The Joker Songs Ranked
“The Joker” is a song by the Steve Miller Band from their 1973 album The Joker. It is one of two Steve Miller Band songs that feature the nonce word “pompatus”. The first line of the lyrics is a reference to the song “Space Cowboy” from Miller’s Brave New World album. The following lines refer to two other songs: “Gangster of Love” from Sailor and “Enter Maurice” from Recall the Beginning…A Journey from Eden. Released as a single in October 1973, the song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1974 and reached the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands. More than 16 years later, in September 1990, “The Joker” reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks after being used in “Great Deal”, a Hugh Johnson-directed television advertisement for Levi’s, thus holding the record for the longest gap between transatlantic chart-toppers. This reissue of “The Joker” also topped the Irish Singles Chart, the New Zealand Singles Chart, the Dutch Nationale Top 100, and the Dutch Top 40. Here are all of The Joker songs ranked.
Relive the music of one of the most notable rock and roll bands. Click below and listen to the songs of the Steve Miller Band.
9. Something to Believe In
“Something to Believe In” sounds like it may have been written to be another big hit, it’s got the vocal and guitar hooks. Maybe it was just a little too laconic for that, but it makes a nice closer when listening to the CD straight through.”
8. Evil
“With “Evil” Miller takes the music to a darker place, but not too dark, because the post trama Miller never seems to forget to hew near the mainstream. Maybe his voice demands he do that, but he shows here that he has a broader range.”
7. Your Cash Ain’t Nothin’ But Trash
“One thing I can praise the album for is the fact that some of the songs are memorable – Your Cash Ain’t Nothin’ But Trash (another terrible song title) is actually mildly catchy, if annoying and not very good, while The Joker has, somehow, stood the test of time and is still relatively known and liked even today.”
See more: Steve Miller Band Albums Ranked
6. Come On in My Kitchen
“Come On in My Kitchen is another solid, white-boy blues cover. It features Miller strumming in a sort of modified delta style. Reitterate: he is a man of many licks and idioms.”
5. Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma
“This album provides a good example of that. He and bassist Gerald Johnson have lots of fun with Miller’s Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma.”
4. Lovin’ Cup
“The Lovin’ Cup” is a sweet little harmonica blues penned by Miller, a departure into a more folkish style. The short Lovin’ Cup is surprisingly neat.”
See more: Steve Miller Band Songs Ranked
3. Mary Lou
“Steve is rapidly becoming a favorite artist of my youth, I find I’m listening more and more to all his music in it’s various forms and there’s something about it that’s familiar. Very enjoyable”
2. The Joker
“Regarding The Joker, enough time has passed that I can accept and listen to the title song for the hook-laden little selfie it is. Miller sure got a lot of mileage out of his various self portraits, and this one is iconic.”
1. Sugar Babe
“On replay the last 18 seconds or so of “Sugar Babe” is cut from the Sugar Babe track – only to be added to the front of the following track, “Mary Lou”. I’ve never heard this before. It’s a major bummer as I could see where I might want to incorporate “Mary Lou” into some playlist sometime without reference to “Sugar Babe”.