Peg (song)

"Peg" has been described by AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine as a "sunny pop" song with "layers of jazzy vocal harmonies",^[6] while music scholar Stephen K. Valdez said it features a fusion of jazz and rock elements.^[7] In the opinion of jazz musician and academic Andy LaVerne, the song "has the blues at its core, though it might not be apparent at first listen".^[8]

The song's guitar solo was attempted by seven top studio session guitarists—including Robben Ford and recurring guitarist Larry Carlton—before Jay Graydon's version became the "keeper".^[9] He worked on the song for about six hours before the band was satisfied.^[10]

Graydon spoke about his famous guitar solo in a 2014 interview:

Fortunately, I had no problems on sessions as to nailing a part, but know this—every first call studio guitarist that has played solos has been replaced by another guitarist at least once. It's just part of being a studio musician.^[11]

Michael McDonald provides multi-tracked backup vocals in the choruses, and keyboardist Paul Griffin can be heard talking and improvising background vocals in the final chorus and fadeout.^[12]

Although there was speculation that the name was a reference to Broadway star and one-time Hollywood actress Peg Entwistle, in 2000 the band said the song was written about a real person but not Entwistle.^[13] In 2020, Donald Fagen said "There's no hidden meaning. We just wanted a dotted half note for that spot, and 'Peg' was short enough to fit with the music."^[14] Fagen added that the song "takes place at a seedy photo shoot in L.A...from the perspective of [a] jilted boyfriend."^[15]

Billboard praised the "sarcastic" lyrics, the "stinging instrumental break" and the "chilling" piano playing.^[16] Cash Box wrote, "this snappy number has the beat and the harmonic hooks to capture that extra top 40 momentum."^[17] Record World called it "a pop-rock love song, crafted with [Steely Dan's] usual perfectionism and flair."^[18]

Pitchfork rated "Peg" as its 87th best song of the 1970s, describing it as the "perfect Steely Dan song, and one of the strangest hits to ever grace the mainstream."^[9] Drummer Rick Marotta called "Peg" one of the greatest tracks he has ever played on.^[19] In 2017, Dan Weiss of Billboard ranked the song third on his list of the top 15 Steely Dan songs,^[20] and in 2020, Phil Freeman of Stereogum ranked the song second on his list of the top 10 Steely Dan songs.^[21]

The song was the theme music for a celebrity paparazzi segment by the syndicated news magazine Entertainment Tonight from 1981 to 1985.^{[citation needed]}

"Peg" was heavily sampled on the 1989 De La Soul song "Eye Know".^[22] It was covered by Nerina Pallot in 2007 and in 2014 by Donny Osmond.

Source: Adapted from Aja liner notes.^[26]