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.
NOBODY BUT YOU
Steve Miller Lyrics
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Nobody to tell me bout' me and you
Nobody to tell me bout' what to do
Nobody to tell me bout' me and you
Oh baby, nobody but you, baby
Nobody, nobody but you, baby
Nobody
Baby, I can tell we're on a winning streak
Nobody can tell me bout' what to do
Cause' baby I know that your love is true
Oh baby, nobody but you, baby
Nobody, nobody but you, baby
Woo, nobody, nobody but you, baby
Nobody, nobody but you, woo baby
Nobody
Baby, when I see you walkin' down the street
Baby, I can tell we're on a winning streak
Nobody can tell me bout' me and you
Cause' baby I know that your love is true
Woo baby, nobody but you, baby
Nobody, woo baby, nobody but you, baby
Woo nobody, nobody but you, baby
Nobody, nobody but you, baby
In Steve Miller's song "Nobody But You," the singer expresses his desire for independence and freedom from societal pressures. He doesn't want anyone else to interfere or dictate his life, especially when it comes to his relationship with his lover. He passionately states that nobody but his lover can tell him what to do because their love is true.
These lyrics showcase a sense of liberation and rebellion against authority. The singer rejects conformity and instead embraces the love and connection he shares with his partner. Additionally, the refrain "nobody but you, baby" emphasizes the depth of his commitment and loyalty to his lover.
Overall, "Nobody But You" is a celebration of the power of love and the importance of staying true to oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want nobody to tell me bout' what to do
I don't want anyone else to dictate my actions or decisions
Nobody to tell me bout' me and you
I don't want anyone to interfere in our relationship or tell me how to feel about you
Oh baby, nobody but you, baby
The only person I want and need in my life is you, baby
Baby, when I see you walking down the street
Whenever I catch a glimpse of you walking by, my heart skips a beat
Baby, I can tell we're on a winning streak
I feel like everything is going well for us and we're meant to be together
Cause' baby I know that your love is true
I have no doubt in my mind that your love for me is genuine and real
Woo baby, nobody but you, baby
I am completely devoted to you and want only you, baby
Nobody, woo baby, nobody but you, baby
No one can compare to you, baby, you are one of a kind and irreplaceable
Woo nobody, nobody but you, baby
There is no one else in the world that I would rather be with than you, baby
Nobody, nobody but you, baby
You are the only one for me, baby, and I cherish every moment we have together
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES TAYLOR, JAMES V TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind