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.
Heart Like A Wheel
Steve Miller Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feel like I got to roll
Oh
Heart like a wheel
I told you so
And I've been loving you for so long
You are the one
I love you so
Well, I can give what I take
And you know I want to give you my love
Babe I ain't faking
You know I want to give you my love
I've been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so
Come on and roll
I've been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so
It takes two to make love
It takes love to make a family real
I got to know what you need
I got to know what you really feel
And I've been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so
Come on and roll
You know it's such a pity
If you're going to get the summertime blues
Lovers everywhere are pairing off two by twos
And I've been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so
I've been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so
I've got a heart like a wheel
I love you so
I've got a heart like a wheel
I've got to roll
The lyrics to Steve Miller Band's song "Heart Like A Wheel" speak to a deep, enduring love that the singer has for another person. The opening line of the song, "I've got a heart like a wheel, feel like I got to roll," sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer's heart is constantly in motion with a desire to love and be loved. The repetition of the line "heart like a wheel" throughout the song serves as a metaphor for the singer's restless, persistent love.
In the second verse, the singer proclaims that they have been loving the other person for a long time and that they are "the one" for them. The line "it takes two to make love, it takes love to make a family real" speaks to the importance of mutual love and commitment in building a strong relationship and family. The final verse of the song ties everything together by reiterating the singer's desire to know the other person deeply and love them authentically.
Overall, "Heart Like A Wheel" is a powerful love song that speaks to the enduring nature of love, the importance of commitment and mutual understanding in building strong relationships, and the restless desire to love and be loved.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got a heart like a wheel
My heart is restless and always in motion
Feel like I got to roll
I have an urge to keep moving and never settle down
Oh
Heart like a wheel
Reinforcement of the idea of a restless heart
I told you so
I warned you that my heart is always in motion
And I've been loving you for so long
Despite my restless heart, I have remained devoted to you
You are the one
You are my one true love
Heart so real
My love for you is genuine
I love you so
I am deeply in love with you
Well, I can give what I take
I am capable of returning the love that I receive from you
And you know I want to give you my love
I am eager to express my love for you
Babe I ain't faking
My love for you is not insincere
Come on and roll
Let's keep moving forward together
It takes two to make love
Both partners must be committed for love to thrive
It takes love to make a family real
Love is the foundation of a strong family bond
I got to know what you need
I want to understand how I can best love and support you
I got to know what you really feel
I want to understand your emotions and perspective
You know it's such a pity
It would be unfortunate
If you're going to get the summertime blues
If you become sad or unhappy during a period that is typically associated with happiness
Lovers everywhere are pairing off two by twos
Couples are coming together everywhere
I've got to roll
I cannot settle down, I must keep moving forward
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: STEVE MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind