The Joker (album)

The Joker is the eighth studio album by Steve Miller Band. The album was released in October 1973, by Capitol Records. 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 No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified Platinum in the United States. It reached No. 1 on the Cash Box Albums Charts on January 8, 1974.[1]

The Joker
Studio album by Steve Miller Band
Released	October 19, 1973
Genre	Rock, blues
Length	35:57
Label	Capitol
Producer	Steve Miller
Steve Miller Band chronology
Recall the Beginning...A Journey from Eden (1972) The Joker (1973) Fly Like an Eagle (1976)
Singles from The Joker
"The Joker" Released: October 1973 "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash" Released: 1974 "Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma" Released: 1974 "Evil" Released: 1975

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".[2]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Christgau's Record Guide	B–[4]

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."[3]

Singles

Four tracks from the album were released as singles: "The Joker" (1973), "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' but Trash", (1974), "Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma" (1974), and "Evil" (1975).

Track listing

Side 1

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
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 2

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Joker"	Miller, Eddie Curtis, Ahmet Ertegun	4:26
2.	"The Lovin' Cup"	Miller	2:10
3.	"Come On in My Kitchen" (Live at the Tower Theater, Philadelphia)	Robert Johnson	4:06
4.	"Evil (Live at the Aquarius Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts)"	Miller	4:35
5.	"Something to Believe In"	Miller	4:41

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

References

1. "Top albums from Tuesday January 8, 1974". ultimate70s.com. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
2. "Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Album Covers". Rolling Stone. Rateyourmusic.com. November 14, 1991. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
3. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "The Joker - Steve Miller Band". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
4. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: M". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 8, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.