Countdown to Ecstasy

Countdown to Ecstasy is the second album by rock group Steely Dan, released in July 1973. The album was written and recorded in rushed sessions between live concerts and produced two Billboard Hot 100 hits, "Show Biz Kids" and "My Old School". By the time the sessions for the album were in full swing, David Palmer had left the group, leaving Donald Fagen to assume full lead vocalist duties. The album was originally released in two-channel stereo and also in a special four-channel quadrophonic mix. There are some significant musical differences between the two mixes. A live version of the song "Bodhisattva" was used as the B-side for both "Hey Nineteen" and "Babylon Sisters", released as singles in the 1980s. "Bodhisattva" is a playable track in the video game Rock Band 2, while "My Old School" is featured as downloadable content. The cover art to the album originally included only the three pink figures seated up front, but because there were five members of Steely Dan, the two ghostly figures to the left were added by the record company to "balance" it out.