The Joker ( Steve Miller Band song ) - wikipedia The Joker ( Steve Miller Band song ) `` The Joker '' Single by Steve Miller Band from the album The Joker B - side `` ' see track listings ' '' Released October 1973 Format 7 '' 12 '' cassette Genre Rock blues rock southern rock Length 4 : 26 ( album version ) 3 : 35 ( radio edit ) Label Capitol Songwriter ( s ) Eddie Curtis Ahmet Ertegün Steve Miller Producer ( s ) Steve Miller Steve Miller Band singles chronology `` Fandango '' ( 1972 ) `` The Joker '' ( 1973 ) `` Your Cash Ai n't Nothin ' But Trash '' ( 1974 ) `` Fandango '' ( 1972 ) `` The Joker '' ( 1973 ) `` Your Cash Ai n't Nothin ' But Trash '' ( 1974 ) `` Take the Money and Run '' / `` The Joker '' ( 1983, double A-side, live ) Cover of the 1983 live single Steve Miller Band singles chronology `` Living in the U.S.A. '' ( live ) ( 1983 ) String Module Error : Match not found1983 `` Take the Money and Run '' ( live ) / `` The Joker '' ( live ) ( 1983 ) String Module Error : Match not found1983 `` Shangri - La '' ( 1984 ) Shangri - La1984 Steve Miller Band singles chronology `` Ya Ya '' ( 1988 ) Ya Ya1988 `` The Joker '' ( 1990 ) The Joker1990 `` Wide River '' ( 1993 ) Wide River1993 `` The Joker '' is a song by the Steve Miller Band from their 1973 album The Joker. It is one of two Steve Miller Band songs that feature the nonce word `` pompatus ''. The song topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1974. More than 16 years later, in September 1990, it reached number one in the UK Singles Chart for two weeks after being used in `` Great Deal '', a Hugh Johnson - directed television advertisement for Levi 's, thus holding the record for the longest gap between transatlantic chart - toppers. This reissue of `` The Joker '' also topped the Irish Singles Chart, the New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart, the Dutch Nationale Top 100 and the Dutch Top 40. The first line of the lyrics is a reference to the song `` Space Cowboy '' from Miller 's Brave New World album. Following lines refer to two other songs : `` Gangster of Love '' from Sailor and `` Enter Maurice '' from Recall the Beginning... A Journey from Eden. Contents 1 Inspiration and writing 2 Formats and track listings 3 Personnel 4 Certifications 5 Charts 5.1 Weekly charts 5.2 Year - end charts 6 Cover versions 6.1 Covers 6.2 Album tracks 6.3 Live cover performances 6.4 Sampling 7 References and footnotes 8 External links Inspiration and writing Borrows heavily from the song `` Soul Sister '' By Allen Toussaint. During the song, Steve Miller references The Clovers ' 1954 song `` Lovey Dovey '' when he sings `` You 're the cutest thing that I ever did see / Really love your peaches, wan na shake your tree / Lovey dovey, lovey dovey, lovey dovey all the time ''. The song is noted for its wolf whistle played on a slide guitar after the `` lovey dovey '' parts and the `` some people call me Maurice '' part. The line `` some people call me Maurice / ' Cause I speak of the pompatus of love '' was written after Miller heard the song `` The Letter '' by The Medallions. In `` The Letter '', writer Vernon Green made up the word puppetutes, meaning a paper - doll erotic fantasy figure ; however, Miller misheard the word and wrote pompatus instead. Formats and track listings 7 '' single ( 1973 ) `` The Joker '' -- 3 : 36 `` Something to Believe In '' -- 4 : 40 7 '' single ( 1983 -- live version ) `` The Joker '' ( live ) -- 2 : 55 `` Take the Money and Run '' ( live ) -- 3 : 49 7 '' single ( 1990 ) `` The Joker '' ( single version ) -- 3 : 34 `` Do n't Let Nobody Turn You Around '' -- 2 : 27 12 '' maxi ( 1990 ) `` The Joker '' ( LP version ) -- 4 : 22 `` Do n't Let Nobody Turn You Around '' -- 2 : 27 `` Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma '' -- 5 : 39 CD maxi ( 1990 ) `` The Joker '' ( single version ) -- 3 : 34 `` Do n't Let Nobody Turn You Around '' -- 2 : 27 `` Shu Ba Da Du Ma Ma Ma Ma '' -- 3 : 33 `` Living in the U.S.A. '' -- 3 : 59 Personnel Steve Miller -- guitar, lead vocals Gerald Johnson -- bass, backing vocals Dick Thompson -- organ John King -- drums