Tag: Brave New World

Steve Miller – Space Cowboy

I’m getting into this pre-fame hits, Steve Miller. The music was a little more edgier and deeper. I think Miller’s hits have been a huge victim of radio overplay and I realize that is not his fault…doesn’t mean “Jet Airliner” is not any good…we have sometimes heard those songs too much. I have songs like that…but give it some time and I can listen to them again.

In the first line of this song, he references his first real hit, Living In The USA, and he even brings in some musical elements from it. I like the bottom-end riff that drives this song. He would recycle riffs and phrases at times. The phrase “Some call me the Space Cowboy” would later be referenced in Miller’s massive 1973 hit, “The Joker”. This era of the Steve Miller Band should have received more attention in real-time. The talent he had in that band was outstanding.

The music on this album could be labeled as blues and psychedelic in some ways considering the era it was recorded in. The title itself was partly because of the countercultural movement, space exploration going on that year, and free-thinking of the American West.

His earlier songs have more of a blues feel. The former members of his band have included Boz Scaggs, Nicky Hopkins, Doug Clifford (CCR drummer), Ross Valory, Lonnie Turner, and about a page more of many more names.

The song was on The Steve Miller Band’s 1969 album Brave New World, which peaked at a respectable #22 on the Billboard Album Charts and #38 in Canada. This is the same album that featured My Dark Hour, a collaboration between Miller and Paul McCartney.

Glyn Johns produced this album and four albums altogether for Steve Miller. They worked great together. Glyn was a busy man at the time. While he was finishing up this album he would go and work on Let It Be and also cross the hall at Olympic and work on the Stones album Let It Bleed as a sound engineer. He also helped George Harrison produce an album by Billy Preston…all of these projects were at the same time.

Glyn Johns: I returned to California to start the Steve Miller Band’s third album, Brave New World. We were getting on fine until I got a call from The Beatles, asking if Steve would let me go for a couple of weeks, to return home to London to do some sessions for what became Abbey Road. They made him an offer he could not refuse, saying they would pay all the expenses incurred by the delay to his recording schedule. So the band got to hang out in a hotel in L.A. courtesy of The Beatles, while I disappeared back to London for what proved to be a somewhat grueling few days.

I went straight from the plane to Apple for a couple of days, and then to Olympic Studios for an all-night session with the Stones till six a.m. Then to Apple again in the afternoon before going on to the Albert Hall that evening to record Jimi Hendrix in concert.

Space Cowboy

I told you ’bout living in the U.S. of A.
Don’t you know that I’m a gangster of love
Let me tell you people that I found a new way
And I’m tired of all this talk about love
And the same old story with a new set of words
About the good and the bad and the poor
And the times keep on changin’
So I’m keepin’ on top
Of every fat cat who walks through my door

I’m a space cowboy
Bet you weren’t ready for that
I’m a space cowboy
I’m sure you know where it’s at
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I was born on this rock
And I’ve been travelin’ through space
Since the moment I first realized
What all you fast talkin’ cats would do if you could
You know, I’m ready for the final surprise
There ain’t no way around it
Ain’t nothing to say
That’s gonna satisfy my soul deep inside
All the prayers and surveyors
Keep the whole place uptight
While it keeps on gettin’ darker outside

I’m a space cowboy
Bet you weren’t ready for that
I’m a space cowboy
I’m sure you know where it’s at
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I see the show downs, slow downs, lost and found, turn arounds
The boys in the military shirts
I keep my eyes on the prize, on the long fallen skies
And I don’t let my friends get hurt
All you back room schemers, small trip dreamers
Better find something new to say
Cause you’re the same old story
It’s the same old crime
And you got some heavy dues to pay

I’m a space cowboy
Bet you weren’t ready for that
I’m a space cowboy
I’m sure you know where it’s at
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

…

Steve Miller / Paul McCartney – My Dark Hour

I really like this song and the pre-hit Steve Miller Band as well. I do like many of his hits but his early catalog is filled with great songs and musicianship. This one has a lot of history. I think Miller’s hits has been a huge victim of radio overplay but I realize that is not his fault…doesn’t mean “Jet Airliner” is not any good…we just have sometimes have heard those songs too much. I have songs like that…but give it some time and I can listen to them again.

His earlier songs have more of a blues feel. The former members of his band has included Boz Scaggs, Nicky Hopkins, Doug Clifford (CCR drummer), Ross Valory, Lonnie Turner, and about a page more of names.

Steve Miller wrote this tune and Paul McCartney played drums, bass, some guitar, and backing vocals. You will also catch the future riff to Fly Like An Eagle in this song. Paul would be credited as Paul Ramone. Paul went by that name on their first tour and that is where the Ramones got their name.

When I read the story of this recording the title would probably match what McCartney was feeling. Allen Klein had just suckered John, George, and Ringo into signing a management contract and he wanted Paul. It was on a Friday afternoon and Paul refused. I’m not always on Paul’s side but in this case…oh yes. He told the other 3 something I find quite funny. Klein wanted 20% of the Beatles earnings and Paul told them wait…The Beatles are kinda big and let him have 10% but John would have none of it. Paul never signed and later on John, George, and Ringo would regret the decision as they all sued Klein and Klein sued them.

On that day, Steve Miller walked into the studio after a giant fight with only Paul left there. I’ll let Paul McCartney tell it: Steve Miller happened to be there recording, late at night, and he just breezed in. ‘Hey, what’s happening, man? Can I use the studio?’ ‘Yeah!’ I said. ‘Can I drum for you? I just had a fucking unholy argument with the guys there.’ I explained it to him, took ten minutes to get it off my chest. So I did a track, he and I stayed that night and did a track of his called My Dark Hour. I thrashed everything out on the drums. There’s a surfeit of aggressive drum fills, that’s all I can say about that. We stayed up until late. I played bass, guitar and drums and sang backing vocals. It’s actually a pretty good track.

It was a very strange time in my life and I swear I got my first grey hairs that month. I saw them appearing. I looked in the mirror, I thought, I can see you. You’re all coming now. Welcome.

The song was on The Steve Miller Band’s album Brave New World released in 1969. The album peaked at a respectable #22 on the Billboard Album Charts and #38 in Canada.

Steve Miller: I got John Lennon’s Epiphone Casino and played through his amp, Paul got on the drums. It was like we’d been playing together forever.

Here is a snippet of Badfinger covering this song live. They were expanding their sound live with longer jams.

My Dark Hour

My dark hourMy dark hourYou know it’s drivin’ me wild

Well, well, I went to see the doctorAnd I had my fortune readAnd you know, the doctor told me“Son, you better stay in bed”

Who’s that comin’ down that roadLooks like he’s carryin’ a heavy loadWhat’s that word that he started to say?Wanna come with me on my way?

My dark hour, a mother nature’s childMy dark hour, oh, it’s drivin’ me wild

Well, I went (to see the doctor)Just to have (my fortune read)Well, well, well, well, well(The doctor told me)“Son, stay in bed”

So do you think these sinners will fallOr do you think they’ll survive us all?Well, well, well, well, a-down this roadWon’t you help me carry my load?

My dark hour, mother nature’s childMy dark hour, oh-oh, it’s drivin’ me wild

Oh-oh-oh, mother nature’s childOh, yeah, oh, oh, yeahOh, oh, oh, oh, yeah

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