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.
Fanny Mae
Steve Miller Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, I know, my baby told me so
She said I'm leavin' you, daddy
Got such a long way to go
Well, I can hear your phone ringin', baby all down that line
Yes I can hear your phone ringin', baby all down that line
And when I hear your phone ringin'
Fanny Mae, baby won't you please come home
Now I'm so tired livin' all alone
The Steve Miller Band's song Fanny Mae is a classic blues number that delves into the heartbreak of a relationship falling apart. The lyrics convey the singer's sense of impending loss as his partner tells him that she is leaving him. The repetition of the lines "I know, my baby told me so" emphasizes the finality of the situation and the lack of hope for reconciliation. The singer struggles to come to terms with the reality of the situation, knowing that his partner has a long way to go and that he is going to be left alone.
The second verse reveals that the singer can hear his partner's phone ringing and knows that it's her calling. The repetition of the line "Yes, I can hear your phone ringing, baby all down that line" brings attention to the frustration and anger that the singer feels as he realizes that his partner is so easily moving on from him. The final verse pleads for Fanny Mae to come home. The repetition of the line "Fanny Mae, baby won't you please come home" further emphasizes the singer's loneliness and desperation.
Overall, the song communicates a sense of heartbreak and despair that anyone who has gone through a painful breakup can relate to. The Steve Miller Band's use of bluesy guitar riffs and the emotive vocals of Steve Miller help to drive this message home.
Line by Line Meaning
I know, my baby told me so
I am aware that my partner has informed me of our situation
Yes, I know, my baby told me so
I acknowledge that my partner has shared our situation with me
She said I'm leavin' you, daddy
My partner has confirmed her decision to leave me
Got such a long way to go
My partner will need to travel a significant distance to be away from me
Well, I can hear your phone ringin', baby all down that line
I am able to listen to your phone ringing multiple times
Yes I can hear your phone ringin', baby all down that line
I can clearly hear your phone ring from a distance
And when I hear your phone ringin'
I am prompted upon hearing your phone ring
I know you're not far behind
I understand that you will be arriving soon
Fanny Mae, baby won't you please come home
I am pleading with Fanny Mae to return home
Now I'm so tired livin' all alone
I am exhausted from living by myself
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CLARENCE L LEWIS, MORRIS LEVY, WAYMON GLASCO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind