steely dan fm no static at all

Oh I thought ABC Records issued a promo. I knew how they edited it together (I was able to figure out the "Aja" source), but yesterday was my first time hearing it ...lol

AM stations did have some issues with the song, and I was aware of the "AM" edit that was circulating
at some AM radio stations at the time it was released, but was told it was made by an AM radio station
somewhere. At WTRY in Albany, we didn't get an "AM" dub from any station or MCA, but MCA Records did
send us a version that simply removed "FM" from the song by replacing the same "FM" section from the B
side which is the instrumental. I still have the tape. It even says "MCA Recording Studios" on the
box. The box label says "FM No Static At All" win no notation that it had the FM removed. However, it
sounds like a 45 was used to make the tape so probably some record promoter got a dub from a station
that made it, or had it made, and sent it to AM Radio stations. It did cause confusion when it arrived
in the mail, the sales department thought it was a commercial as it was a tape box. But it did finally
make it's way to the programming department with a note on it saying "I think it's just a song". It
was dubbed and played on WTRY. I never considered it a "legitimate release" as it never made it to
vinyl, just a way for some promos folks to get the song played.

Bear in mind, there was also a few ABC albums which were
MCA also while current hits. You are right, I think. There
were some ABC hit singles too from early 1979 on both ABC
(earliest pressings) and MCA while still chart hits. There
was around 3-6 months of transition going on here before
everything formerly ABC went MCA.

Edited by KentT

I tried recreating it myself. But there is too much percussion on the "aaaay" syllable in "Aja". I wonder just how they did it.

Update: I don't think they used Aja at all (I just know there's a pun in there somewhere.) I think they extended the FM sysllable. If you listen carefully to the original, it sounds more like they're singing "aaaaaaay-eeeeeffff-eeemm"


Edited by Jody Thornton

For Bill and the others on AM in 1978, did you
acknowledge the true song title on the air?