Holy Smoke (song)
Encyclopedia
"Holy Smoke" is Iron Maiden
's 21st single
and the first to feature guitarist
Janick Gers
, who joined the band in mid-1990. It was released just weeks before the album
, No Prayer for the Dying
, and climbed to number three on the UK Singles Chart
. The song deals with the many Televangelist
scandal
s that took place in the United States in the late 1980s, including mentions of "Jimmy the Reptile" (a reference to Jimmy Swaggart
), "The TV Queen" (a possible reference to Tammy Faye Bakker), Noah
, and "plenty of bad preachers for the Devil
to stoke." Contrary to what some believe, however, this song is not aimed at the Christian
religion
itself, but rather the people that abuse it to make gains for themselves. This is one of the very few Iron Maiden songs with profanity
in the lyrics
(for example, "I've lived in filth/I've lived in sin/and I still smell cleaner than the shit you're in"), which is replaced by gunshot sounds in censored versions.
The song is atypical for the band standards, being short and straight. It features a common pop-rock song structure with intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, verse and ending with another chorus. The guitar solos are very fiery making use of artificial harmonic
s, sweep picking, tapping
and wild bends.
The first solo is played by Janick and second one is played by Dave Murray.
The band took a humorous approach for the video
of the song, as the band members are filmed on Steve Harris
's farm (who directed the video), playing football
and driving a tractor, while everything happens in bright daylight. There are similarities with Deep Purple
's Perfect Strangers
video, from 1984. Bruce Dickinson
is bouncing in a turnip
field and wearing a pink T-shirt
. The band's producer
, Martin Birch
, can also be seen on the video, wearing a kind of sadomasochist costume. The video was directed by Harris himself. Harris's daughter Lauren
, who was around five years old at the time, also appeared towards the end of the video.
The B-sides are covers
of Stray
's "All in Your Mind" and "Kill Me Ce Soir" originally performed by Golden Earring
.
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's 21st single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and the first to feature guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Janick Gers
Janick Gers
Janick Robert Gers is an English musician, best known for being one of the three current guitarists in Iron Maiden, along with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, as well as his earlier work with Gillan and White Spirit.-Career and Personal Life:...
, who joined the band in mid-1990. It was released just weeks before the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, No Prayer for the Dying
No Prayer for the Dying
Reviews for the album were generally poor, with Allmusic commenting that "the songwriting wasn't up to snuff when compared to such classics as Killers or Number of the Beast" and "as a whole doesn't measure up to the hits." Sputnikmusic were equally negative, stating that "No Prayer for the Dying...
, and climbed to number three on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. The song deals with the many Televangelist
Televangelism
Televangelism is the use of television to communicate the Christian faith. The word is a portmanteau of television and evangelism and was coined by Time magazine. A “televangelist” is a Christian minister who devotes a large portion of his ministry to television broadcasting...
scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
s that took place in the United States in the late 1980s, including mentions of "Jimmy the Reptile" (a reference to Jimmy Swaggart
Jimmy Swaggart
Jimmy Lee Swaggart is a Pentecostal American pastor, teacher, musician, television host, and televangelist. He has preached to crowds around the world through his weekly telecast...
), "The TV Queen" (a possible reference to Tammy Faye Bakker), Noah
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...
, and "plenty of bad preachers for the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
to stoke." Contrary to what some believe, however, this song is not aimed at the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
itself, but rather the people that abuse it to make gains for themselves. This is one of the very few Iron Maiden songs with profanity
Profanity
Profanity is a show of disrespect, or a desecration or debasement of someone or something. Profanity can take the form of words, expressions, gestures, or other social behaviors that are socially constructed or interpreted as insulting, rude, vulgar, obscene, desecrating, or other forms.The...
in the lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
(for example, "I've lived in filth/I've lived in sin/and I still smell cleaner than the shit you're in"), which is replaced by gunshot sounds in censored versions.
The song is atypical for the band standards, being short and straight. It features a common pop-rock song structure with intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, verse and ending with another chorus. The guitar solos are very fiery making use of artificial harmonic
Artificial harmonic
To produce an artificial harmonic, a stringed instrument player holds down a note on the neck with the non-dominant hand, thereby shortening the vibrational length of the string, uses a finger to lightly touch a point on the string that is an integer divisor of its vibrational length, and plucks or...
s, sweep picking, tapping
Tapping
Tapping is a guitar playing technique, where a string is fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion of being pushed onto the fretboard, as opposed to the standard technique being fretted with one hand and picked with the other...
and wild bends.
The first solo is played by Janick and second one is played by Dave Murray.
The band took a humorous approach for the video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
of the song, as the band members are filmed on Steve Harris
Steve Harris (musician)
Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris is an English musician and songwriter, known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he founded in 1975...
's farm (who directed the video), playing football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and driving a tractor, while everything happens in bright daylight. There are similarities with Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
's Perfect Strangers
Perfect Strangers (Deep Purple song)
"Perfect Strangers" is a song by the British hard rock band Deep Purple. It is the title track of their 1984 album Perfect Strangers.The words tell of the sorrow of remaining "perfect strangers" after the end of a relationship. It is one of the few Deep Purple songs not to feature a guitar or organ...
video, from 1984. Bruce Dickinson
Bruce Dickinson
Paul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
is bouncing in a turnip
Turnip
The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, bulbous taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock...
field and wearing a pink T-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
. The band's producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Martin Birch
Martin Birch
Martin Birch is a British rock and heavy metal music producer, who became renowned for engineering and producing albums by the British rock bands Deep Purple and Iron Maiden....
