The song was a collaborative effort between Tom Scholz, and Brad Delp whom at the time he had recently hired, it was one of the two songs on the first Boston LP not written by Scholz alone. It was one of the songs Scholz started working on in the early 1970s in his basement several years before the band had gotten a record contract. An early version of the song written and recorded in 1973, titled "Shakin", appears from the Mother's Milk Sessions. This tape reveals that originally, the song had a different meaning.
Writing in 2008, Kevin Smith of the Arizona Daily Star described "Smokin'" as a "radio standard." MusicTap's review of Boston noted "Smokin'" as one of the songs from the album to become an FM radio staple, helping the album sell 17 million copies. Scott Tady of Beaver County Times described "Smokin'," "Rock and Roll Band" and Boston's first four singles as having "helped set the foundation for classic-rock radio." Denise Lavoie of the Associated Press singled out "Smokin" and "More Than a Feeling" as the hits for which Boston is best known. Classic Rock critic Paul Elliott rated it as Boston's 4th greatest song, calling it "a flat-out, high-octane blaster."
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide called "Smokin'" a "cleaned-up boogey [sic] crowd pleaser..." Scholz described the beginning of the song as being a vaguely ZZ Top-ish boogie. Ultimate Classic Rock critic Michael Gallucci praised the song's "boogie groove" that persists throughout the song. Gallucci rated it Boston's 7th greatest song. Paul Elliorr of TeamRock.com praised it as Boston's 4th greatest song, noting that it is the one song from the band's debut album that "just rocked out," describing the song as a "high octane blaster." The lyrics extol music, parties and marijuana.
The song is featured in the 2004 game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and movie The Virgin Suicides and in the 2016 South Park episodes "Skank Hunt" and "The End of Serialization as We Know It". It also appears on the WWE 2K18 soundtrack and on the 2011 film Zookeeper. It is featured in the 2021 film [Boss Level].
Smokin
Boston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You gotta let yourself go, the band's gonna take control
We're gettin' off today
We'll pick you up and take you away
Get down tonight
Smokin', smokin'
We're cookin' tonight, just keep on tokin'
I feel alright, mamma I'm not jokin', yeah
Get your feet to the floor, everybody rock and roll
You've got nothing to lose just the rhythm and blues, that's all, yeah
We're gonna feel ok
We'll pick you up and take you away
Get down tonight
Smokin', Smokin'
We're cookin' tonight, just keep on tokin'
Smokin', Smokin'
I feel alright, mamma I'm not jokin', yeah
Everyone's jumpin', dancin' to the boogie tonight
Clap your hands, move your feet
If you don't you know it won't seem right
We're gettin' off today
We'll pick you up and take you away
Get down tonight
We're gettin' off today
We'll pick you up take you away
Get down tonight, well alright
The lyrics of Boston's "Smokin'" are all about letting loose and enjoying the rock-n-roll music. It encourages people to let themselves go and surrender to the music. The first verse sets the scene for the rest of the song - the band is in control and they're going to take the audience on a ride. The chorus is a repetition of "Smokin', smokin'" that represents the intense and electrifying energy that the music possesses. The line "just keep on tokin'" reinforces the idea of surrendering to the music and enjoying it to the fullest.
The chorus is then followed by another verse that reinforces the idea that there's nothing to lose in letting go and dancing to the rhythm and blues of the music. The song creates a feeling of liberation, emphasizing that people can forget about their problems and just enjoy the moment. The chorus repeats again, emphasizing the feeling of being "alright." The final verse reinforces the message of the song - to dance, move your feet, and surrender to the music.
Line by Line Meaning
We're gonna play you a song, a little bit of rock-n-roll
The band is about to play a rock song for the audience
You gotta let yourself go, the band's gonna take control
The audience should let themselves loose and let the music take over
We're gettin' off today
The band is really excited and pumped up for the gig
We'll pick you up and take you away
The band is confident that they will create an enjoyable experience for the audience
Get down tonight
It's time to get into the groove and dance
Smokin', smokin'
The band and the show are really good and hot
We're cookin' tonight, just keep on tokin'
The band is absolutely nailing the performance, the audience should keep on enjoying the music
I feel alright, mamma I'm not jokin', yeah
The lead singer is feeling really good about the performance and not joking around
Get your feet to the floor, everybody rock and roll
The audience should start dancing with the music
You've got nothing to lose just the rhythm and blues, that's all, yeah
The audience should forget everything negative and just enjoy the music and dancing
We're gonna feel ok
The band is confident that they and the audience will feel amazing
Everyone's jumpin', dancin' to the boogie tonight, Clap your hands, move your feet
The entire audience is dancing and enjoying the party vibe
If you don't you know it won't seem right
If the audience members don't dance and enjoy the music, they will miss out on a great time
Well alright
Everything is going great and the band is happy with the performance
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: B. DELP, T. SCHOLZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hexertion
Gerald Broflovski killed that keyboard solo.
@zednotzee
Lol
@TacoJ1LL
fuk yeah Lol
@emperortrevornorton3119
Hahaha
@theodoregarman7997
Damn right
@ryanfarrell3126
Kills it tho 🤣
@gueronva
One of the best groups that came out in the mid 70’s…. Still Remember them Rockin my world. Wish we could go back in time to relive those moments.
@dadgummit8787
This whole ass album was fire. The whole fucking thing dude.
@clubhouseme
best debut album ever yes better than the one other will say
@denhan5713
Timeless! Never gets old!!!