Song: Smoke on the Water
Artist: Deep Purple
Produced By: Deep Purple
Album: Machine Head
Written By: Ian Paice, Jon Lord, Roger Glover, Ian Gillan & Ritchie Blackmore
Release Date: March 25, 1972
Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” is a song about the Montreux Casino fire of 1971, which was first released from the band’s sixth studio album, Machine Head (1972).
Smoke on the Water Lyrics
We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn’t have much time
Frank Zappa and the Mothers
Were at the best place around
But some stupid with a flare gun
Burned the place to the ground
Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
Smoke on the water
They burned down the gambling house
It died with an awful sound
Funky Claude was running in and out
Pulling kids out the ground
When it all was over
We had to find another place
But Swiss time was running out
It seemed that we would lose the race
Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
Smoke on the water
We ended up at the Grand Hotel
It was empty, cold and bare
But with the Rolling truck Stones thing just outside
Making our music there
With a few red lights and a few old beds
We made a place to sweat
No matter what we get out of this
I know, I know we’ll never forget
Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
Smoke on the water
In early 1972, Machine Head was released, but “Smoke on the Water” was not released as a single until May 1973. ‘Never Before’ and ‘Highway Star’ where the album’s first two singles. ‘
When the song was released, the band members said they didn’t expect it to be a big hit, but it ended up at number four on the Billboard pop singles chart, number two on the Canadian RPM charts, and atop the album’s chart for more than a year.
The extended interplay between Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar and Jon Lord’s organ would make the song a mainstay of Deep Purple live performances, as can be heard on the live album Made in Japan.
When Warner Brothers released their “Smoke on the Water” studio single, they also included the Made in Japan live version as a B-side.
After Deep Purple broke up, the band’s primary songwriters re-recorded the song as a solo project. In the early solo performances of Ian Gillan, he used a jazz-influenced version.
Gillan guitarist Bernie Torme influenced the band’s feedback-heavy sound. When Ritchie Blackmore’s post-Deep Purple band Rainbow played the song live in 1981–83, when Rainbow briefly resurrected in the mid-1990s, and again for three European concerts in June 2016, the music was performed live.
They performed “Smoke on the Water” as a regular encore number during Ian Gillan’s time with Black Sabbath in 1983.
Black Sabbath has only ever performed this cover live once.
Who Wrote The Song “Smoke on the Water”?
Ian Paice, Jon Lord, Roger Glover, Ian Gillan & Ritchie Blackmore
Who Produced The Song “Smoke on the Water”?
Deep Purple
What Was The Release Date Of The Song “Smoke on the Water”?
25 March 1972
Who Sang The Song “Smoke on the Water”?
Deep Purple
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