Steve Miller (born 5 October 1943) is a blues and rock and roll guitarist and performer. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but attended high school in Dallas. While at St. Mark's School of Texas, he formed his first band, The Marksmen. Miller taught one of his classmates, Royce Boz Scaggs, a few guitar chords so that 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.
In 1968, Miller formed the Steve Miller Band, with Scaggs 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 with vocal chores taken over by drummer Tim Davis; Miller himself would begin singing occasional lead on 1969's Brave New World. These albums performed respectably on the album charts but failed to yield a hit.
In the 1970's the band had some hits that became classics over the years - Jet Airliner, with some evocative lyrics that brought home the loss of life on the road; and The Joker which includes the famous line about the "pompatus of love", which is of course nonsense, but that didn't stop a lot of stoned folks from spending years talking amongst themselves.
Steve Miller's father was a wealthy doctor in Dallas, and friends with famous guitarist and guitar designer Les Paul. Les Paul gave Miller his first guitar lessons.
Longtime member Norton Buffalo (harmonica player) died from lung cancer on October 30, 2009.
John King (drummer during "The Joker" era) died after a short bout of kidney cancer on October 26, 2010.
Band-member James Cooke died from cancer on 16 May 2011.
Ain
Steve Miller Band Lyrics
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Here we go.
Yeah, you may have heart about the gangster of love and the space cowboy,
But I'm gonna whip a cat on you right now who's had more trouble, trials and tribulations.
One, two, three, hey
Yeah
It's alright
Look here
I was walking down the main track
One night
I met a fine chick
She was built just right
She stopped when I flashed my roll
I told her she could have all of my dough
She turned around and with a frown
She said this ain't no circus
And I don't need a clown
[Chorus]
Your cash ain't nothin' but trash [Repeat: x3]
And there ain't no need in your hangin' around
Just to make a hit with that chick
I tried to get a Cadillac right quick
The man at the place he looked so strange
I had 900 bucks and some change
We disagreed
I tried to plead
Well, he said I ain't a chicken
And I don't need your feed
[Chorus]
Well, baby you're crawling way past your speed
I was walkin' into town in my white bucks
A man with a gun, he said hands up
I tried to get away but too slow
He got me and took all of my dough
I heard him shout
As he cut out
Well you ain't lost nothin'
What you cryin' about
[Chorus]
And he took my watch and I passed out
I woke up in the arms of a big cop
Police station
Next stop
Judge swung his fist down
Plunk plunk
$20 fine cause you're drunk
Pick up the dough
And you can go
All I had was a buffalo
[Chorus]
But I'm sure gonna get me some more
The song “Your Cash Ain’t Nothin But Trash” by Steve Miller Band is a tale of the troubles, trials and tribulations of a man who has had a rough time trying to impress women with his money. The song tells the story of how the singer meets a beautiful woman on the main track, but when he flashes his money, she turns him down flat, telling him that his cash is nothing but trash. The singer goes on to recount the various misadventures he has in trying to impress women with his money, including getting into a fight with a car dealer over the price of a Cadillac, getting robbed by a man with a gun, and getting arrested for being drunk.
The song is essentially a cautionary tale about the dangers of valuing money over love and relationships. The singer learns the hard way that money cannot buy happiness or love, and that women are not impressed by material wealth alone. The lyrics are cleverly written and tell a compelling story that is both humorous and poignant at the same time.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was first recorded by the James Brown Revue in 1963, and was written by Brown and his producer, Nat Kendrick. Steve Miller Band’s version of the song was released on their 1968 album “Sailor”, and became one of their best-known songs. Another interesting fact is that the song has been covered by many other artists, including Huey Lewis and the News, Albert Collins, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds.
Chords: G, C, D.
Line by Line Meaning
Your cash ain't nothing but trash
Money doesn't hold any real value or worth in the grand scheme of things.
Take 1
This is the first take of the song, signaling the start of the performance.
Yeah, you may have heart about the gangster of love and the space cowboy,
Referring to two popular characters in Steve Miller's earlier songs and albums.
But I'm gonna whip a cat on you right now who's had more trouble, trials and tribulations.
Introducing a new character that has experienced more hardships and difficulties than the previous ones mentioned.
One, two, three, hey
Starting the musical countdown to the start of the song.
It's alright
Reassuring the audience that everything is under control and they should just enjoy the music.
Look here
Pay attention to what is about to be said or presented.
I was walking down the main track
Describing the setting in which the story is about to unfold - a railroad track.
One night
Setting up a specific moment in time for the story to take place.
I met a fine chick
Encountering an attractive woman while walking.
She was built just right
Describing the woman's physical appearance in a complimentary way.
She stopped when I flashed my roll
Drawing attention to the artist's money and using it to impress the woman.
I told her she could have all of my dough
Offering to give the woman all of his money as a way to win her affection.
She turned around and with a frown
Reacting negatively to the singer's offer and attitude towards her.
She said this ain't no circus and I don't need a clown
Rejecting the singer's advances and making it clear that she doesn't want to be treated like a joke or a spectacle.
Your cash ain't nothin' but trash [Repeat: x3]
The repeated chorus emphasizes the message of the song that money isn't worth anything in the context of human relationships and interactions.
And there ain't no need in your hangin' around
Telling the artist that there's no point in trying to pursue the woman any further.
Just to make a hit with that chick
Admitting that the singer's main goal was to impress the woman and make her like him.
I tried to get a Cadillac right quick
Continuing the theme of trying to use money to impress others.
The man at the place he looked so strange
Encountering someone who doesn't fit the stereotype of a car salesman, which foreshadows a potential conflict.
I had 900 bucks and some change
Revealing the exact amount of money the artist has at this point in the story.
We disagreed
Showing that there is a disagreement or conflict between the artist and the car salesman.
I tried to plead
Attempting to reason with the car salesman in order to get what he wants.
Well, he said I ain't a chicken and I don't need your feed
The car salesman refuses to give the artist what he wants and dismisses him in a derogatory way.
Well, baby you're crawling way past your speed
Reprimanding the singer for his behavior and expectations towards women.
I was walkin' into town in my white bucks
Continuing the story of the singer's misadventures in trying to use his money to impress others.
A man with a gun, he said hands up
Being robbed at gunpoint by a criminal who takes all of the singer's money.
I tried to get away but too slow
Failing to escape from the robber due to the artist being disoriented or unprepared.
He got me and took all of my dough
Losing all of his money to the criminal, leaving the artist in a vulnerable situation.
I heard him shout
The robber taunts the singer after stealing his money.
As he cut out
The robber runs away, leaving the singer powerless.
Well you ain't lost nothin' what you cryin' about
The robber taunts the artist by telling him that he shouldn't cry or complain about his loss because it wasn't a big deal to begin with.
$20 fine cause you're drunk
Getting in trouble with the law due to being intoxicated and disorderly.
Pick up the dough and you can go
Being released from custody but having to pay a fine before leaving.
All I had was a buffalo
Having only a single dollar left after all of the events of the story.
But I'm sure gonna get me some more
Despite all of the negative experiences with money, the artist still plans on obtaining more of it in the future.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES E. CALHOUN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind