Tim Davis (29th November 1943 to 20th September 1988)

Most likely you would have to be a Steve Miller Band follower to recognise the name and the face.
Back story Tim Davis 29^th November 1943, to 20^th September 20, 1988 who was already an accomplished musician with a few bands under belt when he joined (or co-founded depending which source you read) the original Steve Miller Band (Steve Miller Blues Band). Davis was drummer, sometime vocalist and also contributing song writer during the 1966 -1970 era when he left Miller but to return at later stages in the 1970s.

Aside from this tenure, he worked with other bands on record and stage, building up his own catalogue of work and as the term goes ‘paying his dues’ Davis also recorded in the 70s two Albums ‘Pipe Dream’ and ‘Take Me As I Am’ which are in my opinion ‘smooth sounds’ delight; again just my opinion, for those who remember those years, think of Boz Scaggs, some Lionel Riche and a toned down, softer Earth Wind and Fire. They were reasonably received in a minor way and he did have a minor hit with a quirky delight ‘Buzzy Brown’.

Sadly left us due to complications with diabetes,

Well that’s the background, we now go back to 1970 and the release of the Steve Miller Band Album ‘Number 5’, the last of his pre-Public Popularity works. Miller had never been the easiest to work with, but in addition to the drumming and vocals he seemed to always defer to Davis having some contributory influence in an album’s songs. On this album there was the comic light hearted ‘Hot Chili’ (that was all about Davis taking a short holiday in Mexico to have a plate of the ‘real stuff’) and this, the deeper ‘Tonkin’s’ (why ‘Tokin’s’ I do not know only my vague thoughts on the Vietnam Gulf of Tonkin’s Incident- if you have better let me know).
So let’s look at the lyrics first

Lyrics:

Sittin’ gettin’ higher in the back of a limousine
While people all around me
They are finding it harder to dream
Impossible people seen only in nightmares
Are beginning to make it real
And disorder keeps fadin’
The times they are changin’
Well, I wish I was behind the wheel

So I could live it just a little bit longer
Do my best to make our love stronger
In a while I know it’s gonna change
We’ve got to live it just a little bit longer
Do our best to make our love stronger
In a while I know it’s gonna change

Well, time and time and time again
I’ve been stuck out in the rain
But life has been so doggone sweet
There’s no reason to complain
But the time has come for all to be one
Yes, we can talk about it now
And from the middle of the mess
Here comes one more guess
And I know it’s gonna work somehow

If we can live it just a little bit longer
Do our best to make our love stronger
In a while I know it’s gonna change
We’ve got to live it just a little bit longer
Do our best to make our love stronger
In a while I know it’s gonna change

Cause we’ve gotta live it just a little bit longer
Do our best to make our love stronger
In a while I know it’s gonna change
We’ve got to live it just a little bit longer
Do our best to make our love stronger
In a while I know it’s gonna change

Now who would ever believe it could happen
Right here in my hometown
Especially when it’s so far north
Of the Mason-Dixon line
But some of the people they just won’t forget
While others slip into regret
And if things keep goin’ the way they’re goin’
I just might get killed yet

But I wanna live it just a little bit longer
Do my best to make our love stronger
In a while I know it’s gonna change
We’ve got to live it just a little bit longer
Do our best to make our love stronger
In a while I know it’s gonna change
And in a while I know it’s gonna change
And in a while I know it’s gonna change

As you can see this song has quite a long flow of lyrics, with Davis musing on this and that going on around him in that turbulent Final End of The Hippie/ Last Phase of the Vietnam War/ Nixon as President era. The chorus is an upbeat, hopeful refrain, but just when you are settling down to another ‘Looking on the Optimistic Side’ song, along come the last verse, which leaves you realising that this African American songster has no doubts about the reality going on; notice the phrase ‘Mason-Dixon’ line- no ’it’ hadn’t gone away- never does.  You read those lines and consider just how much they in particular resonate in today’s grimdark climate. He’s not done though, in just a few short lines of an ostensibly sing-along song, comes the final kicker:

And if things keep goin’ the way they’re goin’
I just might get killed yet.

Yet Davis finishes on the hopeful chorus. He’s not going to give up.

For me, putting aside all the other songs and about, Peace, Love, Hope, this one has to be one of the best. Reality and Hope hand in hand. (and you have to love those banjo pluckin’ and harmonica breaks)
And here it is (with a few seconds of very low volume ‘studio talk)

A while back it was hard to find information on Tim Davis. But these days whatever search engine you use enter ‘Tim Davis drummer Steve Miller Band’ and you will get a half-decent number of hits.

Thank you Mr. Tim Davis for some of the happier memories of those years.