Take the Money and Run

Zoo Freaks, get ready for some righteous vibes as the Zoo Crew spins Take the Money and Run by the Steve Miller Band from their iconic 1976 album Fly Like an Eagle. This track, a classic road-trip tale about two young bandits, Billy Joe and Bobbie Sue, dodging a Texas detective named Billy Mack, hit number 11 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number 8 in Canada. Steve Miller drew inspiration for the song from his childhood, singing along to the radio during long family road trips, a vibe he amplified with the rich, layered sound made possible by FM radio’s stereo clarity. Fun fact: this was the first song Miller allowed a rap group to sample, giving the green light to Run-DMC in 2001 for their track with Everlast after he dug their spin on it. Unlike his earlier refusals to let his music be sampled, Miller was all in once he heard their version.

Another cool tidbit comes from the song’s enduring cultural impact. Fans on Reddit have shared stories of hearing Take the Money and Run at college parties, with entire crowds clapping along to the “El Paso” line, turning it into a communal ritual for new listeners. The song’s catchy, storytelling lyrics, like “Billy Mack is a detective down in Texas / You know he knows just exactly what the facts is,” have been called out as playful but irresistibly hooky, making it a staple of classic rock radio. Its outlaw narrative, paired with that driving guitar riff, captures the free-spirited energy the Zoo Crew loves to amplify for all you Zoo Freaks out there.

Now, let’s rewind to how Steve Miller, the heart of the Steve Miller Band, got his start. Born Steven Haworth Miller on October 5, 1943, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he was steeped in music from the jump. His mother, Bertha, was a jazz-influenced singer, and his father, George “Sonny” Miller, a physician and jazz enthusiast, was tight with legends like Les Paul, Miller’s godfather. Les Paul encouraged young Steve to stick with the guitar, while T-Bone Walker taught him flashy tricks like playing behind his back and with his teeth in 1952. Growing up in Dallas after the family moved in 1950, Miller soaked up influences from blues greats like Charles Mingus and Tal Farlow, who recorded at his house. At age 12, he formed his first band, The Marksmen, at St. Mark’s School, roping in his brother Buddy on bass and classmate Boz Scaggs on guitar.

Miller’s journey took him to the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1962, where he formed The Ardells, later joined by Scaggs and keyboardist Ben Sidran. After a semester studying comparative literature at the University of Copenhagen, he ditched college six credits shy of a degree to chase music full-time, with his mom’s blessing and his dad’s skepticism. By 1965, he was in Chicago, gigging with the Goldberg-Miller Blues Band before heading to San Francisco in 1966 to form the Steve Miller Blues Band, which soon became the Steve Miller Band. A sweet Capitol Records deal in 1967, negotiated by manager Harvey Kornspan, scored them $860,000 over five years plus $25,000 for promo. Their debut album, Children of the Future, dropped in 1968, kicking off a wild ride through psychedelic blues and, later, the pop-rock sound that made them legends.

For more on the Steve Miller Band, check out their official site at stevemillerband.com. You can vibe with them on socials too: follow their Facebook, Instagram, and X for updates on tours, merch, and more. Zoo Freaks looking to connect with other fans can join the Steve Miller Band Fan Club on Facebook, a rad spot to share stories and keep the love for Miller’s music alive. Keep it groovy, and let’s keep those records spinning!