Fagen is known for his use of complex jazz harmonies, elaborate arrangements, and exacting attention to detail and launched his successful, if sporadic solo career in 1982.
Fagen penned a group of songs based on his experiences as a young man in 1950's America, and the resulting album, The Nightfly, was released in 1982, and is one of the first albums to be recorded entirely digitally. The album has been certified platinum by the RIAA. After a quiet time musically (he is reported to have suffered from writers block) for the rest of the 80s he returned in 1993 with Kamakiriad, which is a conceptual album based on a car journey. The album was produced by Walter Becker and represented the first collaboration between the two since Gaucho.
This collaboration reignited Steely Dan and they released two more albums, the Grammy award winning "Two Against Nature" in 2000, and "Everything Must Go" in 2003.
In 2006, Fagen released his third solo album Morph the Cat, which is partly based on old age and death, and was well received by fans.
Fagen's fourth solo album, Sunken Condos, was released in 2012, an event not added to this Wiki until 2018; some of Fagen's fans believe that he would approve.
Mary Shut The Garden Door
Donald Fagen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When our backs were turned around
In a fleet of Lincoln Town Cars
They rolled into our town
Confounded all six senses
Like an opiate in the brain
Mary shut the garden door
Looks a lot like rain
Mary shut the garden door
Mary shut the garden door
We pounded Rachel's radio
For reports about the bridge
There was nothing on but static
Nothing in the fridge
We lay there listening to the wind
Whistling through the pines
When we heard the engines idling
Saw the headlights through the blinds
Mary shut the garden door
Mary shut the garden door
Rough dreams
Those voices in the kitchen
I woke up
And sensed the new condition
They won
Storms raged
Things changed
Forever
So if you ever see an automaton
In a midprice luxury car
Better roll the sidewalks up
Switch on your lucky star
'Cause this zombie does impressions
But not really to amuse
This ballad is for lovers
With something left to lose
Mary shut the garden door
Mary shut the garden door
The lyrics of "Mary Shut The Garden Door" by Donald Fagen present a narrative of an unexpected and sinister invasion. The first verse describes a group entering the town unnoticed, like an "opiate in the brain," and how their arrival confounds all six senses. The singer notes that Mary shuts the garden door, a gesture suggesting that danger is imminent, as "it looks a lot like rain." In the second verse, the group listens to the radio for reports of a bridge, but all they get is static, and they sense the arrival of the group through the sound of their engines, as well as seeing their headlights through the blinds. The final verse describes the aftermath, where the voices in the kitchen are rough dreams, and the singer wakes up to sense the "new condition." The end of the song suggests a warning to be cautious of automaton-like figures in luxury cars, as they are threats to one's safety and security.
Line by Line Meaning
They came in under the radar
They arrived without being detected or noticed
When our backs were turned around
When we were not paying attention
In a fleet of Lincoln Town Cars
In a group of expensive cars
They rolled into our town
They arrived in our town
Confounded all six senses
Caused confusion or perplexity to all senses
Like an opiate in the brain
Similar to a drug affecting the brain
Mary shut the garden door
Mary closed the garden door
Looks a lot like rain
It seems like it is going to rain
We pounded Rachel's radio
We tried hard to get information from Rachel's radio
For reports about the bridge
For updates or news related to the bridge
There was nothing on but static
There was no useful information, just interference
Nothing in the fridge
There was no food in the fridge
We lay there listening to the wind
We were resting and could only hear the sound of the wind
Whistling through the pines
The sound of the wind passing through the pine trees
When we heard the engines idling
When we heard the engines running without moving
Saw the headlights through the blinds
We saw the lights of the car through the blinds
Rough dreams
Bad dreams
Those voices in the kitchen
Voices heard in the kitchen
I woke up
I became conscious from sleep
And sensed the new condition
Felt that something had changed
They won
They emerged victorious
Storms raged
Strong storms occurred
Things changed
Situations and circumstances were altered
Forever
Permanently or for a very long time
So if you ever see an automaton
If you encounter a robot-like person
In a midprice luxury car
In a car that is neither too cheap nor too expensive
Better roll the sidewalks up
Better take precautions or get ready for trouble
Switch on your lucky star
Hope for good luck or fortune
'Cause this zombie does impressions
Because this lifeless or robotic person impersonates others
But not really to amuse
Not really to entertain or please
This ballad is for lovers
This song is for people in love
With something left to lose
Who still have something valuable to risk or forfeit
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: DONALD JAY FAGEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind