Miller was born to Dr. George "Sonny" Miller, a pathologist, jazz enthusiast and amateur recording engineer, and Bertha, a jazz-influenced singer. In 1950, the family moved to Dallas, Texas. His first guitar chords were taught to him by the legendary Les Paul, pioneer of the electric guitar and also Miller's godfather. While at St. Mark's School of Texas, Miller formed his first band, The Marksmen. Miller taught classmate Royce Boz Scaggs some guitar chords so 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. Miller was only sixteen when he started college, and dropped out six credit hours shy of a literature degree. Les Paul encouraged young Miller to utilize his prodigal talents, and much of Miller's success has been attributed to Paul's tutelage during his childhood and teenage years.
Prior to forming the Steve Miller Band, Miller was in a band with Barry Goldberg called the Goldberg-Miller Blues Band. They formed in 1965, and released one single, before Miller left the band.
In 1968, Miller formed the Steve Miller Band, with Miller 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. Sailor, Brave New World, Your Saving Grace and Number 5 followed. These albums performed respectably on the album charts but failed to yield a hit. This first period in Steve Miller's music formed part of double album compilation "Anthology" which includes a guest appearance on drums by the then Beatle Paul McCartney on the song "My Dark Hour".
1973's The Joker marked the start of the second phase of Miller's career: more pop-oriented and simplistic, the album featured a number one hit in the U.S. in the title track as well as several other popular tunes. In fact, "The Joker" hit Number One on the UK singles chart in September 1990 after it was used on a television commercial.
Miller followed up The Joker with Fly Like an Eagle in 1976 and Book of Dreams in 1977. This pair of albums represented the peak of Miller's commercial career, both reaching the top echelons of the album charts and spawning a seemingly-endless series of hit singles, including "Rock'n Me", "Take the Money and Run", "Jet Airliner" and "Jungle Love". While critics lambasted Miller for abandoning his more ambitious approach and socially-aware lyrics for simple pop-rock and derivative blues tunes, fans gravitated towards the catchy, melodic songs in great numbers, and the Steve Miller Band co-headlined a major stadium tour with the Eagles in 1977.
On the heels of this massive success, Miller took a long hiatus from recording and touring, emerging in 1981 with Circle of Love, an ambitious album possibly intended to appease critics of his new style. Sales were disappointing, however, and in 1982 he returned to the pop formula with another hit album, Abracadabra. This was Miller's last great commercial success; a series of collections, live albums and attempts to find a new style appeared sporadically, but after 1993 Miller gave up producing records altogether. However, he collaborated with Paul McCartney on the former Beatle's 1997 Grammy-nominated album, Flaming Pie.
Lovin' Cup
Steve Miller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She done told me
Soon you be a man
And when you find your own woman
You got to love her the best that you can
Well, if you give your love to somebody
Make sure they don't use you up
Make sure you fill the lovin' cup
Oh, yeah
Uh-huh
La-de-ay
Well, I'm goin' to the country
Mama, don't you want to go
The sun's gonna shine in our back door
I know
Mama
She done told me
Lord, you gonna be a man
And when you find your own woman
Gotta hold to her the best that you can
I'm goin' to the country
Baby don't you want to go
The sun's gonna shine in our back door
And I know
To fill the lovin' cup
Fill the lovin' cup
Fill the lovin' cup
Oh, yeah yeah yeah
The Lovin' Cup by Steve Miller Band is a classic rock song that reflects on the timeless themes of love and coming of age. The opening lyrics – "My mama, she done told me, Soon you be a man" – suggest that the song is about a mother imparting wisdom and advice to her son. The advice, which is simple but profound, is that when one finds their own woman, they should love them the best they can. However, this love should not be given blindly. The lyrics caution that one should make sure their love is not being taken advantage of, and to ensure that they are getting love in return. The chorus of the song emphasizes this message, encouraging listeners to "fill the lovin' cup."
The second verse tells of the singer's plans to head to the country where the sun will shine in their back door. The repetition of the chorus at the end of the song emphasizes the importance of staying true to one’s commitments and making sure the love given and received is healthy and fulfilling. Overall, the song speaks to the importance of love in our lives and the care and attention it requires.
Line by Line Meaning
My mama
The singer received advice from their mother.
She done told me
The advice came in the past, but remains relevant.
Soon you be a man
The singer is entering adulthood.
And when you find your own woman
The artist is likely male and heterosexual.
You got to love her the best that you can
The artist recognizes the importance of treating their partner with care and affection.
Well, if you give your love to somebody
The singer shifts to a more general message about romantic love.
Make sure they don't use you up
The singer cautions against being taken advantage of.
And if you get your love in return
The artist acknowledges the reciprocity of love.
Make sure you fill the lovin' cup
The artist urges listeners to nurture their own relationships and keep them healthy.
Oh, yeah
An exclamatory interjection.
Uh-huh
An affirmative interjection.
La-de-ay
A nonsensical or filler interjection.
Well, I'm goin' to the country
The singer shifts to personal plans or desires.
Mama, don't you want to go
The singer invites their mother or another person along.
The sun's gonna shine in our back door
The singer anticipates good luck or fortune.
I know
An expression of confidence or assurance.
Lord, you gonna be a man
A repeated reminder of the artist's impending adulthood.
Gotta hold to her the best that you can
A repeated emphasis on the importance of treating one's partner well.
Baby don't you want to go
The singer switches back to addressing a hypothetical romantic partner.
To fill the lovin' cup
A repetition and reinforcement of the earlier message about nurturing a relationship.
Oh, yeah yeah yeah
A final set of interjections before the song concludes.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEVE MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind