DU Album of the Day: Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits 1974-1978

[LynneSin]

I don't care what you naysayers say, this has to be the GREATEST greatest hits album out there EVER!!

Yesterday I was driving to one of my weekend hikes (Redden State Forest) and it was such a nice day I had the windows down in my car and blasted this album! This album just brings back such happy memories because it was such a great party album and let's face it - even if you aren't a SMB fan you probably know all the lyrics to his best hits.

I'll confess, I think Steve Miller Band was on the way to obscurity after that 'Abracadabra' crapass song that came out in the early 80s. I remember the summer after my freshman year of college finding a copy of this album in the Kmart Bargin bin for $1.99 so I bought it. I started playing it when I was driving or had my friends over and I swear a few months later EVERYONE at college was playing this album. I'm the one that revived Steve Miller's career - I truly believe it!

Anyhow here's some videos of the best from that album

And yes, I beleive in the Pompitus of Love!

Btw, I've seen Steve Miller Band now 6 times in concert. It's just a fun show where you sing along to all the great lyrics.

[gratuitous]

1. I am suddenly VERY sorry I took the holiday off

Very sorry indeed.

"Abra, abra, cadabra
I wanna reach out and grab ya."

O_o

[LynneSin]

2. That was NOT on the album, thank goodness

Although ironically I know most of the lyrics to that *#()%# song.

When it was on the top 40 pop music lists was the summer I was taking lifesaving swim lessons in Camp Hill. This local radio station would play the 'Top 10 at 10' every weekday morning which at the time 'Abra Cadabra' was on that list. For two weeks straight I would hear that song the same time every morning and by the end of the 2nd week I had the song memorized.

[gratuitous]

3. For the sake of everyone in Delaware and the Greater Philadelphia area

I sincerely hope you're receiving counseling for PTSD, or at the very least remain heavily self-medicated with a steady infusion of alcoholic beverages.

[LynneSin]

7. Usually Steve Miller concerts include a great infusion of alcoholic beverages

When we would see him at the Mann Music Center in Philly, they had this policy where you could take in a bottle of water provided the seal was not broken. I was able to remove the cap from bottle water without breaking the seal. Out goes the water and in goes the Absolut. All we had to do was buy the giant 48oz cups of Lemonade and just add a little 'water' to it. We made friends quickly!

Last time I saw him we saw him playing at the PNC in Central Jersey. Afterwards we ended up at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park where after last call I ended up swimming in the Atlantic Ocean just because I could.

[bluesbassman]

4. Good album.

I'm a little ambivalent on "greatest hits" albums. Many times they leave off "B" side tunes that are much superior in favor of "commercially" successful cuts.

Case in point, the only tune on the compilation from "'The Joker" is "The Joker", yet they they left off these tunes.

[sadbear]

5. The first rock concert I ever saw

Summer '89 at the Woodlands Pavillion. Susanna Hoffs and Lou Gramm opened.

The Greatest Hits album was one of the first 5 CDs I purchased to go along with the first CD player I ever bought (also Summer '89).

[OriginalGeek]

8. Man, your Lou Gramm show was better than mine

I got Lou headlining with Survivor opening.

That was 4 or 5 years ago.


I was shocked to find I knew not just 1 but 3 Survivor songs.

Lou looked like he was gonna have a heat attack the whole show but he sounded pretty good.


Oh, Ijust remembered on the way down to see the show we passed a church van going somewhere - the church was "Haitian Free Missionary Baptist Church"

and I thought that was mighty rotten of them to keep their church Haitian free. What if a Haitian wanna go to church? If I ran a church I'd let Haitians come.

In fact, I'd probably let Haitians come but try to keep Baptists out.

[RiffRandell]

6. I have to go with this song,

Last edited Wed May 30, 2012, 10:10 AM - Edit history (1)

[KamaAina]

9. Early Steve Miller was part of the SF blues-rock scene

to wit, the theme music for my progressive talk show, launching as soon as we can line up sponsors and stations and all that:

[PufPuf23]

10. Saw Steve Miller twice at Fillmore West in 69-70

Unfortunately, disappointing each time regards to expectation but I still loved all the early albums.

[6000eliot]

11. His songs are really easy to play,

but extremely difficult to get to sound like him, because he uses weird tunings on every song.

On edit: I saw him last summer, and he was fantastic! He has lost none of his power as a performer.