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.
You've Got The Power
Steve Miller Band Lyrics
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To open the door
You've got the power
It's been done before
Once you get there
You're sure to see
You open your eyes
And love will be easy
Cause there's someone who wants you
Someone to love and please you
Cause there's someone who needs you
Ooooohhhh
These lyrics from Steve Miller Band's song "You've Got The Power" speak to the idea that individuals hold the power and agency within themselves to make positive changes in their own lives. The first two lines, "You've got the power, to open the door, you've got the power, it's been done before" suggest that the power to change and improve one's life already exists within them - it's just a matter of tapping into it, and the idea is not a new one. The subsequent lines, "Once you get there, you're sure to see, you open your eyes, and love will be easy" suggest that once we tap into this power, everything else will fall into place, and love and happiness will come easily.
The final stanza, "Cause there's someone who wants you, someone to love and please you, cause there's someone who needs you, ooh," speaks to the concept of community or interpersonal relationships. The idea is that while individuals hold the power within themselves to change and improve their lives, at the end of the day, love and connection with others is what makes it all worth it. The lyrics suggest that there are always people out there who want and need us, and who we can love and please in turn.
Line by Line Meaning
You've got the power
You possess the strength, ability and potential to achieve your desires and aspirations.
To open the door
To unlock the opportunities and possibilities that can lead you to success and happiness.
It's been done before
Others have used their power and determination to achieve similar goals or overcome similar obstacles that you face.
Once you get there
After making the effort and journey towards your goal, once you arrive and reach your destination
You're sure to see
You will finally understand and appreciate the fruits of your labor and the rewards that come with it.
You open your eyes
You will see the opportunities, possibilities, and love that surrounds you.
And love will be easy
You will find that love and fulfillment will come naturally, without requiring much effort or struggle.
Cause there's someone who wants you
There is a person who deeply desires your love, company, and attention.
Someone to love and please you
This person is willing to give you affection, support, and kindness to make you feel happy, content, and cherished.
Cause there's someone who needs you
You are important and valuable to someone, who needs your love, presence, and care to feel complete and fulfilled.
Ooooohhhh
An expression of excitement and positivity, indicating that good things are to come.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: STEVE MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind