This was one of the first songs I heard by Steve Miller. I was a big fan back then. This is just a real cool song. Opening with the stock car sound effects. Yeah that’s living in the USA. The harp and the beat got me. It was kind of a John Mayall thing with the organ. The song has a punch to it. Steve made good music. This is the stuff I liked. Recorded in 1968. Unbelievable.
I liked the way Miller sang and strung his lyrics together. He always sounded like he was sure of his music. Like he was just letting it happen. There was a hip/street sound to it. Maybe the percussion. My buddies older brother, Dave the Roadie, had all these cool records and this was one of them. It introduced me to Boz Scaggs at the same time.
Along with ‘Space Cowboy’ (One of my first takes) CB was digging Miller’s music. I’ll do a take on one of those earlier albums down the road.
“Somebody get me a cheeseburger”
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By far my favorite Steve Miller Band song- due to it not being played to death. In fact I would welcome the radio playing this one a lot more often than it does. They can drop “The Joker” from heavy rotation.
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I ate up these early Miller sides. Picked up his anthology back then and played it to death. ‘Going To The Country’ ‘My Dark Hour’ ‘Kow Kow’ ‘Going To Mexico’ ‘Space Cowboy’. I didnt stick around after The Joker.
This is such a cool tune Hans.
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It’s a shame that his best era- wasn’t as popular. His popular period sure was big though- he made a living off of touring on those mid 70’s to late 70’s hits.
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That happens with a lot of the bands I like. It was good to see him make some dough. Gotta like that. Cool thing is Hans I have come across a few releases he’s done not many years ago that get back to the original vibe. Some real good stuff. I was talking to Music Enthusiast about it. I like the guy.
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I think it was John Mellencamp who talked about this type of thing- same with Miller- the hit parade is over- artists like Mellencamp and Miller are now free to do whatever they want as far as recording goes. No matter what they aren’t going to sell millions of albums- no one does that–so they can create the music they want -instead of thinking of making something commercial.
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I like that. My ears do go towards this stuff.
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“Doo do do do doo doo … living in the U.S.A” – The song is, despite the harmless chorus, also somewhat influenced by the Vietnam War. Good bluesharp!
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I dont think Miller ever complicated it to much but he caught some lightning in this one.
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A great, bluesy slice of Americana. “He takes it, the winner. Lefty Mudersbach!”
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“Goggles Piazano hits the wall on the final lap”. I agree on the “slice of Americana” bit
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For the record, that is the guy’s real name on that drag race thing at the end. The clip came from some recording. Unfortunately, old Lefty left us one day on dead man’s curve.
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Cool. I remember some of those old stock car and drag race guys. My buddy’s dad used to take us to the races when I was a kid. I loved it. Great Americana (Canadiana) like you say. Lefty must have been on the Jr circuit.
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Don’t know the circuit but as we go down the rabbit hole, he was an Arizona guy transplanted to California. Interestingly, one of the sites I was looking at showed the Ontario Motor Speedway.
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I love that shit. Musics a big part. I know Springsteen was a big race car guy. Nest take, car songs?
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Actually if you watch ‘Springsteen on Broadway’, he’s pretty funny and pretty honest about that. Like Fogerty – who got about as close to a bayou as I did – he just imagined stuff and wrote what was in his head. He could barely even drive, never worked in a factory, never really had any kind of job outside of music. Even NYC was a dream. Might as well have been a million miles away to Jersey kids. So I guess Bruce is like one of those screenwriter/actors you read about who make shit up, act it out and try to get you to believe it. If you know what I mean.
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25% experience 75% bullshit. That the formula. You know that. First time I seen BS he was rapping about Big Daddy Don Garlits. He got cred with me after that
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Caught Miller opening for Bryan Adams back in 92. (along with Extreme and Sass Jordan) Steve that night was the definite Space Cowboy! lol
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You are a concert going machine. deKE we were all “Space Cowboys|” and girls at on time.
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From June 92 to Oct 92. Me and my buddies seen 8 concerts in a 4 month span.
Only one band we saw here in Tbay that summer and that was Skid Row. The rest we went to Winnipeg/Duluth or Minneapolis.
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Like I said … a machine. Fine dining in the car and lots of good bullshit and flatulence was enjoyed by all.
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Well Said!
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I have to ask. Did you order a cheeseburger on one of those trips?
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Umm haha …why? I ate a ton of shit food on those trips so I’m sure I scarfed down a few
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I was just referring to Millers lyric at the end about the “cheeseburger”. Plus us Canucks love the fromage.
