Steve Miller Band Live From Chicago Jet Airliner

Steve Miller is still rockin’ away!

You mean to tell me Steve Miller didn’t write “Jet Airliner“?

This just goes to show you what a great rendition is capable of.

Paul Pena, a blind folk singer from Cape Cod, wrote the track in 1973 for his album New Train. Due to difficulties between him and his label, New Train was not released until 2000! Could you imagine!? Almost thirty years later!

Pena played the Newport Folk Festival in 1969, but was unable to launch a successful career. And, for much of his life, Pena’s royalties from writing “Jet Airliner” was his only income.

After hearing the song, Miller decided to record “Jet Airliner” for his band’s Book of Dreams album in 1977, and boy are we glad he did!

“Jet Airliner” quickly became a crowd favorite, and as seen here in the video, hasn’t stopped gaining momentum. With the catchy lyrics, and fun beat, ‘it’s here and it’s got to stay’.
 

+Jet Airliner lyrics below+

Leavin’ home, out on the road
I’ve been down before
Ridin’ along in this big ol’ jet plane
I’ve been thinkin’ about my home
But my love light seems so far away
And I feel like it’s all been done
Somebody’s tryin’ to make me stay
You know I’ve got to be movin’ on
Oh, Oh big ol’ jet airliner
Don’t carry me too far away
Oh, Oh big ol’ jet airliner
Cause it’s here that I’ve got to stay

Goodbye to all my friends at home
Goodbye to people I’ve trusted
I’ve got to go out and make my way
I might get rich you know I might get busted
But my heart keeps calling me backwards
As I get on the 707
Ridin’ high I got tears in my eyes
You know you got to go through hell
Before you get to heaven

Big ol’ jet airliner
Don’t carry me too far away
Oh, Oh big ol’ jet airliner
Cause it’s here that I’ve got to stay

Touchin’ down in New England town
Feel the heat comin’ down
I’ve got to keep on keepin’ on
You know the big wheel keeps on spinnin’ around
And I’m goin’ with some hesitation
You know that I can surely see
That I don’t want to get caught up in any of that
Funky shit goin’ down in the city

Big ol’ jet airliner
Don’t carry me too far away
Oh, Oh big ol’ jet airliner
Cause it’s here that I’ve got to stay

Oh, Oh big ol’ jet airliner
Don’t carry me too far away
Oh, Oh big ol’ jet airliner
Cause it’s here that I’ve got to stay
Yeah, yeah yeah, yeah

Big ol’ jet airliner
Don’t carry me too far away
Oh, Oh big ol’ jet airliner
Cause it’s here that I’ve got to stay

Oh, Oh big ol’ jet airliner
Carry me to my home
Oh, Oh big ol’ jet airliner
Cause it’s there that I belong