The Joker (album)

The Joker is the eighth studio album by Steve Miller Band. The album was recorded at Capitol Studios[2] and released by Capitol Records in October 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. It was also their first solid commercial success due to the strong radio-play of the title track. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart and has been certified Platinum in the United States. It reached No. 1 on the Cash Box Albums Charts on January 8, 1974.[3]

The Joker
Studio album by
Steve Miller Band
ReleasedOctober 19, 1973
StudioCapitol (Hollywood)
GenreRock, blues
Length35:57
LabelCapitol
ProducerSteve 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
  1. "The Joker"
    Released: October 1973
  2. "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash"
    Released: 11 February 1974 (US) [1]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[5]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[6]

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."[4]

Record World said of the single "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash" "A dynamic rocker, it ain't nothin' but the best!"[7]

Track listing
Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sugar Babe"Steve Miller4:35
2."Mary Lou"Obie Jessie, Sam Ling2:24
3."Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma"Steve Miller5:41
4."Your Cash Ain't Nothin' but Trash"Chuck Calhoun3:21
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Joker"Steve Miller, Eddie Curtis, Ahmet Ertegun4:26
2."The Lovin' Cup"Steve Miller2:10
3."Come On in My Kitchen" (live at the Tower Theater, Philadelphia)Robert Johnson4:06
4."Evil" (live at the Aquarius Theatre, Boston, Massachusetts)Steve Miller4:35
5."Something to Believe In"Steve Miller4:41

Personnel
  • Steve Miller – guitar, vocals, harmonica
  • Gerald Johnson – bass guitar (all but 8), vocals
  • Dick Thompson – organ, clavinet
  • Jack King – drums

Additional personnel

Charts
Chart performance for The Joker
Chart (1973–1974) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8] 38
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[9] 1
US Billboard 200[10] 2

Certifications
Certifications for The Joker
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[11] 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Steve Miller singles".
  2. Nichols, Paul (26 December 2014). "The Joker". prsformusic.com. PRS for Music. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
  3. "Top albums from Tuesday January 8, 1974". ultimate70s.com. Retrieved 2020-02-01.
  4. Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "The Joker - Steve Miller Band". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
  5. 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.
  6. Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  7. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. February 16, 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
  8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 201. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4976a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  10. "The Steve Miller Band Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  11. "American single certifications – Steve Miller Band – The Joker". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
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