hint at the polished final version that might have been.
Some fans and musicians speculate that the completed version would have been among the strongest on
Gaucho, possibly eclipsing tracks like “Time Out of Mind” or “My Rival” in quality. In this sense, the loss is not merely historical trivia—it altered the very structure and impact of the finished album.
Perfectionism and Loss
The erasure of “
The Second Arrangement” has become a symbol of Steely Dan’s obsessive studio perfectionism. Becker and Fagen were notorious for recording dozens of takes with different musicians to capture the perfect sound. This perfectionism was both a strength and a burden; it led to sonic brilliance but also contributed to burnout, delays, and interpersonal tension.
The loss of a nearly finished track due to a basic human error represents a cruel irony: despite their control over every detail, some things were still beyond their grasp. The assistant responsible was reportedly fired immediately—a gesture that reveals both the stakes and the emotional intensity of the situation.
The Bootleg Demos
For many years, “
The Second Arrangement” was a mythical lost song. But in the 2000s, a rough demo surfaced online, believed to have been leaked from a tape in the possession of a former session musician or engineer. Though the audio quality is poor and the recording unfinished, it offers a tantalizing glimpse of what might have been.
The bootleg features Fagen singing over a keyboard-based arrangement, likely intended as a demo guide for studio musicians. The song’s groove, vocal phrasing, and chorus hook all suggest that it would have been a standout on
Gaucho, perhaps even the album’s centerpiece.
Fans have since attempted remasters, reconstructions, and covers, and even generated AI-assisted versions to simulate what the full track might have sounded like. Despite the imperfections, the demo has become an object of devotion in Steely Dan fan circles.
Why It Was Never Re-Recorded
Given Steely Dan’s resources and access to elite musicians, some have wondered why “
The Second Arrangement” was never properly re-recorded. The most likely answer lies in the psychological and emotional impact of its loss. For Fagen and Becker, the erasure may have represented more than just lost data—it was a symbol of creative energy squandered.
Moreover, the
Gaucho sessions were already under pressure due to ongoing legal disputes with their label (MCA), the tragic death of Becker’s girlfriend, and mounting drug issues. Rebuilding an intricate arrangement from scratch under these conditions may have felt insurmountable. Instead, they opted to move forward, completing the album with other material.
Cultural Resonance and Mythology
Part of what makes “
The Second Arrangement” so fascinating is its mythological status. Rock music is filled with lost albums, forgotten sessions, and legendary misfires, but few match the drama and specificity of this story. The idea that one of the world’s most fastidious bands could lose a finished song due to human error feels almost scripted.
This mythology has grown in the internet age, where digital archives and forums allow fans to dissect and celebrate even the most obscure artifacts. “
The Second Arrangement” has inspired tribute covers, fan recreations, and even academic discussions. It stands as a monument to artistic fragility in an age that increasingly values permanence and reproducibility.
What We Can Learn From Its Loss
Beyond the intrigue, “
The Second Arrangement” serves as a reminder of the vulnerability inherent in creative work. In a time before digital backups and cloud storage, even the most valuable master tapes were subject to destruction. But more than that, it underscores the limits of control—how even in a world of precision and planning, entropy finds a way.
For fans, it’s a lesson in appreciating the ephemeral. Sometimes, the art that moves us most is the art that never fully materialized. Sometimes the hole in the record says more than the sound.
Conclusion
“The Second Arrangement” is more than a lost Steely Dan track—it is a case study in creative loss, studio lore, and the cult of perfection. Its disappearance reshaped
Gaucho and left fans wondering about the masterpiece that might have been. Yet in its absence, it has achieved a rare kind of immortality. Like a lost painting or a burned manuscript, its very erasure ensures its myth.
For Steely Dan, a band obsessed with structure, polish, and detail, the destruction of “
The Second Arrangement” was a shattering moment. For listeners, it is a legend that continues to grow, reminding us that sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones we can’t fully hear.
“Pour out the wine…” Indeed.
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