Don't take me alive is my favourite Steely Dan song & that is a big call
Their sense of melody is unsurpassed, especially with the choruses & Don't take me alive is a brilliant example
Guitar at the starts not bad either

The Royal Scam has a couple of the most catchy and commercial songs Steely Dan has ever recorded - "The Fez" and "Haitian Divorce" - both songs greatly influenced by reggae.

Like all Steely Dan the playing and production is sheer perfectionism. The songs are generally - apart from the two aforementioned - not as melodic as the ones one the previous album "Katy Lied", and through there are great bits and pieces on all songs - especially some great guitar-parts - it may the the Steely Dan album that I have most difficulties to get really into.

For me the standout song is "Haitian Divorce" - I know some find it light-weight - but it's a song that sticks with you - no surprise that it was among the few single-hits Steely Dan scored.

"The Fez", "Kid Charlemagne", "The Caves of Altamira", "Sign in Stranger" are all fine songs; in fact apart from "Green Earring", there are no songs I don't like.

I guess you could call it a transitional album, linking the early melodic Steely Dan with the later more sophisticated side of the group.

This album should be in the top 100, not outside 2000

This album has the feel of the lonesome but happy traveler. One who is followed by the saxophone and tamed but not timid guitars. The subjects are learned and I guess that is a good thing. Who ever wrote these songs knew the way of the world. 'Don't Take Me Alive' is a song about someone holed up in a mine ready to blow themselves up or stay there forever, I'm not sure which but you sure don't get a lot about that! Seems to throw the old father son dispute thing into the mix. Slow although it hooked me. One of the best here you can take my word. Other songs? 'The Fez' is lively party and certainly a piece that drags up the dead. 'Kid Charlemagne' gets itself noticed like a jester juggling a mobile phone. One about the hopes and dreams of a man-be-getting-by it sure does rouse the spirits, despite it mentioning how the hippies have "joined the human race" after the optimism of the 60's washed away into the 70's dull parade. Outside of that what else is there to say? It just sounds like a spikier version of 'Countdown to Ecstasy'. Good music and a decent album for the dejected optimist. I'll leave you with one of the final lines of 'Kid Charlemagne'. "Careful what you carry, cause the man is wise, you are still an_outlaw in their eyes" YEAH! HIT THE BULLS EYE, CAUGHT THE FISH! TAKE ME TO CLOUDS YOU SEE ME HERE FOR PLEASURE TO YOU! But no... seriously, I'm carrying nothing.