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The Joker (album)

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Released
  
October 1973

Artist
  
Steve Miller Band

Producer
  
Steve Miller

Genres
  
Rock music, Blues

Length
  
35:57

Release date
  
October 1973

Label
  
Capitol Records

The Joker (album) httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumb2

The Joker(1973)
  
Fly Like an Eagle(1976)

Similar
  
Steve Miller Band albums, Blues albums

Steve miller band sugar babe


The Joker is 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.

Contents

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".

Reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic rated The Joker three out of five stars, 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

  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
  5. "The Joker" (Miller, Eddie Curtis, Ahmet Ertegün) – 4:26
  6. "The Lovin' Cup" (Miller) – 2:10
  7. "Come On in My Kitchen" (live at the Tower Theater, Philadelphia) (Robert Johnson) – 4:06
  8. "Evil" (live) (Miller) – 4:35
  9. "Something to Believe In" (Miller) – 4:41

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, harmonica
  • Gerald Johnson – bass guitar (all but 8), vocals
  • Dick Thompson – organ, clavinet
  • John King – drums
    • Additional personnel
  • Lonnie Turner – bass guitar (8)
  • "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar (9)
  • John Van Hamersveld and Norman Seeff – album cover design
  • Norman Seeff – photography

    • Songs

    1Sugar Babe4:35
    2Mary Lou2:25
    3Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma5:42

    References

    The Joker (album) Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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