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.
Winter Time
Steve Miller Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When all the leaves are brown
And the wind blows so chill
And the birds have all flown for the summer
I'm callin', hear me callin', hear me callin'
In the winter time
When all the leaves are brown
And the birds have all flown for the summer
I'm callin', hear me callin', hear me callin'
I'm callin', hear me callin', hear me callin'
In the winter time
In the winter time
When all the leaves are brown
And the wind blows so chill
And the birds have all flown for the summer
I'm callin', hear me callin, hear me callin'
The lyrics of Steve Miller Band's Winter Time paint a picture of stillness and solitude in the midst of winter. Miller's words take the audience through the season from start to finish, focusing on the isolation that comes with winter's arrival. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song: "In the winter time when all the leaves are brown, And the wind blows so chill, And the birds have all flown for the summer." The chorus implores the audience to "hear me callin'," a phrase that repeats throughout the song.
One interpretation of the song is that it acts as a metaphor for loneliness. The cold and barren winter landscape provides a backdrop for Miller's feelings of isolation. However, the call in the chorus speaks to the hope that someone will hear his cry for companionship. The repetition of the phrase "hear me callin'" reinforces the sense of needing someone to listen.
The repetitive nature of the lyrics is deliberate, emphasizing the dull monotony of winter. The use of the same lines in each verse creates a cyclical feeling to the song, reflecting the cyclical nature of the seasons themselves. The melancholic tone underscores the idea that winter is a time for introspection and reflection before the coming of spring.
Line by Line Meaning
In the winter time
During the cold season of the year, when temperatures drop and nature turns dormant.
When all the leaves are brown
Referring to autumn having passed and the tree leaves turning brown and dying.
And the wind blows so chill
The cold wind is blowing strongly, making it feel even colder.
And the birds have all flown for the summer
Most birds migrate to warmer regions during the winter months, leaving a quieter atmosphere behind.
I'm callin', hear me callin', hear me callin'
The artist is trying to get someone's attention, calling repeatedly to make sure they are heard and noticed.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEVE MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luiz Bragantini
In the winter time
When all the leaves are brown
And the wind blows (So chill)
And the birds
Have all flown
For the summer
I'm callin'
Hear me callin'
Hear me callin'
Ah, ah
In the winter time
When all the leaves are brown
And the wind blows (So chill)
And the birds
Have all flown
For the summer
I'm callin'
Hear me callin'
Hear me callin'
I'm callin'
Hear me callin'
Hear me callin'
In the winter time
In the winter time
When all the leaves are brown
And the wind blows (So chill)
And the birds
Have all flown
For the summer
I'm callin'
Hear me callin'
Hear me callin'
RockAndFunk
Watch my MUSIC VIDEO for this song here: https://youtu.be/HmS1xZNyEKw
43 45
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I believe this song to be their masterpiece. Beautiful!
Able Bodied
Agreed!
Scott walker
I don't agree with your even questioning you great taste in music. I agree . Encompasses his work from early stuff right up to his later stuff. All of it genus , but this one captures his real soul.
43 45
@Scott walker this song is just so beautiful. I first heard it when I was 14 or so and is still a favorite of mine!
rich drake
I agree... a venue in time... an Odyssey. Exceptional music.
Anna Brown
I 💯 agree! My favorite!
AJF Fehr
I’m in my dad’s 1976 Ford F-150 driving home from school as this song plays on the 8-track.
Sacred moments in life are when the soul connects with music. It will lead us into eternity.
Franklin Carroll
Such an underrated song!
Buse Doğan
Tarihimin günahlarından geldim iki şarkı da mükemmel ötesi