"Dirty Work" tells the story of a man caught in a self-loathing affair with a married woman. He knows she's using him, yet he's too infatuated to break free, creating a narrative that feels like a soap opera. The lyrics, co-written by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, even include a subtle nod to Becker's love for chess with a reference to the rook. This track, from Steely Dan's 1972 debut album Can't Buy a Thrill, stands out for its more commercial sound, featuring an upward-modulating refrain, a soulful clavinet, and a perfectly understated tenor saxophone solo. It plays like a bittersweet confession, full of resignation and unrequited longing.