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Ah gotcha. I thought how the hell did CB know about my crappy eating habits back in 92 lol
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CB is a pretty smart guy plus he’s been on the odd road trip. We will do it one day. Catch a good outdoor festival where you can watch my hippy spin dance.
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hahaha. Deal!
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PS. I can’t believe you haven’t been over to Hotfox’ crib today.
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Just popped over. Very cool. I try to check in weekly if I can. I’ll get back to his take later. Love those guys to death. Keepers of a certain music torch.
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I suspect your real name is Cincinnati Babyhead Alvin Lee.
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I gave you a little shot over on the Fox site
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CB is too kind to the old, frail Doctor.
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Steve is still real popular all these years later. His sound has staying power.
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I was saying to Hanspostcard that a couple of his later albums are really good.
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Boz Skaggs grew up in Plano Texas, where I went to high school. I knew him, but not well. He eventually attended Saint Marks private school in Dallas where he hooked up with Steve Miller. I know they formed a band then and played around Dallas a bit, but I cant remember the name of the group. I think, per Boz’s brother, Mark, the two left for LA together to make it big.
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I always forget that they were both good Texans. Thanks for the personal touch.
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CB, I had a freshman suitemate who was a stoner from Brooklyn – he turned me on to some of the best music I’ve ever heard – the older Steve Miller albums were part of that. “Steppin’ Stone” and “My Dark Hour” are two favorites. Les Paul is Miller’s godfather!
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Cool the sources we get our music from. ‘My Dark Hour’ is a killer. Music Enthusiast educated me on the Les Paul thing. Now I’m double educated. I’m gonna get smart.
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This is a great tune. The chorus, especially the “doo do do do do doo doo” section, has a bit of a Doobies vibe. I also like the bluesy harmonica. Great stuff!
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Maybe the Doobies heard this cut.
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Ha, good point, they definitely weren’t around yet when Miller released that tune.
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He one of those guys that’s had about 10 different eras. The first album I got was ‘Brave New World’. Check out ‘My Dark Hour’ from that record. I know your a Beatles guy. Paul M helps out on the tune. It’s a good one. That’s if you havent heard it.
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That’s a great tune. I had heard of Paul’s involvement before but completely forgotten about it. Of course, later Miller would revive “My Dark Hour” by sampling a snippet for “Fly Like an Eagle.” Good stuff!
Makes me feel like pulling up my “Steve Miller” playlist. Haven’t heard it for quite some time!
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Like i was saying to a couple others on this post. I’m discovering some of his later more bluesy stuff and I’m liking it. But my Miller roots are back with the early stuff. Thanks for dropping by Christian.
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In fact, I pulled up my bloody playlist in the meantime and hear you about Miller’s early music.
“Steppin’ Stone” is awesome. I also dig “Blues With Out Blame,” to which I’m currently listening. 🙂
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Good stuff. I got the SM Antholgy back then and played it do death along with the one i mentioned and Sailor.
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Great tune that you tend to forget about. I’ll have to download this one
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We keep,throwing good tunes back and forth.
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Fly Like An Eagle was the background music to my whole childhood (it seems) and I was shocked when I was a teen to find out he’d actually done other music. I like it all.
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Even with his commercial success he seems to “fly” under the radar. I’m working on a Karaoke” list when we meet up. ‘Abracadabra’ is a killer. I can remember the lyrics.
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Stick me down for ‘Delilah’, ‘Green Green Grass of Home’, ‘Fulsome Prison Blues’ and Ricky Nelson’s ‘Lonely Town’.
Maybe we could finish with a crowd-pleasing duet on ‘Je Taime’ ?
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OK. I’m done for the day. I had no idea on the duet you picked but just had a peek. I dont know what to say. It’s perfect. If we can pull that off we’ll make a million. Do I have to throw a gown on? Encore with ‘Kick Out The Jams’ just to get our heads right.
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Then when we get the ovation we do ‘Takin Care of Business’ as a bonus. It’ll slay ’em.
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Then we can walk away from “Happy Valley Rest Home” feeling pretty damn good!
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Great tune! Millar’s speech during his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is legendary. His greatest hits are required listening around here.
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I stumbled on that hall of fame thing. Refreshing. He was pissed and I dont blame him. This is such a cool song. More to come Mars.
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Yeah, he wasn’t wrong with a lot that he said. I thought it was hilarious too how he had no idea who The Black Keys are.
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I just caught a bit of the BK thing. It’s amazing how a lot of musician dont know about the music around them.
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This song is magical man. It’s my favorite from Miller. I love that organ…that organ vibe is really cool. He is one guy I never got to see live yet. I’ve always wanted to.
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I was a big Miller guy way back. His most recent stuff is pretty good. This song is just so good.
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