Here's a list of words to use in songs if you want to emulate Steely Dan. Word frequency is listed based upon lyrics from their albums up to and including Two Against Nature.
Mix and match!
746 the
424 you
314 i
290 a
270 and
256 to
212 in
168 of
159 your
133 on
131 it
127 me
126 my
112 that
96 with when
88 all
87 no
84 i'm be
83 is don't
78 they
71 for
70 know
69 it's
66 out
63 do
59 we just
58 so at
55 are
54 this one
53 what she
52 will
51 was like
49 but
48 see man
47 he
46 i'll can
45 have got from
44 back
42 gonna down
41 her come
40 tell
39 by
38 up time now can't
37 world where she's
36 if
35 take his
34 night
33 you're love he's
32 or here
30 more home go get
29 oh
28 who say how
27 there never hand again
26 friend could
25 things not make as
24 through
23 yes way right good did call about
22 well hear any
21 only
20 would then old i've eyes day comes
19 won't were think there's still run
18 turn seen little black before
17 show people been
16 while street said play name mind live last gone
feel better around
15 work used throw over fool face done along
14 we'll those that's some new lose look light him
heard game daddy city change another
13 we're town same off into honey fire find everything
big
12 you'll yeah want two our nothing long jack gold
door against
11 without till them shake poor piece life high had
away an alone
10 wanna wall understand three thing their sun stand spend
song shine place news need nature must mine left
kid inside heart has gun fine every else bad
am alive
9 why very use until tonight tears summer soon sea
rose please own knew king keep hard guess girl
dance care buzz brother
8 yourself years wrong under try tomorrow these talk sure
special sleepin' singing room roll pay ones number music
money major josie hollywood fun friday free found dude
bring band baby
7 zombie who's wheel together times they're than teeth surely
soul smile sisters sing silver shoes school rival rikki
ride remember red rain plan past parker's maybe line
leave lay kind i'd hole hill hide grow flame
fez far drink doctor dirty darling charlemagne bodhisattva behind
babylon almost ain't 'round
6 you've york wrote whole welcome weekend water true standing
son sky shame saw ready quarter put myself movies
mister might midnight living let's let hey half feeling
driving drive clean case car came boys boston best
barrytown
5 young you'd wine west went wear walk upon turned
too told third stranger stay speed somewhere sign shade
send raise rag queen nineteen nice move mama looks
letter learn laughing land its guy green gothic going
girls floor falls everyone's ever even enough end drag
dime deep dead days crossed crazy cover cousin close
children chase charmer chain carry burn break boy born
across abbie 'em 'cause
4 words word wise wire wild white whim watch wait
vous voulez us tried tide sweet sunday stuff stars
should shape scam saxophone runaway royal rio ring riding
reelin' recall really real promised profession pride pass owes
other oregon once nobody negative natural much morning monkey
men may match luscious lucky loved lot lonnie l.a.
kiss kids john janie house hearts head he'll haitian
ground glory glass gaslighting frozen friends frame forever five
first feet feels fear fast fame fall explain easy
dupree dream divorce die demon deacon dark cry corner
cool cold clear brooklyn breaking bought blues believe avenue
apart aja
3 wu working women winners whisky what's wave walks walked
unknown understood uh turnin' toll tight though thinks teach
talkin' tale takes tact such streets strange stowin' stole
step stare squeeze spent speak sorry something somebody sneakers
smoking sleep since shoot shirt ship shadow set seems
seem screen scotch saturday sand safe sad roman remorse
refuse reason realize razor raw rare radio race quit
pure pretty precious prays poise playing played peg pearl
park papa pan-fry original nowhere nights neighbors neighborhood movie
minor milk met meet marigolds makes made lying looked
lock local listen lightning lies laughter later late kitchen
jesus jag invention illegal huh hours holding hesitation help
hell heat hanging hair guard grown growing grande grace
grab glamour give gently gentlemen gave gaucho gatherin' freak
fortune fade everybody earrings ear dreams dragon design dear
dawn darlin' dancin' damn cut cruiser cruel cross crimson
crew crest cowboys cow couldn't couch congratulations concession coming
classic child chicken cherry charlie changed chance chair catch
bright breaks breakin' bowl bound bones body blue beat
ask anybody answer annandale alright alabama ago after action
act 'bout
2 yours yellow worldly worked wonder windy wind william whistle
wherever western weary wearing we've ways watched waste wasn't
warm wants wandered waiting voice useless uptown unseen unreal
trouble transistor train tour til tied thrill thousand thought
they've they'll telling talking swear sum style strike store
stop stood stone stompin' started star stagger st. sparkle
spangled spain space southland sound sorrow someone somehow solitaire
snake smooth smilin' small slow slide skater sits sidewalks
side shout shining shell sell season scream scratch science
scheme scar says saying savage santa san runaround rules
ruins romance rolling roller roger rocks rock road ripe
rings richard reveal return remain relaxing read quite prize
poncho point playroom playin' places pitcher picture pi phone
perfection part paint pain pack owed outside outrageous ordinary
open next near nasty napoleon named mystical murder mr.
