More than 16 years later, in September 1990, "The Joker" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks after being used in "Great Deal", a television advertisement for clothing company Levi's, and caused controversy for keeping Deee-Lite's "Groove Is in the Heart" off the number-one spot.

The following lines refer to two other songs: "Gangster of Love" from Sailor and "Enter Maurice" from Recall the Beginning...A Journey from Eden.

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.

"[5] Record World called it "a smooth piece that is highly reminiscent of Van Morrison" and that "could establish Miller as a potent AM act.

It later transpired that a rounding discrepancy had initially caused the tie, with "The Joker" topping the charts on merit by 44,118 to 44,110 copies.