Smoke on the Water

[ARSENAL]

We are having a 'discussion' at work!  Was Deep Purples song 'Smoke on the Water' written because the studio they were recording in set alight (near lake Geneva?) or was it because a Rolling Stones gig they went to had a fire and the smoke drifted over the water?  If it is not the Stones 'option' why do they sing about them in the song?

Thanks.

[iwantthatone]

As far as I am aware, it is about the Casino in Switzerland where they were going to record Machine Head.  I think someone fired a flare gun or something, and set fire to the place.  They moved to a different hotel and recorded their album in the Rolling Stones' Mobile Studio.  One of them (Roy Glover I think) thought of the smoke on the water they had seen (the Casino was situated overlooking Lake Geneva). 

[rja211077]

see here, which explains the Stones link

http://www.gillan.com/wordography-17.html

[BigDogsWang]

There is also a rumour that 'Smoke' pertains to smoking a bong. As the smoke in a bong sits on the water.

Apparently.

[Kev_UK]

"..some stupid with a fag on, burned the place to the ground"

[andy hughes]

Regardless of what the lyrics say, the truth is that the band playing the casino that night used indoor pyrotechnics, for which they had neither licence or expertise. One blew up into the ceiling, which caught fire, and the casino burned down. Deep Purple were staying in a hotel across the lake, and could clearly see the flames and smoke as they drifted over Lake Geneva.

[Starman 2112]

I thought that it was Frank Zappa and the mothers, who were playing at the best place in town (casino), and a flare was set off by an audience member that burnt the place down. Deep Purple were going to record at the Casino, but because of the fire they had to relocate to a cold (?) hotel. The 'smoke' on the water, relates to the smoke from the fire at the Casino drifting across lake Geneva. This is what I remember from the Machine Head documentary aired about 1 1/2 years ago.

[BigDogsWang]

Kev - UK

The lyric is 'some stupid with a flare gun'

I think yours sound better though!

[Kev_UK]

Thanks bigdogswang, funny how people can think for years that the lyrics of a song say one thing and it's something else. I remember a song in the early 80's where a guy sings "Air Force", but it sounds like he is singing "F Off"

Seasons Greetings

[j2buttonsw]

Ha! Ha! Kev_UK, I'm with Big: "fag on" is much better. We should lobby them.