Certifications Country Certification Date Sales certified Sweden Gold February 6, 1991 25,000 United Kingdom Silver October 1, 1990 200,000 United States Gold January 11, 1974 1,000,000 Charts Weekly charts Chart ( 1973 / 1974 ) Peak position US Billboard Hot 100 Canadian RPM Top Singles Dutch Daverende 30 18 Dutch Top 40 18 Australia Kent Music Report 8 Chart ( 1990 / 1991 ) Peak position Austrian Singles Chart 5 Dutch Nationale Top 100 Dutch Top 40 French SNEP Singles Chart 33 Irish Singles Chart New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart Norwegian Singles Chart Swedish Singles Chart Swiss Singles Chart 5 UK Singles Chart Year - end charts Chart ( 1991 ) Position New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 20 Cover versions `` The Joker '' Single by k.d. lang from the album Drag Released Length 4 : 44 Label Warner Bros. Songwriter ( s ) Eddie Curtis, Ahmet Ertegün, Steve Miller Producer ( s ) k.d. lang, Craig Street k.d. lang singles chronology `` Sexuality '' ( 1996 ) `` The Joker '' ( 1997 ) `` Theme from the Valley of the Dolls '' ( 1997 ) `` Sexuality '' ( 1996 ) `` The Joker '' ( 1997 ) `` Theme from the Valley of the Dolls '' ( 1997 ) `` The Joker '' Single by Fatboy Slim from the album Palookaville Released February 28, 2005 ( 2005 - 02 - 28 ) Recorded Label Skint Astralwerks Songwriter ( s ) Eddie Curtis Ahmet Ertegün Steve Miller Producer ( s ) Fatboy Slim Fatboy Slim singles chronology `` Wonderful Night '' ( 2004 ) `` The Joker '' ( 2005 ) `` Do n't Let the Man Get You Down '' ( 2005 ) `` Wonderful Night '' ( 2004 ) `` The Joker '' ( 2005 ) `` Do n't Let the Man Get You Down '' ( 2005 ) Alternative cover Remix single Covers Ostbahn Kurti & die Chefpartie ( 1989 ) covered the song in viennese german ( `` Da Joker '' ) and the song still has significant radio airplay and popularity in Austria. k.d. lang covered it on her album Drag ( 1997 ) on which all the songs have the theme of smoking or cigarettes. The song was released as a single. Black Train Jack covered it on their album You 're not alone ( 1994 ). Fettes Brot did a German rendition of the song in 2001, retitled as `` The Großer '' ( English translation `` The big guy '' ). Fatboy Slim reworked the song on his 2004 album Palookaville, featuring Bootsy Collins on lead vocals. This cover version reached No. 32 on the UK Singles Chart in 2005. Mike Myers did a cover to the song, playing a sitar, in The Love Guru. Post-grunge band Puddle of Mudd covered it on their covers album Re : ( disc ) overed. Album tracks In 1998, Todd Snider covered the song on his Viva Satellite album. Spearhead recorded a cover for the compilation CD Hempilation 2 ( 1998 ). Darkbuster covered the song as `` Space Cowboy '' on their album 22 Songs You 'll Never Want to Hear Again ! ( 1999 ). Twiztid recorded a cover of the song, which appeared on their 2004 compilation Cryptic Collection Vol. 3. In 2006, Jason Mraz covered the song for the soundtrack to the film Happy Feet. This recording was produced by Josh Deutsch and John Powell. On the soundtrack album Happy Feet : Music from the Motion Picture, the song is mashed up with `` Everything I Own '', recorded by Chrissie Hynde. In 2013, The Voice Australia finalist, Danny Ross covered the song on his debut album, As The Crows Flies. In 2014, Ace Frehley covered the song on his album Space Invader Live cover performances The song was covered live by The Smashing Pumpkins in 1992, and the recording can be found on the Mashed Potatoes box set. Kurt Elling performed live during a concert in the Czech Republic in 2006. Tim McGraw performed it during the `` Soul2Soul '' 2007 tour with his wife Faith Hill. They Might Be Giants have played it live on occasion, and included a cover of it on their podcast. The String Cheese Incident covered it at a show in Melkweg, Amsterdam on March 27, 2004, and added `` Do n't wan na see Billy run '' ( Bill Nershi of SCI ) Keith Urban performed the song during his `` Love, Pain, and the Whole Crazy Thing '' 2007 tour with The Wreckers on August 18, 2007 and with Amanda Wilkinson and Tyler Wilkinson on December 15, 2007. 