mouth motor moon mix minstrel michael mexico memory mean
mast mary many luck lovin' louise lots lost loser
lord looking lonely lives lights leather law laugh large
laid labor knows kitty kinky kings kill key katy
jungle jolly joker job japan jail isn't island iron
insane imagine idea hush hungry hotel hot holy hold
hits highway held heartbeat hat harlem happy happening hang
hands hall guadalajara groan gotta goodbye golden goes glad
gig gift gets gas future function francisco folks fly
fireworks fingers finally films fifteen few feelin' feed favorite
fancy familiar fairy fair eye expanding everywhere eldorado edge
eat early dynamite drop dreary dread double dollar doesn't
does disguise died diamond desire daylight darkness danger danced
daily custerdome crying crowd crime cried colada coke claim
choose chinese china champion cash candy candle camera cages
cab bye buy busy business buddies brown broadway brain
bounty both borrow boom bookkeeper's book bodacious blood biz
bite bit become beautiful beast bay barely bang baby's
babe anything anymore answers angel amigo amen always although
already afraid affair above
1 zooming zoo zone younger yo-yo yesterday yellow-green yelling year's
year wright wrangle wow wouldn't worse worrying wooly wonderwaif
wonderful won woman's woman wolverine woe wish winter wings
wing winds win willing willin' willie wildest wide wicker
whip whining where's weight weeks weeds wears wax watt
watching watchin' watches wasted washington warren warning warned warn
wallboards vision viper view victim vegas valley v usa
upstate upstairs unravel unless union unhand undone undead u.s.
u tyranny twice twenty tweak tv tuxedo turns turnout
turkish tumbles tumbled tubes truth truck trip tremble trees
treat travels travelling traveling travel trance traffic trading traces
trace toxic tower tough touched touch totally torture tops
top today's today tobacco tired tiny timer timber tie
ticket thursday thru throttle thrilling thirty-five thinking themselves theme
that'll thanks thank test terzo terrible ten-cent tellin' teddy's
technicolor tearin' tearful tea taxi taste tan tampa talked
taking takeout taken tag table t.j. t-shirt t-bone szechuan
synergy syncopation swingin' swept sweetness sweep swallowed swallow suspect
survivors surrender surprised surprise supremo supposed superman superfine super
sunset sunrise sunny sung sugar sue suddenly suck suburban
stupid stunk studs strung struck strong stroke stripe strictly
stretching street's strangers strand stowed story storm stories stopped
stomping stocking stir stetson steppin' stepped steely steaming steamer
steady state starving start stalking stake stairs staggering stadium
stackin' squonk's square sprinkling spree spreading spray spot spore
splash spitelock spinning spill spike spied spider sphere spell
speaks speaking spasm sparkles spanish southern sounds souls soulful
sorrows soothing something's sole software socks soak so-and-so snow
sneaking snapping smoky smoke smiled smell smash smacked sly
slowly sloe-eyed slip slinging slickest sleeping slapped slack skulls
skis skin skeevy skatin' skanky ska sizzling sixty-seven sixty-five
sixteen sittin' sit sirens sir sinners singin' sinatra sin
silly signs sighed siecle sides shutter shut shrink shriek
shows showing showgirl showed shouts shots shotgun shot short
shore shined sheena's sheared she'll sharing shared share shapely
shack sew severe seventh seventeen settled sets serves serve
september sent sensations sensation semi-mojo sees seemed section secrets
secret searching scurvy screaming screamer screamed scrapple scrape scooters
schoolyard schoolboy scarsdale scared scale savoy saved satisfy sang
sanctify sam salads saint sailor sailing said: sadly sack
rusty rush runs running runnin' rumor rum rug rudy's
rube rubbish row roving routines roulade roses rondo rollers
rock'n rising rise rinkydink rigs righteous right-wing rider rid
rice rhythm rhetoric revealed rev reunion returning retsina rest
respective reservation rescues reputation reptile rent reminds remedies rehab
regrets record reckless rebus reads reading readin' reaching reached
ratbone rapers rap ranch ran rampagin' ramblers rainy ragin'
rage radar quo quid question qualified quaking puttin' punky
punching pumping pull proud pros promise projection probe pro
prickly pretzel pretended presents preaches preacher's preacher pray power
poured possibly port policeman poison's poison pointed plush plundered
plot pleasing plead platform plastic planned pin pick piaster
phonograph perhaps perfect pepper pepe pennsylvania peking pedestrian peculiar
pear peaceful peace pawn patrons patron patrol patio party
paraguay papers paper panatela painting pain/pleasure paid package owns
ow-ow-ouch overdid outlaw ounce others orleans opposite one's oleanders
okay ok often occasion obsolete obey nyu nyc numbers
nuke novel nothin' noon noise-free nine nighttime nightstand newfound
