Donald Fagen feat. David Sanborn - The Finer Things (1982)

David Sanborn — alto saxophone
Steve Khan — guitar
Michael Omartian — piano
Chuck Rainey — bass
Ed Green — drums
Donald Fagen, Leslie Miller, Valerie Simpson — backing vocals
Donald Fagen, Rob Mounsey — string arrangement

Written by Donald Fagen
Produced by Donald Fagen and Gary Katz

From the movie "The King Of Comedy" by Martin Scorsese

[AddSeymourJr]

Back in the mid 80s, a radio DJ named Keenan Wayne (He is a actually a friend named Keenan Pendergast) at 92Q in Nashville used to to a REAL quiet storm show from say 10 pm to 2 am and his show was a whole mood. R&B, pop, jazz all quiet storm - not just some idiot playing some slow songs.
Anyway, he played this song and didn’t say who it was. He never got in the way of the music. I heard it at like 1 am and was like “damn, that’s a nice tune.”
I never heard it again but the melody stuck with me big time for decades - after hearing it just once. I tried looking for it for years thinking it may be a Bob James song or something. Nothing for decades.
Move up to the mid 2010s and I’m listening to random jazzy songs on YouTube and this song was suggested.
Guess what it was!
I freaked out! I was like 30 years later and THATS IT!
And it turned out to be two of my all time favorites, Donald Fagen and David Sanborn!

[shereewilson]

Beautiful playing by Mr Sanborn RIP and Donald Fagan compositions always show case his pure genius.

[kimberlyanderson]

I have been a SD/DF fan my whole life and today I learned this song exists. Thank you.

[FrankGambaleTV]

One of my all-time favourite Donald Fagen songs! Gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it. Sanborn is spectacular...and oh my when the angels come in at the end... I want to cover this song with guitar melody!

[valuecalc]

Who can resist those "saxy" songs from the 80s?

[arisdogani]

of course don produced this. listening to this song i always thought it was so reminiscent of steely dan. makes so much sense now😂

[salspataro]

A most evocative song especially with a NYC sensibility (at least for me). Took forever to get on the TUBE...

[colbydobbs]

That vocal harmony on the B13 chord towards the end of the tune is just fantastically arranged and gorgeous. Sounds like Patti Austin singing that part too, which would make sense with the time period of this. She did a lot of work on “Gaucho” and “The Nightfly”.

[eroicay]

the way sandra bernhard shoves a lit candelabra off the dining table is sending me rn.

[clamda]

Part of The Nightfly sessions, should have been on that album even though it’s perfect as it is

[dinorahdinorah]

This is lovely! I heard this soudtrack hundreds of time and never get tired! goosebumps!

[Ruddermeister]

Found this by chance...wow. And I thought I knew all of his music lol.

[daniellenaerts]

and a bit later i found this information
King Of Comedy (Original Soundtrack)
Artist: Various
Title: King Of Comedy (Original Soundtrack)

Format: CD
Release Date: 2016
Label: Wounded Bird Records
UPC: 664140376526
Genre: Soundtrack
Album Tracks

1. Back on the Chain Gang / Pretenders
2. Tain't Nobody's Bizness (If I Do) / B.B. King
3. Swamp / Talking Heads
4. King of Comedy / Bob James
5. Rainbow Sleeve / Rickie Lee Jones
6. Between Trains / Robbie Robertson
7. Steal the Night / Ric Ocasek
8. Come Rain or Come Shine / Ray Charles
9. The Finer Things / David Sanborn
10. Wonderful Remark / Van Morrison

[Berenicechaves]

Um reggae Fageano pra salvar almas! Obrigada por publicar com essa super edição, Massimo Milano. Pra mim, essa gravação tornou-se indispensável e inesquecível.

[timyap]

I just had an angioplasty have been listening to this for 3 days now.

[steelyman]

Thank you for uploading this! It's a previously unknown one to my ears. I kept hoping to hear his classy voice appear after a lengthy intro (-: Never mind, when 3:32 pops up, it all gets resolved. What a great upload. Was the movie any good?

[andreoates]

Awesome 😂 thank you brother what a delight😂

[graemefarquharson]

The end of this great track plays in the taxi while Jerry Lewis is held at ransom

[mattihelariutta]

So much of this movie is in the movie Joker. Nothing wrong with pastiches though..! It has a few bits of the Taxi-driver as well. Like that music.

[brianmatthews]

first time hearing this, really sweet, trying to decide if sax is Selmer or Yamaha? Tending to Yam as it has a clearer ringing sound. Wonderful classic Sanborn sound 🙂