New Frontier

"New Frontier" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Donald Fagen for his debut studio album, The Nightfly (1982). The song was released as the second single from the album in January 1983 through Warner Bros. Records. The song received acclaim from music critics. "New Frontier" was less successful on the charts than its predecessor "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)", however, reaching number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. It performed better in the Netherlands, reaching number 47. Its music video—which combined animation and live-action—was in rotation on early MTV. Summary The songset in the early 1960scenters on teenagers finding romance in an underground fallout shelter. It has been described as equally sarcastic and nostalgic in its lyrics. Musically, the song contains elements of jazz and funk. Background The narrator of the song is a "gawky teenager circa 1962", who has also been described as a "wannabe hipster." He opens the song with discussion of his family's backyard fallout shelter—which he casually describes as "'just a dugout that my dad built, in case the reds decide to push the button down." The narrator meets a girl at a party in the shelter ("a summer smoker underground"), whom he compares to the actress Tuesday Weld. They bond over the music of jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, as he attempts to entice her back to the shelter for a "private party." The teenager also holds big dreams for his future: "I can't wait till I move to the city, 'till I finally make up my mind to learn design and study overseas."