…how would you? I’m sitting sitting here rocking out to my Favorite Dan Song from my favorite Dan album (and, interestingly, the only SD single to chart in the UK) , and it occurred to me that this has, even for Steely Dan, a really unique sound, and I couldn’t think of how to describe it. Anyone who has an idea, I would love to hear replies in both the “punk-jazz” or “Lulu-meets-Madness” style.
And yes, Steely Dan does ROCK. 
Odd, I was just listening to this this morning–and I don’t listen to Steely Dan all that much. I’d call it stainless-steel reggae.
Reggae mixed with funk. The wah-wah guitar sound and the beat of the song remind me of “Tell me something good” by Chaka Khan.
Steely Dan kicks ass. I just wish other people my age would see it that way.
I would call it Steely Dan-ish.
Their sound is unique, man.
Squawkbox Reggae.
Steely Dan reggae
“so in love the preachers face turned red.” Man, I love that line. Who is this kinky so and so?
The June issue of *Uncut * magazine ranks “Haitian Divorce” as #3 on its list of all time best White Reggae songs.
#1 and #2 are “White Man in Hammersmith Palais” by The Clash, and “Walking on the Moon” by the Police.
Worst ever was “Informer” by Snow.
As you’d expect from a music magazine, the complete lists are weirdly idiosyncratic.
The explanation I read is its the kinky haired kid she had after returning from her solo holiday in Haiti…
Where’d they rate Hotel California? 
By the way, you all might enjoy the site feverdreams which is a collection of interpretations of Steely Dan lyrics organized by album (they’re all on there.) Some really interesting reading if you’re a fan.
Fathered by the charlie with the lotion and the kinky hair.
Id describe it as Bernard Purdie, The drummer that made so many of their tunes sound just right!
And try to catch the VH1 show on “Making of- Aja” if you are a Steely Dan fan. Excellent look at how they went about making the songs on that album (yeah, different album than the song in the OP, but…).
Just amazing the complexity of the process they went through to get the exact sound they wanted, it’s a wonder they ever finished an album.
“The Making Of Aja” is available on DVD. Two labels have released it, most recently was Rhino. If you are a fan of The Dan and you like this album, you must get a copy!
I saw that the other day, it was amazing. They have entire instrumental sections buried in many places that you can’t ever hear without an audiophile CD and headphones probably, or separating the tracks like they did. And Donald Fagen breaking out into “Uptown Baby”* after playing the intro to “Black Cow” is one of the funniest things, ever.
*(Some rap song with that line heavily sampled Black Cow, without giving credit, apparently).