Songs of Will T. Massey — “Send Up the Smoke”

Will’s 1991 debut album MCA burst hot out of the chutes, ready to rock & roll. After 3 independent cassette releases showcasing his songwriting and country roots, Will went into the studio with E-Street Band veteran Roy Bittan producing a powerful collection of heartfelt rockers. Roy pulled in some of the best sidemen in the business to back Will up and the album shows it.

This tune always crackled with energy, rousing crowds and creating instant fans from early on in Will’s touring days. The embedded video here is from a 2007 performance in Pavia, Italy — and you can hear the enthusiasm of Will’s fans welcoming him “home” to SpazioMusica.

Nobody I know
Has any heroes
Any more,
Eyes on the floor.
Nobody to lead us
While mom & he mistreat us,
Close the door,
Eyes on the floor.
Keep it discreet
Shuffle your feet.
Casually greet everybody you meet —
Turn into stone.
Keep your hurting at home.
Do your thinking alone.

Teach a young dog old tricks.
That’s easy to predict.
Nothing’s going down.
Nothing new in town.
We grew up to be
Cartoons on TV.
Ah, what the hell,
It’s just as well.
You just get on by,
You don’t ask why,
You live once,
You die a thousand times —
Turn into stone.
Keep your hurting at home.
Do your thinking alone.

Start up the fire.
Send up the smoke.
Signal the world —
That we ain’t no joke.
We ain’t no joke.

I was talking to the news,
She was singing the blues.
It’s a hard world
For a working girl.
And my teacher said
It was all in my head
When the history books
Gave me dirty looks.
So, it’s adios to the grandiose,
Heavenly hosts and the Holy Ghost
Turn into stone.
Keep your hurting at home.
Do your thinking alone.

Start up the fire.
Send up the smoke.
Signal the world —
We ain’t no joke.
We ain’t no joke.

Start up the fire.
Send up the smoke.
Signal the world —
We ain’t no joke.
We ain’t no joke.

 

for your further enjoymenty — the official MCA recording of  “Send Up the Smoke”