The Steely Dan song that Joni Mitchell considers the best of the 1980s

The Steely Dan song that won Joni Mitchell's admiration was "Babylon Sisters", the opening track from the album "Gaucho", released in 1980. Mitchell, considered one of the most important composers in modern music, never hid her admiration for the musical refinement of the duo formed by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. Among all the songs produced by the group during that period, "Babylon Sisters" became their favorite. The song brings together several characteristics that have always attracted the singer: sophisticated harmonies, extremely detailed arrangements and lyrics full of ironies and observations about modern life. Released on Steely Dan's final studio album before the band's long hiatus, "Babylon Sisters" is often touted as one of the group's masterpieces. The track also stands out for its impeccable production, a result of Fagen and Becker's obsession with technical perfection within the studio. For Joni Mitchell, the song represents everything that made Steely Dan one of the most respected formations in American music: intelligence, sophistication and musical excellence. Decades later, "Babylon Sisters" continues to be a reference for musicians and producers of different generations.