About the song
“FM (No Static at All)” is a song by the American jazz-rock band Steely Dan, released in 1978 as the title theme for the film FM. The song was a commercial success, reaching the US Top 40 and becoming a staple of album-oriented rock (AOR) radio stations. Musically, “FM” is a complex jazz-rock composition driven by its bass, guitar, and piano parts, characteristic of Steely Dan’s sound during this period. The lyrics, however, subvert the film’s celebration of FM radio, instead critiquing the commercialization of the medium.
Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, the band’s songwriters and core members, were approached by the film’s producers to write a song for the soundtrack. The only requirement was that the song had to be about FM radio. Fagen and Becker had not written music for a film since 1971’s “You’ve Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You’ll Lose That Beat,” but they approached the song with some preconceived ideas. They wanted to write a song that would sound good with a big production and an overdub of strings that would sound good coming out of movie-theater speakers.
The band recorded “FM” over the course of a couple of days, building the song from a click track. Fagen played piano, and Becker handled all the bass and guitar work, including the solo on the song’s outro. The song features a string section arranged and conducted by Johnny Mandel, which was a departure from Steely Dan’s typical sound. The band was accompanied by musicians who had played with them on their previous album, “Aja,” including saxophonist Pete Christlieb and drummer Jeff Porcaro.
The song’s composition is notable for its complex harmonies and intricate instrumental arrangements. The song begins with an overture, featuring Fagen’s repeated-thirds intro, with drum and guitar parts, ending in the tonic chord. The verse is built around a “swampy, hypnotic groove,” with Becker playing overdubbed bass and guitar parts in parallel fifths, alternating with Fagen’s piano chords. The song features four key changes, with the harmonic movement beginning in earnest on the phrase “girls don’t seem to care.”
The chorus features overlapping harmonies of “no static at all,” suggesting a station identification. However, it seems “less like a technical boast than an admission that nothing on the airwaves was likely to surprise anyone.” The song’s outro features Becker’s guitar solo, which is the track’s most AOR-sounding element.
“FM (No Static at All)” enjoyed divergent success throughout the world. In the United States, it reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while in Canada and New Zealand, it reached No. 19. However, it failed to make the Top 40 in the UK and Australia. The song was praised by critics, with Record World calling it “a shining gem of a tune.” The song remains a favorite among Steely Dan fans and is regularly performed at concerts.
In the United States, “FM (No Static at All)” entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 67 on June 3, 1978, the highest debut that week. It ascended into the top 40 for the first time less than a month later on July 1, 1978, and peaked at No. 22. In Canada, the song debuted at No. 90 and reached its peak at No. 19. In New Zealand, it entered the chart at No. 37 and peaked at No. 19.
“FM (No Static at All)” is a complex and intricate song that showcases Steely Dan’s unique blend of jazz, rock, and pop. The song’s lyrics subvert the film’s celebration of FM radio, instead critiquing the commercialization of the medium. The song’s composition is notable for its complex harmonies and intricate instrumental arrangements, making it a standout track in Steely Dan’s discography.
Video
Lyrics
Worry the bottle mama, it’s grapefruit wine
Kick off your high heel, sneakers, it’s party time
The girls don’t seem to care what’s on, as long as they play till dawn
Nothin’ but blues and Elvis, and somebody else favorite songGive her some funked up music, she treats you nice
Feed her some hungry reggae, she’ll love you twice
The girls don’t seem to care tonight
As long as the mood is rightNo static at all
(No static, no static at all)
F.M.
(No static at all)Give her some funked up music, she treats you nice
Feed her some hungry reggae she’ll love you twice
The girls don’t seem to care tonight
As long as the mood is rightNo static at all
(No static, no static at all)
F.M.
(No static at all)