song: I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)
artist: Donald Fagen
album: The Nightfly (1982)
writer: Donald Fagen

lead vocal: Donald Fagen
backing vocals: Valerie Simpson, Zack Sanders, Frank Floyd, Gordon Grody
keyboard synthesizers: Donald Fagen, Greg Philinganes, Rob Mounsey
electric guitar: Hugh McCracken
electric bass guitar: Anthony Jackson
drum programming: Roger Nichols
(drums + percussion: James Gadons, Jeff Porcaro)

This is a transcription of the Donald Fagen masterpiece, “I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)”; included are 9 main tracks on the recording, as listed above. There are several more tracks on this recording, like the horns section, and this big transcription project I might continue at some point. Enjoy!

If you know where to find isolated stems or the surround-sound tracks, please, let me know!

Be sure to check out the episode of NBC’s 1989 TV show Music Tonight where the band plays the song with Patti Austin in front.

Be sure to check out the 2019 Paul Shaffer interview with Donald Fagen where they play, and Donald winds up in a surprisingly powerful moment of poetry:

“ It’s very optimistic! I mean, unfortunately, it’s faux-optimistic, I’m sorry to say, to disappoint you, but… «Under Starts and Stripes, we can tell, that this dream is in sight!» – It’s Kennedy-era, “New Frontier”-type stuff, right. And it didn’t really pan out, did it? … «On that train from New York to Paris, 90 minutes from New York to Paris!» ”