Top 10 Smokie Songs

Photo: gravitat-OFF, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Top 10 Smokie Songs list looks at the songs of an English Rock band that had great success in the UK and Australia and a few big hits in the U.S. Hailing from the city of Bradford, Yorkshire, England, the group Smokie originally consisted of musicians Chris Norman, Terry Uttley, Pete Spencer, and Alan Silson. The group worked with the famous songwriting team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, who composed many songs for the band Sweet and the great Suzi Quatro.

The group released their first album, Pass It Around, in 1975. The group’s second album, also released in 1975, titled Changing All the Time, would spawn its first big hit, “If You Think You Know How to Love Me.” It would become the group’s first charting song and a big hit in the United Kingdom. The song was also covered by Pat Benatar on her first album, In The Heat Of The Night. It was composed by the team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn.

The group’s third album, Midnight Café, was released in 1976. While having excellent chart success in the UK, the band had not yet become a household name. That would all change when the group released the single “Living Next Door To Alice.” The song became a worldwide hit and the highest-charting song of their career in the United States. All it takes is one big hit to enjoy a successful rock and roll career forever, and Smokie had theirs.

Nonetheless, they had plenty more singles and success in the UK and Europe, but their success in the US was limited. From 1975 to 2010, the band Smokie released 21 studio albums, 3 compilation albums, 2 live albums, and 26 singles. Our Smokie songs list features 10 of their most successful and popular songs released during their rock and roll career.

# 10 – For a Few Dollars More

We open our top 10 Smokie songs list with the great mid-tempo acoustic-sounding song “For a Few Dollars More.” The song was released on the album entitled The Montreux Album. It was the first single released from the album. The album was released in 1978. The song was huge in Austria, Norway, and Germany, where it reached number two in each country. The song was a hit on the United Kingdom Music Charts, peaking at number seventeen. The song hit the Australian Music Charts, peaking at number fifty-seven. “For a Few Dollars More” was composed by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. This is a great one to start our Smokie songs list.

# 9 – Do To Me

Continuing with our top 10 Smokie songs list, we listen to the great song entitled “Do To Me.” This was a song written by the band’s lead singer, Chris Norman, and drummer Pete Spencer. I love this song. The song was released on the album The Other Side of the Road. The album was released in 1979. It was the first single released from the album. “Do To Me” was a top 10 hit in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, peaking at number ten in Germany, seven in Switzerland, and six in Austria. The song hit the Australian Music Charts, peaking at number sixteen.

# 8 – Mexican Girl

In the number eight spot on our top 10 Smokie songs list, we present the song “Mexican Girl.” This song has such a great groove, and the harmonies are fantastic. The song was released on the album entitled The Montreux Album. The album was released in 1978. It was the third single released from the album. The song hit the United Kingdom Music Charts, peaking at number nineteen. The song hit the Australian Music Charts, peaking at nineteen. However, they loved the song in Germany, which went to number one. It went to number two in Austria.

# 7 – Babe It’s Up to You

In the number seven position on our top 10 Smokie songs list is the song entitled “Babe It’s Up to You.” I love the way the song is introduced in the video. This one starts tender and turns into an almost circus-sounding rock and roll song. The song was released on the album entitled The Other Side of the Road. The album was released in 1979. It was the second single released from the album. “Babe It’s Up to You” was a top-ten hit in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. This one is fascinating.

# 6 – Something’s Been Making Me Blue

Landing in the number six spot on our top 10 Smokie songs list, we present the excellent rocking song “Something’s Been Making Me Blue.” This is one of those songs you love from the opening beat. The song was released on the album entitled Midnight Café. The album was released in 1976. It was the first single released from the album. The song hit the United Kingdom Music Charts, peaking at number seventeen. The song hit the Sverigetopplistan Music Charts (Sweden), peaking at number twenty. The great songwriters Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn composed the song.

# 5 – It’s Your Life

At the halfway point on our top 10 Smokie songs list is a bouncing dance-style song entitled “It’s Your Life.” The song was issued on the album entitled Bright Lights & Back Alleys. The album was released in 1977. “It’s Your Life” was one of Smokie’s most successful single releases. It was the first single released from the album. The song hit the United Kingdom Music Charts, peaking at number five. The song hit the Australian Music Charts, peaking at number seven.

# 4 – Don’t Play Your Rock ‘n’ Roll to Me

At the number four spot on our top 10 Smokie songs list, we present the ultimate 70s-sounding song entitled “Don’t Play Your Rock ‘n’ Roll to Me.” The band sounds a little like Dr Hook in the song’s verses. The song was released on the album entitled Changing All the Time. The album was released in 1975. It was the first single released from the album. The song hit the United Kingdom Music Charts, peaking at number eight. The song hit the Australian Music Charts, peaking at number fifty.

# 3 – Needles and Pins

Moving along on our top 10 Smokie songs list, we present the classic song “Needles and Pins.” The song was released on the album entitled Bright Lights & Back Alleys. The album was released in 1977. It was the second single released from the album. The song hit the United Kingdom Music Charts, peaking at number 10. The song was also a hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number sixty-eight. The song hit the Australian Music Charts, peaking at number seven.

“Needles and Pins” is a classic rock song. It was originally written by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono. The song’s classic and original version was recorded and released by the great Jackie DeShannon, who first released it in 1963. The Searchers also covered the song in the 1960s, as did Del Shannon and Gene Clark. Later versions were also released by 70s legends The Ramones, Stevie Nicks, and the great Tom Petty.

# 2 – If You Think You Know How to Love Me

Just off the number one spot on our top 10 Smokie songs list, we celebrate the acoustic ballad entitled “If You Think You Know How to Love Me.” This was the band’s first big hit and the song that broke into the music charts. This is such a gorgeous song. The harmonies on the chorus are terrific. The song was released on the album entitled Changing All the Time. The album was released in 1975. It was the first single released from the album. The song peaked at number two in Ireland and South Africa.

The song hit the United Kingdom Music Charts, peaking at number three. The song also hit the US Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number 96. The song hit the Australian Music Charts, peaking at number ninety-eight. “If You Think You Know How to Love Me” was composed by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn.

# 1 – Living Next Door to Alice

We close out our top 10 Smokie songs list with the group’s biggest hit of their career: a sad song entitled “Living Next Door to Alice.” These were the type of songs that were so popular in the early to mid-1970s. Bands like Paper Lace, Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, Harry Chapin, and many more all had major hits with sad story songs, usually written with over-the-top lyrics and dramatic stories.

“Living Next Door to Alice” was released as a non-album single. The record was released in 1972. The song hit the United Kingdom Music Charts, peaking at number five. It was Smokie’s highest-charting single on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 25. However, the song “Living Next Door to Alice” hit number one in multiple countries, including Ireland, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, West Germany, and Switzerland. The song missed the number one spot on the Australian Music Sales Charts, stalling at number two. “Living Next Door to Alice” was composed by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn.