The Smoker You Get, The Player You Get Songs Ranked
The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get is the second studio album by the American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joe Walsh. The album was released in 1973, on the label ABC-Dunhill in the United States, and United Kingdom, and it was also released in Germany. It proved to be his commercial breakthrough, largely on the strength of the Top 40 hit single, “Rocky Mountain Way”, which helped propel the album into the Top 10. On this album, Walsh shares the vocals and songwriting with the other three members of Barnstorm: drummer/multi-instrumentalist Joe Vitale, bassist Kenny Passarelli, and new member, keyboardist Rocke Grace. As a result, a variety of styles are explored on this album; there are elements of blues, jazz, folk, pop, and even Caribbean music. However, the album is only credited to Walsh as a solo artist, not to Barnstorm, which led to the band’s demise. After the success of this album, Walsh continued making albums as a solo artist. Here are all of The Smoker You Get, The Player You Get songs ranked.
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9. Rocky Mountain Way
“The album’s opener “Rocky Mountain Way” was always going to be a sonic tester for this reissue – and it doesn’t disappoint – guitar riffage everywhere – drums and bass so sweetly complimenting – it’s astonishingly clean and full of power.”
8. Wolf
“”Wolf” is a haunting mellow piece with the great line “Comes without warning, nothing you can name” with Joe’s mannerisms enhancing the atmosphere.”
See more: Joe Walsh Albums Ranked
7. Happy Ways
“Happy Ways is one of the bass player’s songs that sounds great-very original and fun to listen to. “Happy Ways” has a simplistic Jamaican-like vocal melody which makes it the experimental piece here (a successful one at that).”
6. Dreams
“There’s a keyboard flourish about one minute into “Dreams” which literally made me stop in my tracks – gorgeous clarity – then it rocks about 2:18 and I’m blubbering like a fool.”
5. Daydream (Prayer)
“The album finishes with the quiet piano of “Daydream (Prayer)” which is perhaps the prettiest song on here – the girly vocals of King and Fields now so beautifully clear.”
See more: Joe Walsh Songs Ranked
4. Days Gone By
“hat’s hilarious is that “Days Gone By” did NOT give me a positive impression at first. I really had to give it a few listens to wrap my head around the way it’s written. One of the more unusual and circus-like verse melodies out there that stands out compared to the rest of the material here.”
3. Meadows
“Meadows has an autumnal theme, a great rhythm guitar riff, and Joe just being his unpretentious and charming self. Joe Walsh talks babble at the beginning of “Meadows” and eventually screams “Oh Yeah! AAAGHH! AAGHH!” On thrilling to this fabulous CD reissue, I now know exactly what he means.”
2. Midnight Moodies
“Midnight Moodies” is probably my favorite song on the album. The flutes give it a distinct wilderness vibe which is appealing to me but the other arrangements (mainly the piano) are typical mid 70’s fair”
1. Bookends
“What I also love about this album is the contributions by all of Walsh’s band at the time, Joe Vitale on Drums, Flute, and Keyboards, Rocke Grace on Keyboards, and Ken Passarelli on Bass. Each of these musicians contributes songs to what is called a ”Joe Walsh” album, and I just like the fact that if you were in Joe Walsh’s band, he had no problem with you writing songs for ‘his’ album. “