A Dozen Songs I Loathe: #8 "The Joker" The Steve Miller Band (1974)
By John Roberts
@JohnRoberts (109857)
Los Angeles, California
January 27, 2017 8:59am CST
The Steve Miller Band produced a pretty good string of hits like “Rock ‘N Me,” “Jet Airliner” and “Jungle Love” so I do not dislike Miller who has fans here on myLot. I had some of those tunes on 45s. Miller’s signature song “The Joker” from the same named album was a big #1 Billboard hit. People love this song in which Miller manages references to “Space Cowboy” and “Gangster of Love.” I do not like its quirkiness: “Some people call me Maurice” (the way Miller says Maurice) followed by irritating guitar wolf whistle then the non-sensical “‘Cause I speak of the pompatous of love.” Yeah, yeah, he’s a midnight biker. “The Joker” is one of those songs that gets in the head and will not leave with “lovey dovey stuff really love your peaches wanna shake your tree.”
10 people like this
11 responses
@FourWalls (62074)
• United States
27 Jan 17
Oh, BTW, the "some people call me Maurice" line is also a reference to a song, 1972's "Enter Maurice" form Recall the Beginning...a Journey From Eden. And the girlish squeals near the end of the song will probably explain the wolf whistle...and make you hate it even more.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (62074)
• United States
27 Jan 17
@JohnRoberts -- not the first time he did it. "Space Cowboy" opens with the line, "I've told you about living in the US of A, don't you know that I'm a gangster of love."
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
28 Jan 17
Despite the words the tempo is quite unusual and it certainly is a bit of an ear worm!
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@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
29 Jan 17
I agree not a fan of this one and really like Steve Miller Band. I did chuckle at the last few words of your post, as had forgotten the lines of the song. I guess this one didn't stick in my head.
1 person likes this
@sabtraversa (12906)
• Italy
1 Feb 17
That's hilarious. 
But it's all wanted, we can't argue on that because they wanted it to be that way. 
But it's all wanted, we can't argue on that because they wanted it to be that way. 1 person likes this
@FourWalls (62074)
• United States
27 Jan 17
I don't like it as much as, say, "Serenade" or "Your Saving Grace," but I certainly don't loathe it. That distinction goes to his biggest hit, "Abracadabra."
PS -- "The Joker" was #1 in 1974, not 1979.
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@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Jan 17
I made the correction. Brain lapse or typo. You dislike Abracadabra? I place that one between The Joker and good ones like Rock N Me.
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (15861)
• United States
27 Jan 17
Probably my least favorite Steve Miller song too. Funny how the ones we dislike become stuck in our heads. I haven't heard this song in awhile yet now that I read the lyrics it is playing through my mind. You did that to me yesterday too with Rush. Thanks 
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Jan 17
Always happy to oblige.
1 person likes this
@dfollin (24172)
• United States
27 Jan 17
I like that song "The Joker".
Everyone has their own opinion that I understand and feel they are entitled to.
Everyone has their own opinion that I understand and feel they are entitled to.
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
28 Jan 17
Yeah, it's not exactly my favorite Steve Miller song either.
1 person likes this
