Here's a breakdown of the lyrics:
1. Introduction
>* We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile*
The band journeyed to Montreux, a town in Switzerland located on the shores of Lake Geneva, to record an album using a mobile recording studio.
>* We didn't have much time
Frank Zappa and the Mothers were at the best*
The band was short on time, and Frank Zappa and his band, The Mothers of Invention, were performing at the Montreux Casino, considered the best venue in the area.
2. The Fire
>* They burned down the gambling house
It died with an awful sound
Funky Claude was running in and out
Pulling kids out the ground*
The Montreux Casino, which housed a gambling establishment, caught fire during Zappa's concert. The casino was consumed by flames, producing an eerie and devastating sound. Funky Claude Nobs, the founder and director of the Montreux Jazz Festival, braved the inferno to save children who had been trapped inside.
3. Aftermath
>* Smoke on the water, fire in the sky
Smoke on the water, they burnt down the building*
The refrain of the song encapsulates the sight of smoke rising from the smoldering remains of the casino against the backdrop of the night sky. The use of "they" in "they burnt down the building" emphasizes the communal shock and disbelief at how quickly the fire destroyed such a prominent landmark.
>* I heard he said his eyes were like molten gold
I could see smoke on the water
Funky Claude was talking loud
We could see the flames from across the water*
The song continues to depict the intense heat of the fire and the shock felt by the band as they witnessed the event from across Lake Geneva.
4. Legacy
>* Thirty years and the feeling's still the same
Still the smoke rings the way it did that day*
The song concludes by reflecting on the enduring impact of the fire. Despite the passage of three decades, the memory and emotions associated with that fateful night remain vivid and unforgettable for the band.
Overall, "Smoke on the Water" captures the raw emotion and awe of witnessing a devastating event, paying homage to the tragedy that left an indelible mark on the Montreux music scene.