Steve Miller – Heart Like a Wheel

Many Steve Miller songs I have heard too many times. This one hasn’t been completely worn out. Heart Like a Wheel came out in 1981 on the Circle of Love album. A great thin guitar sound on this song.

Steve started his career more blues-oriented but with “The Joker” in 1973 started in a more pop/rock direction.

This song peaked at #24 on the Billboard Charts in 1981. Steve’s lyrics won’t ever be confused with Bob Dylan’s but the man can write a catchy pop/rock hook.

 

“Heart Like A Wheel”

I’ve got a heart like a wheel
Feel like I got to roll
Ooohh

Heart like a wheel
I told you so
And I’ve been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so

Well, I can give what I take
And you know I want to give you my love
Babe I ain’t faking
You know I want to give you my love

I’ve been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so
Come on and roll

I’ve been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so

It takes two to make love
It takes love to make a family real
I got to know what you need
I got to know what you really feel

And I’ve been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so
Come on and roll

You know it’s such a pity
If you’re going to get the summertime blues
Lovers everywhere are pairing off two by twos

And I’ve been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so

I’ve been loving you for so long
You are the one
Heart so real
I love you so

I’ve got a heart like a wheel
I love you so

I’ve got a heart like a wheel
I’ve got to roll

Author: badfinger20 (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball fan, old movie and tv show fan... and a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

19 thoughts on “Steve Miller – Heart Like a Wheel”

  3. Those early to mid-70’s songs were and are still being played to death on the radio. I don’t know if he tours anymore but there seemed to be a time he was at the local shed every summer and he seemed to be big in Pittsburgh. I have never owned a Steve Miller Band album- but if one of his songs came on the radio I didn’t turn it off. I haven’t heard this song in years- they need to drop some of those tired songs from the rotation and add this one.

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    1. Yes, he still tours one of my son’s friends saw him I think last year. From what he told me Steve played a lot of blues and has rearranged his songs….I totally agree…just so many times you can hear Rockin Me, Fly Like An Eagle etc… This one is nice.

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      1. I am sure he got tired of playing them the same way for 40 plus years–interesting how he had his brief period where he was so big- then went back to obscurity. 2 albums in the past 25 years. One of my favorites of his- Living In The USA- maybe because you didn’t get pounded to death with it on the radio.

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      2. Yes, I like that one. His late sixties albums don’t get played…He has one song with Paul McCartney playing bass and singing they recorded in 69. I’ve never heard it. Glyn Johns said something about it…Called My Dark Hour…I believe…. I’ve never looked it up

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      3. I wasn’t aware of that- the song with Paul… I think he was a reluctant star I remember hearing how he never put his face on an album cover. I don’t blame him. I am sure he has done quite well financially over the years–without the headaches big time fame brings.

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      4. He doesn’t seem to like the spotlight… He went to the studio to meet the Beatles because Glyn Johns was working with both at the time. None of the Beatles but Paul showed up that day because of a miscommunication or Klien….and Steve and Paul played and worked on Steve’s song. Paul may

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      6. My Dark Hour is pretty cool and weird, hippie blues. Steve & Paul may have been partying in the studio. Anyway, there’s an excellent compilation called Steve Miller Anthology which just covers his pre-Joker albums. It has Space Cowboy and Living in the USA, and MDH along with a really good taste of oddball Texas psychedelic blues rock of his late 60s albums. I love it. I think Boz Scaggs was in that band too.

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      7. I need to listen to the Glyn John’s produced albums…. I have only heard snippets of them. Yea Boz Scaggs left at some point during this period. I want to hear more because I know it was different than his hit albums.

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  4. Heart Like A Wheel is a great song. Maybe his most under-appreciated hit single. That video though…yikes. The Circle of Life album is really strange. (Then again, other than his big 3 of the 70s, Joker, Fly Like an Eagle, & Book of Dreams, all of his albums are pretty strange. He’s a quirky weirdo at heart that is best known for a short string of straight ahead, guitar driven, pop rockers.) Side 2 of Circle of Love is just an 18 minute post-disco psychedelic dance mix of a song called Macho City. Is it brilliant? Is it ridiculous? You decide. The title track is plainly ridiculous. The album us worth streaming just for curiosity’s sake.
    Alternately, his next album, Abracadabra, is concise and focussed and quite good – even though many of his fans found the title track lacking the charm of his best known hits. The song has grown on me and I’ve come to like it very much. The whole album is enjoyable.

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    1. My only problem with Steve Miller is not his fault…it’s classic radio really wearing his early 70s song out. This one is not played as often…Oh yes that video…

      Now I will have to listen to it. I’ve seen the name of Macho City but never heard it.
      Abracadabra reminds me of that time so I have a soft spot for it I will admit.

      Steve is quirky no doubt.

      This song is the guitar…the thin sounding guitar is great.

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      1. Yes the guitar sound is great. Very clean and dry with just a bump of slapback reverb. A really classic old school rock n roll guitar sound. Just what the doctor ordered after a few years of lots if synthesizer and slick production.

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      2. Oh how I agree with that. I’ve played guitar and bass for years and there is nothing like playing through a vintage amp with a clean sound. I have a Kustom amp from 1967 and I would take it over anything new… Sorry to go around the bend…just nice to see other people appreciating that sound.

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      3. Ahh Kustom. John Fogerty played through Kustom in CCR, but he squeezed lots of grit out of em. I had an old Kustom in the 80s that burst into flames during a gig. I can assure you that my playing was not a contributing factor.

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      4. Oh, I’m not great believe me. For a while they were cheaper but now they are climbing again. A buddy and me went on a Kustom buying spree a couple of years ago…we have around 7 ranging from 67-73… Some guitar players don’t like them because they play so clean and don’t break at high volume for distortion like an ampeg…but I found a vintage distortion pedal that works fine with them.

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