This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn't have much time
But 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, ha
Making our music there
With a few red lights, a few old beds, huh
We made a place to sweat
No matter what we get out of this, ha
I know, I know we'll never forget
Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
Smoke on the water
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn't have much time
But 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, ha
Making our music there
With a few red lights, a few old beds, huh
We made a place to sweat
No matter what we get out of this, ha
I know, I know we'll never forget
Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
Smoke on the water
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Is everyone on here a nine year old with a head full of rocks? Can we not do some research?
Here is the real meaning of this song:
So, Deep Purple, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, and a few other bands came out to Montreaux, a town in Switzerland to record tha album "Machine Head" with a mobile recording studio that Deep Purple had rented from the Rolling Stones. During a concert held at the Casino on the shoreline of Lake Geneva, "some stupid with a flare gun" shot a flare into the roof and started a fire. After the evacuation started, the flames spread out across Lake Geneva, bringing in the chorus of "Smoke on the Water, Fire in the sky.". Soon, it was realized that not everyone made in out, but no one was willing to go back in except Claude Nobs, or "Funky Claude", who ran in and out of the burning casino, pulling burning kids out of the rubble. After it was all said and done, they had to move the recordings and concert to another place.
@WolfMoccasin The song explains just about the entire story; one just has to listen to it intently. I'm sure some details are left out but that is just Hard RockNRoll for ya! Anyway, the DP original band is ONE of the best hard rock bands ever. To tell every detail of the story would probably take a double album to do. Love um anyway. ROCK ON!
Strangely enough, this song was written about its own recording.
They were making the Machine Head album when their hotel burned down.
It was a time when bands wrote and recorded songs simultaneously, with no idea how it would result.
@maharishi Yes, indeed it is a TRUE story from Montreaux Switzerland back in the day. It seemed to be their most popular song ever, but I LOVE all their music, all of it! May their Rock live on timelessly!
The intro of all intros!
I know im late but the song is their description of what they saw when they were at a hotel and a casino burned down across the river and they saw it, instantly great song.
our marching band is playing this and using it as the drumline feature...^_^
@WhenFiresWhisper That was pretty cool!
Basically, we all know what the song is about, right??
Too many people commenting on the riff... stop wasting space!!!
Anyway, for me, this song reminds me of the Gleneagle Hotel... which is in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland. Normally, I would visit there every New Years to celebrate the New Year. However, for the past two years now, that hasn't happened.
The song reminds me of myself and all the friends I've made while visiting the Gleneagle over the years. Seriously, we used to just wreck the place!!!! Being the youths that we were, it's only natural. Anyway, that's what this song is about, for me. Just my opinion.
i figured this song would have a few idiots giving they're dumb opinions.. i was right, wasn't shocked tho. Marharishi is right about that song, and everyone else is just dellusional.
no its not......its about a fire at the casino in montreux, switzerland....but its an inspiration to smokin dope
@pimpinThat story took place on Lake Geneva as well!
i can see why he'd say it's about bong hits... pot smoke is on top of the water in the chamber. but no, it clearly tells the story of them making the album.
i dont have anything to back this up but a friend told me that aside from the story being told in the song about the casino burning down that smoke on the water was actually an expression for dropping acid.... hmm.... and smoke on the water is a lot like a bong hit :)
this song is about Deep Purplegoing to Montreux to make a records... but "some stupid with a flare gun burned the place to the ground." They burned down the casino there too, so the band had to stay at the Grand Hotel (which was empty cold and bare).
Fortunately for Deep Purple, there was a truck (WITH A RECORDING STUDIO) for Rolling Stones which made their music. That's the story of Smoke on the Water- plus with the great riffs... it's just INCREDIBLE!!!
Smoke on the water is linked with drugs in the Simpsons- go watch.