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The "Old School" referred to in this song is Bard College in Annendale, New York, where Donald Fagen and Walter Becker met. The song is at least partially inspired by an event that occurred at Bard, where both Becker and Fagen, along with their girlfriends, were arrested in a pot raid on a party that was orchestrated by an ambitious young District Attorney named G. Gordon Liddy (hence the line "Tried to warn ya about Geno and Daddy G"). Despite the fact that California has not (yet) tumbled into the sea, both Fagen and Becker have returned to Bard. (thanks, James - Lexington, KY)

The "Wolverine" is the train that went to Annendale.

Comments:

Sorry to tell all you loyal Tribesmen (and women) from the College of William and Mary in Virginia, but "My Old School" is not a reference to your alma mater. It is about Bard College, frequently referred to as "William and Mary-on-the-Hudson". Hence the shout-out to W&M.
- Henry, Bedrock, IN

Is that Michael McDonald in the background?
- Jami, Redding, CA

Although the Wolverine IS a train, it runs between Chicago and Pontiac, MI, so I don't see how Fagen et al could have been riding it to Annandale-on-Hudson. Possibly they chose it because it scanned nicely.
- Steve, New York, NY

Love this song...I agree with Mike in that this song also reminds me of college...but I was in college 30 years after this song was released!
- Ashley, Carlisle, PA

To be complete you need to have the single version of this as the ending is quite different to the album version!
- Murray, Liverpool, England, England

Great song!! Heh heh, I thought "Wolverine" was a play on "Greyhound"(bus service).
- Jena, Leavenworth, KS

I always thought the line "but I can't seem to get to you through the US mail" was "but I can see they get to you through the US mail," b/c the mail is so slow. I apologize to all postal carriers ;-) Interesting about Lyddy ... I always thought it was Annandale, Va, also, not knowing about the Bard connection.
- Mike, Stratford, CT

Annandale-on-Hudson, NY. God bless.
- barnaby, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY

Oleanders are flowers...
- Kevin, Omaha, NE

This song reminds me of college even though I was in college 20 years after this song hahaha
- Mike, Hueytown , AL

"Oleanders growing outside her door" refers to Fagan having the mumps while he was in school.
- Jay, Atlanta, GA

I thought that this song was about Annandale, Virginia and some undisclosed but undoubtedly awful school.
- Darrell, Eugene, United States