The No1 song in the US on this day, January 12th 1974, was The Joker by Steve Miller from the album The Joker. It was his first of 3 No1s. The song would remain at No1 for only one week to be replaced the next by Al Wilsons only No1 hit, Show And Tell. This finally hit No1 on the UK charts in 1990, thanks to its inclusion in a Levis jeans commercial. The line in this song, I speak of the pompatus of love, has baffled listeners for some time. The word Pompatus does exist in the Oxford English Dictionary, and it means to act with pomp and splendor. Miller most likely heard the word on a song called The Letter, which was recorded by the Los Angeles Doo-Wop group The Medallions in 1954. The song contained these lyrics: Let me whisper sweet words of dismortality, and discuss the pompatus of love. Put it together and what do you have? Matrimony. Miller drew associations to some of his other songs in the lyrics to this one. The line, Some people call me The Space Cowboy is a reference to Millers 1969 song Space Cowboy. The line, Some call me a gangster of love is a reference to his song Gangster of Love. The line, Some people call me Maurice is a reference to Millers 1972 song Enter Maurice. Miller got the line at the end, I really love your peaches want to shake your tree, lovey dovey, lovey dovey... from Lovey Dovey, a 1953 song by the R&B group The Clovers. That songs co-writer was Ahmet Ertegun, who later became head of Atlantic Records. Ertegun sued Miller for plagiarism. Miller recalled to Mojo magazine in 2012: To me, it was an old blues double entendre, but I had to give him credit. I dont mind having Ahmets name beside mine though. Miller won a lawsuit against rap group The Geto Boys when they used this without his permission in 1990. In 2000, he let Shaggy use the bass line from this on his hit, Angel. A year later, Miller let Run-D.M.C. sample Take The Money And Run. The line Im a midnight toker is a marijuana reference. Many stoners related to this song, and in 2012, Spin magazine named it the most commercially successful pot song of all time. Heres Steve Miller performing The Joker on Midnight Special in 1974.... Enjoy!
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 19:35:56 +0000
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