I think most of us, at one time or another have spoken to inanimate objects. "I hate you!," we say to the lawn mower that won't start.

But I've never experienced the degree of melancholy in a plea to an inanimate object that we routinely hear on radio in Steve Miller iconic version of Paul Pena's "Jet Airliner": "Big ol' jet airliner / don't carry me too far away / Oh oh oh big ol' jet airliner / 'cause it's here that I've got to stay."

Y'see, Miller seems oddly resigned. Possibly, this is because he boarded the craft even though 1) to do so means he's purchased a ticket and therefore already knows the destination (and so, what, is he asking the pilot to divert to someplace closer than the original destination — someplace not "too far away"?), and 2) why did he get on the jet airliner in the first place if he knows that "it's here" that he's got to stay?

One answer — at least to the second question — might be that Miller needed the time afforded by a long flight in which to ponder more streamlined ways to express a sentiment such as "it's here that I've got to stay," which is admittedly a very awkwardly structured phrase. I can see it: Miller, brooding in his aisle seat, asking the flight attendant for another vodka tonic, and it hits him! Songwriter Pena is an idiot! He should have said "I need to stay here" instead of 'it's here that I've got to stay'!" though it wouldn't have rhymed.

Suddenly delighted, Miller waits patiently for the big ol' jet airliner to land, then confidently and at peace gets on another flight back to the original destination — which is, after all, where he'd got to stay.

Perhaps Miller will address this situation Friday in the Grand Theater at Foxwoods, where he headlines a bill that includes Peter Frampton. Expect a gazillion hits of classic rock radio platinum from each artist.

Steve Miller and Peter Frampton, 8 p.m. Friday, Grand Theater, Foxwood; $65-$100; 1-800-200-2882.