Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1967-8 in San Franci… Read Full Bio ↴Steve Miller Band is an American rock band formed in 1967-8 in San Francisco, California, USA. The band features Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals, and is known for a string of (mainly) mid-1970s hit singles that continue to be staples of the classic rock radio format.
Steve Miller (born 5 October 1943) is a blues and rock and roll guitarist and performer. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but attended high school in Dallas. While at St. Mark's School of Texas, he formed his first band, The Marksmen. Miller taught one of his classmates, Royce Boz Scaggs, a few guitar chords so that he could join the band; Scaggs became better known by his nickname, Boz. Miller attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the 1960s, where he formed The Ardells. Scaggs joined the Ardells the next year. Ben Sidran was added to the Ardells as a keyboardist the following year.
In 1968, Miller formed the Steve Miller Band, with Scaggs handling vocals, and released an album, Children of the Future, the first in a series of discs rooted solidly in the psychedelic blues style that dominated the San Francisco music scene at the time. Scaggs would leave the band after a couple of albums with vocal chores taken over by drummer Tim Davis; Miller himself would begin singing occasional lead on 1969's Brave New World. These albums performed respectably on the album charts but failed to yield a hit.
In the 1970's the band had some hits that became classics over the years - Jet Airliner, with some evocative lyrics that brought home the loss of life on the road; and The Joker which includes the famous line about the "pompatus of love", which is of course nonsense, but that didn't stop a lot of stoned folks from spending years talking amongst themselves.
Steve Miller's father was a wealthy doctor in Dallas, and friends with famous guitarist and guitar designer Les Paul. Les Paul gave Miller his first guitar lessons.
Longtime member Norton Buffalo (harmonica player) died from lung cancer on October 30, 2009.
John King (drummer during "The Joker" era) died after a short bout of kidney cancer on October 26, 2010.
Band-member James Cooke died from cancer on 16 May 2011.
Steve Miller (born 5 October 1943) is a blues and rock and roll guitarist and performer. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but attended high school in Dallas. While at St. Mark's School of Texas, he formed his first band, The Marksmen. Miller taught one of his classmates, Royce Boz Scaggs, a few guitar chords so that he could join the band; Scaggs became better known by his nickname, Boz. Miller attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison during the 1960s, where he formed The Ardells. Scaggs joined the Ardells the next year. Ben Sidran was added to the Ardells as a keyboardist the following year.
In 1968, Miller formed the Steve Miller Band, with Scaggs handling vocals, and released an album, Children of the Future, the first in a series of discs rooted solidly in the psychedelic blues style that dominated the San Francisco music scene at the time. Scaggs would leave the band after a couple of albums with vocal chores taken over by drummer Tim Davis; Miller himself would begin singing occasional lead on 1969's Brave New World. These albums performed respectably on the album charts but failed to yield a hit.
In the 1970's the band had some hits that became classics over the years - Jet Airliner, with some evocative lyrics that brought home the loss of life on the road; and The Joker which includes the famous line about the "pompatus of love", which is of course nonsense, but that didn't stop a lot of stoned folks from spending years talking amongst themselves.
Steve Miller's father was a wealthy doctor in Dallas, and friends with famous guitarist and guitar designer Les Paul. Les Paul gave Miller his first guitar lessons.
Longtime member Norton Buffalo (harmonica player) died from lung cancer on October 30, 2009.
John King (drummer during "The Joker" era) died after a short bout of kidney cancer on October 26, 2010.
Band-member James Cooke died from cancer on 16 May 2011.
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Complete Greatest Hits
Steve Miller Band Lyrics
Abracadabra I heat up, I can't cool down You got me spinning 'Round…
Cry Cry Cry I'm gonna sing you the blues Cause i know that you're…
Dance, Dance, Dance My grandpa he's ninety-five, and he keeps on dancin he's sti…
Fly Like an Eagle Tick tock tick, do, do, do-do Tick tock tick, do, do,…
I Want To Make The World Turn Around I don't want to live in a world of darkness…
Jet Airliner Leavin' home, out on the road I've been down before Ridin' a…
Jungle Love I met you on somebody's island You thought you had known…
Livin' in the U.S.A. Stand back, stand back Stand back, stand back Stand back, s…
My Dark Hour My dark hour My dark hour, you know it's drivin'…
Rock'n Me Well, I've been lookin' real hard And I'm tryin' to…
Serenade Did you see the lights As they fell all around you? Did…
Shubada du Ma Ma Shu ba da du ma ma ma ma Shu ba da…
Space Cowboy I told you 'bout living in the U.S. of A.…
Swingtown Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh Come on and dance, come on and dance…
Take the Money and Run Hoo-hoo This here's a story about Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue T…
The Joker Some people call me the space cowboy, yeah Some call me…
The Stake Burnin', burnin', all you can take Wheels are turning in the…
Threshold [Instrumental]…
Who Do You Love Whooooo Whooooo Ever since time began Man loves a woma…
Wide River Wide river she opens her mouth to the sea Singin' dear…
Wild Mountain Honey Ooh, mama Well look what's been done You can only see the…