Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)
"Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)" is a Western swing novelty song written by Merle Travis and Tex Williams,[1] for Williams and his talking blues style of singing. Travis wrote the bulk of the song.[2] The original Williams version went to number one for 16 non-consecutive weeks on the Hot Country Songs chart.[3] Recorded on March 27, 1947, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)" was produced by Lee Gillette, and featured Deuce Spriggens, bass fiddle, harmony vocal; Larry "Pedro" DePaul, accordion; Johnny Weis, lead guitar; Cactus Soldi, Rex Call, Harry Sims, fiddler; Ossie Godson, piano; Spike Featherstone, harp; Earl "Joaquin" Murphey, steel guitar; Manny Klein, trumpet; Smokey Rogers, guitar, harmony vocal; Muddy Berry, drums.
Cover versions
A cover version performed by Phil Harris stayed on the charts for 23 weeks, and became a number one hit in August 1947 and remained at the top of the "Best Sellers in Stores" chart for six weeks. Williams made a stereophonic re-recording of the song for Capitol in 1960 on the album, Smoke! Smoke! Smoke!.[4] It has also been covered by Johnny Bond & His Red River Valley Boys in 1947, and by Sammy Davis, Jr., who hit # 89 on the Country Charts in 1982,[5] Willie Nelson, Dennis Weaver, Michael Nesmith, Hank Thompson, Jimmy Dean, Commander Cody, (Billboard #94 in 1973), Asleep at the Wheel, and others.[6] Thom Bresh, the son of the song's writer Merle Travis, hit #78 on the Country Charts with the song in 1978.[7]
Soundtrack
The song can be heard in the opening of the 2005 film, Thank You for Smoking,[8] in episode 2, "Quit Smoking," of the television series My Name Is Earl; as well as in the 2011 video game, L.A. Noire, which was set in late 1940s Los Angeles.
References
- ↑ BMI Copyright and Registration Info
- ↑ CMT bio of Tex Williams
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 391.
- ↑ Music: Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! by Tex Williams. Rhapsody Online
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel, The Billboard Book of Top Country Songs: 1944-2005, VNU Business Media, 2005 p. 108
- ↑ "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-03-25.
- ↑ Whitburn, Joel, The Billboard Book of Top Country Songs: 1944-2005, VNU Business Media, 2005 p. 55
- ↑
| Preceded by "It's a Sin" by Eddy Arnold |
Most Played Juke Box Folk Records number one single by Tex Williams July 19, 1947 (16 weeks) |
Succeeded by "I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms)" by Eddy Arnold |
| Preceded by "Peg o' My Heart" by The Harmonicats |
U.S. Billboard Best Sellers in Stores number-one single August 9–September 13, 1947 (Tex Williams) |
Succeeded by "Near You" by Francis Craig |
| Preceded by "New Spanish Two Step" by Bob Wills |
Billboard Most Played Juke Box Folk Records number-one single of the year 1947 |
Succeeded by "Bouquet of Roses" by Eddy Arnold |