Black Smoke Rising (song)

Last updated
"Black Smoke Rising"
Song by Greta Van Fleet
from the album Black Smoke Rising and From the Fires
Recorded2017
Genre Rock [1]
Length4:21
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Josh Kiszka
  • Jake Kiszka
  • Sam Kiszka
  • Danny Wagner

"Black Smoke Rising" is a song by American rock band Greta Van Fleet. It was first released on their debut EP Black Smoke Rising in 2017, and then later released again on their double EP From the Fires in 2018. While not originally released as a single, the song charted briefly on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song for the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.

Contents

Background

The song was first released on the band's debut EP Black Smoke Rising , and then released again on the band's next release, the double EP From the Fires . [2] On January 18, 2019, the band performed the song and "You're the One" live on Saturday Night Live . [3] [4] An acoustic version of the song would be released as a single in 2018 along with a cover of Rolling in the Deep by Adele. [5]

Composition and themes

The song has been described as traditional, guitar-driven rock song, prominently featuring Jake Kiszka's guitar riff hook and lead singer Josh Kiszka's "husky howl". [1] At the 2:30 mark of the song, the song breaks its structure to enter a minute long interlude consisting of Joshua Kiszka's howling vocals and Jacob Kiszka's psychedelic guitar work, before returning to its final chorus. [6] Thematically, the song was inspired by the summers by bonfires of their youth, with Josh Kiszka explaining:

When we were all kids, our extended families and friends spent part of every summer together at a place called Yankee Springs. We were out in the middle of the woods, and every night, we'd sit around a campfire, play music and tell stories. I always loved that as it reminded me of ancient times when people would gather around the fires with the tribes' elders telling fables of wisdom and courage, passing down human history. That concept is where the cover art and title come from." [2]

Reception

The song was well-received by critics. Billboard named the song the fifteenth best rock song of 2017, [1] while PopMatters writer William Nesbit named it the best rock song of 2017. [6]


The song received a Grammy Award nomination for the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, for Best Rock Song. [7]

Personnel

Band

Charts

Chart (2018)Peak
position
US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [8] 39

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [9] Gold30,000‡
Canada (Music Canada) [10] Gold40,000‡
United States (RIAA) [11] Gold500,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greta Van Fleet</span> American rock band formed in 2012

Greta Van Fleet is an American rock band from Frankenmuth, Michigan, formed in 2012. It consists of the Kiszka brothers: twins Josh (vocals) and Jake (guitar), Sam, and Danny Wagner (drums). They were signed to Lava Records in March 2017, and a month later they released their debut studio EP, Black Smoke Rising. Their debut single, "Highway Tune", topped the Billboard U.S. Mainstream Rock and Active Rock charts in September 2017 for four weeks in a row. Their second EP, From the Fires, containing the four songs from Black Smoke Rising and four new songs, was released on November 10, 2017, alongside a second single, "Safari Song". From the Fires went on to win the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album.

<i>Black Smoke Rising</i> 2017 EP by Greta Van Fleet

Black Smoke Rising is the debut EP by American rock band Greta Van Fleet. It was released digitally on April 21, 2017, and physically on August 7, 2017 by Republic Records. The single "Highway Tune" topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock and Active Rock Rock stations in September 2017. A second single, "Safari Song", reached number two. The EP was later packed together with four more songs to create From the Fires, a double EP released on November 10, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Highway Tune</span> 2017 single by Greta Van Fleet

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<i>From the Fires</i> 2017 EP by Greta Van Fleet

From the Fires is the second EP by American rock band Greta Van Fleet. It was released on November 10, 2017 through Lava and Republic Records. From the Fires won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album at the 61st Grammy Awards.

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<i>Anthem of the Peaceful Army</i> 2018 studio album by Greta Van Fleet

Anthem of the Peaceful Army is the debut studio album by American rock band Greta Van Fleet. The album was released on October 19, 2018, and follows the band's two EP releases, Black Smoke Rising and From the Fires. The first single, "When the Curtain Falls", was released in July 2018. A second single, "You're the One" was released around the time of the album's release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greta Van Fleet discography</span>

Greta Van Fleet is an American hard rock band. The band released their debut studio EP, Black Smoke Rising in 2017. Their debut single, "Highway Tune", topped the Billboard US Mainstream Rock and Active Rock charts in September 2017 for four weeks in a row. A second EP running at 32 minutes From the Fires, containing the four songs from Black Smoke Rising and four new songs, was released on November 10, 2017, alongside a second single, "Safari Song". Their debut full length studio album running at 49 minutes, Anthem of the Peaceful Army, was released on October 19, 2018 and it topped the Billboard Rock Albums chart in the first week after its release, with the album's first single, "When the Curtain Falls", being released ahead of it in July 2018, and eventually becoming the band's third number one US single on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart. Anthem of the Peaceful Army also launched atop the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart, and reached the number one spot on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart in the first week after its release. The 64 minute album, The Battle at Garden's Gate was released on April 16, 2021, with their singles "Heat Above", "Light My Love", and "My Way, Soon". It debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band’s third album Starcatcher was on July 21, 2023, through Lava and Republic Records.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "The 25 Best Rock Songs of 2017: Critics' Picks". Billboard.com. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Archived copy". loudwire.com. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ "Greta Van Fleet Perform 'Black Smoke Rising' and 'You're the One' on 'SNL': Watch". Billboard.com. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  4. ↑ "Greta van Fleet's 'SNL' Performance of 'Black Smoke Rising' Was Fiery". uproxx.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2019. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  5. ↑ Rolling In The Deep - Recorded At Spotify Studios NYC, 2018-01-24, retrieved 2023-05-28
  6. 1 2 Nesbitt, William (14 December 2017). "Greta Van Fleet: From the Fires". Popmatters.com. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "2019 metal and hard rock Grammy nominees include Greta Van Fleet, Ghost, Deafheaven, High on Fire, Halestorm, and more". Consequence.net. 7 December 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "Greta Van Fleet Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Brazilian single certifications – Greta Van Fleet – Black Smoke Rising" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil . Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Greta Van Fleet – Black Smoke Rising". Music Canada . Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  11. ↑ "American single certifications – Greta Van Fleet – Black Smoke Rising". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved April 6, 2023.
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