Smoke On the Water
Deep Purple
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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, 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, 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 make a place to sweat No matter what we get out of this I know we'll never forget Smoke on the water, fire in the sky Smoke on the water
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Written by: Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger D Glover, Jon Lord, Ian Paice
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
7 facts about this song
Song Composition"Smoke on the Water" is arguably the most famous song by the English rock band Deep Purple.
- It was released in 1972 as part of their "Machine Head" album.
- The music was composed by all band members – Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice.
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Lyrics InspirationThe song's lyrics were inspired by a real-life event when a casino in Montreux, Switzerland, caught on fire during a concert by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention.
- The lines of the song narrate the entire story of the fire, the smoke spreading over the lake (Lake Geneva), and the struggle to get their album recorded.
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Distinctive RiffThe song is particularly noted for its iconic four-note blues scale riff in G minor.
- It is often considered one of the greatest riffs in rock history.
- Owing to its simplicity, it is one of the first riffs taught to beginner guitarists and is often used as a demonstration in guitar stores.
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Chart Success"Smoke On the Water" was not initially a chart success, it only gained significant radio airplay after being released as a single in May 1973.
- By 1977, it had been certified as a gold single by the Recording Industry Association of America.
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Cultural ImpactThe song's title, "Smoke on the Water," has been used for the name for several entities, including a charity event and a brand of BBQ sauce.
- An episode of "The Simpsons," where Homer learns to play the bass guitar, showcases it as one of the songs he tries to learn.
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Live Performances and CoversLike many of Deep Purple's songs, "Smoke On the Water" has been performed live by Deep Purple many times.
- Over the years, numerous artists and bands have covered the song, including Carlos Santana, Metallica, and Black Sabbath.
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Recognition and Rankings"Smoke on the Water" was ranked number 434 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
- In 2007, the song's iconic riff was named the fourth-greatest hard-rock riff by the music channel VH1.
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"Smoke On the Water Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Nov. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/19671255/Deep+Purple/Smoke+On+the+Water>.
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