311 performed it live in New Orleans on 311 Day ( March 11, 2008 ). Puddle of Mudd performed the song at DC101 Chili Cook - Off on May 16, 2009 Jack Johnson often performs the song live during his 2010 To the Sea world tour and did so in Vancouver on October 1, 2010. Luke Bryan often performs the song near the end of his concerts. Sampling `` The Joker '' was sampled in the song `` Summer and Lightning '' by Electric Light Orchestra from their 1977 album, Out of the Blue. `` The Joker '' serves as the outline of the song `` So Cal Loco ( Party Like a Rockstar ) '' by Sprung Monkey which appeared in the film Dude, Where 's My Car ?. It was also sampled on the original Def American Records release of the Geto Boys ' song `` Gangster of Love '' from their 1989 album, Grip It ! On That Other Level. The sample, presumably unauthorized, was replaced with Lynyrd Skynyrd 's `` Sweet Home Alabama '' on later pressings of the album. The song `` Hudson Dragonfly '' by Jackie - O Motherfucker, from the album, America Mystica ( 2006 ), contains a sample of `` The Joker ''. The song `` Angel '' by Shaggy, from the album Hot Shot ( 2000 ), samples the bass line of `` The Joker ''. Steve Miller recorded an unreleased demo of this song 's music with the lyrics of his other song, Take the Money and Run. The 2012 song Diese Tage with German and English lyrics by KRIS feat Dante Thomas uses the chorus of `` The Joker ''. Country rapper Colt Ford sampled this song for his song `` Gangsta of Love ''. Neil Cicierega sampled the track to his song `` Wow Wow '' by from the album `` Mouth Moods '', mixing `` The Joker '' with `` All Star '' by Smash Mouth and `` Cowboy '' by Kid Rock as an opening to a remix of Will Smith 's `` Wild Wild West ''. References and footnotes ^ Jump up to : `` Steve Miller Band > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles ''. allmusic. Retrieved October 5, 2009. ^ Jump up to : `` Chart Stats -- The Steve Miller Band -- The Joker ''. Retrieved October 5, 2009. Jump up ^ `` irishcharts.ie search results ''. Retrieved October 5, 2009. ^ Jump up to : `` charts.org.nz -- Steve Miller Band -- The Joker ''. Retrieved October 5, 2009. ^ Jump up to : `` dutchcharts.nl -- Steve Miller Band -- The Joker '' ( in Dutch ). Retrieved October 5, 2009. ^ Jump up to : `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Week 44, 1990 '' ( in Dutch ). Retrieved October 5, 2009. Jump up ^ ' In Steve Miller 's `` The Joker, '' what is `` the pompatus of love '' ? ' Jump up ^ `` S03E06 ''. Never Mind the Buzzcocks. BBC2. Jump up ^ Swedish certifications Ifpi.se Archived 2012 - 05 - 21 at the Wayback Machine. ( Retrieved March 24, 2016 ) Jump up ^ UK certifications bpi.co.uk ( Retrieved March 24, 2016 ) Jump up ^ US certifications riaa.com Archived 2007 - 06 - 26 at the Wayback Machine. ( Retrieved March 24, 2016 ) Jump up ^ `` RPM Volume 20 No. 24, January 26, 1974 -- RPM ''. Retrieved October 6, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- Week 47, 1973 '' ( in Dutch ). Retrieved October 5, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Top Singles of 1974 ''. Retrieved January 2, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Steve Miller Band -- The Joker -- austriancharts.at '' ( in German ). Retrieved October 6, 2009. Jump up ^ `` lescharts.com -- Steve Miller Band -- The Joker '' ( in French ). Retrieved October 6, 2009. Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- search result ''. Retrieved May 16, 2016. Jump up ^ `` norwegiancharts.com -- Steve Miller Band -- The Joker ''. Retrieved October 6, 2009. Jump up ^ `` swedishcharts.com -- Steve Miller Band -- The Joker ''. Retrieved October 6, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Steve Miller Band -- The Joker -- hitparade.ch '' ( in German ). Retrieved October 6, 2009. Jump up ^ `` End of Year Charts 1991 ''. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 3, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Chart Stats -- Fatboy Slim -- The Joker ''. Retrieved October 13, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Smashing Pumpkins dot com ''. Retrieved September 28, 2009. Jump up ^ The Howard Stern Radio Show. New York. 17 Apr 2013. Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Howard 100. External links The Straight Dope : In Steve Miller 's `` The Joker, '' what is `` the pompatus of love '' ? Language Log : Dismortality and puppetutes -- post on the etymology of `` pompatus ''. Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Steve Miller Band Steve Miller Kenny Lee Lewis Gordy Knudtson Joseph Wooten Jacob Peterson Norton Buffalo Tim Davis Boz Scaggs Lonnie Turner James Cooke Lance Haas Jim Peterman Glyn Johns Ben Sidran Nicky Hopkins Bobby Winkelman Charlie McCoy Jack King Ross Valory Gerald Johnson Dick Thompson Jim Keltner Roger Allen Clark Gary Mallaber Nick DeCaro John King David Denny Greg Douglass Byron Allred John Massaro Billy Peterson Ricky Peterson Bob Malach Leo Sidran Jay Bird Koder Joey Heinemann Sonny Charles Studio albums Children of the Future Sailor Brave New World Your Saving Grace Number 5 Rock Love Recall the Beginning... A Journey from Eden The Joker Fly Like an Eagle Book of Dreams Circle of Love Abracadabra Italian X Rays Living in the 20th Century Born 2 B Blue ( Steve Miller solo album ) Wide River Bingo ! Let Your Hair Down Live albums Live at the Fillmore Auditorium Steve Miller Band Live ! Compilations Anthology Living in the U.S.A. Greatest Hits 1974 -- 78 The Very Best of the Steve Miller Band Young Hearts Singles `` The Joker '' `` Take the Money and Run '' `` Rock'n Me '' `` Fly Like an Eagle '' `` Jet Airliner '' `` Jungle Love '' `` Swingtown '' `` Abracadabra '' `` I Want to Make the World Turn Around '' Songs `` Mercury Blues '' `` You Send Me '' `` Gangster of Love '' Related articles Discography Book : Steve Miller Band Fatboy Slim Discography Awards and nominations Studio albums Better Living Through Chemistry You 've Come a Long Way, Baby Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars Palookaville Live albums On the Floor at the Boutique Live on Brighton Beach Big Beach Boutique II Soundtrack albums Here Lies Love Compilation albums The Fatboy Slim / Norman Cook Collection A Break from the Norm The Greatest Hits -- Why Try Harder Late Night Tales : Fatboy Slim EPs My Game Illuminati Camber Sands The Pimp Singles `` Everybody Needs a 303 '' `` Going Out of My Head '' `` The Rockafeller Skank '' `` Gangster Trippin '' `` Praise You '' `` Right Here, Right Now '' `` Sunset ( Bird of Prey ) '' `` Demons '' `` Star 69 '' / `` Weapon of Choice '' `` Song for Shelter '' / `` Ya Mama '' `` Drop the Hate '' `` Retox '' `` Talkin ' bout My Baby '' `` Slash Dot Dash '' `` Wonderful Night '' `` The Joker '' `` Do n't Let the Man Get You Down '' `` That Old Pair of Jeans '' `` Champion Sound '' `` Radioactivity '' `` Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat '' Video releases Big Beach Boutique II -- The Movie The Greatest Hits -- Why Make Videos Related articles Norman Cook discography The Housemartins Beats International Pizzaman Freak Power Southern Fried Records Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Joker_(Steve_Miller_Band_song)&oldid=866138271 '' Categories : 1973 songs 1973 singles 1974 singles 1990 singles 2007 singles Steve Miller Band songs Fatboy Slim songs Tim McGraw songs Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Irish Singles Chart number - one singles Dutch Top 40 number - one singles Number - one singles in New Zealand UK Singles Chart number - one singles Songs written by Steve Miller ( musician ) Songs written by Ahmet Ertegun Songs written by Eddie Curtis Capitol Records singles Warner Bros. Records singles Astralwerks singles Songs about cannabis Hidden categories : CS1 Dutch - language sources ( nl ) Webarchive template wayback links CS1 German - language sources ( de ) CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Music infoboxes with Module : String errors Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Euskara Français Italiano Nederlands Edit links This page was last edited on 28 October 2018, at 14 : 36 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who sings the song i'm a joker
Answer: Steve Miller