Smoke on the Water
| "Smoke on the Water" | ||||
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1973 German single sleeve | ||||
| Single by Deep Purple | ||||
| from the album Machine Head | ||||
| B-side | "Smoke on the Water" (live) | |||
| Released | May 1973 | |||
| Recorded | December 1971 | |||
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| Producer(s) | Deep Purple | |||
| Deep Purple singles chronology | ||||
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| "Smoke on the Water" Video on YouTube | ||||
"Smoke on the Water" is a song by English rock band Deep Purple, released on their 1972 studio album Machine Head. The song's lyrics are based on true events, chronicling the 1971 fire at Montreux Casino in Montreux, Switzerland. It is considered the band's signature song and its guitar riff is considered to be one of the most iconic in rock history.
In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine placed "Smoke on the Water" number 434 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Total Guitar magazine ranked the song's riff number 4 on its "Greatest Guitar Riffs Ever" list, and in March 2005, Q magazine placed it at number 12 in its list of the 100 greatest guitar tracks.
In 2017, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.