Everybody Loves Royalties

"I'm not even sure where ['Jungle Love'] fits into the Everybody Loves Raymond mythology," laughs Escondido guitarist Greg Douglass, who cowrote the hit for the Steve Miller Band. The tune was used as the theme song for the final three seasons of the TV sitcom.

An area resident since 1992, Douglass teaches guitar at Dusty's in Oceanside and the Music Playce in Escondido. He performs in surf-instro combo Mowasabe and the Fabulous Pelicans, a wedding band. Over the years, Douglass has been a member of the Greg Kihn Band (playing on their 1983 hit "Jeopardy") and toured with Van Morrison, but his stint with the Steve Miller Band has been the most lucrative.

With Steve Miller Band bassist Lonnie Turner, Douglass wrote "Jungle Love" as a demo for British guitarist Dave Mason. "Instead, the song turned into Dr. Seuss on acid," and Miller opted to include it on his next album. Douglass was asked to join the group after Miller had trouble duplicating his riff in the studio.

Douglass admits that "Jungle Love" was the second attempt to recycle the tune's signature guitar part.

"It was used by [my mid-'70s trio] Mistress; I wrote a song called 'Paul' that used the same riff. And I also tried it while I was in Hot Tuna in a co-write with Jorma Kaukonen, but it never really gelled."

Released as a single in 1977, "Jungle Love" was an instant hit, though "It only reached number 22," says Douglass. "At the time, it was a little disappointing. But the song has been very good to me ever since.... It helped buy my house."

The song is included on numerous Miller compilations, including Greatest Hits 1974-78, the 35th-biggest-selling album of all time (13 million copies sold).