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