Single:
Rikki Don’t Lose That Number entered the Australian singles chart* on 17 June 1974 and peaked at #30.
Album:
The song is on Pretzel Logic which entered the Australian albums chart* on 27 May 1974 and peaked at #18.
Songwriters:
Walter Becker, Donald Fagen
Producer:
Gary Katz
Record label of Australian release:
Probe
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Songfacts:
According to a 2006 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the ‘Rikki’ of the title is Rikki Ducornet, a New York writer and artist. Steely Dan co-front Donald Fagen met her while both were attending Bard College, a small liberal arts school located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. Ducornet said they met at a college party, and even though she was both pregnant and married at the time, he gave her his number, although not in the same context as the song. Ducornet was intrigued by Fagen and tempted to call him, but she decided against it.
Read more: www.songfacts.com/facts/steely-dan/rikki-dont-lose-that-number
Lyrics:
We hear you’re leaving, that’s okay
I thought our little wild time had just begun
I guess you kind of scared yourself, you turn and run
But if you have a change of hear
Click for full lyrics
This song is also on our Spotify playlist Bang a Gong – the 70s
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