Steve Miller (born October 5, 1943 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American … Read Full Bio ↴Steve Miller (born October 5, 1943 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American blues and rock and roll guitarist and performer, best known for his work leading the Steve Miller Band.

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.

Mary Ann
Steve Miller Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, now oh Mary Ann
You know you sure look fine
Let me carry your books home, baby
Let me walk you down the line

I said oh Mary Ann
You sure do look fine
I said oh Mary Ann

I can love you all the time

Well, now oh Mary Ann
I can love you all the time
I can love you all the time

Oh, Mary Ann
Can I take you home tonight
Oh, baby
Can I take you home tonight
If you let me baby
If you let me baby
I'll make it all feel right
I'll make it all feel right

Oh, Mary Ann
Oh, Mary Ann
I'll make you feel alright
I'll make it all feel right

Well now, oh Mary Ann
I said baby don't you know
Well now, oh Mary Ann
I said baby don't you know

Oh, Mary Ann
Don't you know girl
Well now, baby don't you know
That I'd love you so

Oh, Mary Ann
Don't you know baby

That I'd love you so
That I'd love you so

Overall Meaning

The song "Mary Ann" by Steve Miller is an upbeat tune that talks about the singer's infatuation with a girl named Mary Ann. The lyrics are simple and repetitive, focusing primarily on the chorus where the singer pleads with Mary Ann to let him take her home and make things right between them. The song's lyrics may seem lighthearted on the surface, but they convey a deeper sense of longing and desire.

The lyrics suggest that the singer is attracted to Mary Ann and wants to be in a relationship with her. He offers to carry her books, walk her down the line, and make her feel all right. These actions may seem small, but they convey the singer's desire to take care of Mary Ann and show her that he can be a reliable partner. The repetition of the phrase "I can love you all the time" reinforces this sentiment and drives home the message that the singer is willing to commit himself to Mary Ann fully.

The song's upbeat tempo and catchy chorus make it a feel-good tune that is sure to get listeners dancing. While the lyrics aren't particularly deep or complex, they capture the essence of young love and infatuation. Overall, "Mary Ann" is a fun, upbeat track that leaves listeners feeling upbeat and hopeful about love.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, now oh Mary Ann
Addressing Mary Ann with enthusiasm and longing

You know you sure look fine
Complimenting Mary Ann's appearance

Let me carry your books home, baby
Offering to help Mary Ann with her belongings

Let me walk you down the line
Offering to escort Mary Ann

I said oh Mary Ann
Repeating the earlier address to show a strong desire for Mary Ann

You sure do look fine
Reiterating the compliment on Mary Ann's appearance

I can love you all the time
Expressing a willingness to love Mary Ann unconditionally

Oh, Mary Ann
Calling Mary Ann's name with affection

Can I take you home tonight
Asking Mary Ann for permission to take her home

Oh, baby
Using a term of endearment towards Mary Ann

If you let me baby
Asking for Mary Ann's consent