Trying to decode Steely Dan’s lyrics is like solving a puzzle with missing pieces. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were masters of cryptic storytelling, filling their songs with characters that felt ripped from a noir film or a beat-up jazz club. But while fans love digging into their lyrics for hidden meanings, Fagen once called out listeners for completely misinterpreting a particular line in Rikki Don’t Lose That Number.
Of course, music is open to interpretation. Once a song is released into the world, it’s no longer just the artist’s—it belongs to the fans. And with Steely Dan’s history of writing about gambling addicts, drug dealers, and shady figures, it’s no surprise that people assumed Rikki Don’t Lose That Number had something sinister lurking beneath its surface.
Compared to their usual fare, Rikki Don’t Lose That Number is relatively straightforward—a man urging a woman to keep in touch. But because this is Steely Dan, fans weren’t convinced it was that simple. For months after the song’s release, a theory spread that the “number” was actually drug slang, possibly a coded reference to marijuana.
Fagen shot down that interpretation, saying, “The fact is that we were referring to a phone number, so I think people should take the lyrics more literally, and it’ll be on the safe side. It’s a very simple love song to a young lady.”
That may be true, but even without the drug connection, the song still has a certain sleaziness to it. The man in the song isn’t some innocent romantic—he’s a slick-talking older guy eyeing a younger woman, hoping she’ll fall for his charm. Picture someone in faded aviators, a Hawaiian shirt slightly unbuttoned, flashing a grin that’s just a little too confident.
While there’s no evidence that he’s looking for a fix, there’s something unsettling about his persistence. Whether or not Rikki keeps that number, she might want to have a drink ready—in case she needs to throw it in his face.
