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.
Gangster of Love
Steve Miller Band Lyrics
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Billy the Kid and all the rest
Supposed to be some bad cats
Way out in the West
If those cats could of dug me
And my gangster ways
They would have hung up their guns
Cause I'm a gangster
A gangster of love
I'm a gangster
A gangster of love
Now look here
When I go into a bar
Girls from near and far
Say I'm a gangster
A gangster of love
I jumped in my white horse Cadillac
I rode across the border line
I roped 55 girls
I kissed them all the same time
Took 25 or 30, put 'em all on a freight
There was a million dollar reward for me in each and every state
Sheriff says is your name Stevie "Guitar" Miller in a very deep voice
And I said yes sir brother sheriff, and that's your wife on the back of my horse
I can't help it
I'm a gangster
I can't help it
You know, I'm a gangster
The lyrics of Steve Miller Band's song "Gangster Of Love" paint a picture of a legendary figure that is so charismatic and alluring that even the most notorious outlaws in the Wild West would have been mesmerized by his gangster ways. The song opens with a reference to some of the most infamous names in Western history, such as Frank James and Jesse James, Billy the Kid, and others. The singer asserts that if these "bad cats" had met him and his gangster-like persona, they would have given up their guns and embraced his way of life.
The chorus drives home the point that the singer is indeed a gangster of love, and he has no control over this aspect of his personality. When he walks into a bar, women from all over come up to him and acknowledge him as a gangster of love. The second verse further emphasizes his "gangster" ways, with him riding a white horse Cadillac and roping 55 girls and taking 25 to 30 of them on a freight ride. He even boasts of a million-dollar reward in every state for capturing him.
Overall, the song is a playful and exaggerated take on what it means to be a gangster of love, which is all about being irresistibly charming and attractive to the opposite sex. The Wild West imagery, along with the music's catchy guitar riffs and steady rhythm, create a fun, lighthearted mood that perfectly captures the exuberance of youthful desire and mischief.
Line by Line Meaning
There's Frank James and Jesse James
The singer references notorious outlaws Frank and Jesse James along with other bad guys of the Wild West.
Billy the Kid and all the rest
In addition to the James brothers, Billy the Kid is mentioned as another example of a notorious outlaw.
Supposed to be some bad cats
The singer describes these outlaws as being some tough and respected individuals.
Way out in the West
These outlaws existed in the Wild West, which was a time and geographic region known for being lawless.
If those cats could of dug me
The singer suggests that if these outlaws had been able to understand his way of life, they would have respected him.
And my gangster ways
The singer is claiming that he has a way of living that aligns with the way these outlaws lived their lives.
They would have hung up their guns
If these outlaws had respected the singer, they would have given up their lives of crime.
And dug into their graves
The singer suggests that if these outlaws had seen him as an equal, they would have retired from their life of crime and died happy men.
Cause I'm a gangster
The singer claims that he lives his life like a criminal and is therefore a gangster.
A gangster of love
The singer's criminal behavior is related to his romantic desires.
Now look here
The singer is drawing the listener's attention to what he is about to say.
When I go into a bar
The singer describes going to a bar or similar establishment.
Girls from near and far
Women from different places all find the singer attractive.
Say I'm a gangster
These women see the singer as a bad boy who they still find appealing.
I jumped in my white horse Cadillac
The singer describes driving a luxury car that is as impressive as a horse.
I rode across the border line
The singer crosses a border to suggest that he is not limited by geography.
I roped 55 girls
The singer claims to have charmed a large number of women in the same way a cowboy might lasso a steer.
I kissed them all the same time
The singer suggests he has a lot of charisma and could win over many women at once.
Took 25 or 30, put 'em all on a freight
The singer then takes a large number of these women with him and transports them somewhere else.
There was a million dollar reward for me in each and every state
The singer's actions are so brazen and sought after that he is a wanted man with a bounty on his head.
Sheriff says is your name Stevie 'Guitar' Miller in a very deep voice
The singer is approached by a law enforcement official who recognizes him by name.
And I said yes sir brother sheriff, and that's your wife on the back of my horse
The singer then insults the law enforcement official by claiming to be with his wife.
I can't help it
The singer chooses to live his life as a gangster and cannot change who he is.
You know, I'm a gangster
The singer repeats his earlier claim of being a gangster to further emphasize his point.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind