Tex Williams – Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)

Song written by Merle Travis & Tex Williams, was recorded for the first time by Tex Williams for the Capitol stamp on March 27, 1947, at Radio Recorders, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA, was accompanied in the session by: (Tex Williams [vcl], Deuce Spriggens [harm vcl], Johnny Weis [ld gt], Eugene “Smokey” Rogers [gt], Paul “Spike” Featherstone [gt], poss Eddie Mitchell [steel], Cliffie Stone [bass fiddle], Muddy Berry [drums], Don Linder / George Wendt [trumpet], Andrew “Cactus” Soldi [fiddle], Rex Call [fiddle], Harry Sims [fiddle], Ossie Godson [piano], Larry “Pedro” DePaul [accordion]). It was launched in May 1947. On June 16, 1947, he reached number # 1 on the country charts, was 16 weeks in the same position, was the first and only number one of the career of Tex Williams.

The song was recorded again, on 29 April 1953 Decca Recording Studio, 5505 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, CA, for the Ep, All Time Greats (Decca 1954).

Some Versions:

Phil Harris & His Orchestra 1947 (RCA Victor)
Jimmy Dean 1961 (Columbia)
Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen 1973 (Paramount)
Merle Travis 1979 (CMH Records)
Leroy Van Dyke 1982 (Audiograph)
Asleep at the Wheel 1995 (Capitol)
Cousin Harley 2017 (Little Pig Records)

Tex Williams – Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) Lyrics
Now I’m a fellow with a heart of gold
With the ways of a gentleman I’ve been told
The kind of fellow that wouldn’t even harm a flea

But if me and a certain character met
The guy that invented the cigarette
I’d murder that son-of-a-gun in the first degree

‘Course, it ain’t cause I don’t smoke myself
And I don’t reckon they hinder your health
I’ve smoked them all my life and I ain’t dead yet

But nicotine slaves are all the same
At a pettin’ party or a poker game
Everything’s gotta stop while they smokes a cigarette

(Smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette)
(Puff, puff, puff and if you smoke yourself to death)
Tell St. Peter at the Golden Gate
That you hates to make him wait
You’ve gotta have another cigarette

In a game of chance the other night
Old Dame Fortune was doin’ me right
The kings and the queens just kept on comin’ around
I got a full and I bet ’em high
But my bluff didn’t work on a certain guy
He just kept on raisin’ and layin’ that money down

He’d raise me, I’d raise him
I sweated blood, you gotta sink or swim
He finally called, didn’t raise the bet

I said “aces full pal, how ’bout you?”
He said “I’ll tell you in just a minute or two
Right now, I just gotta have myself a cigarette”

(Smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette)
(Puff, puff, puff and if you smoke yourself to death)
Tell St. Peter at the Golden Gate
That you hates to make him wait
You’ve gotta have another cigarette

The other night I had me a date
With the cutest little gal on East 50 States
One ’em high-bred, uptown, fancy little dames

She said she loved me and it seemed to me
That everything’s bout like it oughta be
So hand in hand we strolled down lover’s lane
She was oh so far from a chunk of ice
Our smoochin’ party was goin’ real nice
So help me, Hannah I’m thinking I’ve been there yet

I give her a kiss, a little squeeze
She said, “Tex, excuse me please
But I just gotta have a filtered cigarette”

(Smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette)
(Puff, puff, puff and if you smoke yourself to death)
Tell St. Peter at the Golden Gate
That you hates to make him wait
You’ve just gotta have another cigarette