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.
Wide River
Steve Miller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Singin' dear dear ocean now, here is a kiss from me
And she runs like a river to the setting sun
She runs like a river that has never been won
She runs like a river that will always be free
Wide river, carry me back home
To the place I love, that I call my own
Run like a river that has never been won
Run like a river that will always be free
Wide river, do you remember me?
It was not so long ago that you set me free
And now I run like a river to the setting sun
I run like a river that has never been won
I run like a river that will always be free
Come on baby, let's run in circles
Come on darlin', let's circle each other
And find our love, all the love that we need
Come on baby, let's circle each other
What we can do, do for each other
I'll do for you, and you'll do for me
And we can run like a river to the setting sun
Run like a river that has never been won
Run like a river that will always be free
The song "Wide River" by Steve Miller is a tribute to the power and beauty of nature, particularly the metaphor of a river flowing toward the sea. The lyrics compare the river to a woman, describing her as strong, free, and always moving forward towards her destiny. The opening lines signify the river's vastness and power as it opens its mouth to the sea and sends a “kiss” to it. The river is also compared to a journey in life, where one can always move forward and never be held back. Throughout the song, the river is a symbol of freedom, love, and life.
The second verse refers to the singer's own journey and his desire to return home to a place where he feels comfortable and loved. The chorus echoes the idea of being free and running like the river, always forward and never looking back. The final verse is an invitation to his lover to join him on this journey and circle around each other, hinting at a more intimate relationship.
As a whole, "Wide River" is a celebration of life, love, and the power of nature. The river is a symbol of freedom and joy, and its steady flow gives us a reminder that life is a journey to be enjoyed without any restriction or burden.
Line by Line Meaning
Wide river she opens her mouth to the sea
The river flows wide and opens up at the sea, as if it's giving a kiss to the ocean.
Singin' dear dear ocean now, here is a kiss from me
The river sings to the ocean, announcing that it's giving a kiss to the ocean.
And she runs like a river to the setting sun
The river flows energetically towards the west, where the sun sets.
She runs like a river that has never been won
The river flows freely and fiercely, without being controlled or conquered by anyone.
She runs like a river that will always be free
The river flows as it desires, never bound by anything or anyone, and will continue to do so endlessly.
Wide river, carry me back home
The singer asks the river to carry him back to the place he loves and calls his own.
To the place I love, that I call my own
The singer longs to return to his beloved place which he claims as his own.
And we can run like a river to the setting sun
The artist and the river can flow together towards the sunset, enjoying the beauty of nature and life.
Run like a river that has never been won
The artist and the river can flow unrestrained, without being defeated or suppressed by anyone.
Run like a river that will always be free
The artist and the river can flow and live without being shackled or restrained, living as free beings forever.
Wide river, do you remember me?
The singer asks the river if it remembers him from the past.
It was not so long ago that you set me free
The artist recalls that the river had freed him from something not so long ago.
I run like a river that has never been won
The singer runs unrestrained, just like the river, without ever being suppressed or conquered.
Come on baby, let's run in circles
The singer invites his loved one to run in circles with him, having fun and enjoying each other's company.
Come on darlin', let's circle each other
The singer continues to invite his loved one to circle each other together, deepen their love, and share in each other's joy.
And find our love, all the love that we need
The artist hopes that by circling each other, they will rediscover the love they need and long for.
What we can do, do for each other
The artist suggests that they should help and support each other mutually.
I'll do for you, and you'll do for me
The singer promises to do things for his loved one in exchange for his loved one's support and kindness toward him.
And we can run like a river to the setting sun
The singer and his loved one can experience life together, following their hearts and flow just like the river flows towards the sunset.
Run like a river that has never been won
The artist and his loved one can live freely, just like the river, unbound by any restraints or suppression.
Run like a river that will always be free
The artist and his loved one pledge to live their lives as free people, unbridled by anyone, and will continue to do so forever.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHRIS MCCARTY, STEVE MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TheDustysix
Outstanding Quality!
Michael Larocca
I first heard this song hanging out with my grandfather in his garage. Took me 25 years to find it again and now im shedding a tear. I learned so much about life in that workshop.
Adrian Jenkins
I just heard this song in my local grocery store. I had completely forgotten about it. It's great.
SuperSkunkyGrow
Same but with my pops
Grabasandwich
The way he can perfectly harmonize/double track his voice is incredible. Way before Auto-Tune and all that crap 🤯❤️
Doctor Feinstone
Nope. Auto tune, voice layering, reverb, etc was a thing way before this. Just listen to Gary Lewis
Vincent Gregorek
So many fines memories attached to this song for us.Thank you and bless you Steve Miller for all of the good time music you’ve given us through the years.
SuperSkunkyGrow
This was my favorite song to play when I got to ride in my dads work truck back in the day as a kid. He Had this album on cd
Bethel Abba
it's sad that this song has so little recognition. It is definitely one of Steve & Band's best cuts and if it had been released in the 1970's, it would have been a top 10 hit.
Math? Music!
That clean rock sound and perfect harmonies of the Steve Miller Band are evident here, clearly. Nice song! I saw him years ago with his band, and they were into jazz!!