The Royal Scam

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

The Royal Scam came out in May 1976 on ABC Records and, like all the earlier albums, was produced by Gary Katz. Whereas the previous and following records were mainly jazz rock, this is chiefly a funk album. Recording began in Los Angeles with engineer Elliot Scheiner, but after two weeks with all kinds of session musicians, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were still not satisfied. They moved to New York, where half the backing tracks were made, including that of Kid Charlemagne in one take. The recording process with two linked 16-track recorders proved hard to edit, after which they returned to Los Angeles and Roger Nichols became the engineer again.

Haitian Divorce is based on Scheiner's trip to Haiti to get a divorce. The single reached number 17 in England and is the highest position outside America. The album reached number 15 in the United States, went platinum and reached number 11 in England.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Kid Charlemagne (2025 Remaster)4:34Apple Music ↗
2. 2The Caves Of Altamira (2025 Remaster)3:32Apple Music ↗
3. 3Don't Take Me Alive (2025 Remaster)4:14Apple Music ↗
4. 4Sign In Stranger (2025 Remaster)4:22Apple Music ↗
5. 5The Fez (2025 Remaster)3:57Apple Music ↗
6. 6Green Earrings (2025 Remaster)4:07Apple Music ↗
7. 7Haitian Divorce (2025 Remaster)5:47Apple Music ↗
8. 8Everything You Did (2025 Remaster)3:57Apple Music ↗
9. 9The Royal Scam (2025 Remaster)6:32Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

See also

• Steely Dan