There are some folks that chase after fame simply because it seems like the thing to do and some that go back and forth between a working-class life and the fame they want so bad. Roger Miller didn’t have much growing up but he did have the passion to sing and to play music, and he also had the desire to be famous, though it would tempt him in ways that didn’t always lead him down the right roads. Barring that however he did have a lot of talent when it came to music and while it wasn’t recognized as it should have been early on it became something that later on in his life was the basis for his fame. He was a rather personable individual that enjoyed having a good time and being on stage to sing his music, which is all a person really needs in order to entertain the crowd. He had a few issues like a lot of folks, but he seemed genuinely happy when he was doing what he loved in front of so many people.
Here are a few of the best songs from his career.
5. In the Summertime
Miller was the kind of guy that tried and tried to break into music at one point but had people telling him that he either wasn’t quite there in terms of skill or was there but still had some work to do it seems. Raw passion doesn’t always eclipse the need for skill but something about Miller allowed him to keep plugging away even when he stepped away from the stage now and again. Eventually he made his way back into the spotlight and stayed there for a while, but his career sounds like something that was beset by the practicality of life from time to time and saw him having to do what as necessary now and again, not always what he wanted.
4. You Can’t Roller Skate In a Buffalo Herd
Some folks might not know this but there is a segment in a Jackass movie in which this song is played, and in keeping with the idea of stupidity Johnny Knoxville attempted to roller skate in an arena while an enraged bull came rushing at him. This song was absolutely perfect as it was used in a manner that added to the hilarity and made the segment seem all that more funny. The only issue was that Knoxville ended up being knocked about like a rag doll and thrown into the mud before the bull could be distracted. The choice of songs in some movies is kind of perfect at times, especially since this one seemed kind of funny at the time.
3. Dang Me
The older country musicians were definitely showmen and women that really got into their craft since a lot of them loved what they were doing and tended to be totally invested while they were on stage. This could be why so many of those today are wholly into their music and express a serious amount of gratitude for what they do and the fans that help make them. After all if performers like this had never been around then it’s fair to say that the face of the music industry would look very different today. Performers like Miller are those that made it fun for others to sit and watch them and dream of a day when they might entertain others on stage.
2. Engine, Engine #9
A lot of performers like to tell a story when they sing and this is a practice that a lot of people tend to like since it grants them a great deal of imagery to go along with the music and adds to the emotional content that they might already feel. Miller was a firefighter at one point in his life but it sounds as though he only dealt with two fires, one that happened in a chicken coop and one that he accidentally slept through. According to Miller he was asked to resign from firefighting after the second one and find work elsewhere. Yeah, firefighters take kind of a dim view of sleeping on the job, but at least Miller did find something else he was really good at.
1. King of the Road
Throughout his career Miller became someone that people loved to see and listen to and several of his songs have withstood the test of time, including this one. If you’ve been paying attention you’ve likely heard this in commercials, TV shows, and perhaps even a movie or two. It’s not a hard song to like and it’s very easy to sing along with. It can also give someone that good vibe that calms them down and creates a very mellow mood. Miller was by all accounts a very talented man that liked to perform and enjoyed his life whenever possible.
I’m a man of means by no means, king of the road.
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