Molti la conoscono come la sigla di “Lucignolo”, il programma che andava in onda su Italia 1, i chitarristi alle prime armi imparano il riff iniziale come esercizio per le dita, sto parlando di una delle canzoni più famose della storia del Rock : Smoke on the water dei Deep Purple.
La canzone fa parte dell’album Machine Head (1972) e, come narra il testo, nasce da un bizzarro episodio che vede coinvolta la band circa un anno prima. Il 4 dicembre 1971 i Deep Purple si trovano a Montreux, in Svizzera, con lo studio mobile dei Rolling Stones, per registrare il loro album. Quella stessa sera la band assiste al concerto di Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention tenuto all’interno del casinò di Montreux. Durante l’assolo di tastiera del brano King Kong, un fan lancia un petardo in sala. Tutto va a fuoco, Claude Nobs ( “Funky Claude” il direttore del Montreux Jazz Festival) aiuta la gente a recarsi verso l’uscita e l’incendio si estende anche all’esterno dell’edificio fino a raggiungere le acque dell’adiacente Lago di Ginevra. Roger Glover, bassista della band, racconta in una recente intervista : <<Da fuori si vedevano le fiamme riflettersi sulle nuvole e il fumo avvolgeva il lago, perciò mi venne l’idea “ Smoke on the water”>>.
Smoke on the water
We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn't have much time
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
Making our music there
With a few red lights, a few old beds
We made a place to sweat
No matter what we get out of this
I know, I know we'll never forget
Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
Smoke on the water
Smoke on the water
We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn't have much time
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
Making our music there
With a few red lights, a few old beds
We made a place to sweat
No matter what we get out of this
I know, I know we'll never forget
Smoke on the water, a fire in the sky
Smoke on the water
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