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Reelin' In The Years
Steely Dan Lyrics


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Your everlasting summer
You can see it fading fast
So you grab a piece of something
That you think is gonna last
Well you wouldn't even know a diamond
If you held it in your hand
The things you think are precious
I can't understand

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

You been tellin' me you're a genius
Since you were seventeen
In all the time I've known you
I still don't know what you mean
The weekend at the college
Didn't turn out like you planned
The things that pass for knowledge
I can't understand

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

I spend a lot of money
And I spent a lot of time
The trip we made to Hollywood
Is etched upon my mind
After all the things we've done and seen
You find another man
The things you think are useless
I can't understand

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

Are you reelin' in the years
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears
Have you had enough of mine

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Steely Dan's "Reelin' In The Years" speak to the experience of looking back on past events and relationships and questioning their significance. The first verse paints a picture of a fading "everlasting summer" and a desperate attempt to hold onto something that will last, even if it's not truly valuable ("The things you think are precious I can't understand"). This may be a metaphor for a relationship or a time in the singer's life that they are struggling to let go of. The chorus questions whether the person is "reelin' in the years" and holding onto time and tears, potentially referencing regrets or missed opportunities.


The second verse takes a more critical tone, with the singer calling out the person as a self-proclaimed genius whose "things that pass for knowledge" they can't understand. This could be interpreted as the singer finding the person pretentious or arrogant, but still feeling a connection with them. The bridge references a trip to Hollywood that has stayed with the singer despite all the other things they have seen and done together, but ultimately the person moves on to find someone else. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, ending on a note of uncertainty about the past.


Overall, "Reelin' In The Years" is a reflection on the passage of time and the emotions that come with looking back on the past. It portrays a complex relationship full of contradictions and misunderstandings, but ultimately one that has left a lasting impact on the singer.


Line by Line Meaning

Your everlasting summer
You once had a long, carefree time in your life that you thought would never end


You can see it fading fast
Now you realize that time is passing quickly and that carefree summer is coming to an end


So you grab a piece of something
In an effort to hold onto that feeling, you try to find something that will bring it back


That you think is gonna last
You hope that this thing will give you that same feeling forever


Well you wouldn't even know a diamond
You don't recognize the value of truly valuable things


If you held it in your hand
Even if you had something valuable, you might not understand or appreciate it


The things you think are precious
What you consider to be valuable or important, I can't comprehend or agree with


I can't understand
Your priorities and values confuse me


Are you reelin' in the years
Are you stuck reliving a past time in your life?


Stowin' away the time
Are you trying to hold onto the memories and feelings of that time?


Are you gatherin' up the tears
Are you becoming emotional or melancholy as you reflect on the past?


Have you had enough of mine
Are you tired of me and my emotions?


You been tellin' me you're a genius
You've been proclaiming your intelligence and greatness to me


Since you were seventeen
You've been doing this since you were young and still do it even now


In all the time I've known you
Despite our long history, I still don't truly understand you


I still don't know what you mean
Your comments and ideas are unclear and confusing to me


The weekend at the college
The time you spent at college


Didn't turn out like you planned
Your college experience didn't meet your expectations


The things that pass for knowledge
The information that you think is important or useful


I can't understand
From my perspective, what you think is important is not useful or valuable


I spent a lot of money
I've invested a lot of time and resources into our relationship


And I spent a lot of time
I've also dedicated a significant amount of time to being with you


The trip we made to Hollywood
The journey we had to Los Angeles, which holds a significant memory for me


Is etched upon my mind
That trip is firmly imprinted in my memory


After all the things we've done and seen
Considering all that we've experienced together


You find another man
You have moved on from our relationship and found someone else


The things you think are useless
What you deem to be insignificant or unimportant


I can't understand
From my perspective, I don't see the value in what you consider to be important




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Donald Jay Fagen, Walter Carl Becker

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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