Smokes Like Lightning Explained

Smokes Like Lightning
Type:	Album
Artist:	Lightnin' Hopkins
Cover:	Smokes Like Lightning.jpg
Released:	1963
Recorded:	January and February 17 & 20, 1962
Studio:	ACA Studios (Gold Star Studios), Houston, TX
Genre:	Blues
Length:	36:24
Label:	Bluesville
Producer:	Mack McCormick
Chronology:	Lightnin' Hopkins
Prev Title:	Lightnin' and Co.
Prev Year:	1962
Next Title:	Lightnin' Strikes
Next Year:	1962

Smokes Like Lightning is an album by the blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins, recorded in Texas in 1962 and released on the Bluesville label the following year.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Reception

AllMusic reviewer Greg Adams stated: " A brief and uneven album, Smokes Like Lightnin is less compelling than Hopkins' '50s recordings, but strikes an appealingly lazy acoustic groove". The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings said "the quality of Lightnin's performances is variable".^[4]

Track listing

All compositions by Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins

1. "T-Model Blues" – 2:46
2. "Jackstropper Blues" – 3:22
3. "You Cook All Right" – 4:15
4. "My Black Name" – 3:56
5. "You Never Miss Your Water" – 2:36
6. "Let's Do the Susie-Q" – 3:39
7. "Ida Mae" – 5:26
8. "Smokes Like Lightning" – 5:13
9. "Prison Farm Blues" – 4:30

Personnel

Performance

• Lightnin' Hopkins – guitar, vocals
• Billy Bizor – harmonica, vocals (tracks 4 & 7)
• Buster Pickens – piano (track 9)
• Donald Cooks – bass (track 9)
• Spider Kilpatrick – drums (tracks 4, 7 & 9)

Production

• Mack McCormick – supervision

Notes and References

1. https://www.jazzdisco.org/prestige-records/catalog-bluesville-1000-series/#bvlp-1070 Jazzdisco: Prestige Records Catalog: Bluesville 1000 series
2. https://www.bsnpubs.com/fantasy/bluesville/bluesville.html Both Sides Now: Prestige/Bluesville Album Discography
3. https://www.wirz.de/music/hopkins.htm Wirz' American Music: Sam "Lightnin'" Hopkins discography
4. Book: Russell, Tony. Smith, Chris. The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. 2006. Penguin. London. 978-0-140-51384-4. 279–80.