, can also be seen on the video, wearing a kind of sadomasochist costume. The video was directed by Harris himself. Harris's daughter Lauren
Lauren Harris
Lauren Harris is a British vocalist. She is the daughter of Iron Maiden bassist and founder Steve Harris. She was discovered in a pub by Russ Ballard, who was unaware of who she was.-Career:...
, who was around five years old at the time, also appeared towards the end of the video.
The B-sides are covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Stray
Stray (UK band)
Stray are a British band, formed in 1966. The vocalist Steve Gadd , guitarist Del Bromham , bass player Gary Giles and drummer Steve Crutchley formed the band, whilst all were attending the Christopher...
's "All in Your Mind" and "Kill Me Ce Soir" originally performed by Golden Earring
Golden Earring
Golden Earring are a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings . They had international chart success with the songs "Radar Love" in 1973, "Twilight Zone" in 1982, and "When the Lady Smiles" in 1984. In their home country, they had over 40 hits and made over 30 gold and...
.
Track listing
- "Holy Smoke" (HarrisSteve Harris (musician)Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris is an English musician and songwriter, known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he founded in 1975...
, DickinsonBruce DickinsonPaul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
) – 3:50 - "All in Your Mind" (Bromham; StrayStray (UK band)Stray are a British band, formed in 1966. The vocalist Steve Gadd , guitarist Del Bromham , bass player Gary Giles and drummer Steve Crutchley formed the band, whilst all were attending the Christopher...
cover) – 4:31 - "Kill Me Ce Soir" (KooymansGeorge KooymansGeorge Kooymans is a Dutch guitarist and vocalist. He is best known for his work with the Dutch group, Golden Earring.- References :...
, HayBarry HayBarry Andrew Hay is the vocalist/frontman for Dutch rock band Golden Earring.-Biography:Hay was born in Faizabad, India, and moved to the Netherlands at the age of eight. He lived in Amsterdam and later in The Hague. In the summer of 1967, he joined the Golden Earrings, as they were then called,...
, John Fenton; Golden EarringGolden EarringGolden Earring are a Dutch rock band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings . They had international chart success with the songs "Radar Love" in 1973, "Twilight Zone" in 1982, and "When the Lady Smiles" in 1984. In their home country, they had over 40 hits and made over 30 gold and...
cover) – 6:17
Versions
| Songs | Country & Year | Catalog Number | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind | Australia 1990 | EMI 2477-7 | Single 7" |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind | France 1990 | EMI 2040287 | Single 7" |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind | Germany 1990 | EMI 006 0 204028 7 | Single 7" |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind | Italy 1990 | EMI 06 20 4028 7 | Single 7" |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind | UK 1990 | EMI EM 153 | Black Labels Single 7" |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind | UK 1990 | EMI EM 153 | Silver Labels Single 7" |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind / Kill me Ce Soir | EEC 1990 (German Label) | EMI 060-20 4028 6 | Maxi Single |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind / Kill me Ce Soir | Italy 1990 | EMI 14 20 4028 6 | Maxi Single |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind / Kill me Ce Soir | UK 1990 | EMI 12 EMP 153 | Maxi Single 12" + Poster 12" |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind / Kill me Ce Soir | UK 1990 | EMI EMP 153 | Picture Disc Single 12" |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind / Kill me Ce Soir | Japan Promo 1990 | EMI TOCP-6449 | CD Single |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind / Kill me Ce Soir | Japan 1990 | EMI TOCP-6449 | CD Single |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind / Kill me Ce Soir | UK 1990 | EMI CDEM 153 | CD Single |
| Holy Smoke | USA Promo 1990 | Epic ESK 2194 | CD Single |
| Holy Smoke / All in Your Mind | Australia 1990 | EMI TC-2477-4 | Cassette Single |
| Holy Smoke / All in your Mind | UK 1990 | EMI TCM 153 | Cassette Single |
Personnel
- Bruce DickinsonBruce DickinsonPaul Bruce Dickinson is an English singer, songwriter, airline pilot, fencer, broadcaster, author, screenwriter, actor and marketing director, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden....
– vocals - Dave MurrayDave Murray (musician)David Michael Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.-Biography:...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Janick GersJanick GersJanick Robert Gers is an English musician, best known for being one of the three current guitarists in Iron Maiden, along with Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, as well as his earlier work with Gillan and White Spirit.-Career and Personal Life:...
– guitar - Steve HarrisSteve Harris (musician)Stephen Percy "Steve" Harris is an English musician and songwriter, known as the bassist, occasional keyboardist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, which he founded in 1975...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Nicko McBrainNicko McBrainMichael Henry "Nicko" McBrain is an English musician, best known as the drummer for Iron Maiden, which he joined in 1982, prior to which he had played for Streetwalkers, Pat Travers, and the French political band, Trust.-Biography:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Chart performance
| Year | Single | Chart | Position | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | "Holy Smoke" | Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
4 | No Prayer for the Dying No Prayer for the Dying Reviews for the album were generally poor, with Allmusic commenting that "the songwriting wasn't up to snuff when compared to such classics as Killers or Number of the Beast" and "as a whole doesn't measure up to the hits." Sputnikmusic were equally negative, stating that "No Prayer for the Dying... |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
20 | |||
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
3 |