The Joker
Studio album by Steve Miller Band
Released October 1973
Genre Rock, blues
Length 35:57
Label Capitol
Producer Steve Miller
Professional ratings
Allmusic 3/5 stars
The Joker is the title of the eighth album by Steve Miller Band, released in 1973. The album marked a period of significant change for the group as the band abandoned their psychedelic oriented music for a more melodic, smooth rock/blues sound. Perhaps not coincidentally, it was also their first solid commercial success due to the strong radio-play of the title track. The title track took 19 days to record. The album reached #2 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified Platinum in the United States.
The artwork of the album is also considered amongst the greatest; for example Rolling Stone would later rank it as one of the "Top 100 Album Covers Of All Time".
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic rated The Joker three out of five stars, stating that "those spacy jams [are] driven by chops and [reveal] new worlds" and calling it "all bright and fun, occasionally truly silly". He also stated that it "isn't mind-expanding", but concluded by saying that it "nevertheless maintains its good-time vibe so well that it's hard not to smile along...provided you're on the same wavelength as Miller, of course."
Track Listing
Side One
1. "Sugar Babe" (Steve Miller) – 4:35
2. "Mary Lou" (Obie Jessie, Sam Ling) – 2:24
3. "Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma" (Miller) – 5:41
4. "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' but Trash" (Chuck Calhoun) – 3:21
Side Two
5. "The Joker" (Miller) – 4:26
6. "Lovin' Cup" (Miller) – 2:10
7. "Come on in My Kitchen" (Robert Johnson) – 4:06
8. "Evil" (Miller) – 4:35
9. "Something to Believe In" (Miller) – 4:41
"Come on in My Kitchen" and "Evil" were recorded live.
Singles
Four tracks from the album were released as singles: "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' but Trash" (1974), "The Joker" (1974), "Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma" (1974) and "Evil" (1975).
8-track tape
Released on Capitol Quadraphonic 8-track tape.
The Quadraphonic 8-track tape of this album features an extended (4:11) unedited version of "The Joker" and also features studio talk before "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' but trash". The studio talk information is also present on the standard vinyl release. Near the end of the song "Lovin' Cup", someone can be heard saying "Last....Last verse". This is very noticeable on the Quadraphonic 8-track tape. According to an email from stevemillerband.com, it was Lonnie Turner the bassist.
Personnel
Steve Miller – guitar, vocals
Gerald Johnson – bass guitar, vocals
Dick Thompson – keyboards
John King – drums
Lonnie Turner - bass guitar on "Evil"
"Sneaky" Pete Kleinow - pedal steel guitar on "Something to Believe In"
John Van Hamersveld and Norman Seeff - album cover design
Norman Seeff - photography