national names muswellbrook muscle mug movin' moved mourners motion
mostly most mornin moray mondo mode mobilized mizar miz
misty mistaken missy's missin' miss miracle mini millionaire million
mile miguel mighty middle mia metal mess merengue memories
melanie megaphones meets medieval medallion mechanized meant mccann mayhem
matter matador masissi mary's martyr mark march making makin'
main mail maid magnolia maggoty madness madame mad machine
lurch luger lucy luckless lower low loves lover lovely
love's lou lotion loose lookin' logic locust locked lobby
listening liquor limpid lifetime lie licks libations liar li'l
lhasa less legs led leaving leavin' lean lead lazy
lawn lark lapage languid lady's lady ladies lack laced
l'era l kruger known knowledge knock knees knack kitten
kissing kissin' kiss-off kirschwasser kingpin kingdom kindly killing kicked
kick keys keyboard kerosene keeps keepin' kansas kangaroos junction
jumped july joking joint joined johnny's jog jo jive
jim jerry jerk jealousy janine jane jam itty itself
items item isotope interrupt interesting inspires inspection injun indeed
including inclined ill ii hypnotized hustle hurled hung hundred
human hum housewife hounded horn horizon hopped hope hooters
hooterie hoops hooey homeward hollywood's history highwayman hidey-holes herb
helping hello helix heels heavy heavens heaven hearty hearing
haze having haulin' hats hatch hardware hardly hard-earned happened
hangman hangin' handle ham hallway halfway hail hackensack gypsy
guys guns gunnin' gulping guernsey guaranteed gruesome grows grotto
grooving grok grinding grill grey grew greene greek great
greasy grand gramercy grabbed gown gospel goof goodly goodbyes
golf goddess gnarly gloves glisten glamor gin gigs ghost
ghana getting getaway genius gee gear gazed garue garry
garden gangster gamma games gamblin' gamblers gamble gain funny
funky fuck fright friday's fresh freeway freaks franny franklin
fourteenth foursquare fours four founders forty-eight forgiven foresee foreign
fordham fools food folk flowers flight flies flew flashing
flash fix fires firemop filthy filmed filled fight fifty-second
fever felonius fellah fee federal fearsome fe faye's fatback
fasten famous family fallen fading faded facts faces fabulous
fabled exquisitely express expensive exhausting excited excavation exactly evil
everyone everybody's everlasting events evening eva eurasian etched essence
escape erzulie enjoy enemy endure empty embraced elevator elegance
el either eighteen eight eggs eel eden eased eagles
each e dying dumplings dumb dues duchess drug drove
driver drinks drinking dress dreaming dragging draggin' dr dozen
downside down-home dolly dollars doing doin' dog dizzy dive
ditch disturb distress distant dish disgrace disappear disallowed direct
dinner digging dig didn't detroit detectives detect desperate deserve
derby den deludin deluca delivery deliciously delicious del decline
decided debut dean dealing deal de dayglow daydream date
daring dare dandy dan dakine dad d.o.a. d'escargot d
cutouts cuss culver cuervo cuban cryptic cryin' crunch cruising
crude crucified crown crowds crouching creature crawl crashing cracklin'
couple coup-de-gras county counter count cough cotton cosmic corpse
core cope cools cooling cons connection confection compels company
companions common comin' comfort combination combat comb columbian colors
college collecting collect cocoa cobalt coats clouded closing closes
closed clock clinic climber climb cleanest clap cigarettes cigar
chrysler chow's chord chino chimp chill chicago chi check
cheaters cheap charm charisma charge charade changing certain century
celluloid celebrate cds caves cause caught cathy cat castle
cashing carlo carib careful cards card cara captured capris
cannot cannibal candlelight can-can-jacques camarillo calm calls callin' called
california cajun cafe cable bushes bus burning burned bunsen
bunker bulbs built bugle bubbling brut brotherhood brings bridges
bride bread brat brass brand boyish boulevard bottom bother
boss border boppin' booze bon boiling bogota bods bobby
bobbing boats blueprint blowing bloom block bliss bleecker blazer
blazed blanc blame blackened bitty bittersweet bites biscayne birthday
bird binky's bill bikers between berberian beneath bendin' below
belong believed begun begs begone beginning begin beggars began
beg befallen bed because bebop beans beaded beach bayside
battle batch bastards bastard barry barroom barrio bareback barbados
bar banyan bank banjoes bang-zoom bait backwards backs backboard
babs babies babble axis aunt attraction assassins arrive arms
armadillo arm architecture archbishop's arc apsatively approach applesauce apples
apple appeared anthony's anne angular angry angie angels ancient
ana amid altamira allez-vous alan air aid agents aerial
add aching aces access aboard able a-frame 80's 6:05
3-d 18a 'til 'specially 'retha 'cept '59