The Untold Story Behind 'Smoke on the Water'

TLDR'Smoke on the Water' is a narrative story song in the rock and roll genre. It tells the story of the burning down of the Montreux casino during the recording of the 'Machine Head' album. Despite not being intended as a single, it became a huge hit.

Key insights

🔥'Smoke on the Water' is a unique narrative story song in the rock genre.

🎸The song recounts the burning of the Montreux casino during the recording of 'Machine Head'.

💥Deep Purple initially thought 'Never Before' would be the hit, but 'Smoke on the Water' became their biggest success.

Q&A

What is the story behind 'Smoke on the Water'?

'Smoke on the Water' tells the story of the burning down of the Montreux casino during the recording of Deep Purple's 'Machine Head' album.

What genre is 'Smoke on the Water'?

'Smoke on the Water' is a rock and roll song.

Was 'Smoke on the Water' planned as a single?

No, 'Smoke on the Water' was not initially intended as a single. Deep Purple thought 'Never Before' would be the hit.

Why did 'Smoke on the Water' become a hit?

'Smoke on the Water' became a hit due to its catchy melody, compelling narrative, and memorable guitar riff.

What album is 'Smoke on the Water' from?

'Smoke on the Water' is from Deep Purple's 'Machine Head' album.

Timestamped Summary

00:01Many people ask about the story behind 'Smoke on the Water.'

00:10'Smoke on the Water' is a narrative story song in the rock genre.

01:19During the recording of the 'Machine Head' album, the Montreux casino burned down.

03:31Funky Claude saved kids from the burning casino.

04:40'Smoke on the Water' became a huge hit despite not being planned as a single.