Part 1
Black Cow - Steely Dan
A Lyric Analysis

Let's jump right into it.

"In the corner
Of my eye
I saw you in Rudy's
You were very high
You were high
It was a cryin' disgrace."
He walks into a street cafe with some friends and sees his girlfriend high and probably drunk. He is disgusted at her.

"They saw your face
On the counter
By your keys
Was a book of numbers
And your remedies
One of these
Surely will screen out the sorrow
But where are you tomorrow?"
She is face down on the table, where lay her car keys, a drink, and her black book with her "contacts." He sarcastically mentions that she will "obviously" feel better if she either drives, takes her drink, or makes another booty call.