Not only is A Thousand Horses‘ debut single “Smoke” a great sounding song, but it is the poster child for how to use a metaphor, making it the best metaphor song we’ve heard.
Why is this song the best metaphor song ever?
Well, besides the gritty, Southern rock blues vocal delivery by Michael Hobby, it’s the songwriting brilliance of Ross Copperman, Jon Nite and Michael Hobby!
If you had to set the bar for a great metaphor song – this one would be it.
The Metaphor
Using smoke to describe a woman – risky!
Basically, a metaphor is a device used to create a comparison.
It doesn’t use “like” or “as” as part of that comparison – that’s a simile. And, you’ll notice in the bridge of this song, the writers eventually use a simile to make a direct connection between smoke and the woman. But they do it toward the end of the song. Neat trick to use both so well.
A metaphor is a more direct comparison than a simile because it doesn’t use distancing words such as “like” or “as” – a metaphor by it’s nature encourages a more direct connection between the thing being referenced (smoke) and the thing being talked about (the woman).
TIP: For metaphors to work, they can’t break down!
What do I mean by that?
You never end up laughing about how his girlfriend is shaped like a cigarette, or wondering why anyone would compare a person to nasty-smelling cigarette smoke.
The connection can’t become comic. For example, if there had been a reference to how smoke crawled through the rafters of the bar . . . and you apply that to the girlfriend . . . the visual in your head gets a little strange – unbelievable – comic.
Great news – never happens with this song!
What Makes it the Best Metaphor Song Ever?
The Imagery & Allusion
Why use the attributes of one thing to describe another?
The short answer – fewer words needed to get across a bigger meaning.
Think about it . . . by calling on the imagery of something else, I don’t have to explain that “a woman is a habit very much like smoking and the unbreakable pattern created by the dependence on nicotine, the feeling of inclusion during social events when drinking, and the overall relaxation derived from the product.”
Who wants to hear that in a song?!
More great news – there’s no need to, because smoke/smoking is a fairly universal image, brings up very visual references for people, and as a result doesn’t require any description of its own in the language of the song.
It’s a great metaphoric idea.
The Language
The language in the song is the secret sauce. The lyric stays true to the image being described & alluded to always!
Let’s compare some lines to the connections we’re asked to make as a listener:
- She comes rolling off the tip of my tongue – definitely thinking cigarette smoke here, “she” is odd, but OK I’ll go with it
- First thing I want when I start drinking – universal yes for a cigarette and can tie to a woman
- Breathing her in, breathing her out – habit and part of breathing, works for both
- Once I pick her up, can’t put her down – emphasizing the habit, works for both
Then the Chorus just flat out tells us “she’s smoke” which is where the tricky part begins.
The writers have now committed to the metaphor so have to be very careful about the parallels they make. In Verse 2 they’ve merged the two, then make them very distinct things – celebrating the fact that both are part of the hanging out experience.
- She floats around like a ballroom gypsy – yes smoke meanders around, and you can visualize a woman dancing through a bar/ballroom just having a good time
- Goes great with beer and whiskey – check – both are great in those two scenarios and fit
- One in my hand and one on my lips – works either way for either one!
Picking The Right Metaphor
Is this a cigarette song – or a smoke song?
You’ve probably noticed by now that a lot of the references are more to smoking and cigarettes than smoke.
But – notice the song’s not called “My Girlfriend’s Like A Cigarette”
It could have been and it’s probably been written by someone somewhere – so why not write it that way?
- Because no woman would want to see herself in those terms – a bad habit tied to cancer and who knows what else. It comes off as derogatory, and
- The smoke metaphor is far more mysterious, giving the song attributes beyond the literal act of smoking, raising it above just a bad habit.
Why The Best Metaphor Song? “Smoke” Lyrics
Note: internal rhyme (yellow) , end rhymes (blue) , other device (purple)
VERSE
She comes rolling right off the tip of my tongue so easy . [A]
She’ll be the first damn thing I want when I start drinking . [A]
I’m breathing her in, breathing her out , [B]
once I pick her up I can’t put her down . . . [B]CHORUS
She’s smoke : [C]
I pull her in nice and slow . [C]
She’s a habit and I can’t let go , [C]
Blowing rings around my heart . [D]
The one she stole . [C]
Watching her sway and go , [C]
It’s killing me and I know – [C]
Can’t stop her once you start [D]
She’s smoke . [C]VERSE
She’ll go floating around like a downtown ballroom gypsy . [A]
She goes great with ice cold beer or a shot of whiskey . [A]
Put one in my hand, her on my lips [E]
Man, that’s as good as it gets [E]CHORUS
She’s smoke : [C]
I pull her in nice and slow . [C]
She’s a habit and I can’t let go , [C]
Blowing rings around my heart . [D]
The one she stole . [C]
Watching her sway and go , [C]
It’s killing me and I know – [C]
Can’t stop her once you start [D]
She’s smoke . [C]BRIDGE
When the night burns out , [B]
And we all go home , [C]
Smell of sweet perfume , [F]
All over your clothes – [C]
Like smoke , ooh, ooh [C]
Like smoke ooh, ooh [C]CHORUS
She’s smoke : [C]
I pull her in nice and slow . [C]
She’s a habit and I can’t let go , [C]
Blowing rings around my heart . [D]
The one she stole . [C]
Watching her sway and go , [C]
It’s killing me and I know – [C]
Can’t stop her once you start [D]
She’s smoke . [C]
She’s smoke . [C]OUTRO (REPEATS BRIDGE!)
Songwriters: Ross Copperman, Jon Nite & Michael Hobby
When the night burns out , [B]
And we all go home , [C]
Smell of sweet perfume , [F]
All over your clothes – [C]
Like smoke , ooh, ooh [C]
Like smoke ooh, ooh [C]