# Did "Deep Purpl'e" "Smoke on the Water" Reflect an Actual Event? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 14, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498 "2013-07-14T18:17:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/21 "2013-07-15T13:42:16Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > BTW, FZ’s live collection album “You Can’t Do That on Stage Anymore Vol. 3” includes a recording of “King Kong” from that night, and you can actually hear the flare gun go off. You’re confusing three separate incidents. The collaged version of “King Kong” on YCDTOSA Vol. 3 includes excerpts from the London Rainbow show one week _after_ the Montreux show mentioned in “Smoke on the Water,” which ended with Zappa being severely injured after being pushed off the stage by a deranged audience member. (That actual incident was not captured on tape.) The track with the pop of a gun comes shortly before “King Kong” on the CD: “Cocaine Decisions” from the 1982 show in Palermo at which the audience rioted, and a tear gas gun is audible on the recording. The bootleg _Swiss Cheese/Fire_ includes the complete show from Montreux, and reveals that Howard Kaylan’s first instinct upon spotting the flames is to make a joke about “Fire” singer Arthur Brown. The incident can be heard here: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XC9Y9Vm066k/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC6AKKAgwIABABGFMgZShPMA8=&rs=AOn4CLALbLRWheYxbJbs83BWb0OpwQaYFg "Zappa, Mothers, Montreux Casino, FIRE, Smoke on the Water (excerpts)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC9Y9Vm066k) ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/22 "2013-07-15T14:16:24Z")
I bow to your superior FZ knowledge. His father really was Mr. Greenjeans though, wasn’t he? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/23 "2013-07-15T15:37:45Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Funky Claude died just a couple of months ago. I wasn’t aware for a long time that “Funky Claude” Nobs was the guy who introduced the band at the start of my favorite live album- Jethro Tull’s\*\*\* Bursting Out\*\*\*. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/24 "2013-07-15T15:41:38Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > I think ralph124c has a host file entry that redirects “[google.com](http://google.com)” to here. It’s the only explanation that makes any sense. You are right-its an obvious waste of time to pose a question here! ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/25 "2013-07-15T17:18:42Z")
I had the single (an actual vinyl 78 record) for “Smoke on the Water”, I couldn’t tell you any other song by Deep Purple or what the B side song was on that single. I played it all the time and I had no idea what they were singing about since I couldn’t understand most of the lyrics. Back then we couldn’t just go online and do that fancy-schmancy googley thing to look stuff up! Kids these days have no idea how easy they have it. _wanders off muttering something about “the lawn”_ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/26 "2013-07-15T17:33:04Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > You are right-its an obvious waste of time to pose a question here! Well, in all fairness, you may as well have asked “Was the Edmund Fitzgerald a real ship?” ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/27 "2013-07-15T17:44:57Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Well, in all fairness, you may as well have asked “Was the Edmund Fitzgerald a real ship?” Don’t leave us hanging! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/28 "2013-07-15T17:45:59Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Who’s Deep Purpl’e? Barney, the Dinosaur. That’s who. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/29 "2013-07-15T17:48:49Z")
> [@Tully\_Mars](#): > > Barney, the Dinosaur. That’s who. And Tinky Winky. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/30 "2013-07-15T18:24:36Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Who’s Deep Purpl’e? > [@Tully\_Mars](#): > > Barney, the Dinosaur. That’s who. > [@Leaffan](#): > > And Tinky Winky. Rule 34 … let’s not go there. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/31 "2013-07-15T19:47:04Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Well, in all fairness, you may as well have asked “Was the Edmund Fitzgerald a real ship?” No, it wasn’t. It was a real iron boat. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/32 "2013-07-15T19:56:59Z")
It should be noted that _Smoke on the Water_ has one of the best bass lines ever. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/33 "2013-07-15T20:03:53Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > No, it wasn’t. > > It was a real iron boat. As the big ships go, she was bigger than most. Figure THAT one out. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/34 "2013-07-15T20:05:46Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Come on, Ralph, how did it not occur to you to just look in Wikipedia? It’s got to take less time to do that than to create a thread here. Ever occur to you that the board isn’t \*just \*about getting information? Sometimes it’s to open an enjoyable discussion - such as this one. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/35 "2013-07-15T20:14:00Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > As the big ships go, she was bigger than most. > > Figure THAT one out. Artistic license. On the Great Lakes, referring to a respectable iron boat as a ship can be fighting words. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/36 "2013-07-15T20:15:18Z")
A note to DP/Machine Head fans: do yourself a favor and check out the remix Roger Glover did for the 25th Anniversary re-issue. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/37 "2013-07-15T20:20:27Z")
Hands up - how many people cannot play a guitar at all, but _can_ play the first few bars of “Smoke on the Water” ? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/38 "2013-07-15T20:57:37Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Come on, Ralph, how did it not occur to you to just look in Wikipedia? Or [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=12636), for that matter? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/39 "2013-07-15T21:01:12Z")
Yes, it was a question that could be answered by checking wiki, but it did prompt an interesting discussion of Deep Purple, Frank Zappa, and Great Lakes iron boats. So it gets a pass from me. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498/40 "2013-07-15T21:12:16Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > Come on, Ralph, how did it not occur to you to just look in Wikipedia? It’s got to take less time to do that than to create a thread here. > > Ever occur to you that the board isn’t \*just \*about getting information? Sometimes it’s to open an enjoyable discussion - such as this one. Sure but Ralph didn’t start a thread to discuss the song. He opened a thread to ask an easily-answered question. The discussion was in spite of that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-deep-purple-smoke-on-the-water-reflect-an-actual-event/663498.md?page=3)